SheepIT, an E-Shepherd System for Weed Control in Vineyards: Experimental Results and Lessons Learned

Gonçalves, Pedro; Nóbrega, L. H. P.; Monteiro, António; Pedreiras, Paulo; Rodrigues, P.; Esteves, Fernando

doi:10.3390/ani11092625

Cited by 15 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…Gonçalves et al [ 33 ] investigated the possibility of using high-tech on sheep in vineyards. Collars should set acoustic and electric impulses when sheep feed on leaves or grapes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the study of Gonçalves et al the sheep did not behave as desired, despite the electric stimuli. The authors furthermore suggest that grazing during the growing season is not possible without such technology [ 33 ]. We demonstrated in a previous study that desired results of the new ICLS are quite possible without high-tech [ 10 ] (see Supplementary Materials at the end).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sheep in the Vineyard: Suitability of Different Breeds and Potential Breeding Objectives

Conrad

Hörl

Henke

et al. 2022

Animals

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Protecting a breed of sheep is simple when there is demand for its breed traits, but new market options are often hard to find. In general, grazing sheep are able to take over some viticultural work. Here, we address a new and promising integrated crop-livestock system that involves the integration of sheep in the vineyard during the growing season. Using sheep in a vineyard entails opportunities but also risks, such as the current lack of information, specifically in relation to breed traits. In our survey, we evaluated 26 breeds for their suitability for grazing as long as possible in Central European vineyards during the growing season. First, the breed traits required were identified. Then, 94 flock book breeders were interviewed about specific breed traits. The height of a sheep’s muzzle is particularly important for assessing the suitability of a breed, as it defines the potential impact on the foliage area during the growing season. To determine the height of the muzzle, 179 flock book animals were measured. We found that the most important breeding objective for a new breed of sheep is the inability to stand on two legs. Adult animals of the breed Shropshire, and among these especially the shorter-legged Danish type, and Southdown, show a widespread inability to stand on two legs. Ouessant sheep are able to do so, yet are suitable with some limitations. Due to their extraordinarily small size, their reach is limited, as is their grazing performance. Thus, three of the 26 breeds studied here seem suitable for use in the most widespread vine training systems of Central Europe during the growing season. Targeted breeding could further improve the suitability of sheep for viticulture. Our findings could help to protect breeds and breed traits.

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“…Gonçalves et al [ 33 ] investigated the possibility of using high-tech on sheep in vineyards. Collars should set acoustic and electric impulses when sheep feed on leaves or grapes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sheep in the Vineyard: Suitability of Different Breeds and Potential Breeding Objectives

Conrad

Hörl

Henke

et al. 2022

Animals

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“…Important considerations when grazing with sheep include the need for regular rotations, temporary fencing and protection against predators. In addition, sheep should not be able to eat the crop itself, which is essential for vineyard managers, for example [48].…”

Section: Weed Control Through Livestock Grazingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sustainable Approach to Weed Management: The Role of Precision Weed Management

2022

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In the last few decades, the increase in the world’s population has created a need to produce more food, generating, consequently, greater pressure on agricultural production. In addition, problems related to climate change, water scarcity or decreasing amounts of arable land have serious implications for farming sustainability. Weeds can affect food production in agricultural systems, decreasing the product quality and productivity due to the competition for natural resources. On the other hand, weeds can also be considered to be valuable indicators of biodiversity because of their role in providing ecosystem services. In this sense, there is a need to carry out an effective and sustainable weed management process, integrating the various control methods (i.e., cultural, mechanical and chemical) in a harmonious way, without harming the entire agrarian ecosystem. Thus, intensive mechanization and herbicide use should be avoided. Herbicide resistance in some weed biotypes is a major concern today and must be tackled. On the other hand, the recent development of weed control technologies can promote higher levels of food production, lower the amount of inputs needed and reduce environmental damage, invariably bringing us closer to more sustainable agricultural systems. In this paper, we review the most common conventional and non-conventional weed control strategies from a sustainability perspective, highlighting the application of the precision and automated weed control technologies associated with precision weed management (PWM).

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“…PLF advances have been made for identifying and monitoring parturition-related behaviors of sheep. For this, information on the location and movement obtained with GNSS tracking collars [ 65 , 151 ] or accelerometers for ewe changes of activity [ 66 , 152 ] were used. The promising results found in those works will help increase vigilance for parturition time and early detection of dystocia, improving animal welfare, and decreasing lamb mortality [ 153 ].…”

Section: Animal Welfare In Small Ruminant Under Extensive Production ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Extensive Sheep and Goat Production: The Role of Novel Technologies towards Sustainability and Animal Welfare

Silva

Sacarrão-Birrento

Almeida

et al. 2022

Animals

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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.

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SheepIT, an E-Shepherd System for Weed Control in Vineyards: Experimental Results and Lessons Learned

Cited by 15 publications

References 49 publications

Sheep in the Vineyard: Suitability of Different Breeds and Potential Breeding Objectives

Sheep in the Vineyard: Suitability of Different Breeds and Potential Breeding Objectives

Sustainable Approach to Weed Management: The Role of Precision Weed Management

Extensive Sheep and Goat Production: The Role of Novel Technologies towards Sustainability and Animal Welfare

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