A promising resilience parameter for breeding:the use of weight and feed trajectories in growing pigs

Background Increasing resilience is a priority in modern pig breeding.Recent research shows that general resilience can be quantified via variability in longitudinal data.The collection of such longitudinal data on weight,feed intake and feeding behaviour in pigs has been facilitated by the development of technologies such as automated feeding stations.The goal of this study was to investigate resilience traits,which were estimated as deviations from longitudinal weight,feed intake and feeding behaviour data during the finishing phase.A dataset with 324,207 records between the age of 95 and 155 days on 5,939 Pietrain pigs with known pedigree and genomic information was used.We provided guidelines for a rigid quality control of longitudinal body weight data,as we found that outliers can significantly affect results.Gompertz growth curve analysis,linear modelling and trajectory analyses were used for quantifying resilience traits.Results To our knowledge,this is the first study comparing resilience traits from longitudinal body weight,feed intake and feeding behaviour data in pigs.We demonstrated that the resilience traits are lowly to moderately heritable for deviations in body weight(h2=2.9%–20.2%),in feed intake(9.4%–23.3%)and in feeding behaviour(16.2%–28.3%).Additionally,these traits have good predictive abilities in cross-validation analyses.Deviations in individual body weight and feed intake trajectories are highly correlated(rg=0.78)with low to moderate favourable genetic correlations with feed conversion ratio(rg=0.39–0.49).Lastly,we showed that some resilience traits,such as the natural logarithm of variances of observed versus predicted body weights(lnvarweight),are more robust to lower observation frequencies and are repeatable over three different time periods of the finishing phase.Conclusions Our results will help future studies investigating resilience traits and resilience-related traits.Moreover,our study provides first results on standardization of quality control and efficient data sampling from automated feeding station data.Our findings will be valuable for breeding organizations as they offer evidence that pigs’general resilience can be selected on with good accuracy.Moreover,this methodology might be extended to other species to quantify resilience based on longitudinal data.

Evaluation of Sea-Water Intrusion in Coastal Aquifers Using both Numerical Methods and Causal Research: A Case Study of Mombasa, Kenya

This research carried out in Mombasa Island links research done in 2020 on the effects of sea-water intrusion and the current state. The aquifer in Mombasa Island is semi-confined and consists of limestone and coral rock. Water samples were collected and tested from 32 boreholes to determine chemical qualities. Results showed that chloride levels ranged from 74 mg/l to 412 mg/l, with 34% of boreholes having high chloride concentration. After modelling using MT3D program results indicated that the boreholes near the ocean were interfered by sea-water intrusion because chloride concentration was high. Control measures to prevent further sea-water intrusion should be put in place. Therefore, from a practical point of view, individuals who have sunk boreholes since 2020 try to mitigate the problem by installing Reverse Osmosis systems within their facilities, to reduce chloride levels from borehole water. The current research analyses the impact of intrusion on the installed RO systems on Mombasa Island, including cost implications, with the view of proposing viable mitigation measures. The reverse osmosis system though expensive would save a lot of chloride entering the bore holes. It is a little bit expensive though but the end results are positive and the chloride levels will reduce the cost of using too much soap.

Predicting nitrogen use efficiency,nitrogen loss and dry matter intake of individual dairy cows in late lactation by including mid‑infrared spectra of milk samples

Background Nitrate leaching to groundwater and surface water and ammonia volatilization from dairy farms have negative impacts on the environment.Meanwhile,the increasing demand for dairy products will result in more pollution if N losses are not controlled.Therefore,a more efficient,and environmentally friendly production system is needed,in which nitrogen use efficiency(NUE)of dairy cows plays a key role.To genetically improve NUE,extensively recorded and cost-effective proxies are essential,which can be obtained by including mid-infrared(MIR)spectra of milk in prediction models for NUE.This study aimed to develop and validate the best prediction model of NUE,nitrogen loss(NL)and dry matter intake(DMI)for individual dairy cows in China.Results A total of 86 lactating Chinese Holstein cows were used in this study.After data editing,704 records were obtained for calibration and validation.Six prediction models with three different machine learning algorithms and three kinds of pre-processed MIR spectra were developed for each trait.Results showed that the coefficient of determination(R2)of the best model in within-herd validation was 0.66 for NUE,0.58 for NL and 0.63 for DMI.For external validation,reasonable prediction results were only observed for NUE,with R2 ranging from 0.58 to 0.63,while the R2 of the other two traits was below 0.50.The infrared waves from 973.54 to 988.46 cm−1 and daily milk yield were the most important variables for prediction.Conclusion The results showed that individual NUE can be predicted with a moderate accuracy in both within-herd and external validations.The model of NUE could be used for the datasets that are similar to the calibration dataset.The prediction models for NL and 3-day moving average of DMI(DMI_a)generated lower accuracies in within-herd validation.Results also indicated that information of MIR spectra variables increased the predictive ability of models.Additionally,pre-processed MIR spectra do not result in higher accuracy than original MIR spectra in the external validation.These models will be applied to large-scale data to further investigate the genetic architecture of N efficiency and further reduce the adverse impacts on the environment after more data is collected.

