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Extensive summer grazing is a dairy herd management practice frequently adopted in mountainous areas. Nowadays, this activity is threatened by its high labour demand, but it is fundamental for environmental, touristic and economic implications, as well as for the preservation of social and cultural traditions. Scarce information on the effects of such low-input farming systems on cattle health is available. Therefore, the present case study aimed at investigating how grazing may affect the health status of dairy cows by using milk traits routinely available from the national milk recording scheme. The research involved a dairy herd of 52 Simmental and 19 Holstein × Simmental crossbred cows. The herd had access to the pasture according to a rotational grazing scheme from late spring up to the end of summer. A total of 616 test day records collected immediately before and during the grazing season were used. Individual milk yield was registered during the milking procedure. Milk samples were analysed for composition (fat, protein, casein and lactose contents) and health-related milk indicators (electrical conductivity, urea and β-hydroxybutyrate) using mid-infrared spectroscopy. Somatic cell count (SCC) and differential SCC were also determined. Data were analysed with a linear mixed model, which included the fixed effects of the period of sampling, cow breed, stage of lactation and parity, and the random effects of cow nested within breed and the residual. The transition from barn farming to pasture had a negative effect on milk yield, together with a small deterioration of fat and protein percentages. Health-related milk indicators showed a minor deterioration of the fat to protein ratio, differential SCC and electrical conductivity, particularly towards the end of the grazing season, whereas the somatic cell score and β-hydroxybutyrate were relatively constant. Overall, the study showed that, when properly managed, pasture grazing does not have detrimental effects on dairy cows in terms of udder health and efficiency. Therefore, the proper management of cows on pasture can be a valuable solution to preserve the economic, social and environmental sustainability of small dairy farms in the alpine regions, without impairing cows’ health.
Giovanni Niero; Tania Bobbo; Simone Callegaro; Giulio Visentin; Cristina Pornaro; Mauro Penasa; Giulio Cozzi; Massimo De Marchi; Martino Cassandro. Dairy Cows’ Health during Alpine Summer Grazing as Assessed by Milk Traits, Including Differential Somatic Cell Count: A Case Study from Italy. Animals 2021, 11, 981 .
AMA StyleGiovanni Niero, Tania Bobbo, Simone Callegaro, Giulio Visentin, Cristina Pornaro, Mauro Penasa, Giulio Cozzi, Massimo De Marchi, Martino Cassandro. Dairy Cows’ Health during Alpine Summer Grazing as Assessed by Milk Traits, Including Differential Somatic Cell Count: A Case Study from Italy. Animals. 2021; 11 (4):981.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGiovanni Niero; Tania Bobbo; Simone Callegaro; Giulio Visentin; Cristina Pornaro; Mauro Penasa; Giulio Cozzi; Massimo De Marchi; Martino Cassandro. 2021. "Dairy Cows’ Health during Alpine Summer Grazing as Assessed by Milk Traits, Including Differential Somatic Cell Count: A Case Study from Italy." Animals 11, no. 4: 981.
A. Costa; G. Niero; M. Franzoi; M. Cassandro; M. De Marchi; M. Penasa. Short communication: Iodine content in bovine milk is lowly heritable and shows limited genetic variation. Journal of Dairy Science 2021, 104, 3292 -3297.
AMA StyleA. Costa, G. Niero, M. Franzoi, M. Cassandro, M. De Marchi, M. Penasa. Short communication: Iodine content in bovine milk is lowly heritable and shows limited genetic variation. Journal of Dairy Science. 2021; 104 (3):3292-3297.
Chicago/Turabian StyleA. Costa; G. Niero; M. Franzoi; M. Cassandro; M. De Marchi; M. Penasa. 2021. "Short communication: Iodine content in bovine milk is lowly heritable and shows limited genetic variation." Journal of Dairy Science 104, no. 3: 3292-3297.
