Smart management of free-range farming and quality of production: the case of Podolian

In recent years, increasing interest in sustainable production models has led to a re evaluation of extensive farming systems. Extensive farming is now considered an activity that has a lower environmental impact, protects biodiversity and the landscape, ensures greater animal welfare and reduces the use of medicines. It also enhances rural areas, often considered marginal, by supporting local economies. The key elements of this type of farming are pasture management, the protection of plant and animal biodiversity by preserving native genetic types, such as the Podolica cattle breed, and the promotion of local products. However, this farming system needs to improve its management efficiency and the competitiveness of its products. The introduction of digital monitoring and traceability tools would enable traditional knowledge and technological innovation to be integrated, with the aim of improving the management efficiency and environmental sustainability of livestock farms. The main goal of project was to develop and validate a smart management model that could integrate: • space-time monitoring of animal behaviour using GNSS collars; • qualitative and quantitative analysis of pastures and their variations; • assessment of physiological and biochemical parameters related to animal health, welfare and adaptability; • the chemical, nutritional and functional characterisation of milk and its derivative products, in particular Caciocavallo Podolian cheese. Monitoring animal behaviour using GNSS collars has made it possible to accurately describe the movement dynamics of the herd, highlighting how mobility varies in response to climatic conditions and the availability of resources. At the same time, continuous surface temperature measurement has proven to be a useful tool for interpreting the relationship between environment, physiology and welfare, offering practical indications for alleviating heat stress during the most critical periods of the year. The creation of density maps provided a clear representation of the spatial and temporal use of pasture, showing selective preferences related to topography, exposure and vegetation cover. These tools support management decisions, such as land rotation and the prevention of overgrazing, contributing to more sustainable management of resources. The grazing area considered is located in the municipality of Pescopagano (PZ), Basilicata, Italy, at an altitude of between 997 and 1060 metres. It covers approximately 120 hectares, but excluding wooded areas where grass does not grow, the total area was approximately 85 hectares. Botanical analysis of the pasture confirmed a great variety of flora and marked seasonal variations in quality, with changes in chemical composition and in secondary metabolites reflecting the physiological evolution of the plants. The presence of phenolic compounds and flavonoids and the high antioxidant capacity of grass essences suggest a significant nutraceutical value of grass cover, capable of positively influencing animal health. These properties are confirmed by the haematological and biochemical profile of Podolica cattle, which shows good physiological stability and a marked ability to adapt to environmental conditions. In particular, an efficient redox balance and a favourable antioxidant response are observed, demonstrating the beneficial role of natural pasture-based feeding in maintaining the health of the animals. These physiological conditions are directly reflected in the composition of the milk, which shows a clear correlation with seasonality and the quality of the available forage. In particular, variations are observed in the lipid fraction, the content of bioactive compounds and the technological dairy parameters. Podolian milk emerges as a high-quality product, characterised by excellent coagulating properties, an interesting FAME profile, and a significant presence of functional components. Similarly, Caciocavallo Podolico, the main product of this breed, shows a compositional and biochemical evolution strongly influenced by both the season of production and the duration of ripening. The progressive intensification of proteolysis and lipolysis processes, the enrichment in bioactive compounds and the modulation of the fatty acid profile confirm the high nutritional and functional value of the product, closely linked to the peculiarities of the extensive farming system and the quality of natural pasture. The work carried out provides a scientific and technological basis for the sustainable modernisation of extensive agriculture, suggesting a model in which traditional knowledge, digital innovation and environmentally friendly land management come together with a single goal: to ensure that productivity, animal welfare and ecosystem conservation can coexist.