Horses and cattle from the Netherlands transported to Dviete floodplain

31 cattle and 39 ‘Konik’ horses were let out in the Dviete floodplain nature park on September 19-20, 2012, transported from the Netherlands within the framework of LIFE+ Project DVIETE. Horses are donated by ‘FREE Nature’, they come from the floodplain of Rijn river. The cattle – 8 Heck cattle and 23 cattle of the breed 'Highlander' - were purchased by the associated beneficiary of the LIFE+ project ‘ARK Nature’ from the Netherlands, using project funding. The cattle come from sea floodplain at the estuary of Rijn.

Horses were let into the grazing ground with an area of 85 ha, established at the left side of Dviete river near it’s inflow in the lake Skuķu, at Zariņu sala. Cattle joined to the existing herd of cattle and horses, established with a support of ‘ARK Nature’ in the right side of Dviete river at Putnu sala before the LIFE+ project. There are 54 horses (including foals) and 73 cattle (including calves) in the herd now. In total, grasslands are currently grazed by 99 horses (including foals) and 105 cattle (including calves) in the whole Dviete floodplain nature park.

Cattle and horses ensure maintenance of open grassland areas in Dviete floodplain nature park. Selected broods are suitable for living outdoors all the year, so they can control overgrowing of grasslands most effectively, by feeding also with scrub sprouts and bark during cold months of the year.

Ilze Priedniece

24.09.2012.