Economic and environmental indicators of Mertolenga beef cattle and
Serpentina goat farms in Montado areas
L Fernandes, M Rosado, F Marques, A Cachatra, J Pais, N Henriques, P Gomes, F Agostinho and P Horta
The present study is based upon technical and economic data collected, in the years 2010-2011, in
several farms joining the ACBM (Mertolengos Cattle Breeders) and APCRS (Serpentina Goats Breeders)
associations. It considers data sets collected at four farms of each of the above mentioned species, all
farms sharing 'Montado' as a food resource. The identification, technical characterization and economic
evaluation of the resources used in the Mertolenga and Serpentina production farms, as well as their
income (livestock sales, subsidies and other supports, etc,) allowed for assessing the economic and
environmental farm indicators. Several economic results are accounted namely gross value added, gross
and net income, entrepreneurial income, profit and, additionally, land income, capital income and labor
income. For environmental impacts it is accounted the energy intensity in animal husbandry namely on
suckler cows farms and goats farms is essential to assess environmental impact of farms agricultural
systems and to provide recommendations for sustainable agricultural practices. The determination of
energy intensity for suckler cows farms and goats farms includes direct and indirect energy inputs by
using a methodology integrating the whole farming process, considering all energetic aspects within
animal husbandry and plant production. Direct energy is used in the form of fuel oil, e.g., diesel fuel and
electricity. The indirect energy includes the energy input for resources, manufacturing machines and
technical equipment (e.g., fertilizer, feed-mixer wagons) and animal housing and storage facilities
