Meeting sessions will consider the following topics:

  1. Farming systems and global change
  2. Conflicting priorities in mountain areas (wild animals, natural resources and human needs)
  3. Precision mountain farming and smart agriculture
  4. Product quality and value chains
  5. Management options for ecosystem services

1st Joint Meeting of
EAAP Mountain Livestock Farming Working Group
& FAO-CIHEAM Mountain Pastures Sub-Network

“Mountains are agroecosystems for people”

7-9 June 2021 – online meeting

Provisional program

Monday, 7th June 2021

9.00-9:30 Welcome and introduction to the conference Klopčič M. (ULBF, SI), head of local organizing committee Erjavec E. (University of Ljubljana, SI), vice-dean for quality and economic affairs Casasus I. (CITA, ES), president of EAAP Porqueddu C. (CNR, IT), coordinator of FAO-CIHEAM network on pasture and forage crops   Mountain agriculture in Slovenia Vidrih M. & Klopčič M. (ULBF, SI)
  Session 1: Farming systems and global change Chair: Casasus I. (CITA, ES), Lombardi G. (UNITO, IT)  
9:30-10:00 Opening lecture Grassland-based farming systems in Europe. Newell-Price P. (ADAS, UK), Ravetto Enri S. (UNITO, IT), Lombardi G. (UNITO, IT), Schils R. (WUR, NL), Berge H. ten (WUR, NL)
10:00-10:45 Open discussion
10:15-11:00 Session 1: Offered oral presentations – 1
  03 – Mountain dairy farming in North-West Italian Alps: comparing environmental, economic and social aspects. Blanc S. (UNITO, IT) et al.
  09 – An eco-citizen dairy farming system in mountain areas with the calves reared by their dams. Pomiès D. & Bouchon M. (INRAE, F)
  06 – Towards the climate change in Alpine pastures: perception of heat stress by dairy farmers. Lora I. (UNIPD, IT) et al.
11:00-11:10 Question time
11:10-11:25 Coffee break
11:25-12:10 Session 1: Offered oral presentations – 2
  04 – Grazing strategies and their relationship to traits of milk performance testing in cattle. Fuerst-Waltl B. (BOKU, AT) et al.
  08 – The restoration of abandoned temperate forests with semi-free-range pigs: the experience of ‘Food For Forest’. Nota G. (UNITO, IT) et al.
  35 – Cattle breed – an underestimated driver of mountain pasture management. Pauler C. (Agroscope, CH) et al.
12:10-12:20 Question time
12:20-13:00 Session 1: Poster presentations 01 – Beef livestock system in a silvopastoral area of Sardinia. Acciaro M. (AGRIS, IT) et al. 02 – Environmental sustainability of summer grazing or no summer grazing farming systems in a Lombardy alpine valley: two case studies. Gislon G. (UNIMI, IT) et al. 05 – Do beef cows reared on mountain pastures of central Spain need to be supplemented? Lobon S. (CITA, ES) et al. 10 – Nitrogen farm balance and efficiency in mountain dairy farms. Tamburini A. (UNIMI, IT) et al. 11 – Systems biology approach to study high-altitude genetic adaptation in Bosnian mountain horse. Zorc M. (ULBF, SI) et al. 49 – Effect of the sainfoin preservation on the secondary compounds and antioxidant activity. Joy M. (CITA, ES) et al.  
13:00-14:00 Lunch break
  Session 2: Conflicting priorities in mountain areas Chair: Mayer V. (Raumberg-Gumpenstein, AT), Mattiello S. (UNIMI-SoZooAlp, IT)  
14:00-14:30 Opening lecture Challenges of integrating large carnivores into modern mountain pastoral systems: can they become symbols for new alliances rather than symbols of conflict? Linnell J. (NINA, NO)
14:30-14:45 Open discussion
14:45-15:30 Session 2: Offered oral presentations – 1
  42 – Human-carnivore conflict in the north-eastern Italian pre-Alps: a preliminary assessment. Franchini M. (UNIUD, IT) et al.
  44 – Electric collar prototype for sheep to deter wolves. Jordan D. (ULBF, SI) et al.
  46 – Characteristics and risk factors of predation by large carnivores on domestic herbivores in Valle Camonica (Italy). Bonettini S. (UNIMI, IT) et al.
15:30:15:40 Question time
15:40-15:55 Coffee break
15:55-16:40 Session 2: Offered oral presentations – 2
  47 – Attitudes of local and general populations towards agriculture, environment and economic development in mountain areas. Muñoz-Ulecia E. (CITA, ES) et al.
  41 – Summer mountain grazing has a long tradition in the Alpine region. Dovč P. (University Ljubljana, SI) et al.
  43 – How can satellite technologies prevent livestock predation and mitigate excessive damage from large carnivores?  Frangini L. (UNIUD, IT) et al.
16:40-16:50 Question time
16:50-17:00 Session 2: Poster presentations 45 – Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) grazing on permanent grasslands in Triglav National Park. Lukač B. (ULBF, SI) et al.  

