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Selected Papers of the XXIV Congress of the Italian Society...
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Selected Papers of the XXIV Congress of the Italian Society of Sheep and Goat Pathology and Production (SIPAOC) “Sustainability of Sheep and Goat Farming”

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Small Ruminants".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 6552

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Giuseppe Moniello

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Guest Editor
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Via Vienna n. 2, 07100 Sassari, Italy
Interests: animal nutrition and feeding
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Maria Teresa Manfredi

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Guest Editor
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via Dell’Università, 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy
Interests: parasitology and parasitic diseases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Massimo Trabalza-Marinucci

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, 01623 Perugia, Italy
Interests: ruminant nutrition and feeding

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to propose a Special Issue showcasing a selection of the communications presented at the XXIV Congress of the Italian Society of Sheep and Goat Pathology and Production (SIPAOC): “Sustainability in Sheep and Goat Farming” (Sostenibilità dell’allevamento ovino e caprino), which was held in Viterbo (Italy), 22-23 February 2023. They will be published as full papers, whether reviews or original research articles. Research areas in this field include animal production (sustainability, farming, nutrition and feeding, quality of the products, welfare, etc.) and pathologies (parasitic and infectious diseases, etc.). Sheep and goat farming represents a resource of great importance in Italy; these animals are widespread in every region and geographical area of Italy, with differentiation in genetic types, farming systems, and production directions. Small ruminant breeding, like other livestock sectors, is facing the challenge of needing to innovate in order to improve its levels of general, economic, social, and environmental sustainability.

This Special Issue will feature interactions among experts from different disciplinary areas and with diverse professional experience. It will aim to respond to many questions from technicians, professionals, and operators working in the production sector with small ruminants, offering clear, effective, and timely solutions. We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Giuseppe Moniello
Prof. Dr. Maria Teresa Manfredi
Prof. Dr. Massimo Trabalza-Marinucci
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • ovines
  • goats
  • small ruminant production
  • sheep and goat breeding and pathologies
  • sustainability

