Animal最新文献

{"title":"Influence of blood glucose level on sow traits, farrowing characteristics and piglet parameters in free farrowing sows","authors":"L. Schulthess,&nbsp;P.T. Egli,&nbsp;J. Adam,&nbsp;A. Grahofer","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101643","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101643","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Studies have shown that maintaining adequate blood glucose levels can support the farrowing process in crated sows. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of blood glucose levels on sow traits, farrowing kinetics, and piglet parameters under free farrowing conditions. A total of 147 sows were monitored, with blood glucose levels measured at the beginning and end of parturition. In addition, the blood glucose level of the first, seventh, and last-born piglets was evaluated immediately after birth. The mean farrowing duration was 229 ± 86 min, with an average of 16.1 ± 3.6 total born piglets. Blood glucose levels of the sow increased significantly at the onset of farrowing 4.44 ± 0.63 to 4.72 ± 0.79 mmol/L at the end of farrowing. Blood glucose levels of sows at the onset of farrowing were related to the first−born piglet (r = 0.2; <em>P</em> = 0.011) as well as at the end of farrowing with the last−born piglet (r = 0.2; <em>P</em> = 0.018). Sows that consumed their last meal in the evening before farrowing exhibited higher blood glucose level (4.50 ± 0.62 mmol/L; <em>P</em> = 0.009) and tended to have a longer farrowing (238 ± 86 min; <em>P</em> = 0.053) duration compared to those that last ate in the morning (4.34 ± 0.64 mmol/L; 216 ± 85 min). Older sows (≥ 5 litters) exhibited lower blood glucose at the onset of farrowing (4.3 ± 0.6 mmol/L vs 4.6 ± 0.6, <em>P</em> = 0.021) and required more farrowing assistance (62 vs 37%, <em>P</em> = 0.001), having nearly twice as many stillborn piglets as younger sows (1.42 ± 1.5 vs 0.78 ± 1.5). The temperature-humidity index (<strong>THI</strong>) is a combined index of relative humidity and air temperature, to posit a perceived equivalent temperature. THI correlated negatively with blood glucose at the onset of farrowing (r = −0.16; <em>P</em> = 0.047). No significant correlation was found between blood glucose level and farrowing duration, suggesting that blood glucose levels at the onset of farrowing are not reliable predictors of prolonged farrowing (&gt; 300 min) or dystocia (&gt; 1 h piglet-piglet interval) in free farrowing systems. Overall, while glucose is essential for uterine energy during farrowing, the study concludes that other factors, such as sow age, meal timing, and temperature-humidity index, also play critical roles in farrowing success. Future research should further explore these interactions to enhance sow and piglet performance in free farrowing systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 10","pages":"Article 101643"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145245820","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Intermittent suckling is a successful method to induce lactational oestrus in multiparous communally housed sows","authors":"M. Nystén ,&nbsp;J. Yun ,&nbsp;S. Björkman ,&nbsp;N.M. Soede ,&nbsp;C. Farmer ,&nbsp;A. Valros ,&nbsp;O. Peltoniemi","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101642","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101642","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Communal housing supports the natural behaviour of sows and piglets but may increase the incidence of lactational oestrus. Lactational ovarian activity can be controlled with intermittent suckling (<strong>IS</strong>) protocols that allow lactational conception and prolonged lactation. We hypothesised that a novel IS-protocol combining late-onset of IS (initiated after 30 days postfarrowing) with communal housing would result in a minimum lactational oestrus rate of 85%. Oestrus rate, follicular growth, conception, backfat thickness, hormonal balance (progesterone, prolactin) and piglet average daily gain (<strong>ADG</strong>) in communally housed sows (n = 31, parities 1–7) were monitored during an IS-protocol (onset at median 32 d postpartum, total separation 8 h/day for 7 days, D_IS1–D_IS7), and until weaning at 9 weeks. Standing oestrus rate within D_IS1–D_IS7 was 87.1%, with multiparous (95.8%) surpassing primiparous (57.1%) sows. Follicle growth by D_IS5 was linked with greater sow backfat on D_IS1 (<em>P</em> = 0.017) but hindered by larger nursing litters (<em>P</em> = 0.014). Insemination resulted in 81.5% conception rate and 15.6 total born, the latter correlating positively with sow backfat at D_IS1 (<em>P</em> = 0.026). Conception was related to longer lactation pre-IS (<em>P</em> = 0.013), greater piglet ADG pre- and post-IS (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.01) and better sow backfat preservation post-IS (<em>P</em> = 0.011). Shorter lactation pre-IS resulted in a smaller increase in prolactin between D_IS1 − D_IS5 (<em>P</em> = 0.001). Our study hypothesis was met, indicating that the