scholarly journals Caught in a Deadlock: Small Ruminant Farming on the Greek Island of Samothrace. The Importance of Regional Contexts for Effective EU Agricultural Policies

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 762 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominik Noll ◽  
Christian Lauk ◽  
Veronika Gaube ◽  
Dominik Wiedenhofer
Keyword(s):  
Social Factors ◽  
Small Ruminant ◽  
Small Ruminants ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Ecological Systems ◽  
Agricultural Policies ◽  
Systems Research ◽  
Mediterranean Regions ◽  
Livestock Systems ◽  
Greek Island

Sedentary extensive small ruminant farming systems are highly important for the preservation of High Nature Value (HNV) farmland. Both the abandonment of grazing and overgrazing have led to environmental degradation in many Mediterranean regions. On the Greek island of Samothrace, decades of overgrazing by sheep and goats has caused severe degradation of local ecosystems. The present study highlights the importance of regional contexts for national and EU agricultural policies in regard to sustainable development of sedentary extensive livestock systems. By utilizing the conceptual framework of socio-ecological systems research, we analyze the interdependencies of environmental, economic and social factors on a local island level. Results show that between 1929 and 2016, the livestock and land-use system of Samothrace transformed from a diverse system towards a simplified system, solely used for small ruminant production. Total livestock units increased from 2200 in 1929 to 7850 in 2002, declining to 5100 thereafter. The metabolic analysis conducted for the years 1993–2016 shows that 80–90% of the feed demand of small ruminants was covered by grazing, exceeding available grazing resources for at least a decade. The regional implementation of CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) continues to support excessively high animal numbers, while farmers are highly dependent on subsidies and find themselves in an economic deadlock.

Long-term farming systems research in the central High Plains

2012 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajan Ghimire ◽  
Jay B. Norton ◽  
Urszula Norton ◽  
John P. Ritten ◽  
Peter D. Stahl ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Climatic Variability ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Integration Scheme ◽  
High Plains ◽  
Variable Environment ◽  
Systems Research ◽  
Central High ◽  
Livestock Systems

AbstractIn recent decades, there has been growing interest among farming and scientific communities toward integrated crop–range–livestock farming because of evidence of increased crop production, soil health, environmental services and resilience to increased climatic variability. This paper reviews studies on existing cropping systems and integrated crop–range–livestock systems across the USA which are relevant in the context of summarizing opportunities and challenges associated with implementing long-term crop–range–livestock systems research in the highly variable environment of the central High Plains. With precipitation ranging from 305 to 484mm and uncertain irrigation water supply, this region is especially vulnerable to changing moisture and temperature patterns. The results of our review indicate that diverse crop rotations, reduced soil disturbance and integrated crop–livestock systems could increase economic returns and agroecosystem resilience. Integrating agricultural system components to acquire unique benefits from small- to medium-sized operations, however, is a challenging task. This is because assessment and identification of suitable farming systems, selection of the most efficient integration scheme, and pinpointing the best management practices are crucial for successful integration of components. Effective integration requires development of evaluation criteria that incorporate the efficiency of approaches under consideration and their interactions. Therefore, establishing the basis for more sustainable farming systems in the central High Plains relies on both long-term agricultural systems research and evaluation of short-term dynamics of individual components.

scholarly journals Sustainability os small ruminant population on the Adja Plateau (South Benin)

1994 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-76
Author(s):  
A. Van Den Broek ◽  
I.T. Gbégo
Keyword(s):  
Oil Palm ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Small Ruminant ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Small Ruminants ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Feed Production ◽  
Animal Feeding ◽  
On Farm

Since 1986 the RAMR project (Recherche Appliquee en Milieu Reel) has conducted on-farm research on the Adja Plateau in Mono Province (South Benin). In this article, technical and socio-economic aspects of small ruminant production systems on the Adja Plateau are described. Monitoring of small ruminant flocks showed that about 25% of the small ruminants were sold annually. Export of nutrients as a result of the sale of animals (85 g N. 23 g P. 12 g K and 46 g Ca per hectare) was low compared with export through crop production. In-depth studies at village level showed that farmers mainly collected oil palm leaves, constituting 75% of the small ruminant rations, to feed their animals. Nutrients in collected oil palm leaves represented a substantial fraction (about 10%) of available nutrients in fields under oil palm. Proposals for future research on small ruminant production systems have to contribute to the sustainability of farming systems. Emphasis will be put on animal feeding and feed production integrating small ruminant and crop production.

