ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on one of the most important ecosystems of the region: natural pastures, which have always been used as a source of feed for animal husbandry, given Molise’s long history of livestock production. The annual rainfall, with a maximum in autumn and a minimum in summer, is usually enough to allow normal natural pasture vegetation. Pasture is a complex ecosystem whose productivity is influenced by natural factors, such as climate, soil, and vegetative characteristics, and anthropogenic factors, such as the mode and intensity of grazing. The capacity of the pasture to sustain the requirements of the animals is determined by the quantity of biomass produced and the qualitative characteristics of the pasture, expressed as nutritional values. Based on productivity and climatic conditions, pasture grass is generally available to animals from May to September, considering that its growth rate reaches a peak in autumn and another in spring.