likelihood of inducing a fertile lactational oestrus in communally housed sows with IS-protocols is high, with benefits expected from multiparity and longer preceding lactation. Achieving to combine better sow backfat preservation in sows with higher piglet ADG during postconceptional lactation suggested a beneficial effect from the IS protocol and communal housing on piglet creep feed intake. IS-protocols can improve the synchronisation of oestrus in communally housed lactating sows, thereby facilitating conception during lactation and separation of oestrus from weaning. Postconceptional lactation and the related effects on pregnancy require further research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 10","pages":"Article 101642"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145187558","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluating protein digestibility of biorefined forage crops in growing pigs: effects of plant species and precipitation methods","authors":"L. Stødkilde ,&nbsp;A.K. Ingerslev ,&nbsp;H.N. Lærke ,&nbsp;E.T. Jørgensen ,&nbsp;M. Ambye-Jensen ,&nbsp;S.K. Jensen","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101653","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101653","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biorefined forage proteins show potential as protein alternatives for monogastric animals. Achieving high protein quality is central for the effective integration of alternative protein sources in food production systems. However, there is a limited understanding of how plant species and processing parameters influence the quality of the extracted proteins. The aim of the study was to evaluate the ileal digestibility of CP and amino acids (<strong>AA</strong>) in biorefined red clover, festulolium and lucerne precipitated at 85 °C. For lucerne, the study additionally aimed to determine the effect of alternative precipitation methods (60 °C, a two-step heating method (55 + 85 °C), fermentation, and centrifugation prior to 85 °C heat treatment). It was hypothesised that biorefined lucerne would have superior protein digestibility compared to red clover and festulolium. Furthermore, while CP content could be increased through further processing, such enhancement would reduce digestibility. Protein was extracted from the freshly harvested biomass through biorefining. The standardised ileal digestibility (<strong>SID</strong>) of CP and AA was evaluated in an incomplete Latin square design with eight male castrated pigs (initial weight 30.7 kg) fitted with a T-cannula in the terminal ileum. Endogenous losses of CP and AA were estimated by feeding an N-free diet. Results demonstrated that protein-rich concentrates with CP contents ranging between 488 and 628 g/kg DM could be extracted from the forage crops, with the composition significantly influenced by the choice of plant species and the applied production methods. Standardised ileal digestibility of CP was significantly lower in protein extracted from red clover (69.3%) compared to lucerne (79.6%) and festulolium (77.0%, <em>P</em> = 0.0013). Lucerne protein precipitated at 85 °C exhibited the numerically highest CP SID and alternative precipitation did not improve the SID of CP and AA. Protein extracted from lucerne and festulolium using precipitation at 85 °C had a high content of digestible essential AA, despite lower overall CP SID in the latter. In conclusion, high-protein concentrates can be produced through biorefining of forage crops, particularly from lucerne and festulolium. The protein quality and composition are significantly affected by the chosen precipitation method, with 85 °C heat precipitation showing the best results in terms of digestibility. Festulolium and lucerne emerge as promising protein alternatives due to their high digestible AA content.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 10","pages":"Article 101653"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145245766","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of phosphorus and calcium precision feeding on reproductive performances and mineral status in gestating sows","authors":"J. Heurtault ,&nbsp;L. Galiot ,&nbsp;P. Schlegel ,&nbsp;L. Cloutier ,&nbsp;M.P. Létourneau-Montminy","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101644","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101644","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Precision feeding can enhance amino acid utilization efficiency in swine, but precision phosphorus (P) feeding on gestating sows has not yet been tested. Therefore, the aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of a P and calcium (Ca) precision feeding strategy during gestation on the phosphocalcic status and performance of sows compared with constant dietary contents over two gestation cycles. A total of 120 sows were monitored over two consecutive cycles (<strong>C1</strong> and <strong>C2</strong>) to study the effects of three dietary treatments: Canadian (<strong>CAN</strong>; 0.32% digestible P; 0.83% Ca), European (<strong>EU</strong>; 0.25% digestible