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Animals
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Competitiveness of Spanish Local Breeds
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Competitiveness of Spanish Local Breeds

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2021) | Viewed by 34525

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. José Perea

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Departamento de Producción Animal, Universidad de Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain
Interests: animal science; agricultural and food safety economics; animal health; agribusiness economics; agricultural economics; dairy management; biostatistics; dairy; animal production.
Dr. Ramón Arias

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centro Regional de Selección y Reproducción Animal (CERSYRA). Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha (IRIAF), CERSYRA Valdepeñas, 13300 Ciudad Real, Spain
Interests: animal production; animal health; animal feed; milk; dairy products; sustainability.

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Spain is among the countries with the greatest diversity of local breeds, as a result of an extensive and heterogeneous cultural and agroecological heritage. The advancement of industrial farming, more focused on cost efficiency and food production for globalized markets, has progressively reduced the utility of local breeds. The loss of competitiveness of traditional farming systems linked to local breeds, and factors such as depopulation of rural areas, have expanded the list of local breeds at risk of extinction.

However, Spanish local breeds provide multiple transferable models to other environments on how to generate and make use of competitive advantages based on consumer preferences, interests of society or attributes of the farming system, among others. In this sense, there are many related factors, including food safety, the circular economy, mitigation of environmental impacts and adaptation to climate change, animal welfare, higher quality, and sensory acceptance by consumers, with differentiation through market-oriented labelling statements. In fact, Spain is among the countries with the highest volume of production of differentiated quality schemes such as Organic Farming, Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) or Protected Designation of Origin (PDO).

In addition, the paths to improve efficiency and production costs without damaging quality and promoting farm sustainability are challenges that must be addressed if the survival of local breeds is to be achieved.

This Special Issue offers a platform for the dissemination of research findings on issues related to the competitiveness of Spanish local breeds, focused on their transferability to other production environments and/or their practical application on commercial farms.

Prof. Dr. José Perea
Dr. Ramón Arias
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

  • animal welfare
  • biodiversity
  • circular economy
  • competitiveness
  • conservation
  • dairy
  • efficiency
  • eggs
  • GHG reduction
  • grazing systems
  • local breeds
  • low-input systems
  • meat
  • organic production
  • Spanish autochthonous breeds
  • sustainability
  • wool and fibber

Published Papers (13 papers)

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Editorial

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3 pages, 211 KiB  
Editorial
Competitiveness of Spanish Local Breeds
by José Perea and Ramón Arias
Animals 2022, 12(16), 2060; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12162060 - 12 Aug 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 953
Abstract
Spain is among the countries with the greatest diversity of local breeds, as a result of an extensive and heterogeneous cultural and agroecological heritage [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Competitiveness of Spanish Local Breeds)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

