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Environmental challenges may adversely affect poultry production. Autochthonous breeds are particularly valuable in a climate change context because of adaptation to the local environment. The objective of the present study was to determine the impact of cold stress, water restriction, and heat stress on the stress response quantified by the heterophil to lymphocyte ratio (H/L) of ten local Spanish breeds of laying hens. Hens of these local breeds were consecutively subjected to three treatments: natural cold stress (2, 4, 6, 7, 9, and 13 °C), water restriction (with a duration of 2.5, 4.5, 7, 10, and 12 h, respectively), and natural heat stress (23, 26, 28, 30, 34, 38, 40, and 42 °C). During cold stress, H/L was higher at 9 and 13 °C than at 2, 4, and 6 °C, and higher at 9 °C than at 7 °C (P < 0.05). H/L values were similar during all water restriction levels. During heat stress, H/L was particularly elevated at temperatures higher than 40 °C (P < 0.05). Overall, Andaluza Azul, Andaluza Perdiz and Prat Codorniz showed lowest resilience to stress based on their H/L response, whereas Pardo de Leon, Villafranquina Roja, and Prat Leonada showed highest resilience.

Circular economic principals of production are based on material flows through the system with minimum external inputs, recycling of resources, generating minimum waste, emissions, or pollution. Agriculture presents a major opportunity for the utilization of wastes, by-products and co-products in the development of a circular economy via the design of circular agricultural production systems and the creation of new sustainable value chains. The present work outlines an illustrative example of a circular bee¿legume¿poultry agricultural production system, based on the premise that: (1) there is an urgent need to prioritize pollinator stewardship and pollinator ecosystem restoration to counteract pollinator decline, (2) the EU Plant Protein Plan fosters EU-grown plant proteins including local legumes, and (3) poultry production is the most important segment of the animal production industry, and the fastest growing agricultural sub-sector. For the successful implementation of circular agriculture, multidisciplinary research is needed regarding all sectors involved, as well as practical evaluations and the realization of proof of concept depending on the geographical location. For sustainable circular agricultural practices to be adopted by agriculturists and agricultural workers, a culture shift is needed, with close cooperation between all actors involved.

Climate change can have a negative impact on agricultural production and food security. Vice versa, agricultural practices themselves contribute to climate change because of land, water, and energy use and anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gasses and waste. The European Green Deal focusses on “transition to a sustainable food system that has a neutral or positive environmental impact, helps mitigate climate change and adapt to its impact, and reverses the loss of biodiversity”. Local production of feed proteins in the European Union may result in new agro-ecosystem services that can be integrated to maximize sustainability of agricultural practices. Feed crops with nutritional properties that are both benefcial to functional biodiversity, biocontrol, pollination, and other ecosystem services can be incorporated into livestock diets. However, implementation is hampered by lack of information, embedded habits of specialization, proft maximization priorities, a lack of awareness about the environmental impacts of existing production systems, and a lack of fow of resources and services between the sectors. When economic benefts from investments are not immediately evident, transition can only be successful with government policies that focus on providing knowledge and education, and fnancial support. To convince agriculturists and agricultural workers to adopt sustainable practices, policy changes are needed with close cooperation between, and support from, all actors involved, including producers, non-governmental and civil society organisations, and the retail industry.

El programa de conservación de razas autóctonas de gallinas españolas se inició en 1975. La evaluación y control de la consanguinidad es consustancial a los programas de conservación. Los métodos de evaluar la consanguinidad tradicional basados en pedigríes no son viables en el contexto actual del programa de conservación con 12 razas y un total de entre 3000 y 4000 animales vivos debido a los costos económicos necesarios en términos de instalaciones y personal. Desde su inicio se intentó controlar la tasa de la consanguinidad mediante un gran tamaño de población en cada una de las razas. Las nuevas herramientas moleculares como Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) permiten evaluar la consanguinidad utilizando Runs of Homozygosity (ROHs) que son la suma total de fragmentos homocigotos de ADN respecto al tamaño total del genoma para cada individuo. El objetivo de este trabajo es por primera vez evaluar la consanguinidad del programa de conservación utilizando NGS y ROHs en 20 gallinas de Castellana Negra (CN).