P; 0.68% Ca), and precision feeding (<strong>PR</strong>; 0.15–0.32% digestible P; 0.46–0.83% Ca). Phosphocalcic status was studied during two cycles on days 30 (<strong>d30</strong>) and 90 (<strong>d90</strong>) or 110 postweaning (<strong>d110</strong>) by the 24-h total urine collection using the catheter method and blood analyses. The BW and backfat thickness were measured at mating, on d110, and at weaning. The only performance trait affected by the dietary treatments was a higher backfat thickness on d110 in sows fed PR compared to those one of EU and CAN (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). Lactation performances were similar across all treatments. Dietary treatments, stage of gestation, and cycle did not influence urinary Ca excretion. A three-way interaction was observed for urinary P excretion and urinary Ca:P ratio (Treatment × Stage × Cycle, <em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). The PR sows excreted more P in urine than the CAN sows, although the CAN sows were fed a higher P amount. High P losses were associated with a low Ca:P ratio (less than 0.5), indicating a lack of Ca supply to retained P. At d30 of C2, EU sows excreted more P than CAN sows (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) and numerically more than PR sows, likely due to insufficient Ca supply to retain P. On d90 of C2, PR sows still lack Ca (urinary Ca:P ratio less than 0.5). This study highlights the importance of controlling the digestible Ca:P ratio when applying precision feeding in order to obtain maximal dietary P efficiency. This ratio was probably too low in the PR feeding treatment. Monitoring across multiple cycles is essential to validate this strategy and support its adoption on commercial farms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 11","pages":"Article 101644"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145259934","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Insights into pedigree- and genome-based inbreeding patterns in Martina Franca donkey breed","authors":"V. Landi ,&nbsp;S. Ceccobelli ,&nbsp;S. Bruno ,&nbsp;C. Pierini ,&nbsp;D. Campanile ,&nbsp;E. Ciani ,&nbsp;P. De Palo","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101652","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101652","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Conserving small, endangered equine populations demands tools that capture both recent and historical inbreeding more accurately than pedigree alone. The Martina Franca donkey, a large indigenous breed from southern Italy that approached extinction in the 1980s, offers a relevant model for conservation genetics in equids. Here, we combine pedigree- and genome-based approaches to quantify inbreeding, disentangle its temporal components via runs of homozygosity (<strong>ROH</strong>), and highlight putative selection targets to inform management. We sampled 101 studbook-registered animals (70 females, 31 males) and generated genome-wide data by the double-digest restriction-site associated DNA sequencing, retaining 21 280 high-quality Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms after filtering. We estimated pedigree inbreeding (<strong>F_PED1</strong>) and genomic indices based on excess homozygosity (F_HET, F_HAT1–3) and ROH-derived genomic inbreeding (<strong>F_ROH</strong>). F_PED1 ranged from 0.029 to 0.245 (mean 0.114), whereas F_ROH ranged from 0.006 to 0.316 (mean 0.147), with weak concordance between pedigree and genomic metrics, consistent with incomplete pedigrees or founder effects. Across individuals, we detected 4 433 ROH segments; medium-to-long segments (4–16 Mb) predominated, indicating substantial recent inbreeding, while very short ROH (&lt; 2 Mb) were rare (about 2%), suggesting limited ancient autozygosity. ROH were unevenly distributed across the genome: chromosomes 2 and 3 harboured the most segments, whereas chromosome 18 had the fewest. We identified ROH islands on chromosomes 2, 6, 8, 12, 13, and 19; candidate genes therein included <em>SHH</em> (development), <em>EPAS1</em> (hypoxia response), <em>OPRK1</em> (stress response), and <em>BIRC5</em> (apoptosis/cell cycle), pointing to historical pressures on development, resilience, and reproduction. Overall, genomic measures—particularly F_ROH—provided a finer-grained portrait of autozygosity than pedigree alone and revealed focal regions likely shaped by selection. These results deliver actionable guidance for breeding schemes seeking to limit further inbreeding while preserving adaptive variation, and they illustrate how genomic surveillance can bolster conservation strategies for endangered donkey breeds and other small equid populations worldwide.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 11","pages":"Article 101652"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145229941","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genome-wide association study implicates possible causal genes for growth, fatness, and reproductive traits in pig","authors":"Y. Huang ,&nbsp;F. Wu ,&nbsp;X. Tang,&nbsp;J. Li,&nbsp;M. Ge,&nbsp;M. Wang,&nbsp;J. Wei,&nbsp;S. Xiao,&nbsp;Z. Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101654","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101654","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Growth, fatness, and reproductive traits are key economic traits that significantly influence the efficiency and long-term sustainability of commercial pig production. While genome-wide association study (<strong>GWAS</strong>) has proven to be an effective approach for identifying genetic variants associated with key traits, the significant loci identified by GWAS do not necessarily correspond to the true causal genes. To address this, we performed GWAS on 4 560 pigs from three populations to investigate six traits: right teat number (<strong>RTN</strong>), left teat number (<strong>LTN</strong>), body length (<strong>BL</strong>), body height (<strong>BH</strong>), BW and backfat thickness (<strong>BFT</strong>). We incorporated three post-GWAS analyses: expression quantitative trait loci mapping, Bayesian colocalisation analysis, and Mendelian randomisation to prioritise candidate causal genes. Genes supported by at least two independent lines of evidence were prioritised as high-confidence causal candidates. GWAS identified one novel lead single nucleotide polymorphism (<strong>SNP</strong>) on Sus scrofa chromosome 7 (<strong>SSC</strong>7) for teat number and two new lead SNPs for BFT on SSC1 and SSC18. A total of 16 and 23 potential causal genes were identified for LTN and RTN, respectively. Among these, four genes (<em>ABCD4</em>, <em>ALDH6A1</em>, <em>ENTPD5</em>, and <em>ISCA2</em>) were supported by all four lines of evidence for both traits. For BL, four out of ten candidate genes (<em>ABCD4</em>, <em>PTGR2</em>, <em>ENTPD5</em> and <em>FAM161B</em>) received full support. For BFT, two of 23 genes (<em>EXOSC2</em> and <em>USP20</em>) were fully supported. Regarding BW, among six genes, <em>ASS1</em> ranked the highest and was supported by three lines of evidence. For BH, 12 genes, including <em>PTK6</em> and <em>STMN3</em>, were supported by two lines of evidence. In summary, the integration of GWAS with multiple post-GWAS analyses provides a powerful and systematic strategy to refine association signals and prioritise putative causal genes. The novel loci and candidate genes identified expand genetic resources for marker-assisted selection and provide insights into the genetic basis of growth performance and reproductive traits in the pig industry.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 11","pages":"Article 101654"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145229942","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Application of milk mid-infrared spectroscopy for prediction of energy balance and associated traits in Fleckvieh and Holstein Friesian dairy cows","authors":"S. Gruber ,&nbsp;G. Terler ,&nbsp;A. Steinwidder ,&nbsp;T. Guggenberger ,&nbsp;A. Köck ,&nbsp;C. Egger-Danner ,&nbsp;M. Mayerhofer ,&nbsp;S.-J. Burn ,&nbsp;W. Zollitsch ,&nbsp;B. Fuerst-Waltl ,&nbsp;J. Sölkner","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101645","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101645","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A negative energy balance in early lactation increases the susceptibility of dairy cows to metabolic and infectious diseases. Energy balance (<strong>EB</strong>) is therefore a valuable trait in both herd management and breeding strategies, to improve the health and efficiency of dairy cows. However, routine on-farm recording of energy intake is hardly feasible, necessitating suitable alternatives to determine EB or related traits. A potential alternative is prediction based on mid-infrared (<strong>MIR</strong>) spectral and test-day data from routine milk recording. Thus, the aim of the present study was to develop spectrometric prediction equations for EB and related traits, i.e., energy intake (<strong>EI</strong>) and dry matter intake (<strong>DMI</strong>), for Fleckvieh and Holstein Friesian dairy cows. A dataset was available comprising 64 988 daily observations of phenotypes including test-day variables and milk MIR spectra from 18 Fleckvieh and 71 Holstein Friesian cows, collected on a research farm between 2014 and 2021. Based on this dataset, quantitative prediction models were developed using different combinations of 212 selected first derivative MIR spectra and test-day variables by applying partial least squares regression analysis. An additional dataset was used for external validation by farm of the developed prediction equations, comprising 1 971 records on 16 Fleckvieh and 20 Holstein Friesian cows collected between 2017 and 2020 on another research farm. In addition to different validation scenarios, various effects, including breed, parity, and concentrate intake, were also evaluated for their impact on predictability of the traits considered. In general, prediction equations have shown to be most accurate when they included 212 MIR spectra along with parity and milk yield as predictors. The prediction