SMALL RUMINANT PRODUCTION IN TWO MIXED-FARMING SYSTEMS OF SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA: STATUS AND PROSPECTS FOR IMPROVEMENT

2008 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 399-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. LEGESSE ◽  
G. ABEBE ◽  
M. SIEGMUND-SCHULTZE ◽  
A. VALLE ZÁRATE
Keyword(s):  
Small Ruminant ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Small Ruminants ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Southern Ethiopia ◽  
Cash Income ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
Mixed Farming ◽  
Entry Points

SUMMARYSmall ruminants are an integral part of mixed-farming systems throughout southern Ethiopia. Yet, they have received little research attention or institutional support. Characterizing the existing small ruminant production systems and analysing their production constraints are important tools to diagnose the status and trends of the systems, and thus to identify areas for future interventions. A survey was conducted between April and July 2004 in the Adilo and Kofele areas of the southern mixed-farming systems of Ethiopia to explore reasons for keeping small ruminants and to evaluate the existing status of and the prospects for the small ruminant sector. Additional information was obtained during discussions with key informants who had experience of small ruminant keeping. Small ruminants fill several roles in the study area. However, the principal purpose of keeping sheep and goats was to generate cash income. Sheep milk consumption was widespread around Kofele unlike most agricultural systems in the country. Nearly all respondents in Adilo reported fattening their sheep before sale, while such a practice was uncommon in Kofele. Informal insurance schemes were evolving among the sheep keepers in Adilo, and these can be considered as entry points for future interventions. The common problem identified from both individual interviews and group discussions was feed shortage. The identification of alternative feed resources and strategic feeding management might be options for development. Small ruminant disease was the major constraint in Kofele, where marshy areas are increasingly assigned for grazing in the rainy season as suitable land is more and more used for cropping. The growing demand for meat from small ruminants, the improving transportation infrastructure and the experience of farmers in small ruminant keeping are providing opportunities to enhance the contribution of the sector. A thorough monitoring of the productive and economic performance of small ruminants is required to capture the full picture of their contribution thereby directing possible intervention areas to maximize benefits to the farmers.

Farmers' needs for management, research and extension, and policy - findings of a farmers' workshop and their implications

1992 ◽  
pp. 7-10
Author(s):  
A.F. Mcrae
Keyword(s):  
Technology Transfer ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Management Research ◽  
Business Objectives ◽  
Research Technology ◽  
Systems Research ◽  
Farming Systems Research

Farmers' objectives, their circumstances and the constraints they face are central to any consideration of ways and means of improving farming systems. The management, research and extension, and policy needs of the farmers attending this workshop were diverse. This appeared to be linked with the (unexpected) degree of diversity in the business objectives and management structures on these farms. More formal research on these issues across the spectrum of farmers is required to ensure that research and technology transfer meet the industry's needs. Keywords farming systems, research, technology transfer, objectives

scholarly journals Invasion landscapes as social‐ecological systems: Role of social factors in invasive plant species control

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johanna Yletyinen ◽  
George L. W. Perry ◽  
Olivia R. Burge ◽  
Norman W. H. Mason ◽  
Philip Stahlmann‐Brown
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Social Factors ◽  
Invasive Plant ◽  
Ecological Systems ◽  
Invasive Plant Species ◽  
Social Ecological Systems ◽  
Social Ecological

scholarly journals The role of the European small ruminant dairy sector in stabilising global temperatures: lessons from GWP* warming-equivalent emission metrics

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Agustin del Prado ◽  
Pablo Manzano ◽  
Guillermo Pardo
Keyword(s):  
Small Ruminant ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Small Ruminants ◽  
Feed Additives ◽  
Dairy Goat ◽  
Emission Rates ◽  
Animal Products ◽  
Ghg Reduction ◽  
Mitigate Climate Change ◽  
Climate Neutrality