25 pages, 1048 KiB  
Article
GHG Emissions from Dairy Small Ruminants in Castilla-La Mancha (Spain), Using the ManleCO2 Simulation Model
by Gregorio Salcedo, Oscar García, Lorena Jiménez, Roberto Gallego, Rafael González-Cano and Ramón Arias
Animals 2022, 12(6), 793; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12060793 - 21 Mar 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2514
Abstract
The first goal of this work was the description of a model addressed to quantify the carbon footprint in Spanish autochthonous dairy sheep farms (Manchega group), foreign dairy sheep farms (foreigners group: Lacaune and Assaf breeds), and Spanish autochthonous dairy goat farms (Florida [...] Read more.
The first goal of this work was the description of a model addressed to quantify the carbon footprint in Spanish autochthonous dairy sheep farms (Manchega group), foreign dairy sheep farms (foreigners group: Lacaune and Assaf breeds), and Spanish autochthonous dairy goat farms (Florida group). The second objective was to analyze the GHG emission mitigation potential of 17 different livestock farming practices that were implemented by 36 different livestock farms, in terms of CO2e per hectare (ha), CO2e per livestock unit (LU), and CO2e per liter of fat- and protein-corrected milk (FPCM). The study showed the following results: 1.655 kg CO2e per ha, 6.397 kg CO2e per LU, and 3.78 kg CO2e per liter of FPCM in the Manchega group; 12.634 kg CO2e per ha, 7.810 CO2e kg per LU, and 2.77 kg CO2e per liter of FPCM in the Foreigners group and 1.198 kg CO2e per ha, 6.507 kg CO2e per LU, and 3.06 kg CO2e per liter of FPCM in Florida group. In summary, purchasing off-farm animal feed would increase emissions by up to 3.86%. Conversely, forage management, livestock inventory, electrical supply, and animal genetic improvement would reduce emissions by up to 6.29%, 4.3%, 3.52%, and 0.8%, respectively; finally, an average rise of 2 °C in room temperature would increase emissions by up to 0.62%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Competitiveness of Spanish Local Breeds)
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24 pages, 4106 KiB  
Article
Analyses of Genetic Diversity in the Endangered “Berrenda” Spanish Cattle Breeds Using Pedigree Data
by Rafael González-Cano, Ana González-Martínez, María Eva Muñoz-Mejías, Pablo Valera and Evangelina Rodero
Animals 2022, 12(3), 249; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12030249 - 20 Jan 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2258
Abstract
Pedigree analyses of two endangered cattle breeds were performed in order to study the structure and the genetic variability in their populations. Pedigree data were analyzed from 12,057 individuals belonging to the “Berrenda en Negro” cattle breed (BN) and 20,389 individuals belonging to [...] Read more.
Pedigree analyses of two endangered cattle breeds were performed in order to study the structure and the genetic variability in their populations. Pedigree data were analyzed from 12,057 individuals belonging to the “Berrenda en Negro” cattle breed (BN) and 20,389 individuals belonging to the “Berrenda en Colorado” cattle breed (BC) that were born between 1983 and 2020. BN and BC reference populations (RP) were set up by 2300 and 3988 animals, respectively. The generation interval in BN and BC reference populations was equal to 6.50 and 6.92 years, respectively. The pedigree completeness level was 82.76% in BN and 79.57% in BC. The inbreeding rates were 4.5% in BN and 3.4% in BC, respectively. The relationship among animals when they were born in different herds was 1.8% in BN and 5% in BC; these values increased to 8.5% and 7.7%, respectively when comparing animals that were born in the same herd. The effective number of founding herds was 23.9 in BN and 60.9 in BC. Number of ancestors needed to explain 50% of genes pool in the whole population was 50 and 101, in BN and in BC, respectively. The effective population size based on co-ancestries was 92.28 in BN and 169.92 in BC. The genetic variability has been maintained in both populations over time and the results of this study suggest that measures to promote the conservation of the genetic variability in these two breeds would go through for the exchange of breeding animals among farms and for monitoring the genetic contributions before implementing any selective action. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Competitiveness of Spanish Local Breeds)
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15 pages, 792 KiB  
Article
Retinol and α-Tocopherol Contents, Fat Color, and Lipid Oxidation as Traceability Tools of the Feeding System in Suckling Payoya Kids
by Mercedes Roncero-Díaz, Begoña Panea, María de Guía Córdoba, Anastasio Argüello and María J. Alcalde
Animals 2022, 12(1), 104; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12010104 - 2 Jan 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1763
Abstract
The effects of Payoya kid feeding systems on the fat-soluble vitamin (retinol/α-tocopherol) contents, fat content, fat color, and the oxidation index were evaluated to determine their potential for use as feeding system traceability tools. Four groups of Payoya kids (55 animals in total) [...] Read more.
