Extensive Sheep and Goat Production: The Role of Novel Technologies towards Sustainability and Animal Welfare

Abstract

Sheep and goat extensive production systems are very important in the context of global food security and the use of rangelands that have no alternative agricultural use. In such systems, there are enormous challenges to address. These include, for instance, classical production issues, such as nutrition or reproduction, as well as carbon-efficient systems within the climate-change context. An adequate response to these issues is determinant to economic and environmental sustainability. The answers to such problems need to combine efficiently not only the classical production aspects, but also the increasingly important health, welfare, and environmental aspects in an integrated fashion. The purpose of the study was to review the application of technological developments, in addition to remote-sensing in tandem with other state-of-the-art techniques that could be used within the framework of extensive production systems of sheep and goats and their impact on nutrition, production, and ultimately, the welfare of these species. In addition to precision livestock farming (PLF), these include other relevant technologies, namely omics and other areas of relevance in small-ruminant extensive production: heat stress, colostrum intake, passive immunity, newborn survival, biomarkers of metabolic disease diagnosis, and parasite resistance breeding. This work shows the substantial, dynamic nature of the scientific community to contribute to solutions that make extensive production systems of sheep and goats more sustainable, efficient, and aligned with current concerns with the environment and welfare.

Performance evaluation of leg and ear numbers in radio frequency identification systems (RFID) in sensitive livestock products in goat breeding

“…Otherwise, sustainable small ruminant breeding cannot be mentioned. The most critical issue to be considered is the minimization of the inability to read the electronic numbers attached to animals (SILVA et al, 2022). The tagging of an electronic leg has become more preferred in developed countries because of the loss of numbers or low fall rates in goats.…”

Pregnancy Toxemia in Ewes: A Review of Molecular Metabolic Mechanisms and Management Strategies

“…Third, separate feeding of single and multiparous ewes may be helpful [ 131 ]. Fourth, monitoring of physiological and biochemical indicators of ewes throughout pregnancy may alert breeders to the development of pregnancy toxemia at an early stage [ 132 ]. In addition, monitoring of thyroid hormones, insulin, and glucose changes is an important tool to evaluate anabolic or catabolic adaptation in response to pregnancy and lactation in dairy cows [ 133 ].…”

Automation, Climate Change, and the Future of Farm Work: Cross-Disciplinary Lessons for Studying Dynamic Changes in Agricultural Health and Safety

“…The second theme regards discrete causes of farm injuries under climate and technological change (e.g., rates of heat related illness). The majority of this work examined outcomes related to heat and repetitive tasks, with an emphasis on extreme heat; a subsidiary group of scholarship examined automated and AI-driven surveillance of these same factors [ 23 , 29 , 34 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 65 , 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 , 71 , 72 , 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 , 77 , 78 , 79 ]. The literature focuses primarily upon the discrete forces shaping negative health outcomes (e.g., the effect repetitive tasks may have on back health, or the impact higher heat may have on heat related illnesses).…”