equations provided moderate accuracies exhibiting correlation coefficients of 0.59 to 0.75 for EB, 0.63 to 0.71 for DMI, and 0.69 to 0.71 for EI, depending on the specific validation scenarios. The effects of breed, parity, and concentrate level showed differing impacts on the predictive capacity of the models for EB, DMI, and EI, with variations across traits. The results demonstrate potential for the generation of population-level phenotypes for EB, DMI, and EI based on routinely available MIR spectra and test-day variables. This approach would facilitate the routine recording of such indicators on a large scale for farm management and inclusion in genetic evaluation systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 10","pages":"Article 101645"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145158933","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Does size really matter? Effects of experimental unit size and relative humidity on the life-history parameters of yellow mealworm","authors":"A. Resconi,&nbsp;Z. Loiotine,&nbsp;S. Bellezza Oddon,&nbsp;I. Biasato,&nbsp;L. Gasco","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101640","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101640","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Given the relative novelty of the research in insects as food and feed, experiment protocols often differ among each other, rendering comparison difficult. This experiment aims at assessing the effects of three rearing scales, or the size of the experimental unit, the trays in which larvae are reared. Experimental unit sizes tested were: small (<strong>S,</strong> 13*13*5 cm), medium (<strong>M</strong>, 30*20*11 cm), and large (<strong>L</strong>, 57*36*10 cm), at two relative humidity (<strong>RH</strong>) conditions (60 and 70%), for a total of 6 treatments. The parameters observed were the growth, bioconversion capacity and nutritional profile of <em>Tenebrio molitor</em> larvae. Each treatment was replicated 5 times. All other parameters were kept constant: genetic origin of the larvae, feed (wheat bran), feeding rate (0.26 g/larva), areal density (4 larvae/cm²), volumetric density (1 larva/cm³) and water source provision (agar, 20 g/l). Trial started with 3-week-old larvae and sampling occurred every 7 days until 5% of pupae were observed in a replicate. Data were analysed using SPSS software (<em>P</em> ≤ 0.05). The different scales did not have a significant effect on the survival of the larvae and the development time at either of the RH tested (<em>P</em> &gt; 0.05). The weight of the larvae was lower at the S scale at both RH (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.001) while the M and L scales were comparable (<em>P</em> &gt; 0.05) under conditions up until larvae were 49 days old. At the end of the trial, differences could only be observed in 60% RH between S and M scales (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). Bioconversion efficiency was higher at S scale, with a lower feed conversion ratio (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.001) and a higher efficiency of conversion of ingested feed (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.001). The nutritional composition of the larvae was affected by the scale of the experiment, with the M scale having higher CP and fat content than the S scale (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.001). The temperature of the substrate was affected by the scale of the experiment. Notably, at 60% RH conditions, the temperature of the substrate was lower at S scale than M and L at all times except at the first and last measurements (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). In conclusion, the size of the experimental unit has effects on the outcome of experiment. Bioconversion was more efficient in small scale. However, M scale allowed for higher larval growth. Based on these findings, the size of the experimental unit is an important parameter that should be taken into consideration when planning experimental protocols and comparing experiments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 10","pages":"Article 101640"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145158936","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of terminal sire line on heat stress responses in growing-fattening pigs selected for optimal growth rate vs optimal carcass quality","authors":"L. De Prekel ,&nbsp;D. Maes ,&nbsp;A. Van den Broeke ,&nbsp;S. Goethals ,&nbsp;S. Millet ,&nbsp;B. Ampe ,&nbsp;M. Aluwé","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101641","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101641","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Management of heat stress in animal husbandry is becoming more important as the number and intensity of heat waves increase due to climate change. Pigs are more sensitive to heat than other animals but show individual differences. Could these differences be traced to sire lines used in Europe? In the present study, the influence of terminal sire line on heat stress−related