Animal最新文献

{"title":"Promoting sow-piglet information transfer and playful foraging by changes in pen design and feeding strategy to ease weaning: effects on pig performance and behaviour","authors":"J.E. Bolhuis ,&nbsp;A.I.J. Hoofs ,&nbsp;H.M.J. Van Hees ,&nbsp;G.P. Binnendijk ,&nbsp;M.A. Van Marwijk ,&nbsp;C.M.C. Van der Peet-Schwering","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101610","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101610","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Strategies inspired by the natural behaviour of pigs, including learning from the sow and playful foraging, may alleviate behavioural problems in weanling piglets and enhance their performance. We investigated the effects of a ‘family feeding system’ (<strong>Fs</strong>) and a dietary treatment providing ‘family feeds’ (<strong>Ff</strong>) in a 2 × 2 design on performance and behaviour until day 35 postweaning. Sows (n = 104) and piglets were either kept in the Fs or in a conventional system (<strong>Cs</strong>), and fed either the Ff or not (<strong>Cf</strong>). Fs sows could obtain feed throughout the day provided on a plate accessible to the piglets. Piglets and sows could also jointly drink and explore enrichment materials. The piglet feeder was identical in both systems, but in the Fs, it contained enrichment materials to stimulate playful foraging. Piglets were weaned at 27 days of age. Ff piglet feed, offered from postnatal day 2 until day 9 postweaning, contained the artificial flavour and several ingredients of the Ff sow’s diet, allowing for flavour transfer, and had varying pellet size and length to increase texture diversity. Fs piglets were, apart from piglet feed, provided with sow feed for the first 4.5 postweaning days. Sow and piglet performance and body damage, number of eaters and postweaning behaviour and diarrhoea were determined. Less Fs than Cs sows had shoulder lesions. In the Fs, the proportion of eaters, preweaning piglet growth and weaning weight were higher. Until day 9 postweaning, Fs piglets’ feed intake was higher, but growth lower, possibly due to a higher incidence of diarrhoea in this period. BW at day 35 postweaning was unaffected by system. Ear and tail damage and body lesion scores were decreased in Fs compared to Cs piglets pre- and postweaning, along with ear and tail biting behaviour postweaning. The Ff did not affect preweaning performance, but increased postweaning diarrhoea until day 9, proportion of piglets with damaged ears on day 9 and tail biting frequency, with no effect on postweaning growth. The postweaning intake of sows’ feed in Fs piglets and the use of ingredients from the sows’ diet in the Ff piglet diet might partly explain the high incidence of diarrhoea in these piglets, and thereby the absence of positive effects of the Fs and Ff on postweaning gain. In conclusion, strategies based on the natural behaviour of pigs seem promising to enhance piglet welfare around weaning, but further adjustment to their postweaning nutritional needs is required.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 9","pages":"Article 101610"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144828772","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":"Metabolic adaptation to energetic demands of early lactation in Holstein Friesian and Simmental cows","authors":"L. Ruda ,&nbsp;C. Straub ,&nbsp;A.M. Scholz ,&nbsp;K. Huber","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101608","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101608","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Holstein Friesian (<strong>HF</strong>) is the highest-performing dairy breed worldwide. However, this breed is prone to suffer from health disorders and infertility due to metabolic instability. The aim of the study was to use the metabolic differences between to breed, German HF and German Simmental (<strong>SI</strong>), for discussion of the biological impact of well-known and novel pathways and their respective indicators. Therefore, a targeted metabolomics approach combined with an examination of classical clinical chemistry using plasma samples was used to describe the metabolic status 42 days before expected calving and at day 21 of lactation. In total, 27 multiparous cows (HF n = 17, SI n = 10) were enrolled in the study. All cows were kept on the same farm under identical management, feeding and housing conditions. BW of HF cows dropped while SI cows maintained their BW but produced less milk than HF cows during the first weeks of lactation. Differences were detected for the following indicators and related pathways, and were used to assess their biological impact. Branched-chain amino acids such as leucine and isoleucine at day +21 remained as high as at day −42 in HF cows; however, in SI cows, a clear drop in these amino acids was observed indicating less body protein mobilisation in this breed. Alpha amino-adipic acid and kynurenine as markers for oxidative stress balance were increased at day +21 in HF cows, only reflecting a metabolically more tensed condition in HF cows. As a conclusion, these findings confirm the impact of these metabolites on a higher risk to suffer from metabolic disorders.