Evaluation of some environmentally-friendly private livestock farms in Central Slovakia

In an agri-environmental programme, four individual private farms in Central Slovakia were selected for a study on production systems and related environmental costs or benefits. The area of the four farms represents 16.5 % of Javorinka – Hrinovské Lazy, which forms part of the Protected Area of Polana Mountain. Three of the farms are typical mountain farms with predominantly grassland (79 – 93 %). The smallest farm (3.35 ha of agricultural land) has 2.11 ha of arable land and 1.13 ha of grassland. Both cattle and sheep farming are practised on all farms except the smallest. Grassland areas are situated at altitudes of 700 - 1 000 m a.s.l. and are located a long distance from the farmsteads. All the farms have to apply a system of organic farming as they are situated in a protected area. Crop production is for home use – maintenance of the farmer’s family and for their livestock production. Usually one-quarter to one-third of their animal production (cheese, winter milk, ‘natural’ beef, lambs and wool) can be sold on the market. There is a need for the production and marketing of animal products of organic origin, which is still not well developed in mountain regions of Slovakia. Farming on the individual farms is supported by subsidies aimed at sustaining rural settlement, viable farming systems, and grassland utilisation, as well as biodiversity, environmental protection and landscape.