Added Value of Local Sheep Breeds in Alpine Agroecosystems

Marta Teston, Matteo Orsi, Giovanni Bittante, Alessio Cecchinato, Luigi Gallo, Paola Gatto, Lucio Flavio Macedo Mota, Maurizio Ramanzin, Salvatore Raniolo, Antonella Tormen and Enrico Sturaro
Additional contact information
Marta Teston: Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università, 16, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy
Matteo Orsi: Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università, 16, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy
Giovanni Bittante: Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università, 16, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy
Alessio Cecchinato: Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università, 16, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy
Luigi Gallo: Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università, 16, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy
Paola Gatto: Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università, 16, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy
Lucio Flavio Macedo Mota: Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università, 16, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy
Maurizio Ramanzin: Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università, 16, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy
Salvatore Raniolo: Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università, 16, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy
Antonella Tormen: Centro Consorzi, Via del Boscon, 430, 32100 Belluno, BL, Italy
Enrico Sturaro: Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università, 16, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 8, 1-18

Abstract: This study is part of a project (Sheep Al.L. Chain, RDP Veneto Region) aiming to improve the competitiveness of local sheep breed farms through valorization of their links with mountain agroecosystems. We considered two local sheep breeds of the eastern Italian Alps, “Alpagota” and “Lamon”, which have a population of 400 and 3000 heads, respectively, and are used to produce lambs for typical products. A total of 35 farms (17 for Alpagota, with a total of 1652 heads; 18 for Lamon, with a total of 337 heads) were surveyed to collect data on farm organization, flock structure and management (farm questionnaire), land use management (GIS approach), and value chain organization (participatory processes). The link between the two local sheep breeds and mountain agroecosystems is very strong: land use is characterized by a large number of small patches of grasslands in marginal areas. Moving from the results of this study, a set of strategies aiming at improving the competitiveness of these systems have been proposed. Communication to the consumers and to the relevant stakeholders of the added value of local sheep breeds in marginal mountain agroecosystems can contribute to favor the resilience of small ruminant farms and the conservation of Alpine sheep breeds.

Keywords: mountain livestock systems; value chains; ovine biodiversity; genetic resources; typical lamb production (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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