Weed control in vineyards demands regular interventions that currently consist of the use of machinery, such as plows and brush-cutters, and the application of herbicides. These methods have several drawbacks, including cost, chemical pollution, and the emission of greenhouse gases. The use of animals to weed vineyards, usually ovines, is an ancestral, environmentally friendly, and sustainable practice that was abandoned because of the scarcity and cost of shepherds, which were essential for preventing animals from damaging the vines and grapes. The SheepIT project was developed to automate the role of human shepherds, by monitoring and conditioning the behaviour of grazing animals. Additionally, the data collected in real-time can be used for improving the efficiency of the whole process, e.g., by detecting abnormal situations such as health conditions or attacks and manage the weeding areas. This paper presents a comprehensive set of field-test results, obtained with the SheepIT infrastructure, addressing several dimensions, from the animals’ well-being and their impact on the cultures, to technical aspects, such as system autonomy. The results show that the core objectives of the project have been attained and that it is feasible to use this system, at an industrial scale, in vineyards.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance is a pressing global concern affecting both human and animal health, with environment playing a key role in the dissemination of resistance determinants. This study aimed to investigate the presence of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) associated with tetracyclines, β-lactams, macrolides, and sulfonamides in environmental matrices collected from 65 sheep and goat farms in central Portugal. Methods: Environmental samples, including water, soil, pasture, and bedding, were analyzed through qPCR for the detection of clinically relevant ARGs. Results: ARGs were detected in 83% of the samples, with over half exhibiting genes from three or more antibiotic classes, suggesting potential multidrug resistance. β-lactamase genes were the most prevalent, followed by those conferring resistance to tetracycline and sulfonamide resistance, while macrolide resistance genes were least frequent. The distribution of ARGs varied by farm type, host species, and municipality. Conclusions: These findings suggest that small ruminant farms serve as important reservoirs for ARGs. The results underscore the need for systematic surveillance and further research into the ecological and genetic factors driving ARG persistence and dissemination in extensive livestock systems, including proper waste management strategies to limit the spread and persistence of antibiotic resistance and mitigate broader public health risks.

Canine Leishmaniosis (CanL) is a chronic and potentially fatal disease. In economically disadvantaged regions, costs associated with long-term patient monitoring may determine that some owners decline veterinary follow-up of their dogs. This online, questionnaire-based survey aimed to assess how Portuguese veterinary practitioners perform long-term patient monitoring and recognize relapses. More than 50% of respondents reported that 50–100% of dog owners declared financial restraints. Hence, in these circumstances, most veterinary practitioners only performed clinical examination and serology. However, when owners did not declare financial restriction, other tests were additionally performed, such as renal and hepatic profiles, hemogram, serum protein electrophoresis and urine protein creatinine ratio. The mean number of exams performed when owners presented financial restraints was significantly lower than the number of exams performed without economic limitations. Most veterinary practitioners prescribed allopurinol ad aeternum or until disease remission and domperidone. CanL relapses were recognized by more than half of respondents “Always”, through the reappearance or worsening of clinical signs, whereas about a quarter detected an increase in anti-Leishmania antibody levels and identified abnormalities in the serum protein electrophoresis profile. The relapse rate was higher in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area and north, the most economically favored regions of Portugal. This study confirms that owner financial restraints negatively influence veterinary follow-up and relapse recognition, ultimately compromising clinical decision making and favoring the maintenance of Leishmania infantum infection endemicity.

The production of small ruminant autochthonous breeds in the Centre region of Portugal is practiced in a semi-extensive husbandry system, exposing animals to parasitic infections. The main objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of lungworm infection and identify risk factors. Fecal samples of 203 goats and 208 sheep from 30 herds were collected per rectum and subjected to the modified Baermann test. The overall prevalence of infection was 57.7%, significantly higher in goats (95.6%) than in sheep (20.7%) (p < 0.001). According to the binary logistic regression model, sheep dewormed with albendazole, mebendazole plus closantel, or ivermectin plus clorsulon presented a risk of Protostrongylidae infection 29.702, 7.426, or 8.720 times higher, respectively, than those dewormed with eprinomectin. Additionally, the presence of gastrointestinal parasites was investigated in 307 fecal samples using Mini-FLOTAC^®. The overall prevalence of infection was 86.3%, also significantly higher in goats (93.2%) than in sheep (79.9%) (p < 0.001). Strongyle-type eggs were the most frequently identified, both in sheep (69.8%) and goats (87.8%), followed by Eimeria oocysts (40.3% in sheep and 68.9% in goats). Considering the high prevalence and the burden of lungworm parasitic infection, it is urgent to determine its economic impact and the repercussions in animal health in the Centre region of Portugal to establish appropriate therapeutic guidelines.