Abstract Recent calls advocate that a huge reduction in the consumption of animal products (including dairy) is essential to mitigate climate change and stabilise global warming below the 1.5 and 2°C targets. The Paris Agreement states that to stabilise temperatures we must reach a balance between anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the second half of this century. Consequently, many countries have adopted overall GHG reduction targets (e.g. EU, at least 40% by 2030 compared to 1990). However, using conventional metric-equivalent emissions (CO2-e GWP100) as the basis to account for emissions does not result in capturing the effect on atmospheric warming of changing emission rates from short-lived GHG (e.g. methane: CH4), which are the main source of GHG emissions by small ruminants. This shortcoming could be solved by using warming-equivalent emissions (CO2-we, GWP*), which can accurately link annual GHG emission rates to its warming effect in the atmosphere. In our study, using this GWP* methodology and different modelling approaches, we first examined the historical (1990–2018) contribution of European dairy small ruminant systems to additional atmosphere warming levels and then studied different emission target scenarios for 2100. These scenarios allow us to envision the necessary reduction of GHG emissions from Europe's dairy small ruminants to achieve a stable impact on global temperatures, i.e. to be climatically neutral. Our analysis showed that, using this type of approach, the whole European sheep and goat dairy sector seems not to have contributed to additional warming in the period 1990–2018. Considering each subsector separately, increases in dairy goat production has led to some level of additional warming into the atmosphere, but these have been compensated by larger emission reductions in the dairy sheep sector. The estimations of warming for future scenarios suggest that to achieve climate neutrality, understood as not adding additional warming to the atmosphere, modest GHG reductions of sheep and goat GHG would be required (e.g. via feed additives). This reduction would be even lower if potential soil organic carbon (SOC) from associated pastures is considered.

scholarly journals Innovation Meets Tradition in the Sheep and Goat Dairy Industry

Dairy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 422-424
Author(s):  
Paola Scano ◽  
Pierluigi Caboni
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Industry ◽  
Small Ruminants ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Smallholder Farming ◽  
Sheep And Goats ◽  
Smallholder Farming Systems ◽  
The World

Small ruminants, such as sheep and goats, are mostly raised in smallholder farming systems widely distributed throughout the world [...]

scholarly journals Worldwide Prevalence of Small Ruminant Lentiviruses in Sheep: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 784
Author(s):  
Ricardo de Miguel ◽  
Marta Arrieta ◽  
Ana Rodríguez-Largo ◽  
Irache Echeverría ◽  
Raúl Resendiz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Small Ruminant ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Geographical Area ◽  
Small Ruminants ◽  
Strong Positive Correlation ◽  
Scientific Publications ◽  
Serological Tests ◽  
Gold Standard Method ◽  
Small Ruminant Lentiviruses

Small Ruminant Lentiviruses (SRLV) are highly prevalent retroviruses with significant genetic diversity and antigenic heterogeneity that cause a progressive wasting disease of sheep called Maedi-visna. This work provides a systematic review and meta-analysis of the last 40 years (1981–2020) of scientific publications on SRLV individual and flock prevalence. Fifty-eight publications and 314 studies were included. Most articles used a single diagnostic test to estimate prevalence (77.6%), whereas articles using three or more tests were scarce (6.9%). Serological tests are more frequently used than direct methods and ELISA has progressively replaced AGID over the last decades. SRLV infection in sheep is widespread across the world, with Europe showing the highest individual prevalence (40.9%) and being the geographical area in which most studies have been performed. Africa, Asia, and North America show values between 16.7% to 21.8% at the individual level. South and Central America show the lowest individual SRLV prevalence (1.7%). There was a strong positive correlation between individual and flock prevalence (ρ = 0.728; p ≤ 0.001). Despite the global importance of small ruminants, the coverage of knowledge on SRLV prevalence is patchy and inconsistent. There is a lack of a gold standard method and a defined sampling strategy among countries and continents.

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