Proteome Profiles of Longissimus and Biceps Femoris Porcine Muscles Related to Exercise and Resting

Exercise affects muscle metabolism and composition in the untrained muscles. The proteome of muscle tissue will be affected by exercise and resting. This is of economic importance for pork quality where transportation relates to exercise of untrained muscles. Rest reverses exercise effects. The objective of this research was to develop potential protein biomarkers that predict the optimal resting time after exercise related to optimal pork quality. Ten litters of four female pigs were within litter allocated to the four treatment groups： exercise by running on a treadmill for 27 minutes followed by rest for 0, 1, or 3 h; control pigs without exercise. Proteome profiles and biochemical traits measuring energy metabolism and meat quality traits expected to be related to exercise were determined in the Longissimus and the Biceps femoris of the pigs. The results indicated associations between protein abundances in muscles and exercise, resting, and biochemical traits.

Evaluation of Models for Longevity in a Closed Nucleus Breeding Programme: A Case Study Kenyan Sahiwal

Longevity and stay ability are parameters in any breeding programme. The Overstaying of any animal on a farm has got negative effects on the farmer. Short stay also means early exit of good animals that could have been used for a longer time and more productive. The intention of this review paper is to emphasize the importance of models that an upcoming breeding program can use without affecting the quality of the herd. In this paper, longevity is taken purely on the performance measure. The functional and type traits of longevity should be studied further before all models are put into play. But the case of closed breeding programmes, performance traits are easily measurable because many animals will exit the herd as they have been sold to farmers hence many functional straits will be expressed outside the herd. Genetic evaluation of the Kenyan Sahiwal should account for inbreeding. This study has also provided genetic and phenotypic parameters to enable the inclusion of longevity in the breeding objective for the Sahiwal cattle improvement programme.

Water Quality and Growth Performance of Nile Tilapia Fries Fed on Insect-Based Feeds

Fish feed is one of the main constraints on the growth of aquaculture in Kenya. The lack of high-quality and competitively priced feeds means that the fish farmers are unable to expand their production. To ensure that aquaculture remains viable and sustainable, it is necessary to optimize production through the utilization of locally available feeding materials. Insect-based feeds are alternative least-cost feeding resource in fish production. Using alternative protein sources such as black soldier fly larvae (BSF) and daphnia meal in place of fishmeal (Omena and Dagaa) is an ingenious strategy for sustainable fish aquaculture. This study evaluated the effect of four treatments: BSF, daphnia, Omena from Lake Victoria and Dagaa from Lake Tanganyika on the fish pond environmental parameters and fish fries’ performance (body weight and length). The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse with 30 fingerlings in each experimental unit. The feeding trials took 23 days. Results indicated that the four treatments have a varied effect on the BW and L of fish fries. A high growth rate was observed in Daphia, followed by BSF, Omena and Dagaa in that order. On the other hand, the treatments have varied effects on pond parameters with BSF promoting too much growth of algae. BSF have higher amounts of ammonia, nitrates and phosphorus, which stimulate the high growth of algae.

Evaluation of the Genetic Relationship between Longevity and Growth, Milk Yield and Fertility Traits in the Sahiwal Breed in Kenya

Direct selection for longevity results in improved health and fitness and even milk production of cows. However, longevity is lowly heritable and phenotypic information is obtained at the end of an animal’s life. Traits expressed early in life and which are favorably correlated to longevity can be useful in selecting for this trait. The aim of this study was to estimate genetic correlations between longevity and age at first calving, first lactation calving interval, number of services per conception, first lactation milk yield, and first parity lactation length. Heritability estimates for measures of longevity were also calculated. The measures of longevity were time between birth and last milking in days (Long1), time between first calving and last milking record in months (Long2), number of lactations initiated (Long3), and total number of days in lactation over all lactations (Long4), total milk yield over all lactations (kg) (Long5). A series of five-variate animal models were fitted to estimate the nature and magnitude of genetic and phenotypic correlations between each measure of longevity and the fertility and production traits. Genetic correlations between measures of longevity and age at first calving, calving interval and number of services per conception were negative ranging from -0.14 ± 0.05 to -0.96 ± 0.06, -0.06 ± 0.03 to -0.67 ± 0.08 and -0.02 ± 0.02 to -0.73 ± 0.34, respectively. Correlations between measures of longevity and first lactation milk yield ranged from 0.88 ± 0.01 to 0.97 ± 0.03. Those with first parity lactation length ranged from -0.10 to 0.72. Long1, Long4 and Long5, which measure time between birth and last milking day, total number of days in lactation over all lactations and total milk yield over all lactations (kg), respectively, had the highest heritability estimates. These three could therefore be used to directly select for longevity. Among the traits studied, first lactation milk yield and age at first calving had the highest genetic correlation with measures of longevity. Therefore, first lactation milk yield and age at first calving could, therefore, be used to indirectly select for longevity.