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 9","pages":"Article 101608"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144842342","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 and genomic prediction of sow resilience based on reproductive traits","authors":"L. Shi ,&nbsp;W. Hao ,&nbsp;Z. Li ,&nbsp;H. Chaolu ,&nbsp;L. Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101607","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101607","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Robust animals, which are generally less susceptible to disease and require fewer medications, have greater resilience. As big data collection technologies have progressed, discovering new indicators of resilience by examining longitudinal data has become feasible. Environmental factor-induced variability in reproductive traits may affect an animal’s ability to adjust to changing environmental circumstances. However, no published research has used variations in reproductive traits to assess pig resilience. We here gathered data on reproductive traits of 11 321 Yorkshire, 3 317 Landrace, and 1 745 Duroc sows. Regarding reproductive traits, we computed each environmental standard deviation (&lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;S&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;D&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;e&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/msub&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt;) as their resiliencies. The heritability of resilience traits ranged from 0.02 to 0.61 across three breeds. In total, 9 171 sows were conducted genotyping with three chips, namely, KPS® Zhongxin-1 Porcine Breeding ChipV2 (1 133 Yorkshire, 176 Landrace, and 116 Duroc sows), Chip_plus (2 815 Yorkshire, 1 017 Landrace, and 663 Duroc sows), and CAU50K (2 287 Yorkshire, 614 Landrace, and 350 Duroc sows). After quality control, 46 358 single−nucleotide polymorphisms (&lt;strong&gt;SNPs&lt;/strong&gt;) and 9 171 individuals were used for the subsequent genome-wide association study (&lt;strong&gt;GWAS&lt;/strong&gt;) and genomic selection prediction. A total of 130 significant SNPs and 3 259 candidate genes were found through GWAS on &lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;SD&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;e&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/msub&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt; of reproductive traits across three breeds. Using BLUP, we performed breeding value estimation reliability for &lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;SD&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;e&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/msub&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt; of reproductive traits and revealed that the reliability varied from 0.05 to 0.49. When genomic BLUP (&lt;strong&gt;GBLUP&lt;/strong&gt;) and single-step GBLUP (&lt;strong&gt;ssGBLUP&lt;/strong&gt;) were used, the average genomic prediction reliability increased by 0.02 (range: −0.02 to 0.09) and 0.04 (range: −0.01 to 0.08) for Yorkshire and Duroc sows, respectively. For &lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;SD&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;e&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/msub&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt; of ten reproductive traits and their original traits, the phenotypic correlations (|0.01| to |0.90|) and genetic correlations (|0.00| to |0.99|) were observed. Considering results comprehensively, &lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;SD&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;e&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/msub&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt; of litter weight and &lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;SD&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;e&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/msub&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt; of survival rate could be used as indicators of resilience for all three breeds. Furthermore, &lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;SD&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;e&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/msub&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt; of number of mummies, &lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;SD&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;e&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/msub&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt; of number born weak, and &lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mr","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 9","pages":"Article 101607"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144827404","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":"Antagonistic effect of increasing dietary zinc on the efficiency of microbial phytase on calcium, phosphorus, and zinc digestibility and status in pigs: a meta-analysis","authors":"J. Labarre ,&nbsp;P. Schmidely ,&nbsp;P. Schlegel ,&nbsp;C. Loncke ,&nbsp;M.P Létourneau-Montminy","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101604","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101604","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dietary zinc (<strong>Zn</strong>), phytate, calcium (<strong>Ca</strong>), and microbial phytase (<strong>PhytM</strong>) interact in the gastrointestinal tract of pigs, which determines the utilization of phosphorus (<strong>P</strong>), Ca, and Zn. Previous studies have assessed the impact of Zn and PhytM on Zn status by measuring apparent total tract digestibility (<strong>ATTD</strong>) of Zn and plasma Zn concentration in pigs, and some of these studies also measured P and Ca ATTD. The objectives of this meta-analysis were to quantify the effect of Zn, PhytM and their interactions on (1) digestible P and Ca content (g/kg diet) and (2) digestible Zn and Zn ATTD (%) and plasma Zn status. To investigate these objectives, an exhaustive literature search was made to create two sub-databases: (1) Ca-P database containing 52 treatments, from postweaning pigs and using pharmacological Zn doses (&gt; 1 000 mg Zn/kg), and (2) Zn database of studies from postweaning and grower pigs with dietary Zn concentration &lt; 250 mg/kg, containing 71 treatments on Zn ATTD and 50 treatments on plasma Zn concentration. Using the Ca-P database, mixed-effects models showed that increasing dietary Zn concentration decreased digestible P (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.001) and tended to increase digestible Ca (<em>P</em> = 0.083) concentrations. It also reduced the positive effect of PhytM on digestible P (Zn × PhytM interaction, <em>P</em> &lt; 0.01) and digestible Ca (Zn × PhytM interaction, <em>P</em> &lt; 0.01). Studies within the Zn database showed that increasing dietary Zn content increased digestible Zn with a linear positive (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.001) and quadratic negative component (<em>P</em> = 0.08) but increasing dietary Zn concentration decreased the positive effect of PhytM on digestible Zn (Interaction Zn × PhytM; <em>P</em> &lt; 0.001). Dietary Zn (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.001) and PhytM (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.001) improved plasma Zn concentration; however, the response to PhytM was dependent on the dietary Zn level (Interaction Zn × PhytM<em>; P</em> &lt; 0.001), highlighting the homeostatic regulation response of the animal. In conclusion, pharmacological dietary Zn supply (&gt; 1 000 mg Zn/kg) to postweaning pigs decreased the ATTD of P and Ca. Moreover, the positive effect of PhytM on the digestible content of Zn, P, and Ca as well as on plasma Zn, was dependent on dietary Zn concentration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 9","pages":"Article 101604"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144810087","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":"Storing live black soldier fly larvae: the influence of temperature and storage techniques","authors":"A. Resconi,&nbsp;I. Biasato,&nbsp;S. Bellezza Oddon,&nbsp;Z. Loiotine,&nbsp;L. Gasco","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101605","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101605","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The use of live larvae of <em>Hermetia illucens</em> for farmed animals has shown positive influence on their behaviour, welfare and health. However, insect rearing facilities may not be in the immediate proximity of the farm that will receive the live larvae. Storage and transport at low temperatures could be then necessary to preserve the larvae until consumption. The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of storing live larvae at cold temperature with different storage methods. Tested treatments (5 replicates each) were: quantity (1 kg or 3 kg), type of container (bucket or bag), the addition (or not) of frass and storage temperature (6 °C, 8 °C and 10 °C). Larvae samples were daily taken from each replicate, live and dead larvae were counted, and the weight of the live larvae was recorded. A replicate was considered over when 15% of the larvae were dead. Data were analysed by means of generalized linear mixed models ([GLMM] IBM SPSS software, P ≤ 0.05). Storing black soldier fly larvae is possible in all the tested conditions, with losses below 15% and for periods below 6 days. The temperature plays a major role, with 10°C allowing the longest lifespan (P &lt; 0.001). The addition of frass, storing larger quantities of larvae and using polypropylene bags were the treatments which enhanced larval lifespan (P &lt; 0.001), while the use of bags instead of buckets reduced mortality (P &lt; 0.01). The trade-off for longer storage of the larvae is a higher weight loss.