Extensive sheep farming is often associated with small flocks grazing large areas, delivering limited economic returns compared with the revenue of examples such as dairy or intensive beef cattle farming. However, sheep are a popular choice of livestock in challenging environments where few other production systems are viable (Rust and Rust, 2013). Low input, extensive systems make use of the ability of ruminants to metabolize low-quality, high fiber materials that characterize pastoral grazing. By producing wool, meat, and sometimes dairy, extensive sheep production can deliver high-quality output products from a low-quality input that would otherwise have had little value for sustaining mankind. Furthermore, extensive pastoral systems can arguably be excused from some of the criticisms aimed at factory farming (Frank, 1979). Assuming sustainable stocking rates, extensive sheep farming may be favored in terms of the social and environmental concerns around animal production. However, low input systems are also associated with specific challenges. Outside the support of intensive systems, livestock are expected to survive, produce, and reproduce with little assistance from human intervention or shelter. In addition to requiring a high level of independence, they are also more exposed to the environmental elements such as harsh climates, disease, and parasite challenge. These environmental stressors directly affect production, but the implications for health and welfare should also be considered (Dwyer, 2009). Environmental intervention can be effective (Masters et al., 2023) and should aim to ensure the best outcome for animals wherever possible. In the majority of extensive systems, however, opportunities are limited for being either impractical or too expensive. Animals kept in extensive systems should thus possess an ability to adapt and cope with environmental challenges—a concern of animal breeding and genetics. The issue of adaptability has been previously rev

Background: Failing the four-gamete test for two polymorphic DNA markers is an indication that two or three rather than four haplotypes segregate in the population. The objective of this paper is to show that when just three haplotypes are segregating, all three haplotypes can be fully and unambiguously phase-resolved. Theory and methods: The Corners’ Algorithm tests the four corners in a 3 × 3 table of two-locus genotypes. If one of the four corners is filled with zeroes, then the missing haplotype is identified and the phases of all three haplotypes can be unambiguously resolved for all individuals. Three applications of this method are proposed when the four-gamete test fails: (1) direct estimation of linkage disequilibrium (LD), (2) haplotype-based genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of three haplotypes (single-marker GWAS tests for two out of three haplotypes only), and (3) haplotyping of chromosomal regions that are comprised of pairs of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that consist of just three haplotypes. An example based on 435 sows with performance records for total number of piglets born is used to illustrate the methods. Results: Of 20,339 SNPs, approximately 50% of the pairs of flanking SNPs failed the four-gamete test. For those, the expectation maximization (EM) algorithm gave the same results. The average of the absolute value of the difference in r2 between flanking SNPs across the genome between the two methods was 0.00082. Single-marker GWAS (using two of three haplotypes) detected significant associations for total number of piglets born on chromosomes 1, 2, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 18. Haplotype-based GWAS using the third haplotype resolved with the Corners’ Algorithm detected additional significant associations for total number of piglets born on chromosomes 2, 5, 10, 13, 14, 15, and 18. Estimated substitution effects ranged from 0.40 to 1.35 piglets. Haplotyping of chromosomal regions that failed the four-gamete test for any pai

Pig production systems provide multiple benefits to humans. However, the global increase in meat consumption has profound consequences for our earth, including the use of finite natural resources (land, water, and energy), pollution of watercourses, loss of biodiversity, and contribution to climate change. Pig production practices contribute to climate change through greenhouse gas production associated with manure management and feed production. Novel feed resources that provide a wide range of ecosystem services in mixed cropping, crop rotation, circular agriculture, or circular economy can improve sustainability of pig production practices. Vice versa, global warming has profound consequences for pig production through the negative consequences of heat stress on production efficiency, growth rates, and increased health care costs. Research suggests that pigs that are better adapted to heat stress are better able to maintain growth when intake becomes restricted. These appear to be animals with lower growth rates during thermoneutral conditions. During heat stress, pigs become more feed efficient; however, reduced growth rates result in decreased slaughter weights or increased days on farm, thus reducing production efficiency. Furthermore, heat stress is found to alter the growth trajectory (maturation rate and mature body weight), tissue accretion rates, and carcass composition, and negatively impacts animal health and welfare. The impact of heat stress can be mediated through control strategies of the thermal environment using precision livestock techniques. In addition, because response to heat stress shows variation, these results emphasize the necessity to review breed choice and genetic selection objectives for improved heat tolerance to climate change. Pigs of interest as selection candidates may be those that are able to maintain high growth rates under heat stress, and these may not be the genetics with highest growth potential under environmentally neutr

