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- Os jovens e a agricultura familiar. Que presente e que futuroPublication . Costa, Cristina Amaro Da; Coelho, Catarina; Gomes, Diana; Pereira, Adriana; Costa, DanielaCerca de 70% das necessidades alimentares são satisfeitas por 500 milhões explorações agrícolas familiares distribuídas por todo o mundo (FAO, 2014). Contudo, isso não tem sido suficiente para contrariar a visão de que este tipo de agricultura está, frequentemente, associado à pobreza, pequena dimensão da exploração, agricultura de subsistência e baixos rendimentos (FAO/CTA/IFAD, 2014). Apesar desta visão não ser atrativa, um pouco por todo o lado, e mesmo em Portugal, existem muitos jovens envolvidos na agricultura familiar. O fenómeno do abandono agrícola, iniciado no final da década de 60 com o êxodo de grande parte população rural para a Europa, seguido do aumento da atividade industrial que contratou inúmeros jovens provenientes dos territórios rurais e, mais tarde, a Guerra do Ultramar, tem continuado até aos dias de hoje. Entre outros, a falta de apoio técnico e a insegurança económica da atividade agrícola encontram-se entre as principais razões que levam os jovens a ir para as cidades à procura de melhores salários e oportunidades de vida (Almeida, 2007). Apesar das políticas de apoio à instalação e ao investimento de jovens agricultores, com início em 1986, ao abrigo da entrada na Comunidade Económica Europeia (Cordeiro, 2008; Alberto, 2004), continua a verificar-se o envelhecimento dos produtores agrícolas: segundo o último recenseamento agrícola (2019) mais de metade dos produtores agrícolas (52,5%) tem mais de 64 anos, sendo que na Beira Litoral e no Algarve a idade média é de 67 e 68 anos, respetivamente (INE, 2021). Os territórios rurais, em particular os do interior o País, têm assistido a um decréscimo significativo da população residente, com valores que nalguns locais atingem os 75% em relação a 1960, com o consequente abandono da atividade agrícola. O resultado tem sido o envelhecimento da população já referido, e a ocupação das áreas agrícolas por espécies florestais de rápido crescimento ou mato/floresta desordenada o que potenciam a ameaça causada pelos incêndios florestais, bem como a perda de biodiversidade e o acréscimo de desequilíbrios ambientais associados. Importa, assim, promover a revitalização dos territórios rurais, que se associam fortemente às dinâmicas e paisagens rurais, através do incentivo a explorações agrícolas, pecuárias e florestais mais diversificadas, resilientes, rentáveis e sustentáveis, valorizando concomitantemente os seus impactos positivos a nível económico, ambiental e social. Compreender os fatores que propiciam o despovoamento e o abandono da atividade agrícola, é fundamental para identificar medidas que permitam apoiar a fixação de população, em particular de jovens agricultores
- Evaluation of Tomato-Based Packing Material for Retention of Ammonia, Nitrous Oxide, Carbon Dioxide and Methane in Gas Phase Biofilters: A Laboratory StudyPublication . Pereira, José L.S.; Perdigão, Adelaide; Marques, Francisco; Coelho, Catarina; Mota, Mariana; Fangueiro, DavidBiofilters are an effective air pollution control technology to break down gaseous contaminants and produce innocuous end products. This laboratory study aimed to evaluate a biofilter media, mainly composed by tomato waste, as packing material to reduce NH3, N2O, CO2 and CH4 losses from stored pig slurry. Three mixtures of packing materials, with and without oxalic acid, were arranged in treatments, namely: mixture of tomato waste, pine bark and agricultural compost; mixture of tomato waste and rice husk; tomato waste only. A control treatment (no biofilter) was also included. The experiments were conducted using a system of laboratory scale biofilters connected to jars filled with pig slurry and under a constant airflow rate. The gas concentrations were measured for 14 days and the physicochemical of the packing materials were assessed. Results showed that biofilter media mixtures had a potential for NH3 retention ranging from 51 to 77% and the addition of oxalic acid to these biofilters increased NH3 retention to 72–79%. Additionally, the biofilter media mixtures with and without oxalic acid showed a potential retention for CH4 (29–69%) but not for N2O, yet with no impact on the global warming potential. It can be concluded that tomato based biofilters had the potential to reduce gaseous emissions from slurry.
- Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus circulating among sheep of Portugal: a nationwide serosurvey assessmentPublication . Mesquita, João; Cruz, Rita; Esteves, Fernando; Santos, Carla; Pousa, Humberto; Coelho, Catarina; Mega, Cristina; Nóbrega, Carmen; Vala, Helena; Peyrefitte, Christophe Nicolas; Nascimento, Maria São José; Barradas, Patrícia FerreiraCrimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is a widespread zoonotic pathogen that can cause mild to severe hemorrhagic disease in humans. CCHFV may be transmitted through direct contact with tissue or blood of viremic animals; however, the primary transmission route is through infected tick bites. CCHFV RNA has been detected in ticks feeding on domestic and wild animals in western Spain, suggesting an established circulation of CCHFV in Western Europe. Ruminants have been recognized as important CCHFV reservoirs and have been linked to human cases in endemic regions. Given the emergence of CCHF in neighboring Spain, and a report of two CCHFV seropositive humans in southern Portugal in 1985, we investigated the potential circulation of this virus in the country by performing a nationwide anti-CCHFV IgG serosurvey in sentinel sheep of Portugal. Sera (n = 459) randomly selected from widely distributed farms (n = 20) of Portugal were tested using a commercial double-antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, yielding an overall seroprevalence of 0.4% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.04-1.56%). Positive sheep were from the southern region of Portugal (Alentejo region), which raise the seroprevalence of this region to 0.74% (95% CI 0.09-2.66%). This is the first study reporting the presence of CCHFV antibodies in sheep of Portugal, thus suggesting a geographical expansion of CCHFV to this country. It seems likely that CCHFV may exist focally in southern Portugal.
