Sustainable Strategies for Intensive Livestock Production Systems

Dear Colleagues,

Livestock production systems are called upon for provision of the growing food demand expected over the next 30 years. Alongside the expansion of production, strategies to limit the environmental impact and ensure sustainable systems are necessary.

Some of the greatest challenges for intensive livestock systems relate to prioritized areas of interest such as the sustainable use of land resources and water, soil conservation and the reduction of emissions of atmospheric pollutants, including greenhouse gases. In this framework, applied research must find space for the study of novel approaches and techniques to be transferred to intensive farming systems in terms of designing efficient systems, processes and structures for the management of livestock and its productions, and promoting rational use of energy, water and plant resources.

The scope of this Special Issue is to gather theoretical and applied knowledge aiming to design sustainable systems based on innovative technologies, techniques and processes.

For this Special Issue, we invite original research papers and reviews improving knowledge and presenting scientific advances in techniques and practices applied to livestock production in intensive systems aiming to: (i) reduce the impacts on water, soils and air; and (ii) improve the efficiency of productions.

We are interested in topics including, but not limited, to:

• Assessment and upgrade of environmental performances in intensive production;
• Sustainable nutrient cycling in intensive livestock systems;
• Techniques and technologies for reducing greenhouse gases and atmospheric pollutants emissions;
• Optimization of manure management chain;
• Designs and solutions for efficient energy and resource use;
• Improvement of animal health, comfort and welfare in livestock management.

Prof. Dr. Ilda de Fátima Ferreira Tinôco
Dr. Valentina Becciolini
Prof. Dr. Matteo Barbari
Dr. Rafaella Resende Andrade
Dr. Fernanda Campos de Sousa
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.

• environmental footprint
• animal health and welfare
• animal behavior
• indoor livestock systems
• animal housings and buildings
• technologies for livestock production
• waste management
• energy efficiency
• renewable energy
• circular economy