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Carreira E, Serrano J, Gomes CJP, Shahidian S, Paniagua LL, Pilirito A, Lopes Castro J, Carvalho M, Pereira AF. Effect of Sheep Grazing, Stocking Rates and Dolomitic Limestone Application on the Floristic Composition of a Permanent Dryland Pasture, in the Montado Agroforestry System of Southern Portugal. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12192506. [PMID: 36230248 PMCID: PMC9559647 DOI: 10.3390/ani12192506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The Montado is a complex agroforestry–pastoral ecosystem due to the interactions between soil–pasture–trees–animals and climate. The typical Montado soil has an acidic pH and manganese toxicity, which affect the pasture’s productivity and pasture floristic composition (PFC). The PFC, on the other hand, can also be influenced by the type and intensity of grazing, which can lead to significant decreases in the amount of biomass produced and the biodiversity of species in the pasture. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of grazing type, by sheep, and different stocking rates on the PFC throughout the vegetative pasture cycle in areas with and without dolomitic limestone application. Thus, four treatments (P1UC to P4TC) were constituted: P1UC—without limestone application (U) and continuous grazing (CG); P2UD—U and deferred grazing (DG); P3TD—with the application of limestone (T) and DG; P4TC—T and CG. In DG plots, the placement and removal of the animals were carried out as a function of the average height of the pasture (placement—10 cm; removal—3 to 5 cm). The PFC was characterized in winter, at the peak of spring and in late spring. The PFC data were subjected to a multilevel pattern analysis (ISA). The combination of rainfall and temperature influenced the pasture growth rates and consequently the height of the pasture at different times of the year. Therefore, with the different growth rates of the pasture throughout the year, the sheep remain for different periods of time in the deferred grazing treatments. In the four treatments, 103 plant species were identified. The most representative botanical families in the four treatments were Asteraceae, Fabaceae and Poaceae. ISA identified 14 bioindicator species: eight for the winter period, three for the late spring vegetative period and three for the TC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuel Carreira
- MED-Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Instituto de Investigação and CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Institute for Advanced Studies and Research Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554 Evora, Portugal
- Correspondence:
| | - João Serrano
- MED-Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Instituto de Investigação and CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Institute for Advanced Studies and Research Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554 Evora, Portugal
| | - Carlos J. Pinto Gomes
- MED-Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Instituto de Investigação and CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Institute for Advanced Studies and Research Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554 Evora, Portugal
| | - Shakib Shahidian
- MED-Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Instituto de Investigação and CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Institute for Advanced Studies and Research Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554 Evora, Portugal
| | - Luís L. Paniagua
- Escuela de Ingenierías Agrarias, Universidad de Extremadura, Avenida Adolfo Suárez, S/N, 06007 Badajoz, Spain
| | - Alexandre Pilirito
- Department of Animal Sciences, Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554 Evora, Portugal
| | - José Lopes Castro
- MED-Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Instituto de Investigação and CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Institute for Advanced Studies and Research Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554 Evora, Portugal
| | - Mário Carvalho
- MED-Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Instituto de Investigação and CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Institute for Advanced Studies and Research Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554 Evora, Portugal
| | - Alfredo F. Pereira
- MED-Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Instituto de Investigação and CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Institute for Advanced Studies and Research Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554 Evora, Portugal
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Peña-Espinoza M, Valente AH, Thamsborg SM, Simonsen HT, Boas U, Enemark HL, López-Muñoz R, Williams AR. Antiparasitic activity of chicory (Cichorium intybus) and its natural bioactive compounds in livestock: a review. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:475. [PMID: 30134991 PMCID: PMC6106872 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-3012-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 07/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing drug resistance in gastrointestinal (GI) parasites of livestock and concerns about chemical residues in animal products and the environment are driving the development of alternative control strategies that are less reliant on the use of synthetic drugs. An increasingly investigated approach is the use of bioactive forages with antiparasitic properties as part of the animal's diet (nutraceuticals) or as potential sources of novel, natural parasiticides. Chicory (Cichorium intybus) is a multi-purpose crop and one of the most promising bioactive forages in temperate regions, and numerous in vivo trials have explored its potential against parasitic nematodes in livestock. However, it is unclear whether chicory can induce a direct and broad activity against various GI parasites in different livestock species, and the levels of chicory in the diet that are required to exert an efficient antiparasitic effect. Moreover, the mechanisms leading to the reported parasiticidal activity of chicory are still largely unknown, and its bioactive phytochemicals have only recently been investigated. In this review, we summarise the progress in the study of the antiparasitic activity of chicory and its natural bioactive compounds against GI parasites in livestock, through examination of the published literature. The available evidence indicates that feeding chicory can reduce faecal egg counts and/or worm burdens of abomasal nematodes, but not infections with intestinal worms, in ruminants. Highly chicory-rich diets (≥ 70% of chicory dry matter in the diet) may be necessary to directly affect abomasal parasitism. Chicory is known to synthesise several bioactive compounds with potential antiparasitic activity, but most research has been devoted to the role of sesquiterpene lactones (SL). Recent in vitro studies have confirmed direct and potent activity of SL-rich extracts from chicory against different GI helminths of livestock. Chicory SL have also been reported to exhibit antimalarial properties and its potential antiprotozoal activity in livestock remains to be evaluated. Furthermore, the detailed identification of the main antiparasitic metabolites of chicory and their pharmacokinetics need further confirmation. Research gaps and perspectives on the potential use of chicory as a nutraceutical forage and a source of bioactive compounds for parasite control in livestock are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Peña-Espinoza
- Instituto de Farmacologia y Morfofisiologia, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Angela H. Valente
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Dyrlægevej 100, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Stig M. Thamsborg
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Dyrlægevej 100, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Henrik T. Simonsen
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Ulrik Boas
- National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Heidi L. Enemark
- Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Ullevålsveien 68, P.O. Box 750, N-0106 Oslo, Sentrum Norway
| | - Rodrigo López-Muñoz
- Instituto de Farmacologia y Morfofisiologia, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Andrew R. Williams
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Dyrlægevej 100, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
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