WOLF (CANIS LUPUS) PREDATION ON DAIRY CATTLE IN EASTERN ITALIAN ALPS
Natural wolf recolonization of the Alps brings the challenge to reduce livestock losses and social conflicts. The uncommon impact of a wolf pack on the cattle farming systems of the “Lessinia”, in the eastern Italian Alps was examined in this study. Dairy cattle farming predominates there using summ...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Faculty of Agrobitechnical Sciences Osijek
2015-09-01
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| Series: | Poljoprivreda |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://poljoprivreda.pfos.hr/upload/publications/poljoprivreda-21-1-sup32.pdf |
| _version_ | 1819154972259909632 |
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| author | Georgia Faccioni Enrico Sturaro Sonia Calderola Maurizio Ramanzin |
| author_facet | Georgia Faccioni Enrico Sturaro Sonia Calderola Maurizio Ramanzin |
| author_sort | Georgia Faccioni |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Natural wolf recolonization of the Alps brings the challenge to reduce livestock losses and social conflicts. The uncommon impact of a wolf pack on the cattle farming systems of the “Lessinia”, in the eastern Italian Alps was examined in this study. Dairy cattle farming predominates there using summer pastures (June-September) and grazing on lowland meadows out of summer. Grazing is organized with aim to minimize labour and costs. Animals are usually left unattended during the day and night in unprotected pastures. Since the return of the wolf in 2012, which formed a pack in 2013, attacks to livestock increased rapidly. Predations peaked during the summer, and they also were extended into the preceding and following months, especially during 2014. Cattle were the predominant species predated (79% of events and 71% of individual losses), with a strong selection towards young age classes. To prevent attacks, livestock should be grouped and kept protected by electric fences or in stables during the night, but this is in contrast with the freegrazing management that farmers have adopted for reducing costs. We suggest that management costs and introduction of protection measures changes should be taken into account for a future economic valorisation of the cattle farming sector. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T15:29:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e3a88e3f54774b6194e380878abc5013 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1330-7142 1848-8080 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T15:29:34Z |
| publishDate | 2015-09-01 |
| publisher | Faculty of Agrobitechnical Sciences Osijek |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Poljoprivreda |
| spelling | doaj.art-e3a88e3f54774b6194e380878abc50132022-12-21T18:21:24ZengFaculty of Agrobitechnical Sciences OsijekPoljoprivreda1330-71421848-80802015-09-01211 sup13814110.18047/poljo.21.1.sup.32WOLF (CANIS LUPUS) PREDATION ON DAIRY CATTLE IN EASTERN ITALIAN ALPSGeorgia Faccioni0Enrico Sturaro1Sonia Calderola2Maurizio Ramanzin3DAFNAE - Università di Padova, Via dell’Università 16 - 35020, Legnaro (PD), Italy DAFNAE - Università di Padova, Via dell’Università 16 - 35020, Legnaro (PD), ItalyRegione del Veneto- Sezione Caccia e Pesca, via Torino 110 – 30172 Mestre (VE), Italy DAFNAE - Università di Padova, Via dell’Università 16 - 35020, Legnaro (PD), Italy Natural wolf recolonization of the Alps brings the challenge to reduce livestock losses and social conflicts. The uncommon impact of a wolf pack on the cattle farming systems of the “Lessinia”, in the eastern Italian Alps was examined in this study. Dairy cattle farming predominates there using summer pastures (June-September) and grazing on lowland meadows out of summer. Grazing is organized with aim to minimize labour and costs. Animals are usually left unattended during the day and night in unprotected pastures. Since the return of the wolf in 2012, which formed a pack in 2013, attacks to livestock increased rapidly. Predations peaked during the summer, and they also were extended into the preceding and following months, especially during 2014. Cattle were the predominant species predated (79% of events and 71% of individual losses), with a strong selection towards young age classes. To prevent attacks, livestock should be grouped and kept protected by electric fences or in stables during the night, but this is in contrast with the freegrazing management that farmers have adopted for reducing costs. We suggest that management costs and introduction of protection measures changes should be taken into account for a future economic valorisation of the cattle farming sector.http://poljoprivreda.pfos.hr/upload/publications/poljoprivreda-21-1-sup32.pdfdairy cattlemountainwolflivestock systemsdepredation |
| spellingShingle | Georgia Faccioni Enrico Sturaro Sonia Calderola Maurizio Ramanzin WOLF (CANIS LUPUS) PREDATION ON DAIRY CATTLE IN EASTERN ITALIAN ALPS Poljoprivreda dairy cattle mountain wolf livestock systems depredation |
| title | WOLF (CANIS LUPUS) PREDATION ON DAIRY CATTLE IN EASTERN ITALIAN ALPS |
| title_full | WOLF (CANIS LUPUS) PREDATION ON DAIRY CATTLE IN EASTERN ITALIAN ALPS |
| title_fullStr | WOLF (CANIS LUPUS) PREDATION ON DAIRY CATTLE IN EASTERN ITALIAN ALPS |
| title_full_unstemmed | WOLF (CANIS LUPUS) PREDATION ON DAIRY CATTLE IN EASTERN ITALIAN ALPS |
| title_short | WOLF (CANIS LUPUS) PREDATION ON DAIRY CATTLE IN EASTERN ITALIAN ALPS |
| title_sort | wolf canis lupus predation on dairy cattle in eastern italian alps |
| topic | dairy cattle mountain wolf livestock systems depredation |
| url | http://poljoprivreda.pfos.hr/upload/publications/poljoprivreda-21-1-sup32.pdf |
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