Physical, Total Phenolic and Total Flavonoid Properties of Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) Seeds Grown in Kenya

In the recent past, there has been an increased uptake of chia seeds (Salvia hispanica L.) by consumers resulting in the increased adoption of chia farming, particularly in Kenya whereby most farmers are practising subsistence farming and a few farming it commercially. The widespread farming of chia seeds in Kenya translates to increased uptake at household level while offering a niche for industrial processing of chia seeds necessitating the need for studies on physical, total phenolic and flavonoid properties of chia seeds grown in Kenya. The physical, total phenolic and flavonoid properties of chia seeds from two chia planning seasons April to August 2019 and September to December 2019 were evaluated. The physical attributes (length, width and thickness) were determined using a digital vernier calliper while proximate components were determined using AOAC standard methods. The Quencher procedure was used to determine the total phenolic and flavonoid contents. Chia seeds revealed a length of 1.82 to 2.32 (mm), a width of 1.15 to 1.31 (mm) and a thickness of 0.77 to 0.88 (mm). The percentage moisture content of chia seeds was 7.23 to 10.67, percentage of crude fat was 31.48 to 42.45, percentage of crude ash was 3.63 to 6.82, and percentage of crude fibre was 30.95 to 38.65 and percentage of crude protein was17.82 to 28.97. The total phenolic content observed for chia seeds was 0.73 to 0.87 mg GAE g-1 while total flavonoid content was 0.39 to 0.57 mg GAE g-1. The proximate components of chia seeds varied significantly (p < 0.05) based on the chia planting season while the physical properties, total phenolics and total flavonoid contents did not vary significantly.

Genetic Screening of Halothane Gene on Selected Philippine Native Pig Herds

The establishment of nucleus herds (NHs) of Native Pigs (NPs) at various R&D stations in the Philippines is currently being undertaken for food security and genetic conservation advocacy. Marker-assisted selection (MAS) is being utilized to identify individuals carrying favorable alleles of genes associated with production traits and screen out genetic defects (GD) for breeding purposes. Porcine Stress Syndrome (PSS) caused by a mutation in Halothane (HAL) gene is a GD frequently found in commercial breeds that when expressed, causes pale, soft, exudative (PSE) meat. PSE is inferior quality meat undesirable in the market causing economic losses to the swine industry. Thus, this study was conducted to screen the HAL gene through mutagenically separated-polymerase chain reaction (MSPCR) in selected NP herds and assessed its repeatability in local breeds. Results showed that out of 577 screened individuals, 543 (94.11%) were normal (NN), 0 (0%) were homozygous mutant (nn) and 34 (5.89%) were heterozygous carriers (Nn). Therefore, the optimized PSS screening protocol using MSPCR is also applicable to local breeds. As such, the availability of genetic tests for PSS could be useful in improving the Philippine NPs breeding selection and inhibiting or eliminating PSS mutant incidence within its nucleus herd.

Developments in genetic modification of cattle and implications for regulation, safety and traceability

Genetic modification techniques,in particular novel gene editing technologies,hold the yet unfulfilled promise of altering genetic traits in farm animals more efficiently than by crossbreeding,allowing for a more rapid development of new cattle breeds with distinct traits.Gene editing technologies allow for the directed alteration of specific traits and thereby have the potential to enhance,for instance,disease resilience,production yield and the production of desired substances in milk.The potential implications of these technological advancements,which are often combined with animal cloning methods,are discussed both for animal health and for consumer safety,also with consideration of available methods for the detection and identification of the related products in the food supply chain.Finally,an overview is provided of current regulatory approaches in the European Union(EU)and major countries exporting beef to the EU,for products from animals bred through established practices as well as modern biotechnologies.

Distinct enhancer-promoter modes determine Sox2 regulation in mouse pluripotent cells

Sox2 is a key transfer factor for maintaining pluripotency and self-renewal in embryonic stem cells(ESCs),1 though the mechanism of its transcriptional regulation in ESCs has not been fully addressed.Distal enhancer-promoter interactions are vital for Sox2 transcription activity in mammals.However,how these diverse interactions individually influence Sox2 gene regulation in mouse ESCs remains unclear.Previous studies found that three distal enhancers(termed E1,E2,and E3)interact with Sox2 promoter?(Fig.1A;Fig.S1A,and Table S1).