Two individuals with a first-degree relationship share about 50 percent of their alleles. Parent-offspring relationships cannot be homozygous for alternative alleles (genetic exclusion).

Scales are linear combinations of variables with coefficients that add up to zero and have a similar meaning to "contrast" in the analysis of variance. Scales are necessary in order to incorporate genomic information into relationship matrices for genomic selection. Statistical and biological parameterizations using scales under different assumptions have been proposed to construct alternative genomic relationship matrices. Except for the natural and orthogonal interactions approach (NOIA) method, current methods to construct relationship matrices assume Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE). The objective of this paper is to apply vector algebra to center and scale relationship matrices under non-HWE conditions, including orthogonalization by the Gram-Schmidt process.

Heat stress (HS) affects pig performance, health and welfare, resulting in a financial burden to the pig industry. Pigs have a limited number of functional sweat glands and their thermoregulatory mechanisms used to maintain body temperature, are challenged by HS to maintain body temperature. The genetic selection of genotypes tolerant to HS is a promising long-term (adaptation) option that could be combined with other measures at the production system level. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the genetics of thermoregulation in pigs. It also discusses the different phenotypes that can be used in genetic studies, as well as the variability in thermoregulation between pig breeds and the inheritance of traits related to thermoregulation. This review also considers on-going challenges to face for improving heat tolerance in pigs.

Aim of study: To evaluate the consequences for pork quality traits of replacing soybean meal with Narbon vetch in pig diets. Area of study: Castilla-Leon, Spain. Material and methods: 48 Duroc × Iberian barrows were fed diets with 0% (V0), 5% (V5), 10% (V10) and 20% (V20) inclusion of Narbon vetch. Pork quality traits investigated were 1) intramuscular fat, protein and moisture content of fresh loin, 2) fatty acid composition of subcutaneous fat, and 3) sensory attributes (Triangle test and a Simple Difference Test with a non-trained taste panel) of cured loin. Main results: Inclusion of Narbon vetch in the diet showed no significant effect on intramuscular fat, protein and moisture in fresh loin samples. Stearic acid was higher in subcutaneous fat of V5 than in V0 and V10 (p < 0.05), and oleic acid was higher in V10 than in V0, V5 and V20 (p < 0.05); no other differences in fatty acid composition were observed. Taste panelists tended to be able to distinguish V10 from V0 cured loins (p < 0.10), and were able to distinguish V20 from V0 loins (p < 0.05), in particular due to a perceived difference in taste, texture and marbling. No differences in intensity of the texture, marbling, aroma and color of cured loins were found between V0 and V5. Research highlights: Inclusion of Narbon vetch in pig diets did not significantly affect fresh loin composition or fatty acid composition of subcutaneous fat. Consumers perceived a difference in sensory characteristics of cured loin with replacement of soybean meal with Narbon Vetch, but they did not characterize this as more favorable.

There is an interest in replacing soybean meal with locally produced ingredients in livestock feeds. Narbon vetch is resistant to unfavorable climatic and soil conditions, common pests, and has a favorable nutritional profile. The effect of substitution of soybean meal with 0% (V0), 5% (V5), 10% (V10), and 20% (V20) inclusion of Narbon vetch on growth curve parameters, daily body weight gain (DBWG), daily feed intake (DFI), feed conversion efficiency (FCE), and residual feed intake (RFI) was investigated in 47 Duroc × Iberian barrows in 16 periods (a total of 125 d). DFI and DBWG were reduced (p < 0.05) up to four weeks after introduction of the novel feed in V20 and V10. Small, mostly nonsignificant differences existed between treatments in FCE and RFI. However, because of accumulative small differences in feed efficiency between the four diets, pigs in V0 reached the highest BW, and pigs in V20 reached the lowest BW on a similar feed intake. Economic implications of Narbon vetch inclusion depend on the extra amount of feed required and associated feed costs, and on the costs of additional days on-farm required to reach a given slaughter weight.

