Pasture systems and forage production in agro-ecological conditions of the Republic of Srpska

Abstract

Meadows and pastures, especially in the hilly-mountain area, are one of the basic ways of land utilization. Pastures are the main source of sustainable livestock production in the Republic of Srpska, as well as significant factor in conserving plant genetic biodiversity and protecting soil from erosion. Permanent or natural grasslands occupy about 350 thousand hectares of nearly one million hectares of agricultural land in the Republic of Srpska, representing about 30% of the area. Most of the natural meadows and pastures are located in hilly and mountain areas. Overall, the grasslands of the central Balkans are lowproductive and of unsatisfactory forage quality. In areas where there is no mowing and no fertilization, more than half of the grassland biomass can be produced from forbs (low quality herbs or weeds). The availability of permanent grassland nutrients has a strong impact on the biodiversity of plant species, the coverage and dominance of individual species in plant cover. Generally, the conditions in meadows and pastures in the Republic of Srpska are unsatisfactory because production potential is underutilized at all. Negative impacts such as infrastructure development and habitat destruction, overgrazing, eutrophication, overuse of rare and endangered species, discontinuation of traditional use and depopulation have led to the qualitative and quantitative changes in grasslands in the Republic of Srpska. Reduced production potential of natural meadows and pastures is also caused by the long-term effects of erosion, the impact of adverse climatic factors on areas under grasslands and improper management and use of grasslands. Improvement of the production potential of these grasslands can be achieved through fertilization with different amounts and types of organic and mineral fertilizers. Current practices and research have shown the positive effects of organic fertilizers, combined with moderate amounts of mineral fertilizers, for use in meadows and pastures.