The effects of Payoya kid feeding systems on the fat-soluble vitamin (retinol/α-tocopherol) contents, fat content, fat color, and the oxidation index were evaluated to determine their potential for use as feeding system traceability tools. Four groups of Payoya kids (55 animals in total) fed milk exclusively were studied: a group fed a milk replacer (MR) and three groups fed natural milk from dams reared with different management systems (mountain grazing (MG), cultivated meadow (CM) and total mixed ration (TMR)). Kids were slaughtered around one month of age and 8 kg of live weight. Kids from the MG and CM groups presented lower retinol (5.56 and 3.72 µg/mL) and higher α-tocopherol plasma (11.43 and 8.85 µg/mL) concentrations than those from the TMR and MR groups (14.98 and 22.47 µg/mL of retinol; 2.49 and 0.52 µg/mL of α-tocopherol, respectively) (p < 0.001). With respect to fat, kids with a higher intramuscular fat percentage (CM and TMR groups) had lower retinol contents (16.52 and 15.99 µg/mL, respectively) than kids from the MG and MR groups (26.81 and 22.63 µg/mL, respectively) (p < 0.001). A dilution effect of vitamins on fat was shown: the higher the amount of fat, the lower the vitamin concentrations, the higher the lipid oxidation index (MDA), and the lower the SUM (absolute value of the integral of the translated spectra between 450 and 510 nm). A discriminant analysis that included all studied variables showed that 94.4% of the kids were classified correctly according to their feeding system and could allow traceability to the consumer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Competitiveness of Spanish Local Breeds)
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19 pages, 8658 KiB  
Article
Beef from Calves Finished with a Diet Based on Concentrate Rich in Agro-Industrial By-Products: Acceptability and Quality Label Preferences in Spanish Meat Consumers
by Elena Angón, Francisco Requena, Javier Caballero-Villalobos, Miguel Cantarero-Aparicio, Andrés Luís Martínez-Marín and José Manuel Perea
Animals 2022, 12(1), 6; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12010006 - 21 Dec 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3139
Abstract
Conjoint analysis was used to estimate the relative importance of some of the main extrinsic attributes and quality labels of beef in three Spanish cities (Córdoba, Marbella, and Santa Pola) in a study performed with 300 individuals. Consumers were segmented according to their [...] Read more.
Conjoint analysis was used to estimate the relative importance of some of the main extrinsic attributes and quality labels of beef in three Spanish cities (Córdoba, Marbella, and Santa Pola) in a study performed with 300 individuals. Consumers were segmented according to their frequency of consumption. Willingness to pay for different meats was also calculated from the conjoint analysis results. Consumer liking of beef that had been finished with an alternative concentrate rich in agro-industrial by-products and aged for three different durations as compared to conventionally finished beef was also evaluated using the same consumers. The most important attribute for Spanish consumers was the price (28%), followed by origin (25%), animal welfare certification (19%), protected geographical indication (14%), and organic agriculture certification (14%). Most consumers preferred beef from Spain at the lowest possible price and with the highest number of quality labels. Consumers were willing to pay a premium of 1.49, 3.61, and 5.53 EUR over 14 EUR/kg for organic certification, protected geographical indication, and animal welfare certification, respectively. Sensory analysis revealed that, for regular consumers, beef finished with an alternative concentrate rich in agro-industrial by-products offered several hedonic advantages (color, flavor, and tenderness) when compared to beef finished using a conventional diet, while occasional consumers did not find any difference between the two kinds of meat. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Competitiveness of Spanish Local Breeds)
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13 pages, 296 KiB  
Article
Study of Behavioural Traits in Can de Palleiro (Galician Shepherd Dog)
by Susana Muñiz de Miguel, Francisco Javier Diéguez, Joao Pedro da Silva-Monteiro, Beatriz Parra Ferreiro-Mazón and Ángela González-Martínez
Animals 2021, 11(11), 3198; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11113198 - 9 Nov 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3407
Abstract
The Can de Palleiro (CP) is an autochthonous canine breed from Galicia (NW Spain). Interestingly, no previous research has been published about the behaviour of this breed. Thus, the aim of the present study was to obtain a deeper understanding of CP behavioural [...] Read more.
The Can de Palleiro (CP) is an autochthonous canine breed from Galicia (NW Spain). Interestingly, no previous research has been published about the behaviour of this breed. Thus, the aim of the present study was to obtain a deeper understanding of CP behavioural and temperamental traits and detect any potentially problematic behaviour by using the Canine Behavioural Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ) and the Socially Acceptable Behaviour (SAB) test. Behavioural information was obtained from 377 dogs—177 CPs and 200 general population (GP) dogs—using the C-BARQ. Additionally, 32 dogs were enrolled to perform the SAB test (19 CPs and 13 GP dogs) in order to directly evaluate their temperament. Our results indicated that CP dogs had a lower tendency to show aggressiveness towards their owners (0.18 times lower, p = 0.033) and less fear of other dogs (by 0.43 times, p = 0.001), as well as higher trainability levels (2.56 times higher, p < 0.001) when compared to GP dogs. CP dogs also had increased odds of showing chasing behaviour (3.81 times higher, p < 0.001). Conversely, CPs had reduced odds of non-social fear, separation-related problems and excitability (by 0.42, 0.35 and 0.48 times, respectively; p < 0.001, p < 0.001 and p = 0.002). The current research represents a starting point for the study of the behaviour of CPs, which appear to be a working breed, with guarding and, especially, herding characteristics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Competitiveness of Spanish Local Breeds)
