Students should have been previously enrolled in a graduate level course in Animal Science; Possibly, students should have already attended and passed the following courses: Agronomy, Plant biology, Crop science.
Oral assessment that will be focused also on the application of tools for the systems analysis at farm scale.
To facilitate learning of the tools for the analysis and the implementation of cropping systems for livestock farming under Mediterranean conditions. To acquire skills for the interpretation of complex situations related to the agronomic elements of the livestock farming systems, in order to identify and select among diverse management strategies and options.
Elements of systems analysis of forage systems. Principles of systems analysis: system diagrams and system thinking. Classification of forage species and their management. Large-scale grazing systems. Agro-pastoral systems. Grasslands and their management. Grazing management. Methods for stocking rate determination. Forage chains. Agro-silvo-pastoral systems.
Baldoni e Giardini, 2000. Coltivazioni erbacee. Cereali e proteaginose. Patron ed. Baldoni e Giardini, 2000. Coltivazioni erbacee. Foraggere e tappeti erbosi. Patron ed. Pearson CJ Ison RL. Agronomy of grassland systems. Cambridge Univ. Press. Specific teaching material will be provided to the students throughout the course.
Laboratory on the application of tools for the systems analysis of forage systems. Farm visits. Planning exercises for grassland management at farm and territorial scale.
The lecturer is available to organize laboratory activities and seminars in English for foreign students and to provide teaching material written in English
