Journal of Rangeland Science (JRS) Determination of Pasture Comfort Climate Index between Forest and Open Grassland for Livestock Grazing Volume 14 (2024) Issue 4, Octopber 2024 2024 02 01 Determination of Pasture Comfort Climate Index between Forest and Open Grassland for Livestock Grazing 10.57647/j.jrs.2024.1404.26 EN Krisztina Varga Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences Karcag Research Institute 0000-0001-9563-891X Istvan Csizi Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences Research Institute Karcag 0000-0001-6486-0163 Andras Halasz Institute of Animal Husbandry at Szent Istvan University 0000-0003-2959-0924 Journal Article 2024 02 01 In the summer of 2019 digitally recorded climatic data of shelterbelts and open pastures were compared to create a database. Our aim was to clarify the extent to which the herding needs of free-range flocks in the pasture meet the climatic conditions of the shelterbelts. It is considered important to graze sheep in the grazing forest, as special attention needs to be paid during the daytime due to their low heat stress tolerance, which can increase the comfort zone of sheep, thus ensuring grassland sustainability and increasing grassland diversity. Based on our investigations, it can be concluded that the shelterbelts occupies a key position in the examined area in the daily rhythm of the flock's presence on the pasture. Our results showed that the soil surface temperature measured in the shelterbelt was lower on average 6.44 ° C (p-value: 1.36E-08 at 13:00 hrs.) and 5.18 ° C (p-value: 7.8E-07 at 15:00 hrs.) than in the control area. Our studies also showed that the temperature in the shelterbelt was lower in the early afternoon hours than in the control area (p-value: 0.001 at 13:00 hrs.; and p-value: 0.0007 at 15:00 hrs.). Furthermore, the protective role of the shelterbelt was demonstrated, with a lower wind speed (83% avg.), humidity (13% avg.) and temperature (4% avg.) values.