The intensive use of high-performing strains in poultry production has led to the extinction of several autochthonous chicken breeds and, consequently, loss of genetic variability. Interest in saving biodiversity is growing rapidly and has become a major objective worldwide. The aim of this study was to shed light on the production trends of native Italian poultry breeds and the related market. A questionnaire, which asked about the production cycles, the number of animals and table eggs produced per year and their retail prices was completed by 121 breeders across Italy. The surveyed breeders were divided into two categories: breeders conducting an agrozootechnical farm, referred to as ‘farmers’ (F); and breeders keeping chickens as backyard poultry, referred to as ‘fancy breeders’ (FB). Analysis of the data acquired indicated that animals were mainly slaughtered between 6 and 12 months of age, with F processing more animals per year. The same production trend was observed for table eggs. The recorded retail prices of native chicken products were higher than those for conventional products, but similar to those reported for valuable niche poultry products, such as the Poulet de Bresse in France and organic eggs. Knowledge about these highly valuable markets should be used to encourage the use of local breeds in alternative poultry farming and help protect biodiversity.
Alessandro Franzoni; Marta Gariglio; Annelisse Castillo; Dominga Soglia; Stefano Sartore; Arianna Buccioni; Federica Mannelli; Martino Cassandro; Filippo Cendron; Cesare Castellini; Alice Mancinelli; Silvia Cerolini; Ahmad Sayed; Nicolaia Iaffaldano; Michele Di Iorio; Margherita Marzoni; Sonia Salvucci; Achille Schiavone. Overview of Native Chicken Breeds in Italy: Small Scale Production and Marketing. Animals 2021, 11, 629 .
AMA StyleAlessandro Franzoni, Marta Gariglio, Annelisse Castillo, Dominga Soglia, Stefano Sartore, Arianna Buccioni, Federica Mannelli, Martino Cassandro, Filippo Cendron, Cesare Castellini, Alice Mancinelli, Silvia Cerolini, Ahmad Sayed, Nicolaia Iaffaldano, Michele Di Iorio, Margherita Marzoni, Sonia Salvucci, Achille Schiavone. Overview of Native Chicken Breeds in Italy: Small Scale Production and Marketing. Animals. 2021; 11 (3):629.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAlessandro Franzoni; Marta Gariglio; Annelisse Castillo; Dominga Soglia; Stefano Sartore; Arianna Buccioni; Federica Mannelli; Martino Cassandro; Filippo Cendron; Cesare Castellini; Alice Mancinelli; Silvia Cerolini; Ahmad Sayed; Nicolaia Iaffaldano; Michele Di Iorio; Margherita Marzoni; Sonia Salvucci; Achille Schiavone. 2021. "Overview of Native Chicken Breeds in Italy: Small Scale Production and Marketing." Animals 11, no. 3: 629.
The most reared species of farm animal around the world is the chicken. However, the intensification of livestock systems has led to a gradual increase in the concentration of a limited number of breeds, resulting in substantial erosion to the genetic pool. The initial step of an ‘animal conservation program’ entails establishing the actual conservation statuses of the breeds concerned in a defined area; in this case, in Italy. To this end, a survey of breeds was performed by means of a census questionnaire divided into two parts. The first part collected information on breeds, breeders, housing facilities, and management aspects, the results of which are presented here. The second part of the questionnaire regarded chicken products and their markets, and these data will be reported in a second paper. The breed status of six chicken breeds was shown to be exceptionally worrying, with total numbers ranging from just 18 to 186 birds. Population sizes exceeding 1000 birds was identified for just four breeds, the maximum being 3400. Some improvements in status were noted in relation to breeds which had been the subject of conservation efforts in the past. The two most common breeds reported are the Bionda Piemontese, a double-purpose breed, and the Livorno egg-laying hen. Collo Nudo Italiano, Millefiori Piemontese, Pollo Trentino, and Tirolese chicken breeds and the Castano Precoce turkey breed were not listed by breeders at all. The most reported turkey breeds are the Bronzato Comune and the Ermellinato di Rovigo. The population sizes of native Italian poultry breeds were shown to be generally poor. Italian poultry farmers and the population at large are largely ignorant about indigenous poultry breeds. Thus, promoting the virtues of Italian breeds would help their conservation by encouraging breeders to rear these birds and consumers to buy their products. The identification of strategies to facilitate access to pure breed birds is essential, and will require the collaboration of university research centers, public entities, and breeders. The results presented in this paper constitute the initial part of a more complex conservation program.