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 9","pages":"Article 101605"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144890926","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":"Divergent effects of 3-nitrooxypropanol on enteric methane emissions in Holstein and Brown Swiss cows, and its lack of synergy with acacia tannin extract","authors":"M.Z. Islam,&nbsp;S.E. Räisänen ,&nbsp;T. He,&nbsp;C. Kunz,&nbsp;Y. Li,&nbsp;X. Ma,&nbsp;A.M. Serviento,&nbsp;K. Wang,&nbsp;M. Wang,&nbsp;Z. Zeng,&nbsp;M. Niu","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101603","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101603","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Enteric methane (<strong>CH₄</strong>), the major contributor to on-farm greenhouse gas emissions, is a key mitigation target due to its high short-term global warming potential. The objectives of this study were to investigate the combined effects of 3-nitrooxypropanol (<strong>3-NOP</strong>) and <em>Acacia mearnsii</em> tannin extract (<strong>TAN</strong>), and their interactions with dairy cattle breed [Brown Swiss (<strong>BS</strong>) vs Holstein Friesian (<strong>HF</strong>)] on lactational performance and CH₄ emissions. Sixteen multiparous mid-lactation cows, including 8 BS and 8 HF cows, were used in a split-plot design, with breed as the main plot. Cows within each subplot were arranged in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin Square design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments across four 24-d periods, including 3-d of sampling. The experimental diets were: (1) CON (basal total mixed ration), (2) 3-NOP (60 mg/kg DM), (3) TAN (3% of DM), and (4) 3-NOP + TAN. Spot samples of urine, faeces, and gas emissions (via GreenFeed) were collected at the end of each period 8 times over 3 days. No 3-NOP × TAN × Breed interactions were observed for DM intake (<strong>DMI</strong>), milk production, or enteric gas emissions, except for CH₄ yield (g/kg DMI) and CO₂ production. Breed influenced DMI, milk production, and component yields, with HF cows consuming 3.7 kg/d more DMI, producing 9.3 kg/d more milk, and achieving greater feed efficiency and higher milk component yields than BS cows. Milk yield and energy-corrected milk (<strong>ECM</strong>) tended to increase in HF but tended to decrease in BS cows by 3-NOP. Cows fed TAN had 1 kg/d lower DMI with the tendency for 3-NOP × TAN that showed greater reduction when TAN was fed alone, but milk yield, ECM, and feed efficiency remained unchanged. Cows fed TAN exhibited 18% lower milk urea nitrogen (<strong>N</strong>) concentration and 23.0% lower urinary N but 36.7% greater faecal N excretions as a percentage of daily N intake. A 3-NOP × Breed interaction was observed in CH₄ production (g/d), with a 21.7% reduction in HF, and a 13.0% reduction in BS. Similarly, there were 3-NOP × Breed tendencies in CH₄ yield and intensity (g/kg ECM), with reductions in HF cows of 21.8 and 23.4%, respectively, compared to 11.0 and 10.8% in BS cows. In conclusion, there were no synergistic or additive effects between 3-NOP and TAN on enteric CH₄ mitigation. The enteric CH₄ emission mitigating effect of 3-NOP was more pronounced in HF cows than in BS cows. Further research is needed to understand breed-specific responses and to optimise CH₄ mitigation strategies for inclusion in national greenhouse gas inventories.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 9","pages":"Article 101603"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144810088","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":"Cross-sectional analysis of the associations between age and body weight at first calving and productivity in spring-calving Holstein-Friesian dairy cows","authors":"H. Costigan ,&nbsp;D.P. Berry ,&nbsp;S. Walsh ,&nbsp;E. Kennedy","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101589","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101589","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Age at first calving (<strong>AFC</strong>) is one of the key determinants of heifer rearing costs. Although a young AFC is recommended in order to minimise the non-productive period, calving at a young age has previously been associated with a reduction in milk production. Heavier BW at first calving may, however, negate the suboptimal performance associated with such a younger age at first calving. The objective of this study was to quantify the associations, using data collected on eight Irish research farms over a 15-year period, between both age and BW at first calving (as measured between 5 and 20 days postcalving) and performance