Transhumant Sheep and Goat Farming Sector in the Region of Sterea Ellada-Greec

Abstract

Transhumance connects highlands and lowlands creating that way a farming system with important social, cultural, economic, landscape and environmental effects. Despite the continuous reduction of the number of transhumant herds in Greece the later years, this farming system still preserves a considerable position in country’s animal husbandry. Aim of this paper is the study of management practices and the nomination of productivity indicators of the transhumant reared animals in the region of Sterea Ellada. The necessary data were collected through a specially conducted questionnaire from totally 140 transhumant herders. The results reveal average herd size of 364.40, with herd sizes that exceeds one thousand, especially for goat herds, and residence on mountainous, semi-mountainous areas for at least 5 months. The main source of income is the trade of milk, but it should be noted that a small proportion of the herders process milk and trade only feta and/or other traditional kinds of cheese complementary of meat trade. In addition average traded milk production and prolificacy reveal the influence of more intense farming practices, such as crossbreeding and/or rational feed and the continuous effort of the producers and correspond to consecutive increase of the needs of the market.

Keywords

• farming system
• management
• sheep and transhumance