Extensive beef cattle production in Portugal: the added value of indigenous breeds in the beef market

O presente documento foi apresentado na 2nd International Conference of the LSIRD Network que decorreu em Bray, Dublin em Dezembro de 1998, tendo integrado os respectivos Proceedings.Beef production in less-favoured areas in Portugal is usually extensive, and along with forestry and agriculture is one of the main sources of income and employment. It has also an important role both in a social and environmental context. Portugal is not self-sufficient in beef production, though the BSE crisis has severely hit beef sales, and it is difficult to envisage consumption making a full recovery in the short to medium term. However, it is possible to see an emergent market for beef produced by Portuguese indigenous breeds from extensive production systems. Beef from indigenous breeds is considered to be a high quality product by producers and consumers, mainly because of the superior taste and structure of the meat resulting from the production methods: differences within breeds, slow growth rate and type of vegetation consumed. This product differentiation has allowed the enlargement of small niche markets and has led to an increase in the value of meat with a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). The specificity of a product linked with a PDO has a fundamental role in the establishment of the strategies for agricultural enterprises and in rural development. Since Portuguese agriculture cannot compete on quantity or production cost with other competitors, differentiation and quality seem to be the alternatives that may stimulate rural activities in LFAs and create a regional added value able to contribute to sustainable development. Extensive animal production systems can be an important component of environmental and landscape protection, as well as contribute to the decrease of the human and physical desertification of our rural areas

Research in Angora goats under the LEADER II in Portugal

A new LEADER II project will establish Angora goat enterprises on existing farming units in a marginal area of Portugal that do not at present have any goats. As mohair production in Portugal becomes established the fibre will contribute significantly to the rural economy of the region. The present project will be innovative in Portugal, in terms of its organisation and objectives, and aims to offset the current problems facing these areas, such as the abandonment of existing farming units, which is leading to desertification in certain rural areas in Portugal.The introduction of Angora goats to the Cova da Beira region will contribute to the diversification of livestock at the regional and national level. This will increase the national production of mohair fibre, in which both Portugal and the EU as a whole are deficient.group of ten breeders, each starting with twenty females and two males will be formed. The breeders will be linked in a co-operative, which will buy and transform all the mohair fibre produced. To achieve this, the co-operative will subcontract work to textile factories in the region. As the breeders are associated together, they are able to retain complete control of the purchase and transformation of raw material, as well as the commercialisation of the various products, thus benefiting from the added value of the processing stages. This will make a significant contribution to the economic profitability and technical sustainability of their agricultural activities.The project is firmly based on the concept of integration. The encouragement of cooperation, with the use of common facilities (e.g. shearing, technical assistance, etc.) and the synergy of the cooperative will create the necessary economic balance of the farming units and support the systematic and continuous development of quality and efficiency to suit the requirements of the market

Chemical composition of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) fillet

Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) is a freshwater fish originating from the United States of America (USA). This specie was introduced in Portugal (Azores) in the end of the XIX Century. Like in the USA, largemouth bass is one of the most popular freshwater sports fish in Portugal and it is very important in regional cuisine, especially in the countryside. However, there’s a lack of information about the chemical composition of largemouth bass fillet. All eaten largemouth bass in Portugal are caught in large dams and small irrigation dams because there’s no largemouth bass aquaculture industry. The aim of this work was to evaluate the chemical composition of largemouth bass fillet collected in an irrigation reservoir (39º49’27.89’’ N; 07º26’57.92’’ W) located in the Central region of Portugal. Thirteen largemouth bass were collected (average weight 349.85g ±74.23; average length 27.22cm ±1.43; average K condition factor 1.71 ±0.14) and were frozen during seven days. The cutting carcasses and the filet chemical analyses (moisture, protein, fat and ash) took place in the laboratory. In the carcass, the average amounts of viscera, spine, head, skin and filet were, respectively, 8.52% (±1.41), 17.24% (±1.29), 23.06% (±1.85), 7.58% (±0.60) and 43.59% (±1.91). In the filet, the average amounts of moisture, protein, fat and ash were, respectively, 77.67% (±1.07), 18.46% (±0.83), 0.90% (±0.31) and 1.20% (±0.05). We concluded that largemouth bass has a good filet yield with very low fat and high level of protein contents. In fact, as far as we know, these are the first results of carcass and filet characterization of largemouth bass collected in Portugal

