Content (Syllabus outline)
Grassland and arable forage production
Grasslands in Slovenia (formation, development with emphasis on its factors, grasslands classification in terms of production value); growth and development of grasses, legumes and selected herbs (developmental, morphological, physiological, anatomical, histological features, that are important for the production of human and animal foods); nutritive value of herbage as a function of internal and external factors and the integrity of plant development; the impact of environmental factors with emphasis on soil moisture on the grassland sward or model meadow plants; biotic factors of growth of grassland sward (diseases and pests from grassland management aspect); nutrients in grassland (resources, needs of the sward and animals); forage crops as a supplementary source of roughage in animal nutrition; forage production technology (contemporary problems and trends); silage making.
Pasture management
Influence of frequent and short defoliation on changes in competition between sward plants; grass tiller tolerance; vegetative development of white clover; trampling in grazing management and physical properties of soils and influence on root growth of sward plants; influence of animal excreta on growth and sward take output for organic matter and microorganisms in the soils and symbiotic nitrogen fixation; measures to maintain balance between grasses and legumes in the sward; carbon and nitrogen cycles at different intensity of pasture production; strategy in nitrogen fertilization at higher pasture stocking rate and measures to reduce nitrogen losses from ecosystem; preventing undesirable effects of grazing in natural environment and production of functional food; silvopastoral land use.
Prerequisites
Condition for inclusion in the work:
Enrolment in the appropriate academic year.
Condition for performing study obligations:
Passed practical test (lab exercises/practical work) before part 2 examination.