Published in Scientific Papers. Series D. Animal Science, Vol. LXVI, Issue 2
Written by Maya POPOVA, Pavlin ZHELEV, Gradimir GRADEV
With reference to the implementation of the areas - 'Traditional practices for seasonal grazing of animals' and 'Conservation of endangered local breeds', the interest in free grazing of various farm animals in Bulgaria has been significant in recent years. Horses are particularly suitable for this type of breeding. Pastures are often located in remote areas with limited access, which makes it difficult to visit and inspect the herds and facilities in the pastures on a daily basis. In order to find modern technological solutions to solve these problems and reduce costs and efforts of farmers, we tested several modern devices that are traditionally used in other areas, and their application in animal husbandry in Bulgaria is an innovative approach. These are GPS (Global Positioning System) for tracking animals, photo traps, as well as drones. As a result, we found that they have a successful application in monitoring horses which are raised free grazing, save costs and time, do not cause stress and side effects. These devices can be used to control access to pastures and limit theft, harassment and other encroachments on herds.
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