The development of the speciality fibre sector in Portugal

Fine fibre in Portugal is almost limited to wool and, for the moment, the country is still responsible for a reasonable amount of production of fine wool. There are no cashmere goats registered in Portugal, and so no cashmere fibre is available, as is the case with Angora rabbits. Angora fibre used to be produced in Portugal, however due to disease problems, the rabbits died and the production of this kind fibre disappeared in the sixties. Currently, interest in farming Angora goats for mohair production is low. From the initial flocks set up in the late eighties (500 animals), there are now only 250 animals. Due to the small amount of fibre produced and to the rapid coarsening of the fibre with age, the national textile industries have never shown interest in developing technology for processing this particular type of fibre. Because of this, the producers need to send the small volumes of fibre produced to France or England for processing. We think that in order to improve mohair production the resolution of industrial processing must be done at the production level in a modular way. It is also necessary that the official organisms have objective guidelines. Even if it is considered as a exotic breed, there are enough information that allows us to say that angora goats can be perfectly integrated in our traditional sheep management systems, and with fewer management problems that some of our indigenous goat breeds. We think that from the three types of fibre-producing animals referred to, angora goat production is the best option in the short term, since it is the animal that is closest to our traditional system of animal production. The Portuguese Textile Industry, since a long time ago, prepared to process the only animal fibre (wool) currently available in large quantities in the country. All the other speciality fibres are imported for incorporation into garments. Wool seems still to have a role in Portuguese Agriculture, mainly fine wool, which is predicted to be in continuing and strong demand

Extensive beef cattle production in Portugal

Portugal, located in the Mediterranean region, one of the "Hot Spot" of the planet, has a huge variability in terms of topography, soils, climate, agriculture, traditions, resulting in a high diversity of animal genetic resources, represented by 15 native cattle breeds, most of them threatened. A significant percentage of extensive beef cattle production in Portugal is based on the use of animals, differing from north to south region, with good maternal aptitude, hardiness, a low growth performance and exceptional adaptation to the environment where they live, and especially to the local feed, naturally produced. In the north of the country and the Azores, dairy breeds predominate, while in the south beef breeds are most prevalent. Portugal is not self-sufficient in beef production, however it is possible to appreciate an market for beef produced by indigenous breeds from extensive and organic production systems. Beef from indigenous breeds is considered to be a high quality product, mainly because of the superior taste and structure of the meat resulting from the production system: slow growth rate and type of vegetation consumed. This product differentiation has allowed the enlargement of small niche markets and has led to an increase in the value of meat with a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) or with organic beef. Since portuguese agriculture cannot compete on quantity or production cost with other competitors, differentiation and quality seem to be the alternatives that may stimulate rural activities in Less Favoured Areas (LFAs) and create a regional added value able to contribute to sustainable development. Extensive animal production systems can be an important component of environmental and landscape protection, as well as contribute to the decrease of the human, physical desertification of our rural areas and animal genetic resources

Composição nutricional do filete de três espécies piscícolas de águas interiores com interesse gastronómico

Composição nutricional do filete de três espécies piscícolas de águas interiores com interesse gastronómico

Composição em proteína, gordura e ácidos gordos de filetes de achigãs (Micropterus salmoides Lacépède, 1802) submetidos a três regimes alimentares diferentes

Composição em proteína, gordura e ácidos gordos de filetes de achigãs (Micropterus salmoides Lacépède, 1802) submetidos a três regimes alimentares diferentes

Metal contaminants in Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) collected in large dams from Tejo River basin and small irrigation dams

Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) is a very important fresh water fish in the Portuguese regional cuisine mainly in the countryside (Central region and north Alentejo). Because there’s no aquaculture industry, all eaten largemouth bass in Portugal are collected in large dams (Basins of Tejo and Guadiana rivers) and small irrigation dams. For decades, the Tejo River received environmental pollutants from non-point and point sources that included intensive agriculture, industrial entities, municipalities and nuclear power plant. The aim of this work was to evaluate some metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Pb, Zn) present on largemouth bass muscle tissue collected in the section of Tejo River that makes border between Portugal and Spain (TR) (N=9) and collected in three irrigation reservoirs (IR) located near Castelo Branco – Portugal (N=11). Individual were weighted and measured. Age was determined by examining fish scales, and sex determined by gonads observation. Samples for liver, dorsolateral muscle and tail muscle were collected from the right side of the fish. TR average weight 435.14g (±109.15), average length 278.33mm (±23.28), average K condition factor 1.98 (±0.09) and average age 3.11 years (±0,78) were similar (P>0.05) to IR average weight 410.84g (±137.71), average length 278.36mm (±31.13), average K condition factor 1.86 (±0.17) and average age 3.18 years (±0,60). Total mercury was determined in freeze-dried samples by atomic absorption spectrometry with thermal decomposition and gold amalgamation. For the other metal analysis, freeze-dried powders were mineralized with a mixture of HNO3 and H2O2, followed by ICP-OES quantification. Cd and Pb presented concentrations below LOQ (0.025 and 0.15mg.kg-1wet.weight, respectively) for all muscle samples. These values are below legal limits in EU (0.05 and 0.3mg.kg-1wet.weight, respectively). Average Hg levels are below legal limits (0.5mg.kg-1wet.weight) and muscle presented higher levels than liver. These contaminant levels indicate that are no contamination sources in the sampling sites. Cu, Cr, Fe, Mn and Zn are essential micronutrients. Their concentrations were not significantly different between dorsal and tail muscle and were higher in liver (P>0.05), with mean concentrations on muscle being, respectively: TR 0.16 (±0.07), <LOQ(0.03), 1.45 (±0.42), 0.04 (±0.04) and 3.76 (±0.39) mg.kg-1wet.weight; IR 0.16 (±0.02), <LOQ(0.03), 1.80 (±0.52), 0.05 (±0.05) and 4.17 (±0.56) mg.kg-1wet.weight. We concluded that metallic concentrations of largemouth bass muscle tissues were below the maximum permissible for a safety utilization of theses fishes in human nutrition

A Bessel differential heat initial value problem in a reproducing kernel Hilbert space framework

For modified Bessel heat equations subjected to an initial condition, we investigate integral transforms with kernels related to the solutions of those equations by using the theory of reproducing kernels. In particular, a new framework within reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces is proposed where we construct the unique solutions of the corresponding initial value problems

Evaluation of different aspects of maximum entropy for niche-based modeling

AbstractBiodiversity conservation is a world challenge that needs attention and efficient strategies for its success. Modeling of geographic distributions of species is used in assorted applications related to biodiversity conservation. Maximum entropy (maxent) is a technique recently applied to modeling of geographic distributions of species and is being largely used by biologists. The aim is to evaluate different viewpoints of this technique. The first evaluation is concerned with the performance of the algorithm. A parallel version of the maxent-based algorithm available in openModeller is presented. openModeller is a set of tools provided for researchers interested in modeling of geographic distributions of species. The second evaluation is focused on tuning the regularization parameter, since it can severely affect the performance of the algorithm and can take a long time to be adjusted. In addition, the algorithm was evaluated without the use of a regularization parameter and with an adaptive maximum entropy approach. This approach was evaluated as a replacement of the regularization parameter. The validation of the assessments was based on a dataset with 20 species. The results show: an improvement in the algorithm performance using parallelism, considering only the running time; the regularization parameter does not depend on the number of samples, or on the number of iterations in training; species with the same number of samples fit better with different values of the regularization parameter (different magnitude order); the adaptive approach cannot replace the regularization parameter