16 pages, 1032 KiB  
Article
Blood Biochemical Variables Found in Lidia Cattle after Intense Exercise
by Francisco Escalera-Valente, Marta E. Alonso, Juan M. Lomillos-Pérez, Vicente R. Gaudioso-Lacasa, Angel J. Alonso and J. Ramiro González-Montaña
Animals 2021, 11(10), 2866; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11102866 - 30 Sep 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1883
Abstract
There are limited published data in the bovine species on blood biological variables in response to intense work or after significant physical exertion. Lidia cattle, in addition to their exercise components, have some behavioral agonistic features that make them more susceptible to stress. [...] Read more.
There are limited published data in the bovine species on blood biological variables in response to intense work or after significant physical exertion. Lidia cattle, in addition to their exercise components, have some behavioral agonistic features that make them more susceptible to stress. The bullfight involves stress and exercise so intense that it causes significant changes in some metabolic variables. The study objective was to evaluate changes in blood biological variables in response to intense exercise and stress. After the fight in the arena, and once the bulls were dead (n = 438), blood samples were taken, and some biochemical and hormonal variables were determined in venous blood. A descriptive analysis was performed using the Statistica 8.0. computer program. The mean (±s.d.) results obtained were: total protein (85.8 ± 10.8 g/dL), albumin (3.74 ± 4.3 g/dL), triglycerides (39.65 ± 0.16 mg/dL), cholesterol (2.44 ± 0.03 mmol/L), glucose (22.2 ± 9.6 mmol/L), uric acid (340 ± 80 µmol/L), creatinine (236.9 ± 0.4 µmol/L), urea (5.93 ± 1.27 mmol/L), LDH (2828 ± 1975 IU/L), CK (6729 ± 10,931 IU/L), AST (495 ± 462 IU/L), ALP (90 ± 33 IU/L), GGT (50 ± 34 IU/L), ALT (59 ± 35 IU/L), cortisol (117.5 ± 46.6 nmol/L), and testosterone (20.2 ± 23.8 nmol/L). Most of the measured variables clearly increased; thus, we found severe hyperglycemia and increases in LDH, AST, GGT, and ALT enzymes, particularly in CK. The increases in all these variables are justified by the mobilization of energy sources, tissue/muscle damage, and dehydration due to continued stress and intense exercise. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Competitiveness of Spanish Local Breeds)
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7 pages, 442 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Age Effects on Ovarian Hemodynamics Using Doppler Ultrasound and Progesterone Concentrations in Cycling Spanish Purebred Mares
by Francisco Requena, María Joana A. P. M. Campos, Andrés Luis Martínez Marín, Rocío Camacho, Rosa M. Giráldez-Pérez and Estrella I. Agüera
Animals 2021, 11(8), 2339; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11082339 - 8 Aug 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2860
Abstract
In equine reproduction, accurate and timely detection of the moment of ovulation is of great importance. Power Doppler ultrasound technology is a non-invasive method that enables to assess the morpho-echogenic features and blood flow changes during the estral cycle in mares. The objective [...] Read more.
In equine reproduction, accurate and timely detection of the moment of ovulation is of great importance. Power Doppler ultrasound technology is a non-invasive method that enables to assess the morpho-echogenic features and blood flow changes during the estral cycle in mares. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the influence of age on ultrasonographic parameters (follicular diameter, follicular blood flow—FBF, corpus luteum (CL) area and corpus luteum blood flow—CLBF) and blood plasma progesterone concentrations in cycling Spanish Purebred mares (15 less than 8 years old and 15 equal o higher than 8 years old). The ultrasound images obtained were analyzed with the Image Colour Summarizer software, which allows the quantification of the pixels of each image. Young mares had significantly higher FBF, CLBF and plasma progesterone levels. Moreover, linear regression analysis showed that blood progesterone levels could be predicted in both groups from CLBF with moderate precision and accuracy. In conclusion, Power Doppler was useful to assess ovarian hemodynamics. Our results support that age is a factor that significantly influences FBF and CLBF as well as blood progesterone concentration in mares. More studies would be needed to develop high precision and accuracy predictive models of blood progesterone concentration from CLBF measured by Power Doppler. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Competitiveness of Spanish Local Breeds)
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15 pages, 625 KiB  
Article
How Management System Affects the Concentration of Retinol and α-Tocopherol in Plasma and Milk of Payoya Lactating Goats: Possible Use as Traceability Biomarkers
by Mercedes Roncero-Díaz, Begoña Panea, Anastasio Argüello and María J. Alcalde
