Sheep and goat extensive production systems are very important in the context of global food security and the use of rangelands that have no alternative agricultural use. In such systems, there are enormous challenges to address. These include, for instance, classical production issues, such as nutrition or reproduction, as well as carbon-efficient systems within the climate-change context. An adequate response to these issues is determinant to economic and environmental sustainability. The answers to such problems need to combine efficiently not only the classical production aspects, but also the increasingly important health, welfare, and environmental aspects in an integrated fashion. The purpose of the study was to review the application of technological developments, in addition to remote-sensing in tandem with other state-of-the-art techniques that could be used within the framework of extensive production systems of sheep and goats and their impact on nutrition, production, and ultimately, the welfare of these species. In addition to precision livestock farming (PLF), these include other relevant technologies, namely omics and other areas of relevance in small-ruminant extensive production: heat stress, colostrum intake, passive immunity, newborn survival, biomarkers of metabolic disease diagnosis, and parasite resistance breeding. This work shows the substantial, dynamic nature of the scientific community to contribute to solutions that make extensive production systems of sheep and goats more sustainable, efficient, and aligned with current concerns with the environment and welfare.

This study hypothesized that reducing the level of crude protein (CP) in lambs′ feed may improve nutrient utilization and did not negatively affect their productive efficiency, blood metabolites, oxidative status (OS) or intestinal immune barrier function. A total of 120 weaned male Ripollesa lambs (45–60 days old and 15.0 ± 1.5 kg of body weight) were used. Four feed concentrates were formulated for two different phases (growing and finishing): CP20/19 group (20% and 19% of CP on dry matter basis, for each phase, respectively) and CP18/17 group (18% and 17% of CP on dry matter basis, for each phase, respectively). Lambs were randomly assigned to feeding treatments by balancing initial body weight between groups. The reduction of dietary CP level did not impair their growth performance parameters, while it did improve the apparent digestibility of organic matter. Furthermore, the lambs of the CP18/17 group showed lower plasma urea levels with no effect on OS (malondialdehyde levels) or gastrointestinal immunity markers (gene expression of interleukin 10 (IL10), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFA) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGFB)).

Ewes fed sainfoin (a source of condensed tannins “CT”) may influence the homeostasis of the gastrointestinal tract of suckling lambs. This study investigated the effects of CT from sainfoin in the maternal diet on plasma fructosamine, faecal coccidian excretion, and gene expression of immune and antioxidant markers in jejunum and ileum of suckling lambs. Twelve Rasa Aragonesa lambs with their dams were selected. The maternal diet was based on fresh sainfoin (SAINFOIN, n = 6) and sainfoin + polyethylene-glycol (SAINFOIN + PEG, as a CT-binder, n = 6) plus a daily supplement of 200 g barley in both groups. A lower percentage of lambs that shed more than 10 oocysts/g faeces was observed in SAINFOIN compared to the SAINFOIN + PEG group (p = 0.07). Jejunal gene expression of transforming growth factor-β1, tumour necrosis factor-α, and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) 1 and 4 were lower in the SAINFOIN group (p < 0.05). In contrast, ileal catalase and GPX2 expression were increased in the SAINFOIN group (p < 0.05). Overall, the results suggest that the presence of CT in the dams’ diets has a positive effect on reducing excreted coccidian oocysts and favours antioxidant-immune crosstalk at gut level in suckling lambs.

Polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) deposition in lambs’ muscles could be influenced by their mothers’ diet. The aim was to study the profile of fatty acids in the muscle of lambs from ewes supplemented with different sources of PUFA to achieve a healthier meat for the consumer. On day 100 of gestation, pregnant ewes grazed on natural grass were divided into three groups (n = 20) and supplemented with PUFA: Group A: 700 g of a ration rich in PUFA, Group B: 700 g of a ration for sheep + 20 mL of fish oil and Group C: 700 g of the same ration. After parturition, each group was subdivided: ten ewes continued with the same diet until the end of lactation; the other ten were fed only natural grass. The values of n-3 and n-6 PUFA and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), linoleic acid (LA) and arachidonic acid (AA) were analyzed in Longissimus lumborum muscles of lambs at 90 and 120 days of life. The feeding of ewes during lactation favorably influenced the lipid profile of the lamb muscle, increasing the concentration of n-3 and n-6 PUFA, ALA, LA, AA, DHA and EPA. The supplementation of ewes with fish oil and/or a ration rich in PUFA improved the LA/ALA ratio in lambs’ meat.

The impact of maternal dietary restriction and hydroxytyrosol (HT) supplementation during the last third of gestation on plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration, total antioxidant capacity (ABTS assay), and peripheral blood gene expression related to antioxidant defence, immune response, and energy metabolism was evaluated in beef cows and calves. Two feeding treatments in late gestation (T100% vs. T60% of nutrient requirements) and two HT levels (Control vs. HT at 180 mg/kg of diet) were evaluated during gestation (n = 46 cows) and lactation (n = 37 cows and calves). In pregnant cows, undernutrition led to inhibition of glucose oxidation (PDK4), decreased lipid synthesis (HMGCS1 and SCD) and TLR signalling; T60% cows showed higher plasma MDA (p < 0.05) with no positive effect of HT on antioxidant capacity. Contrarily, during lactation, earlier HT supplementation upregulated antioxidant capacity and modulated antioxidant gene expression (p < 0.05). In calves, there was an increase in SOD1, CAT, and GPX1, especially in the T60%-HT group (p < 0.05). Interestingly, HT supplementation increased glucose transport (SLC2A1/GLUT1) during pregnancy and lactation (p < 0.05). However, it caused different effects on immunometabolic regulation in both dams and calves, depending on maternal diet. Overall, maternal HT supplementation under restricted nutritional conditions promoted postpartum antioxidant capacity and modulated immune and metabolic gene expression in cows and calves.

The objective of this research was to evaluate a possible corrective measure against negative metabolic states, as occurs in the advanced stage of gestation in ewes, and that sometimes produces a disease called pregnancy toxaemia. In the present research, we found that the joint administration of i.v. lysine-vasopressin (0.08 IU/kg body weight, BW) and an oral glucose solution (50 g) produces an increase in blood glucose, which persists for some time (up to 6 h); therefore, it could be used in the treatment of pregnancy toxaemia. This therapy is based on the fact that lysine-vasopressin induces gastric groove closure in adult ruminants, enabling orally administered glucose to reach the abomasum directly, from where it rapidly passes into the intestine and is immediately absorbed. We can say that the tested treatment causes a significant increase in blood glucose in ewes affected by toxaemia caused by fasting, which, although less marked than conventional therapy with intravenous drip glucose, remains longer, regularizing other parameters indicative of energy metabolism in fasting ewes.