Cattle in the Polish Carpathians – spatial differences and dynamics of changes

Abstract

The paper deals with the problems of concentration and suspension of cattle breeding activity on farms located in the Carpathian region o Poland. The main purpose of the conducted investigations was to delimit the areas of the Carpathian region in accordance with changes in the scale of cattle production recorded in the period between 2004 and 2009. Basing on the data from the Agency for Restructuring and Modernization of Agriculture (AriMR) an analysis of changes in the number of cattle and cattle herds kept in individual communes was conducted. Prospects for cattle breeding on farms located in the Carpathian region were also discussed in the light of changes in CAP. The results of the conducted research show that in all communes of the region a decline occurred in the number of cattle herds and, consequently, in the number of cattle during the analyzed period. The decline was particularly steep in the mountainous and foothill areas of the Podkarpackie province. In 2004-2009 the number of cattle diminished by 15.6% and the number of herds by 26,6%. These figures can be interpreted as an expression of the process of economic-organizational concentration (growth in the number of animals forming a herd mainly). Unfortunately, the process of the concentration of production is slower than the process of withdrawal of farms from cattle breeding, which may have negative consequences for the landscape of the Carpathian Mountains.