- Produção de aves em modo biológico: uma estratégia sustentávelPublication . Coelho, Catarina; Costa, Cristina Amaro Da; Oliveira, Jorge
- Pulmonary and Gastrointestinal Parasitic Infections in Small Ruminant Autochthonous Breeds from Centre Region of Portugal—A Cross Sectional StudyPublication . Pereira, Maria; Vila-Viçosa, Maria; Coelho, Catarina; Santos, Carla; Esteves, Fernando; Cruz, Rita; Gomes, Liliana; Henriques, Diogo; Vala, Helena; Nóbrega, Carmen; Mega, Cristina; Melo, Carolina de; Malva, Madalena; Braguez, Joana; Mateus, Teresa LetraThe 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.
- Flour from drone broods: A viable alternative?Publication . Correia, Paula; Vouga, C; Coelho, Catarina; Costa, Cristina Amaro Da; Guiné, Raquel P. F.; Gonçalves, Fernando Jorge; C. Goncalves, J.
- Levantamento e análise de dados de subprodutos provenientes de actividade hortícola em modo de produção biológicoPublication . Brito, Manuel; Ferreira, Ana Catarina; Coelho, Catarina; Ferreira Wessel, Dulcineia
- Occurrence and Distribution of Fasciolosis in a Cohort of Ovine Livestock Restricted to a Mountain Plateau in Central PortugalPublication . Coelho, Catarina; Cruz, Rita; Esteves, Fernando; Vala, Helena; Pereira, Maria A.; Amorim, Irina; Nóbrega, Carmen; Mesquita, JoãoFasciola hepatica is a parasite that is widespread in Europe, having been reported in ru- minants of several European countries and causing an important economic impact. This study ascertained the occurrence and distribution of fasciolosis in Portuguese ovine livestock by assessing F. hepatica IgG antibodies in a cohort of confined sheep from a high-altitude region of central Portugal in a 2-year period. Positive animals were found in most locations and in both years, with 18 of the 92 an- imals (19.6% [95% confidence interval CI: 12.03–19.15]) and 17 of the same 92 animals (18.5% [95% CI: 11.15–27.93]) showing to be seropositive in the first year and second year, respectively (p = 0.85). Pasture contamination by F. hepatica eggs could be reduced by thorough anthelmintic treatments.
- Bee health field toolPublication . Raimets, Risto; Karise, Reet; Costa, Cristina Amaro; Gaião, Davide; Oliveira, Jorge; Coelho, Catarina; Dahle, Bjorn; Oddie, MelissaThe Bee health field tool (related with the most important and actual technical constraint in beekeeping are the technical features related with bee diseases and nutrition) was developed in a format that can be easily used in the field by all beekeepers, independent of their background, using an innovative learning strategy - gamification – that provides an effective, informal learning environment, and helps learners practice real-life situations and challenges in a safe environment. The Bee health field is part of the contents of the MOOC course curriculum allowing to achieve a training skill and specialization in bee health and nutrition. The expected impact is related with the possibility of enabling beekeepers to acquire the best and innovative beekeeping techniques and skills in this area of the production itinerary. This knowledge and skills are essential for the professionalization of beekeepers as the survival of the bees is compromised by the pressures related with these issues. Furthermore, the Bee health is the main factor for improving the beekeeping performance and for increasing the production and quality of the bee products in order to achieve adequate economic profits. It is also expected to have an impact in the active learning sector, by the development and use of gamifications as training tool.
- First Report of Echinococcus ortleppi in Free-Living Wild Boar (Sus scrofa) from PortugalPublication . Mateus, Teresa Letra; Gargaté, Maria João; Vilares, Anabela; Ferreira, Idalina; Rodrigues, Manuela; Coelho, Catarina; Vieira-Pinto, MadalenaCystic echinococcosis (CE) is a zoonosis that is prevalent worldwide. It is considered endemic in Portugal but few studies have been performed on Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato and their hosts. In this study, CE cysts are reported for the first time in a free-living wild boar (Sus scrofa) in Portugal. The presence of the metacestodes in the liver of the wild boar was identified by morphological features, microscopic examination and molecular analysis. The sequencing of part of the DNA nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer-1 (ITS-1) region revealed a G5 genotype that presently corresponds to Echinococcus ortleppi. This is the first report of E. ortleppi in Portugal and to the best of the authors' knowledge, in Europe. These results suggest that wild boar may be a host of CE, namely, crossing the livestock-wildlife interface, which has important public health implications. Wildlife reservoirs must be taken into account as CE hosts and surveillance of game as well as health education for hunters should be implemented using a One Health approach, with implementation of feasible and tailor-made control strategies, namely, proper elimination of byproducts in the field.
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