Animals 2021, 11(8), 2326; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11082326 - 6 Aug 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2629
Abstract
The retinol and α-tocopherol concentrations were quantified (μg/mL) using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in both plasma and milk of goats from three management systems. The aim was to investigate if the compounds pass from feed to animals’ fluids and to evaluate their potential [...] Read more.
The retinol and α-tocopherol concentrations were quantified (μg/mL) using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in both plasma and milk of goats from three management systems. The aim was to investigate if the compounds pass from feed to animals’ fluids and to evaluate their potential use as feeding regime biomarkers. A total of 45 Payoya dams were distributed in three groups according to management system during the first month of lactation: mountain grazing (MG), cultivated meadow (CM) and total mixed ration (TMR). TMR group had higher concentrations of retinol in both plasma (25.92 ± 3.61 at 30 days postpartum) and milk (8.26 ± 0.79 at 10 days postpartum), and they were also the unique animals whose milk contained detectable concentrations of α-tocopherol (3.15 ± 0.19 at parturition). However, MG and CM goats showed higher plasma concentrations of α-tocopherol (64.26 ± 14.56 and 44.65 ± 5.75 at 30 days postpartum, respectively). These results could imply differences in the bioavailability of supplemented vitamin A and natural β-carotene and between the natural/synthetic forms of α-tocopherol. An inverse relationship between the fluids (plasma/milk) in the contents of α-tocopherol and retinol was observed as lactation progressed. Since 80% of the animals were correctly classified using a discriminant analysis based on these vitamins, these compounds could be used as traceability biomarkers of feeding system, but further studies are necessary to know the possible passage to kid meat. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Competitiveness of Spanish Local Breeds)
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10 pages, 291 KiB  
Article
Intramuscular Fatty Acids in Meat Could Predict Enteric Methane Production by Fattening Lambs
by Francisco Requena Domenech, Pilar Gómez-Cortés, Silvia Martínez-Miró, Miguel Ángel de la Fuente, Fuensanta Hernández and Andrés Luis Martínez Marín
Animals 2021, 11(7), 2053; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11072053 - 9 Jul 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3160
Abstract
Methane (CH4) emissions pose a serious problem for the environmental sustainability of ruminant production. The aim of the present study was to explore the usefulness of the intramuscular fatty acid (FA) profile to estimate CH4 production of lambs fattened under [...] Read more.
Methane (CH4) emissions pose a serious problem for the environmental sustainability of ruminant production. The aim of the present study was to explore the usefulness of the intramuscular fatty acid (FA) profile to estimate CH4 production of lambs fattened under intensive feeding systems. A statistical regression analysis of intramuscular FA derived from ruminal metabolism was carried out to assess the best predictive model of CH4 production (g/d) in lambs fed with different diets. CH4 was calculated with three distinct equations based on organic matter digestibility (OMD) at maintenance feeding levels. The OMD of the experimental diets was determined in an in vivo digestibility trial by means of the indicator method. Regression models were obtained by stepwise regression analysis. The three optimized models showed high adjusted coefficients of determination (R2adj = 0.74–0.93) and concordance correlation coefficients (CCC = 0.89–0.98), as well as small root mean square prediction errors (RMSPE = 0.29–0.40 g/d). The best single predictor was vaccenic acid (trans-11 C18:1), a bioactive FA that is formed in the rumen to a different extent depending on dietary composition. Based on our data and further published lamb research, we propose a novel regression model for CH4 production with excellent outcomes: CH4 (g/d) = −1.98 (±1.284)–0.87 (±0.231) × trans-11 C18:1 + 0.79 (±0.045) × BW (R2adj = 0.97; RMSPE = 0.76 g/d; CCC = 0.98). In conclusion, these results indicate that specific intramuscular FA and average BW during fattening could be useful to predict CH4 production of lambs fed high concentrate diets. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Competitiveness of Spanish Local Breeds)
22 pages, 5077 KiB  
Article
Value-Creating Strategies in Dairy Farm Entrepreneurship: A Case Study in Northern Spain
by Antonio Alvarez, Beatriz García-Cornejo, José A. Pérez-Méndez and David Roibás
Animals 2021, 11(5), 1396; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11051396 - 13 May 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3122
Abstract
This paper explores different value-creating strategies (VCS) used by dairy farmers engaged in on-farm diversification ventures. In order to explicitly identify the informal strategies followed by 49 farmers in their value-added ventures, we applied a theoretically informed business model framework combining three dimensions: [...] Read more.
