Projeto de implementação de uma exploração de caprinos leiteiros com agroturismo na região de Pedrógão Grande

Dissertação de Mestrado em Engenharia Zootécnica/Produção animal.A presente dissertação pretendeu projetar uma exploração de caprinos leiteiros com agroturismo, com o objetivo de produção de queijo curado. Para a elaboração da mesma, foi realizada uma revisão bibliográfica sobre a produção de caprinos em Portugal, sobre a raça Serrana que foi escolhida para o efetivo da exploração, a produção de queijo e foram descritas breves considerações sobre agroturismo. O projeto foi desenvolvido numa exploração com cerca de 4 ha, na zona de Pedrógão Grande. Foram descritos detalhadamente todos os edifícios de alojamentos dos animais, em termos de dimensões e características, bem como os edifícios da queijaria, da sala de ordenha e de armazenamento. De modo a chegar ao objetivo de produção, descreveu-se o maneio dos animais a nível reprodutivo, alimentar, sanitário e de ordenha. Após todos os detalhes referidos anteriormente, foi possível prever a quantidade de queijo que o modo de exploração permitirá, sendo preditiva uma produção de 26 a 52 kg por dia. Como complemento da exploração, foram descritos um agroturismo e as atividades associadas ao mesmo. Por último, traduziu-se a descrição do projeto em termos de investimentos e uma previsão das receitas e despesas que o projeto poderá vir a gerar no futuro, fruto das opções de produção. Assim, foi realizada uma breve análise financeira, que concluiu que o projeto é rentável. Foi ainda efetuada uma análise de sensibilidade, demonstrando que continua a haver rentabilidade, mesmo ocorrendo variações de alguns elementos do projeto (percentagem de vendas, custos ou investimento inicial) na ordem dos 10 ou 20%.ABSTRACT - This dissertation aimed to design a project for a dairy goat farm and agritourism, with the purpose of cured cheese production. The dissertation started with a bibliographical review about goat production in Portugal, the breed chosen (Serrana) and cheese production, followed by a brief description of considerations on agritourism. The project was developed on a 4-ha property, in Pedrógão Grande. We described the dimensions and characteristics for all animal housing buildings, cheese factory, milking parlour and warehouse. In order to achieve the production goal, we described the reproductive, feed, sanitary and milking management. The afore-mentioned descriptions lead to a prediction regarding the cheese quantity allowed by the production system, which would be around 25 to 50 kg per day. As a complement of the farm, a small agritourism operation was developed and described, as well as the activities related to it. Lastly, there was a conversion of the description in terms of investments and a prevision of the benefits and expenses that the project may generate in the future, result of the production options. Thus, a brief financial analysis was carried out, which concluded that the project is profitable. A sensitivity analysis was also carried out, showing that there is still profitability, even if there are variations in some elements of the project (percentage of sales, costs or initial investment) in the order of 10 to 20%, ascertaining the feasibility of the project.N/

Growth Performance, Carcass and Meat Traits of Autochthonous Arouquesa Weaners Raised on Traditional and Improved Feeding Systems

Arouquesa is an autochthonous bovine breed known for its Arouquesa PDO beef labeling. There are several production systems under the definition of PDO labeling. This study aimed to compare the effect of different production systems on carcass and meat traits for the Arouquesa breed. Two trials differing in diet and weaning age were conducted. The first trial included a TF group fed the traditional way and weaned at 9 months; a TF + S1 group, equal to TF, but with a starter supplement; and finally, a S1 + S2 group that was fed with a starter and a growth supplement and weaned at 5 months. The second trial was composed of a TF + S3 group fed like the TF + S1 group but reared until 12 months with a finishing supplement, and finally, the S3 group fed like the S1 + S2 group but reared until 12 months. In the first trial, the TF + S1 and S1 + S2 groups showed higher final live weight and average daily gain. In the second trial, we observed differences in the subcutaneous fat that was higher in the S3 group. Regarding meat traits, we observed differences in exudative and cooking losses in the first trial. In general, supplementation improved meat production without affecting meat quality parametersinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

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

[EN] 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 welfareSIThe CECAV authors acknowledge financial support of the research unit, which was financed by the National Funds from FCT, the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), project number UIDB/CVT/00772/2020. Financial support from FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Lisboa, Portugal) in the form of infrastructural funding to LEAF (UID/AGR/04129) and PhD grants SFRH/BD/143992/2019 (DM Ribeiro) and 2021.07638.BD (L Sacarrão-Birrento). Author L.E.H.C. acknowledges funding from the Agencia Estatal de Investigación (Spain) (RYC2019- 027064-I/AEI/10.13039/501100011033

The portuguese Serrana goat breed: a review

ReviewGoats were among the first animals to be domesticated over 10,000 years ago and are part of human societies since the beginning of agriculture. Goats play a major role both in commercial farming systems and in subsistence agriculture systems, particularly in tropical, subtropical and Mediterranean regions where they are crucial for the supply of meat, milk, fibre and dung. This review concerns the Serrana breed, the most important and numerous indigenous goat breed from Portugal that was furthermore exported to other regions of the world, notably South America during the Portuguese colonization. Herein, we describe the origin and history of the breed as well as the productive performance and most common production systems. Finally, we address the local and traditional PDO (protected denomination of origin) and PGI (protected geographical indication) that are produced from these animalsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Growth Performance, Carcass and Meat Traits of Autochthonous Arouquesa Weaners Raised on Traditional and Improved Feeding Systems

Arouquesa is an autochthonous bovine breed known for its Arouquesa PDO beef labeling. There are several production systems under the definition of PDO labeling. This study aimed to compare the effect of different production systems on carcass and meat traits for the Arouquesa breed. Two trials differing in diet and weaning age were conducted. The first trial included a TF group fed the traditional way and weaned at 9 months; a TF + S1 group, equal to TF, but with a starter supplement; and finally, a S1 + S2 group that was fed with a starter and a growth supplement and weaned at 5 months. The second trial was composed of a TF + S3 group fed like the TF + S1 group but reared until 12 months with a finishing supplement, and finally, the S3 group fed like the S1 + S2 group but reared until 12 months. In the first trial, the TF + S1 and S1 + S2 groups showed higher final live weight and average daily gain. In the second trial, we observed differences in the subcutaneous fat that was higher in the S3 group. Regarding meat traits, we observed differences in exudative and cooking losses in the first trial. In general, supplementation improved meat production without affecting meat quality parameters