parameters was investigated to better understand genotype-environment interactions with the aim of improving heat stress resilience in commercial growing-finishing pigs. In total, 360 fattening pigs in three consecutive batches were divided at weaning into pens of five piglets of the same genetic background. The animals were progeny of TN70 sows × a terminal sire line selected for either optimal growth rate (<strong>S_growth</strong>, homozygous stress negative MaxiMus sire line) or optimal carcass quality (<strong>S_carcass</strong>, homozygous stress positive Belgian Piétrain sire line). Pigs were monitored from 10 weeks of age (25.2 ± 0.4 kg) until slaughter age (118.4 ± 0.7 kg) during the summer of 2022. Respiration rate, rectal temperature and passive behaviour were evaluated during days with a high heat load (predicted outdoor temperature ≥ 28 °C, Temperature-Humidity index (<strong>THI</strong>) ≥ 75) and thermoneutral days (THI &lt; 75). Blood parameters were evaluated in batch 3 during an artificially induced 7-day heat wave at 21 weeks of age. The expected phenotypic differences between the terminal sire types could be confirmed, with faster growth in S_growth pigs (1 003 vs 923 g/day, <em>P</em> &lt; 0.001) and better carcass quality in S_carcass pigs (67.3 vs 61.7 mm lean meat thickness, <em>P</em> &lt; 0.001). Rectal temperature and respiration rate showed no significant differences among sire lines as heat load increased (ΔTHI × sire line, <em>P</em> &gt; 0.05). Regardless of genetic background, physiological parameters were influenced by weight: heavier pigs showed faster increases in rectal temperature and respiration rate with rising THI in comparison to lighter pigs (interaction term ΔTHI × weight, <em>P</em> &lt; 0.001). Daily gain of S_carcass pigs dropped as heat load duration increased, whereas daily gain of S_growth pigs either remained fairly stable or increased (sire line × NDT (number of days when THI ≥ 77 within a week), <em>P</em> = 0.020). Future research should focus on identifying a terminal sire line that combines steady growth under high heat loads with optimal performance traits such as feed conversion ratio and carcass quality.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 11","pages":"Article 101641"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145229943","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The optimal isoleucine to lysine ratio in diets for postweaning piglets","authors":"A.J.M Jansman ,&nbsp;H. van Diepen ,&nbsp;D. Siebert","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101646","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101646","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Use of low CP diets for pigs contributes to an increased sustainability and reduced environmental impact of pig production. To avoid over- or undersupply of protein and essential amino acids, it is important to have more precise information on the requirement for essential amino acids in pigs in different production phases. Isoleucine (<strong>Ile</strong>) can be regarded as a potential limiting amino acid in diets for weaned piglets of today’s genotype. Therefore, the present study investigated the optimal Ile to lysine (<strong>Lys</strong>) ratio in diets for postweaning piglets in a dose−response study with 384 postweaning piglets with six dietary treatments (T1-T6) with eight replicates (pens) per treatment. Treatments included provision of diets with incremental levels of standardised ileal digestible (<strong>SID</strong>) Ile by increasing the inclusion of free L-Ile to reach a ratio of SID Ile to Lys of 37, 41, 46, 50, 55 and 60% (range 4.40 to 7.15 g SID Ile per kg of diet). The basal diet mainly consisted of corn, wheat, barley, potato protein, haemoglobin powder and soybean meal (CP: 150 g/kg; Net energy: 10.46 MJ/kg; SID Lys: 12.0 g/kg) and was supposed to be deficient in Ile (4.40 g SID Ile/kg of the diet). Daily feed intake (<strong>dFI</strong>), body weight gain (<strong>BWG</strong>) and feed conversion ratio (<strong>FCR</strong>) were measured over a period of 4 weeks, starting 6 days postweaning. Regression analysis with a broken line model and a quadratic model was applied to derive the optimal ratio of SID Ile relative to SID Lys in low−protein diets for postweaning piglets. The piglets fed the basal diet had significantly lower BWG, dFI and higher FCR (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) than animals fed with Ile−supplemented diets. Both dFI and BWG showed a dose−dependent response towards increasing the dietary level of Ile. The optimal ratio of SID Ile to Lys, based on regression analysis with the quadratic model, was estimated at 52.6 and 52.5% for dFI and BWG, respectively. It is concluded that the optimal ratio of SID Ile relative to Lys to optimise dFI and BWG in piglets fed a low protein diet in the postweaning period is 52%.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 10","pages":"Article 101646"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145158932","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}