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Published (Version of record)CC BY V4.0, Open Access
Published (Version of record)CC BY V4.0, Open
Journal article
Effect of Intensification Practices, Lambing Period and Environmental Parameters on Animal Health, and Milk Yield and Quality in Dairy Sheep Production Systems on Crete
Sustainability, Vol.13(17), pp.1-27
30/08/2021
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Abstract
Due to increasing demand, many traditional, grazing-based Mediterranean sheep production systems have introduced intensified feeding regimes, increased investments in infrastructure and drug use to increase milk yields. However, compared to bovine milk production systems, there is limited knowledge about the impact of these intensification practices on animal welfare and health and on the quality of dairy products. The aim of this study was therefore to quantify the effects of management practices and environmental conditions background on udder health, parasitism and milk quantity and quality in Cretan traditional production systems. Milk yields were higher in semi-intensive production systems while concentrations of several nutritionally desirable compounds such as omega-3 fatty acids were found to be higher in milk from extensive systems. Antibiotic and anthelmintic use was relatively low in both extensive and semi-intensive production systems. There was no substantial difference in parasitic burden, somatic cell counts, and microbiological parameters assessed in milk. Recording of flock health parameters showed that animal health and welfare was high in both extensive and semi-intensively managed flocks, and that overall, the health status of extensively managed ewes was slightly better. In contrast, environmental conditions (temperature and rainfall) had a substantial effect on parasitism and milk quality.
Details
- Title
- Effect of Intensification Practices, Lambing Period and Environmental Parameters on Animal Health, and Milk Yield and Quality in Dairy Sheep Production Systems on Crete
- Creators
- Nikolaos Voutzourakis - Hellenic Agricultural Organisation DemeterAlexandros Stefanakis - Hellenic Agricultural Organisation DemeterSokratis Stergiadis - University of ReadingLeonidas Rempelos - Newcastle University (Newcastle Upon Tyne)Nikolaos Tzanidakis - Hellenic Agricultural Organisation DemeterMick Eyre - Newcastle University (Newcastle Upon Tyne)Gillian Butler - Newcastle University (Newcastle Upon Tyne)Carlo Leifert - Southern Cross UniversitySmaragda Sotiraki - Hellenic Agricultural Organisation Demeter
- Publication Details
- Sustainability, Vol.13(17), pp.1-27
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Grant note
- The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from the Agro4Crete project funded by the GSRI of Greece (code_nr: 2018SE01300000) and the European Community under the “LowInput-Breeds, FP7, Project No. KBBE 222 632”.
- Identifiers
- 991012968363002368
- Copyright
- © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
- Academic Unit
- Science; Centre for Organics Research; School of Environment, Science and Engineering; Faculty of Science and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article