This paper explores different value-creating strategies (VCS) used by dairy farmers engaged in on-farm diversification ventures. In order to explicitly identify the informal strategies followed by 49 farmers in their value-added ventures, we applied a theoretically informed business model framework combining three dimensions: value proposition linked to local food, customer engagement via quality schemes and shorter supply chains, and the key capabilities of the entrepreneur. Using cluster analysis, four different types of VCS were identified and labelled as ‘Ecological’, ‘Single-product’, ‘Innovative’, and ‘Traditional’. Whilst we found that these strategies are influenced by contextual factors and the owner’s entrepreneurial skills, in general, we did not observe significant differences in performance between them. The results suggest that farmers respond entrepreneurially to sectorial changes adopting those VCS that tend to align with their entrepreneurial capabilities and context, thus enabling them to succeed with any of the strategies pursued. Hence, our work contributes towards clarifying the relationship between VCS, entrepreneurial capabilities, and context. This is important for farmers and policymakers because it reveals the diversity of farm management and the resilience of farm systems. As a result, the potential challenges for Single-product VCS and Traditional VCS are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Competitiveness of Spanish Local Breeds)
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13 pages, 674 KiB  
Article
Analysis of the Sustainability of Fattening Systems for Iberian Traditional Pig Production through a Technical and Environmental Approach
by Javier García-Gudiño, Isabel Blanco-Penedo, Maria Font-i-Furnols, Elena Angón and José Manuel Perea
Animals 2021, 11(2), 411; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11020411 - 5 Feb 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2137
Abstract
At present, two types of fattening are carried out in Iberian traditional pig production. The montanera is the fattening system where fatteners are fed on acorns and pasture in the dehesa, and cebo de campo is the fattening where the pigs are [...] Read more.
At present, two types of fattening are carried out in Iberian traditional pig production. The montanera is the fattening system where fatteners are fed on acorns and pasture in the dehesa, and cebo de campo is the fattening where the pigs are fed on compound feed and natural resources, mainly pasture. The aim of this paper is to analyze Iberian fattening production from an economic and environmental approach in order to identify fattening strategies to increase the sustainability of this traditional livestock activity. Based on technical-economic and environmental variables, the differences between Iberian farms according to the types of fattening were determined using discriminant analysis techniques. The model based on environmental variables showed a greater predictive ability than that found in the model based on technical-economic variables. Consequently, environmental variables can be used as reference points to classify the Iberian farms according to the type of fattening. Furthermore, canonical correlation analysis allowed to study the relationships between both sets of variables, showing that environmental values had a strong correlation with technical-economic variables. The results of this study show that it is possible to improve the sustainability of Iberian traditional pig production through fattening strategies in both types of fattening. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Competitiveness of Spanish Local Breeds)
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10 pages, 305 KiB  
Article
Selection Criteria for Improving Fertility in Spanish Goat Breeds: Estimation of Genetic Parameters and Designing Selection Indices for Optimal Genetic Responses
by Chiraz Ziadi, Eva Muñoz-Mejías, Manuel Sánchez, María Dolores López, Olga González-Casquet and Antonio Molina
Animals 2021, 11(2), 409; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11020409 - 5 Feb 2021
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2022
Abstract
The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for several female fertility criteria and to choose the most suitable selection index in Spanish Florida and Payoya goat breeds. In this study, we analyzed as fertility traits, the age at first kidding [...] Read more.
The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for several female fertility criteria and to choose the most suitable selection index in Spanish Florida and Payoya goat breeds. In this study, we analyzed as fertility traits, the age at first kidding (AgFiKid), and the interval between the first and second kiddings (Int12Kid), between the second, third, and remaining kiddings (Int3toKid), and between all kiddings (IntAllKid) in 51,123 and 22,049 Florida and Payoya females, respectively. Genetic parameters were estimated by fitting animal models using restricted maximum likelihood (REML) methodology. We proposed six selection indices to compare the genetic responses for all traits included, based on a new selection index theory. The heritability and repeatability estimates of the traits were low, as expected. The genetic correlations among fertility traits covered a wide range of values from 0.07 (AgFiKid-Int12Kid) to 0.71 (Int3toKid-IntAllKid) in Florida and from −0.02 (AgFiKid-Int12Kid) to 0.82 (Int3toKid-IntAllKid) in Payoya. Overall, the results of this study indicate that IntAllKid gives the highest genetic responses in both breeds but is expressed late in a female’s life. However, AgFiKid and Int12Kid could be recommended as early selection criteria for female fertility in both breeds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Competitiveness of Spanish Local Breeds)
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