Tuesday, 8th June 2021

  Session 3: Precision mountain farming and smart agriculture Chair: Klopčič M. (ULBF, SI), Hansen I. (NIBIO, NO)  
9.00-9:30 Opening lecture Current state of the art for the use of Earth Observation in grassland management: a practical guide. Green S. (Teagasc, IRL)
9:30-9:45 Open discussion
9:45-10:30 Session 3: Offered oral presentations – 1
  17 – Animal-carried sensors in mountain livestock science: opportunities and challenges. Schneider M. (Agroscope, CH) et al.
  12 – Application of Virtual Fencing for the management of Limousine cows at pasture during spring-summer season: preliminary results. Confessore A. (UNIFI, IT) et al.
  16 – Can research benefit of real-time GPS collars conceived for livestock management by farmers? Pittarello M. (UNITO, IT) et al.
10:30-10:40 Question time
10:40-10:55 Coffee break
10:55-11:40 Session 3: Offered oral presentations – 2
  28 – ResNatSeed: A tool for the assessment of the REStoration potential of NATive SEEDs based on topographic factors in Piedmont Region, Italy. Barberis D. (UNITO, IT) et al.
  50 – Communicating knowledge on alpine pasture management to farmers using videos and the internet. Schneider M. (Agroscope, CH) et al.
  14 – Daily energy expenditure for locomotion by sheep in the Pyrenean summer mountain grasslands. Larraz V. (University of Zaragoza, ES) et al.
11:40-11:50 Question time
11:50-12:00 Session 3: Poster presentations 13 – The “Animal Sense” warning system. Low-cost technology to prevent collisions between semi-domestic reindeer and vehicles. Hansen I. (NIBIO, NO) et al. 15 – VegeT: An Easy Tool to Classify and Facilitate the Sustainable Management of Seminatural Grasslands and Dynamically Connected Vegetation of the Alps. Leoni V. (UNIMI, IT) et al.  
12:00-13:30 Lunch break

