Problemy dysparytetu pogłowia owiec w województwie małopolskim

Sheep-farming is the branch of agricultural economy which in the last 2 decades has faced a serious regress. It should be noted that a deep and relatively stable decrease in sheep population has occurred. Moreover, the sheep breeding in many sub-regions of Poland, where years ago their production played a significant role, is also disappearing. The decrease in sheep population has been usually concomitant with the decrease in cattle population which has finally resulted in the increasing problem of abandonment of grasslands, the process of land being brownfielded and fallowed, and the process of land forestation and shrubs. Sheeps can again become unique species of animal reintroduction for productive usage of agricultural areas, their productiveness, and the provision of both workplace and local population incomes. These premises are particularly significant for mountainous areas, including mountains and foothills in the Małopolska Province, which are naturally predestined for animal production. In the analysis the emphasis has been put on the wide array of benefits which result from the sheep breeding reintroduction, including both cultural and commercial-cultural sheep pasture. Problem concerning the scale of sheep population shortage in the herbivorous livestock in Małopolska Province has also been tackled. The conducted analysis have shown that feed reserves are currently enormous, whereas the shortage of herbivorous livestock in Małopolska Province amounts to over 220 thousand. LU, that is 123% of a current state of livestock, including about 100,7% of sheep population state.