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

10 pages, 232 KB  
Communication
The Influence of Vacuum Level on the Milk Emission Curves and Udder Health of Saanen Goats Reared in Italy
by Mariagiovanna Domanico, Valentina D’Onofrio, Guglielmo Militello, Giuseppina Giacinti, Giuseppe Bitonti, Marcella Guarducci, Domenico Giontella, Silverio Grande, Maria Caria and Carlo Boselli
Animals 2025, 15(16), 2432; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15162432 - 19 Aug 2025
Viewed by 283
Abstract
The kinetics of milk release is influenced by several factors, including the milking facility, which affects the milk emission profile and quality. In dairy goats, the typical working vacuum level is 41–44 kPa; higher levels negatively impact health, quality, and milkability traits. This [...] Read more.
The kinetics of milk release is influenced by several factors, including the milking facility, which affects the milk emission profile and quality. In dairy goats, the typical working vacuum level is 41–44 kPa; higher levels negatively impact health, quality, and milkability traits. This study, which was conducted on a commercial dairy farm located in the Latium region (central Italy), evaluates the impact of two vacuum levels (38 kPa and 42 kPa) on the milk emission profile and somatic cell content in Saanen goats. Statistical analysis (one-way ANOVA) of 400 milk flow curves recorded from 100 goats in four different afternoon milking sessions (200 at 42 kPa and 200 at 38 kPa) showed no significant differences in terms of milk yield, total milking time, or bimodal curve percentage when using two different operating vacuum levels. However, the milk emission time was longer at 38 kPa (1.86 vs. 1.71 min), while the peak flow rate (1.04 vs. 0.96 kg/min) and blind time (0.32 vs. 0.24 min) were higher at 42 kPa. Somatic cell content decreased significantly as the working vacuum level decreased (2470 vs. 2167 × 1000 cells/mL). This is in line with current studies which suggest that high vacuum levels increase the risk of udder injury and intramammary infection. In conclusion, adjusting the milking machine to a working vacuum level of 38 kPa, and performing proper maintenance and routine checks, significantly improves somatic cell content, and, consequently, milk quality, in goats. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers of the XXIV Congress of the Italian Society of Sheep and Goat Pathology and Production (SIPAOC) “Sustainability of Sheep and Goat Farming”)
11 pages, 255 KB  
Article
Hemp Hay (Cannabis sativa L.) in Grazing Goats’ Diet: Effects on Oxidative and Inflammatory Status
by Fabio Zicarelli, Daria Lotito, Piera Iommelli, Ruggero Amato, Tiziana Maria Mahayri, Nadia Musco, Eleonora Pacifico, Federico Infascelli, Raffaella Tudisco, Giuseppe Moniello and Pietro Lombardi
Animals 2025, 15(3), 364; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15030364 - 27 Jan 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1758
Abstract
Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is a versatile and multipurpose crop with a wide range of industrial, commercial, environmental and medicinal applications. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of hemp hay on the oxidative and inflammatory status of grazing goats. The high [...] Read more.
Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is a versatile and multipurpose crop with a wide range of industrial, commercial, environmental and medicinal applications. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of hemp hay on the oxidative and inflammatory status of grazing goats. The high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids with anti-inflammatory activity makes hemp hay a promising feed that can be used to improve animals’ health by means of its metabolic profile, as well as its oxidative and inflammatory status. Studies on hemp hay suggest that its usage could replace alfalfa hay to obtain beneficial effects in terms of the milk yield and health status of goats. Indeed, because of the various biological compounds in hemp hay, the effects of its administration should be accurately explored. A total of 20 multiparous goats were equally divided immediately after calving (February) into two groups (C: control vs. H: hemp) that were homogeneous in terms of live weight (49 ± 2 kg) and milk yield at the previous lactation (2250 ± 200 g/head/day). The animals remained in the pasture but received 500 g/head/day of a barley and corn meal mixture. In addition, group H received 250 g/head/day of hemp hay, and group C was fed the same amount of alfalfa hay. Blood samples were taken before the trial and four months later and analyzed for clinical biochemistry, oxidative status, and anti-inflammatory profile. Reactive oxygen metabolites, biological antioxidant potential, Interleukins 6 (IL-6) and 10 (IL-10), and TNF-α were determined. In group H, a significant decrease in TNF-α level (22.7 vs. 12.7 pg/mL, p = 0.01) and an opposite but not significant trend for IL-10 was detected. In addition, there was a significant decrease (184.6 vs. 111.4 UCARR, p = 0.001) in d-ROM content and an increase in the biological antioxidant potential (BAP) values (3238.1 vs. 3886 μmol/L). A significant anti-inflammatory effect was only registered for TNF-α, whereas IL6 and IL10 were not affected. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers of the XXIV Congress of the Italian Society of Sheep and Goat Pathology and Production (SIPAOC) “Sustainability of Sheep and Goat Farming”)
32 pages, 8568 KB  
Article
Ecosystem Services Linked to Extensive Sheep and Goat Farming in Mountain Areas: A Global Literature Analysis Using Text Mining and Topic Analysis
by Riccardo Primi, Gloria Bernabucci, Chiara Evangelista, Paolo Viola, Pedro Girotti, Raffaello Spina, Silvia Compagnucci and Bruno Ronchi
Animals 2025, 15(3), 350; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15030350 - 25 Jan 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2179
Abstract
Mountain ecosystems are unique and complex environments characterised by their high altitudes, steep slopes, and significant climatic variations [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers of the XXIV Congress of the Italian Society of Sheep and Goat Pathology and Production (SIPAOC) “Sustainability of Sheep and Goat Farming”)
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11 pages, 425 KB  
Article
The Effects of Hemp Hay (Canapa sativa L.) in the Diets of Grazing Goats on Milk Production and Fatty Acid Profile
by Piera Iommelli, Fabio Zicarelli, Ruggero Amato, Nadia Musco, Fiorella Sarubbi, Lucia Bailoni, Pietro Lombardi, Federica Di Bennardo, Federico Infascelli and Raffaella Tudisco
Animals 2024, 14(16), 2373; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14162373 - 16 Aug 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1681
Abstract
Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is a cosmopolitan annual herbaceous plant used in the past as a source of textile fiber. Currently, hemp is receiving great interest as animal feed due to its chemical and nutritional properties. The aim of this study was [...] Read more.
Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is a cosmopolitan annual herbaceous plant used in the past as a source of textile fiber. Currently, hemp is receiving great interest as animal feed due to its chemical and nutritional properties. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of supplementing goats’ diets with hemp hay on the milk yield, chemical composition, and fatty acid profile. Twenty multiparous goats, immediately after kidding, were divided into two homogenous groups (C: control vs. H: hemp); the goats had free access to the pasture, and both groups received a supplement of 500 g/head/day of a barley and corn meal mixture (50/50). In addition, group H was given 250 g/head/day of hemp hay while group C received the same amount of alfalfa hay. The milk yield was measured daily, and milk samples were collected monthly 4 times to evaluate the milk composition and fatty acid profile. The milk yield was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the experimental group, while no differences were found in the milk chemical composition. Concerning the fatty acid profile, the milk from group H was characterized by significantly lower concentrations of C11:0, C12:0, C13:0, C14:0, C15:0, and C17:0 and higher C16:0 and C18:0. Among the polyunsaturated FA, C18:2 n6 and C20:4 were significantly (p < 0.001) lower, and C20:5 n3 was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the milk from group H than that from group C. The n6/n3, LA/ALA and AA/EPA ratios were significantly (p < 0.001) lower in the milk from group H, while the CLAs were unaffected by the treatment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers of the XXIV Congress of the Italian Society of Sheep and Goat Pathology and Production (SIPAOC) “Sustainability of Sheep and Goat Farming”)
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