http://hdl.handle.net/10174/169 2026-04-21T06:15:50Z http://hdl.handle.net/10174/41874 Title: Technological development for monitoring pasture quality and supporting grazing management decisions – a review Authors: Pinto, Henrique; Santos, Ricardo; Moral, Francisco; Amaral, Alexandre; Escribano, Carlos; Almeida, António; Serrano, João Abstract: Effective grazing management depends on accurate and timely information on pasture biomass and nutritive value. This review examines recent advances in sensing technologies for estimating forage quality parameters, particularly crude protein (CP) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF), in pasture-based systems. Emphasis is placed on two complementary indicators: Dry Matter (DM) and Crude Protein (CP). Proximal tools such as rising plate meters (RPM) have evolved to incorporate optical components capable of estimating vegetation indices like the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), which may correlate with forage quality. Meanwhile, satellite-based remote sensing (Sentinel-2) offers broader spatial coverage and access to multiple spectral bands. These allow for the computation of several indices that can be explored using statistical and machine learning (ML) models to predict CP and NDF content. The integration of sensor-derived data with artificial intelligence (AI) represents a promising avenue for developing predictive models and decision-support systems (DSS), improving rotational grazing, supplementation planning, and reducing the occurrence of metabolic and nutritional disorders. This review highlights key findings in the literature and identifies knowledge gaps, particularly in the validation of new technologies across different pasture types and seasons. Future research should focus on combining multi-source data for real-time, on farm applications. 2026-03-31T23:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10174/41870 Title: Technologies applied to extensive precision livestock farming: Case study to support decision-making in the Montado ecosystem Authors: Ramalho Serrano, João Manuel Pereira Abstract: O montado é um sistema agro-silvo-pastoral caracterizado por uma elevada complexidade, resultante das interações entre o clima, o solo, a pastagem, as árvores e os animais. É neste contexto que devem ser tomadas as decisões de gestão, por exemplo, no que diz respeito à fertilização do solo, ao pastoreio ou à suplementação alimentar dos animais. Neste trabalho, realizado entre Outubro de 2015 e Junho de 2025, foram avaliadas tecnologias de Agricultura de Precisão (AP) na monitorização da variabilidade espacial e temporal do solo, da produtividade, qualidade e composição florística da pastagem e do pastoreio. Os resultados mostraram: (i) O impacto positivo das árvores e do pastoreio de animais na fertilidade do solo; (ii) a influência da variabilidade interanual da precipitação no padrão do ciclo vegetativo da pastagem; (iii) o efeito positivo das árvores na qualidade da pastagem; (iv) o efeito negativo das árvores na produtividade da pastagem; (v) o papel da composição florística da pastagem como indicador de limitações do solo ou de alterações climáticas; (vi) o potencial das tecnologias associadas ao conceito de PA como ferramentas expressas de apoio à tomada de decisões e para a otimização do estrato herbáceo e a gestão dinâmica do pastoreio neste ecossistema de forma holística. e sustentável 2026-02-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10174/41670 Title: Promoting Landscape Heterogeneity in Silvopastoral Systems through Very High-Voltage Power Line Pylons: An Unconventional Approach Authors: P. Fernandes, Mariana; Matono, Paula; Pinto-Cruz, Carla; Almeida, Erika; Nunes, Alice; Belo, Anabela; Moreira, Francisco Abstract: Mediterranean silvopastoral systems (Montado in Portugal or Dehesa in Spain) are considered High Nature Value farmlands with sustainable and low-intensity human use that unite forestry and livestock production, being characterized by a habitat mosaic that combines natural and semi-natural grasslands, a tree layer with different densities of Quercus spp. (mainly Q. suber or Q. rotundifolia, or both) and singular landscape elements (e.g. small shrublands, small rocky outcrops, temporary ponds, and watercourses with riparian galleries). Singular landscape elements are crucial to ecosystem services' functioning by providing habitat heterogeneity and connectivity that support species' life cycles and sustain ecological networks. As the management of Mediterranean silvopastoral systems intensifies, with overgrazing threatening the maintenance