FODDER AS A BIOFUEL FOR WORKING HORSE

Cilj istraživanja je okarakterizirati krmno bilje kao bioenergent za „pogon“ radnih konja u ratarstvu kontinentalne Hrvatske, i to sa stajališta mogućnosti primjene i izvedivosti u pogledu eventualnih prepreka. Većina podataka dobivena je metodom pregleda literature, a manji dio osobnom komunikacijom s iskusnijim konjogojcima, korisnicima konja i istraživačima. Koristile su se metode projekcije, a zaključci su doneseni metodama logičke indukcije i dedukcije. Konjska vuča može dati pogon za gotovo sve radne operacije u ratarskoj proizvodnji. Nemogućnost primjene ustanovljena je jedino kod zahvata obrade tla aktivnim oruđima tipa freze i rotodrljače. Prema radnom opterećenju, dani u ratarstvu kod konja svrstavali su se u tri skupine: radni dani sa srednje teškim opterećenjem, laki radni dani i neradni dani. Projekcijom se došlo do toga da bi na hipotetskoj farmi veličine 18 ha tijekom godine bilo 64,5 dana sa srednje teškim radom para konja, 32,1 sa lakim radom i 268,4 neradna dana. Količina sijena u dnevnom obroku iznosila bi 10 kg, neovisno o radnom opterećenju, dok bi količina zobi u neradnim danima bila 0,5kg. U vrijeme lakih radnih dana, zob bi se povećavala za 2 kg, a u radnim danima sa srednje teškim radom za 4 kg. S obzirom da je na farmi, pored radnih konja, korisno držati i kobilu za ždrebljenje, potrebno je pribrojiti i hranidbene potrebe takve kobile. Njezin dnevni obrok sastoji se od 10 kg sijena i 2 kg zobi. Projekcijom se došlo do godišnje potrebe za 10950kg sijena livada ili trava ili smjesa lucerne i slame, te 1643 kg zobi za hranidbu para radnih konja i kobile za ždrebljenje. Provedenim projekcijama, krmno bilje kao bioenergent za radne konje, pokazalo je dva različita potencijala „pogona“ u opsluživanju agrotehničkih operacija glavnih ratarskih usjeva u Hrvatskoj. Kod scenarija proizvodnje krmiva na farmi smještenoj na plodnim tlima i u polusušnom klimatu, jedan hektar kombiniranih krmih usjeva (lucerna + zob) davao bi „pogon“ za agrotehniku na 12 ha ratarskih površina. Kod scenarija proizvodnje livadnog sijena na trajnim travnjacima Republike Hrvatske i proizvodnje zobi na samoj farmi, jedan idealni hektar kombiniranog krmnog bilja (travnjak + zob) davao bi „pogon“ za agrotehniku na 4,3 ha ratarskih površina. Uvođenjem konjske vuče u ratarstvo anticipirani su mnogi pozitivni makroekonomski i drugi efekti, poput poboljšanja plodnosti tla, očuvanja i unaprjeđenja okoliša, razvoja ruralnog turizma, rasta zaposlenosti, poboljšanja vanjskotrgovinske bilance i prehrambene sigurnosti.Aim of the research was to characterize the fodder crops as a bioenergent for fuelling the working horses in the field crop production at continental Croatia, in the aspects of capability for application and feasibility considering the eventual obstacles. Majority of data was collected from a literature review, and the rest from the personal communication with experienced horseman and researchers. Besides the review, there were employed methods of projection. The research has revealed that horse traction may give a drive for almost all the works in field crop production. Impossibility for application was found only for the rotary tillage. According to a working load in the field crop production, the days during a year were grouped into three classes: medium working, light working and idle. According to the projection for a hypothetic farm of 18 ha, there were anticipated 64.5 medium working days, 32.1 light working days and 268.4 idle days for a pair of working horses during a year. Anticipated average daily consumption of fodder per a horse was 10 kg of hay and 0.5 kg of oats, regardless to working load. Addition of 2 kg of oats was projected in a light working day and addition of 4 kg of oats in a medium working day. Since it’s useful to keep a mare for colt production, it’s required to add the needs for fodder for such a mare. Her daily needs are assumed to comprise 10 kg of hay and 2 kg of oats per average day. Projection has anticipated the annual need for 10950 kg of meadow or grass hay or of mixture of lucerne hay and cereal straw, and 1643 kg of oats for feeding a pair of working horses and mare. Fodder as a bioenergent has shown two different drive potentials in fuelling the main field crops production in Croatia. In the scenario with fodder production at the farm’s arable land (fertile soils in semiarid climate), one hectare of combined fodder crops (lucerne+oats) would give a drive for production of 12 ha of field crops. In the scenario with hay production on permanent grasslands of Croatia and oats production on farm’s arable land, one hypothetic hectare of combined fodder crops (grassland+oats) would give a drive for agronomy on 4,3 ha of field crops. There were anticipated many beneficial effects of horse traction introduction into the field crop production: improvement of the soil fertility, lesser pollution, preservation and improvement of environment, improvement of food security, growth of employment rate and equalization of foreign trade balance