thereafter in pasture-based seasonal-calving Holstein-Friesian dairy cows. A total of 2 924 calving, lactation, reproductive performance, BW and body condition score (<strong>BCS</strong>) records from 1 323 parity one to three cows were available for analysis. An interaction between BW at first calving, AFC, and parity only existed for mean milk protein percentage in the first 60 days of lactation, while a 2-way interaction between BW at first calving and AFC was not associated with any of the other performance variables considered. Age at first calving was not associated with either calving performance or any of the BW and BCS traits investigated. Although AFC was not associated with subsequent milk yield, it was associated with reduced milk fat and protein percentage in the first lactation for the youngest and oldest first−calving heifers. Older heifers at first calving had a shorter calving to first service interval in subsequent parities. BW at first calving was not associated with calving performance. A heavier BW at first calving, assuming a constant AFC, was associated with greater milk yield, 60 and 305-day milk fat percentage, and 305-day milk protein percentage in each of the first three lactations. Heavier heifers at first calving required fewer services to conceive, and had longer intervals from calving to first service, although there was no long-term influence of BW at first calving on reproductive efficiency. Heavier heifers at first calving were also heavier and more conditioned throughout the first, second, and third parities. Results from the present study are nonetheless confined to the ranges in AFC and BW at first calving in the study population. Performance was best when heifers had a median AFC between 738 and 768 days and a BW at first calving between 516 and 550 kg.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 8","pages":"Article 101589"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144662313","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":"Uncovering inbreeding patterns and adaptive genes in Tswana goats","authors":"A.B. Chalebgwa ,&nbsp;P.I. Monau ,&nbsp;K. Raphaka ,&nbsp;K. Hadebe ,&nbsp;P.M. Kgwatalala ,&nbsp;S.J. Nsoso","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101592","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101592","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Tswana goat, a key component of Botswana’s livestock, is renowned for its resilience and adaptability to low-resource environments. The objective of this study was to use homozygosity (<strong>ROH</strong>) and supplementary methods (<em>F_ST</em>, iHS, xp-EHH, Rsb) to identify selection signatures and inbreeding pattern of the indigenous Tswana goat. A total of 216 goats were used, that is, Tswana (n = 114) from three agroecological regions in Botswana and Boer (n = 102), a reference population from South Africa. After quality control, 216 animals and 49 732 single−nucleotide polymorphisms were available for analysis. Tswana goats exhibited an average ROH length of 2.20 Mb and 85.71 ROH per goat, while Boer goats had longer, fewer ROH, averaging 155.96 Mb and 3.14 ROH per goat. Tswana goats had a lower inbreeding coefficient (<strong>F_ROH</strong> = 0.08) compared to Boer goats (F_ROH = 0.13). Significant ROH hotspots were found on chromosomes 12, 6, and 5 in Tswana goats and on chromosomes 24, 14, 9, 8, and 6 in Boer goats, with 27 annotated genes identified. Multiple selection signature detection methods detected genes such as <em>PUS7L, ADAMTS20, TWF1, PRICKLE1 YAF2</em> and <em>GXYLTI</em>. Key genes associated with reproductive fitness (<em>ATP12A, RNF17</em>), immune response (<em>IL17D, PARP4</em>), coat colour variation (<em>ADAMTS20</em>), and milk synthesis (<em>TWF1</em>) were highlighted in Tswana goats, reflecting adaptive responses to environmental pressures. The study provides insights into the genetic adaptations and historical breeding of Tswana goat. This knowledge is crucial for implementing effective conservation strategies and enhancing the resilience of indigenous goat populations. By prioritising the genetic study of these goats, Botswana can ensure the sustainability of its unique livestock resources, promoting both food security and rural development in the region.