of singular landscape elements, these systems' functionality and high biodiversity are compromised. Designing restoration solutions tailored to the farmland context could be a helpful strategy to offset the landscape simplification and multifunctionality loss of the silvopastoral systems. Very high-voltage power line pylons, widespread also trough farmlands, can be handled as an artificial singular landscape element by using their base surface to promote native vegetation and provide an opportunity to restore landscape heterogeneity and connectivity to plants and some fauna. The area under very high-voltage pylons is negligible for agricultural or grazing uses and challenging to access by machinery, being frequently left unmanaged and, therefore, available to apply restoration solutions without compromising the landowner's productivity and profitability. Our study tested the hypothesis that vegetation under very high-voltage pylons can be restored to create elements of heterogeneity in grazing systems. We tested two restoration solutions: a passive one by grazing exclusion and an active one that combines grazing exclusion with a native seed mix application. We aimed to assess these restoration solutions' effectiveness in recovering Mediterranean vegetation patches under very high-voltage pylons and their effects on the plant community's composition, diversity and vertical structure. The study, carried out over five years, took place in southern Portugal under 15 very high-voltage pylons (plots of 48m2) distributed in Mediterranean silvopastoral systems grazed by cattle. We fenced 10 plots in autumn 2017: five to Passive Restoration by excluding cattle grazing and promoting natural regeneration, and five to Active Restoration by sowing a seed mix of herbaceous and shrub native species. We also established five plots as control (No Intervention). We surveyed the vegetation and assessed the plants' abundance and the mean vegetation height before (spring 2017) and after the intervention (spring 2018-2021). We evaluated the species richness, Shannon index diversity, vertical structure (vegetation mean height) and the dissimilarity of the community composition between the pre- and post-intervention periods. The restoration solutions increased plant communities' heterogeneity at the landscape level by establishing plant communities underneath very high-voltage pylons that contrast in plant composition and vegetation vertical structure with the surrounding grassland. Although more time-consuming and expensive, the active restoration solution increased species richness and maintained species diversity locally. In contrast, the passive restoration solution, at the local scale, maintained species richness but decreased species diversity. The bases of very high-voltage pylons can effectively be used to create singular landscape elements in grazed systems and may serve as stepping stones between remnants of natural vegetation. Using the bases of very high-voltage pylons to promote native vegetation and increase landscape heterogeneity can be a complementary strategy to offset the adverse effects of overgrazing in silvopastoral systems and a new approach to bring natural elements into agricultural landscapes, as shown in our pilot essay. 2025-05-27T23:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10174/41413 Title: Augmented Reality Tools for Swine production Students Authors: Schiavon, Stefano; Gallo, Luigi; Giannuzzi, Diana; Toscano, Alessandro; Tono, Vito; Alvarez-Rodriguez, Javier; Lozano, Pedro; Gasiorowska, Wieslawa; Roslewska, Aleksandra; Charneca, Rui; Caetano, Pedro; Santamaria, Sergio; Mateo, Jorge; Mainar, Raúl; Latorre, Maria Abstract: To develop a virtual platform connecting the teaching infrastructures of three universities in the field of swine production, using technologies based on augmented reality. This working environment will create an innovative teaching and learning experience that will make it possible to overcome gaps in infrastructures, biosanitary restrictions and enrich the learning environment through international collaboration and digitisation. The ART-SWINE platform is the main result of the project, which will also contribute to the following results: 1.Improving the quality and relevance of practical training in swine production; 2.Adaptation of teaching to the current challenges of biosecurity without sacrificing practical experience; 3.Promoting innovation and new technologies in animal production practices; 4.To create an enriching and diverse learning environment through international collaboration. 2025-05-31T23:00:00Z