The European sheep and goat sector is characterized by low professionalization and management training. Moreover, it is fragmented in terms of production aims and farming systems. Here, iSAGEDSS, a web-based application allowing dairy and meat small ruminant farmers in different countries to make annual management plans by testing future scenarios, is presented. Data were obtained for the meat sheep (United Kingdom and Spain), dairy sheep (France and Greece) and dairy goat production systems (Greece) from partners of the Innovation for Sustainable Sheep and Goat Production in Europe (iSAGE) project. These were used to set default values and ranges for all important farm parameters in each system and country. An algorithm was developed assessing nutritional management and its impact on production and financial performance. Reports focus on profitability, productivity and environmental sustainability. A case study in three dairy sheep farms in Greece was performed. In each case, an evaluation scenario was created using actual farm data that were compared with the estimated ones. Two scenarios testing management decisions for gross margin maximization and milk pricing fluctuations were created. Application results showed high prediction accuracy for gross margin and production estimation (error of circa 9% and 4%, respectively). Moreover, the ability to promote financial, production and grazing management efficiency was demonstrated.

The slow adoption of innovations is a key challenge that the European sheep sector faces for its sustainability. The future of the sector lies on the adoption of best practices, modern technologies and innovations that can improve its resilience and mitigate its dependence on public support. In this study, the concept of technical efficiency was used to reveal the most efficient sheep meat farms and to identify the best practices and farm innovations that could potentially be adopted by other farms of similar production systems. Data Envelopment Analysis was applied to farm accounting data from 458 sheep meat farms of intensive, semi-intensive and extensive systems from France, Spain and the UK, and the structural and economic characteristics of the most efficient farms were analyzed. These best farmers were indicated through a survey, which was conducted within the Innovation for Sustainable Sheep and Goat Production in the Europe (iSAGE) Horizon 2020 project, the management and production practices and innovations that improve their economic performance and make them better than their peers.

Introduction: Coxiella burnetii is an obligatory intracellular bacterial pathogen causing the zoonotic disease Q fever. The most common reservoirs of C. burnetii are wild mammals, birds and ticks. Pregnant domestic ruminants infected with this bacterium are also a major source of human...

Polymorphisms at PRNP gene locus have been associated with resistance against classical scrapie in goats. Genetic selection on this gene within appropriate breeding programs may contribute to the control of the disease. The present study characterized the genetic profile of codons 146, 211 and 222 in three dairy goat breeds in Greece. A total of 766 dairy goats from seven farms were used. Animals belonged to two indigenous Greek, Eghoria (n = 264) and Skopelos (n = 287) and a foreign breed, Damascus (n = 215). Genomic DNA was extracted from blood samples from individual animals. Polymorphisms were detected in these codons using Real-Time PCR analysis and four different Custom TaqMan^® SNP Genotyping Assays. Genotypic, allelic and haplotypic frequencies were calculated based on individual animal genotypes. Chi-square tests were used to examine Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium state and compare genotypic distribution across breeds. Genetic distances among the three breeds, and between these and 30 breeds reared in other countries were estimated based on haplotypic frequencies using fixation index F_ST with Arlequin v3.1 software; a Neighbor-Joining tree was created using PHYLIP package v3.695. Level of statistical significance was set at P = 0.01. All scrapie resistance-associated alleles (146S, 146D, 211Q and 222K) were detected in the studied population. Significant frequency differences were observed between the indigenous Greek and Damascus breeds. Alleles 222K and 146S had the highest frequency in the two indigenous and the Damascus breed, respectively (ca. 6.0%). The studied breeds shared similar haplotypic frequencies with most South Italian and Turkish breeds but differed significantly from North-Western European, Far East and some USA goat breeds. Results suggest there is adequate variation in the PRNP gene locus to support breeding programs for enhanced scrapie resistance in goats reared in Greece. Genetic comparisons among goat breeds indicate that separate breeding programs should apply to the two indigenous and the imported Damascus breeds.

The adoption of the best practices is crucial for the survival of the dairy sheep farms that operate under extensive and/or semi-extensive systems. In this study, an efficiency analysis was implemented to reveal the best observed practices applied by the more efficient dairy sheep farms. Data Envelopment Analysis was used on data from 60 dairy sheep farms that rear Manech or Basco-bearnaise, and Lacaune breeds under semi-extensive systems in France. The main characteristics of the most efficient farms are presented and a comparative economic analysis is applied between the fully efficient and less efficient farms, highlighting the optimal farm structure and determining the major cost drivers in sheep farming. The most efficient farmers provided information within the iSAGE Horizon 2020 project regarding the management practices that enhance their sustainability. The results show that there is room for improvement in semi-extensive dairy sheep farming. The most efficient farms rear smaller flocks than the less efficient farms and achieve higher milk yields. Fixed capital, labor, and feeding constitute the main cost drivers. Results show that farms should exploit economies of scale in the use of labor and infrastructure to reduce their cost per product, as well as their uptake practices and innovations, related mainly to modern breeding and reproduction methods, efficient feeding practices and digital technologies.

Dairy sheep farming is a significant agricultural sector in Mediterranean countries, providing income and employment opportunities in less-favoured areas (LFAs). The economic performance of dairy sheep farms is of significant interest to LFAs. However, relevant literature is scarce. The objectives here were to evaluate the economic performance of dairy sheep farms in LFAs of Greece and perform a comparative analysis based on flock size and farming system. In total, 19 and 26 dairy sheep farms for two production periods were used. Farm technical (flock size, production, grazing and nutritional management) and economic (income and variable costs) data were collected. The economic performance of farms was estimated using Happy Goats, a decision support tool for small ruminant farming. Estimated economic parameters were analysed by flock size (≤150 ewes vs. >150 ewes) and farming system (intensive/semi-intensive vs. semi-extensive). Results showed that 37% and 31% of farms were operating with losses in each production period, respectively. Based on nutritional management, ewes produced about 50 kg less milk per milking period. Smaller and semi-extensive farms had significantly (p < 0.05) lower incomes and variable costs. A significantly (p < 0.05) lower average gross margin was reported for smaller compared to larger farms. Results suggest a better economic perspective for larger flock sizes.