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 8","pages":"Article 101592"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144703508","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":"Climate resilience differs across dairy sheep populations in Europe","authors":"M.J. Carabaño ,&nbsp;V. Tsartsianidou ,&nbsp;D. Hazard ,&nbsp;H. Larroque ,&nbsp;D. Buisson ,&nbsp;C. Pineda-Quiroga ,&nbsp;E. Ugarte ,&nbsp;M. Serrano ,&nbsp;M.A. Jiménez ,&nbsp;A. Triantafyllidis ,&nbsp;G. Arsenos ,&nbsp;C. Díaz ,&nbsp;M. Ramón","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101570","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101570","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The dairy sheep sector in Europe is characterised by the wide range of breeds involved, the variety of environments and the existence of well-established selection schemes. The goal of this study was to characterise the productive response to changes in thermal load (<strong>TL</strong>) across dairy sheep breeds in Europe, both at the population and the individual levels. Milk, fat and protein test day yields data from five dairy breeds, Assaf (<strong>As</strong>), Chios (<strong>Ch</strong>), Lacaune (<strong>Lc</strong>), Latxa (<strong>Lt</strong>) and Manchega (<strong>Mn</strong>) were used. Overall, 682 972 ewes from 827 flocks participated in the study. The breeds differed in the climatic region of origin and breeding area, varying from temperate (Lc and Lt) to warm (As, Ch, Mn), and, in the intensity of the selection programmes, with As and Lc more intensely selected. Historical production data were combined with meteorological information at the date of recording. Reaction norm models with polynomial functions in mixed model settings were fitted. Substantial variability in the population response to changes in TL was observed across breeds. Mn and Ch, with similar levels of production and climatic conditions, displayed greater sensitivity to cold than to hot conditions. On the other hand, the Lt breed showed the highest tolerance to cold stress and was moderately sensitive to heat. The most productive breeds, As and Lc, showed the largest sensitivity to cold (<strong>CS</strong>) or heat (<strong>HS</strong>) stress, with As/Lc showing the greatest production loss associated with cold/heat stress. Individual variability in response to thermal stress was observed in all breeds for the two extremes. However, variability in slopes of response was substantially lower than the overall variability of the trait, ranging from 4%/°C for all traits under CS to 17%/°C for fat yield under HS, in the Lc breed. For all breeds, a negative correlation was estimated between the individual level of the traits and heat tolerance, indicating antagonism between high production and heat tolerance. However, this antagonism was mild in Mn (−0.19 or milk yield and −0.28 for fat and protein yield) and largest for Lc (−0.77, −0.96 and −0.70 for milk, fat and protein yields, respectively). Given the expected increase in temperatures associated with climate change, dairy sheep farming based on the breeds less adapted with warm conditions and also for the more intensive systems based on highly producing animals will need to implement heat abatement strategies or incorporate heat tolerance in the selection programmes to improve future adaptation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 7","pages":"Article 101570"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144549609","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":"Review: Nutritional, safety, and environmental aspects of former foodstuff products in ruminant feeding","authors":"M. Tretola ,&nbsp;P. Lin ,&nbsp;J. Eichinger ,&nbsp;M. Manoni ,&nbsp;L. Pinotti","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101512","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101512","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As a consequence of global population growth, rising incomes, urbanisation, and improved household economics, the demand for animal products is expected to increase. This has led to a heightened focus on the challenge of allocating natural resources between the production of human food and livestock feed. The livestock industry, particularly ruminant producers, is seeking cost-effective, human-inedible feed alternatives due to the rising costs of forage production and grains. Former foodstuff products (<strong>FFPs</strong>), derived from food industry leftovers (material remnants of food processing), represent a promising strategy for reducing feed–food competition, particularly through partial replacement of grains and concentrate feed in ruminant diets. FFPs are rich in simple sugars and fats; however, their excessive intake by ruminants may increase the risk of subacute rumen acidosis and modulate microbial protein synthesis and methane emissions. Furthermore, chemical substances present in FFPs (polyphenols and theobromine), packaging remnants, and microbiological contaminants may alter ruminal ecosystems and fermentation, methane emissions, milk quality, and animal health. This review summarises the nutritional composition of FFPs, with a focus on their potential to replace energy feeds, the risks and benefits of FFPs in ruminant nutrition, and legislation regarding the use of FFPs in livestock diets. It concludes by highlighting further research that could promote sustainable FFP practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 ","pages":"Article 101512"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144006854","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}