Pig production systems provide multiple benefits to humans. However, the global increase in meat consumption has profound consequences for our earth. This perspective describes two alternative scenarios for improving the sustainability of future pig production systems. The first scenario is a high input-high output system based on sustainable intensification, maximizing animal protein production efficiency on a limited land surface at the same time as minimizing environmental impacts. The second scenario is a reduced input-reduced output system based on selecting animals that are more robust to climate change and are better adapted to transform low quality feed (local feeds, feedstuff co-products, food waste) into meat. However, in contrast to the first scenario, the latter scenario results in reduced predicted yields, reduced production efficiency and possibly increased costs to the consumer. National evaluation of the availability of local feed and feedstuff co-product alternatives, determination of limits to feed sourced from international markets, available land for crop and livestock production, desired production levels, and a willingness to politically enforce policies through subsidies and/or penalties are some of the considerations to combine these two scenarios. Given future novel sustainable alternatives to livestock animal protein, it may become reasonable to move towards an added general premium price on 'protein from livestock animals' to the benefit of promoting higher incomes to farmers at the same time as covering the extra costs of, politically enforced, welfare of livestock animals in sustainable production systems. © 2020 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

There is an urgent need to identify the effects of temperature on production traits. This study aimed to determine the impact of pig production in three environments (T°Cgrowing-°Cfattening-°Cfinishing = T24-24-21, T19-19-19, and T23-17-15) on growth curve parameters, body weight gain (DBWG), feed intake (DFI), and feed efficiency during the growing, fattening and finishing stages, and on carcass yield of primal cuts (ham, shoulder, and loin) in 158 Duroc × Iberian pigs. Maturation rate was higher in T23-17-15 than in T19-19-19 (P < 0.001). Pigs in T23-17-15 reached a lower mature body weight (P < 0.05). During the growing stage, pigs in T23-17-15 had higher DFI than those in T24-24-21 and T19-19-19 (P < 0.05); during the fattening stage, DFI was lowest in T24-24-21 (P < 0.001). In the growing stage, pigs had highest DBWG in the warmest environments (T24-24-21 and T23-17-15) and lowest in the coldest environment (T19-19-19; P < 0.001). Feed efficiency was highest in warmer environments (P < 0.01). Temperature T24-24-21 favored loin yield, T19-19-19 favored ham yield, and T23-17-15 favored shoulder yield (P < 0.01). The results imply a favorable effect of temperature on feed efficiency, however, possible negative implications for animal health and welfare should be considered.

Innovations in the breeding and management of pigs are needed to improve the performance and welfare of animals raised in social groups, and in particular to minimise biting and damage to group mates. Depending on the context, social interactions between pigs can be frequent or infrequent, aggressive, or non-aggressive. Injuries or emotional distress may follow. The behaviours leading to damage to conspecifics include progeny savaging, tail, ear or vulva biting, and excessive aggression. In combination with changes in husbandry practices designed to improve living conditions, refined methods of genetic selection may be a solution reducing these behaviours. Knowledge gaps relating to lack of data and limits in statistical analyses have been identified. The originality of this paper lies in its proposal of several statistical methods for common use in analysing and predicting unwanted behaviours, and for genetic use in the breeding context. We focus on models of interaction reflecting the identity and behaviour of group mates which can be applied directly to damaging traits, social network analysis to define new and more integrative traits, and capture-recapture analysis to replace missing data by estimating the probability of behaviours. We provide the rationale for each method and suggest they should be combined for a more accurate estimation of the variation underlying damaging behaviours.