  Session 4: Product quality and value chains Chair: , Cozzi G. (UNIPD, IT)  
13:30-14:00 Opening lecture Mountain dairy farming systems and product qualities; what is new? Martin B. (INRAE, F), Manzocchi E., Delbes C., Verdier-Metz I.
14:00-14:15 Open discussion
14:15-15:00 Session 4: Offered oral presentations – 1
  27 – On-farm factors predicting the fatty acid profile of herbage from semi-natural grasslands and derived bulk cow milk. Renna M. (UNITO, IT) et al.
  21 – Authentication of feeding specifications of Protected Designation of Origin cheese using milk mid-infrared spectroscopy. Coppa M. (INRAE, F) et al.
  25 – Cheese composition from cows given a tannin extract in two different grazing seasons. Menci R. (UNICT, IT) et al.
15:00:15:10 Question time
15:10-15:30 Coffee break
15:30-15:40 Presentation of EWE (European Wool Exchange) foundation
15:40-16:25 Session 4: Offered oral presentations – 2
  24 – Ways to improve the profitability of sheep farming with rare indigenous mountain sheep breeds. Ketterle N. (Kollektion der Vielfalt, D)
  18a – Sustainable Norwegian sheep production: fresh meat supply and niche markets. Bhatti M.A. (NMBU, NO) et al.
  20 – The effect of the fattening period on the fatty acid composition of grazing lambs of two genotypes. Cividini A. (ULBF, SI)
16:25-6:35 Question time
16:35-17:00 Session 4: Poster presentations 18b – Profitable sheep production strategies: effect of breed and grazing on farm economy. Bhatti M.A. (NMBU, NO) et al. 22 – Hilly and sub-mountain agroecosystems of Italy are rich in herbaceous landraces. Giupponi L. (UNIMI, IT) et al. 23 – A system to promote a traditional raw milk product. Mazzucchi M. (FMACH, IT) et al. 26 – Animal welfare assessment in alpine dairy farms with different housing systems. Partel E. (FMACH, IT) et al.  

Wednesday, 9th June

  Session 5: Management options for ecosystem services Chair: Pauler C. (Agroscope, CH), Hejduk S. (Mendelu, CZ)  
9.00-9:30 Opening lecture Best practices for targeted policies to enhance ecosystem services in European mountains Bernues A., Martín-Collado D., Tenza-Peral A. (CITA – University of Zaragoza, ES)
9:30-9:45 Open discussion
9:45-10:30 Session 5: Offered oral presentations – 1
  36 – Short-term response of permanent meadows with intermediate species richness levels to fertilisation with organic manures. Peratoner G. (Laimburg, IT) et al.
  37 – Vegetation and environmental factors affect Carbon stock of Alpine pastures. Ravetto Enri S. (UNITO, IT) et al.
  32 – Relative importance of topography, climate, species composition and phenology in affecting forage yield and quality in alpine summer pastures. Mainetti A. (UNITO, IT) et al.
10:30-10:40 Question time
10:40-10:55 Coffee break
10:55-11:55 Session 5: Offered oral presentations – 2
  30 – Scale matters – habitat use and selection by two sheep breeds in two contrasting Norwegian alpine environments. Jørgensen N.H. (NMBU, NO) et al.
  34 – Mediterranean mountain management with extensive livestock as strategy for enhancing ecosystem services. Nadal-Romero E. (IPE-CSIC, ES) et al.
  38 – Effects of molasses-based blocks on Highland cattle grazing in green alder-encroached pastures. Svensk M. (Agroscope, CH) et al.
11:55-12:10 Question time
12:10-12:30 Session 5: Poster presentations 29 – Apennine pasture as potential ecosystem services source: a case study. Fatica A. (UNIMOL, IT) et al. 31 – Diurnal activity rhythm on summer pastures of two sheep breeds in two contrasting Norwegian alpine environments. Rise R. (NMBU, NO) et al. 33 – Monitoring of Mountain meadows in Slovakia. Martincová J. (GMARI, SK) et al. 39 – The effect of management practices on soil nutrient status, forage yield, feeding value and plant diversity of species rich meadows in the Soča Valley region. Žnidaršič T. (KIS, SI) et al. 40 – Dry matter production of semi-natural grassland and its mineral element concentrations under cutting and mulching management in chosen Slovakian mountains. Britaňák N. (NPPC, SK) et al.  
12:30-13:45 Lunch break
13:45-15:00 Virtual tour in Triglav National Park
15:00-15:20 From abstracts to full papers: opportunities for publication in peer reviewed journals Journal of Mountain Science, Qiu Dunlian (Executive Editor-in-chief)Animal: the International Journal of Animal Biosciences, Ortigues I. (Chief Editor)
15:20:15:50 Business meetings
15:50-16:15 Conclusions
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