Mowing grasslands in hilly areas represents an important part of producing high quality feed. Due to the challenging terrain conditions, selecting appropriate machinery is crucial for ensuring efficient, safe, and cost-effective operations. The aim of this thesis was to compare different mowing methods through field experiments and to identify their respective advantages and disadvantages. The experiments were conducted in May 2026 on various grassland plots in the village of Podlonk. Fuel consumption and working time were compared for a tractor using different mowing patterns (side to side and hill up). In addition, the regeneration of the grass sward following mowing with a reciprocating mower and a disc mower was monitored, forage contamination with soil was visually assessed, and the suitability of a single-axle mower equipped with additional spiked wheels for operation on steep terrain was evaluated. Grass sward regeneration was monitored on plots measuring 25 m², while the cutting height was maintained at 6 cm across all treatments. Various agricultural machines and measuring devices were used during the experiments, and these are described in the following chapters. The results showed that mowing side to side with a mountain tractor provided higher operational efficiency and lower fuel consumption per hectare than mowing hill up and hill down. Monitoring of grass sward regeneration revealed an advantage in favour of mowing with a disc mower. Forage contamination was found to depend primarily on the condition of the grass sward, the presence of molehills and stones, and soil moisture levels; however, the likelihood of soil contamination was greater when using a disc mower. The comparison of additional wheel configurations demonstrated that spiked wheels improve traction and enable safer operation on steep terrain.
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