Annelisse Castillo; Marta Gariglio; Alessandro Franzoni; Dominga Soglia; Stefano Sartore; Arianna Buccioni; Federica Mannelli; Martino Cassandro; Filippo Cendron; Cesare Castellini; Alice Mancinelli; Nicolaia Iaffaldano; Michele Iorio; Margherita Marzoni; Sonia Salvucci; Silvia Cerolini; Luisa Zaniboni; Achille Schiavone. Overview of Native Chicken Breeds in Italy: Conservation Status and Rearing Systems in Use. Animals 2021, 11, 490 .
AMA StyleAnnelisse Castillo, Marta Gariglio, Alessandro Franzoni, Dominga Soglia, Stefano Sartore, Arianna Buccioni, Federica Mannelli, Martino Cassandro, Filippo Cendron, Cesare Castellini, Alice Mancinelli, Nicolaia Iaffaldano, Michele Iorio, Margherita Marzoni, Sonia Salvucci, Silvia Cerolini, Luisa Zaniboni, Achille Schiavone. Overview of Native Chicken Breeds in Italy: Conservation Status and Rearing Systems in Use. Animals. 2021; 11 (2):490.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAnnelisse Castillo; Marta Gariglio; Alessandro Franzoni; Dominga Soglia; Stefano Sartore; Arianna Buccioni; Federica Mannelli; Martino Cassandro; Filippo Cendron; Cesare Castellini; Alice Mancinelli; Nicolaia Iaffaldano; Michele Iorio; Margherita Marzoni; Sonia Salvucci; Silvia Cerolini; Luisa Zaniboni; Achille Schiavone. 2021. "Overview of Native Chicken Breeds in Italy: Conservation Status and Rearing Systems in Use." Animals 11, no. 2: 490.
Chicken products are the most consumed animal-sourced foods at a global level across greatly diverse cultures, traditions, and religions. The consumption of chicken meat has increased rapidly in the past few decades and chicken meat is the main animal protein source in developing countries. Heat stress is one of the environmental factors which decreases the productive performance of poultry and meat quality. Heat stress produces the over-expression of heat shock factors and heat shock proteins in chicken tissues. Heat shock proteins regulate several molecular pathways in cells in response to stress conditions, changing the homeostasis of cells and tissues. These changes can affect the physiology of the tissue and hence the production ability of chickens. Indeed, commercial chicken strains can reach a high production level, but their body metabolism, being comparatively accelerated, has poor thermoregulation. In contrast, native backyard chickens are more adapted to the environments in which they live, with a robustness that allows them to survive and reproduce constantly. In the past few years, new molecular tools have been developed, such as RNA-Seq, Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs), and bioinformatics approaches such as Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS). Based on these genetic tools, many studies have detected the main pathways involved in cellular response mechanisms. In this context, it is necessary to clarify all the genetic and molecular mechanisms involved in heat stress response. Hence, this paper aims to review the ability of the new generation of genetic tools to clarify the molecular pathways associated with heat stress in chickens, offering new perspectives for the use of these findings in the animal breeding field.
Francesco Perini; Filippo Cendron; Giacomo Rovelli; Cesare Castellini; Martino Cassandro; Emiliano Lasagna. Emerging Genetic Tools to Investigate Molecular Pathways Related to Heat Stress in Chickens: A Review. Animals 2020, 11, 46 .
AMA StyleFrancesco Perini, Filippo Cendron, Giacomo Rovelli, Cesare Castellini, Martino Cassandro, Emiliano Lasagna. Emerging Genetic Tools to Investigate Molecular Pathways Related to Heat Stress in Chickens: A Review. Animals. 2020; 11 (1):46.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFrancesco Perini; Filippo Cendron; Giacomo Rovelli; Cesare Castellini; Martino Cassandro; Emiliano Lasagna. 2020. "Emerging Genetic Tools to Investigate Molecular Pathways Related to Heat Stress in Chickens: A Review." Animals 11, no. 1: 46.
The growing interest of consumers for milk and dairy products of high nutritional value has pushed researchers to evaluate the feasibility of including fatty acids (FA) in selection programs to modify milk fat profile and improve its nutritional quality. Therefore, the aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters of FA profile predicted by mid-infrared spectroscopy, milk yield, composition, and total and differential somatic cell count. Edited data included 35,331 test-day records of 25,407 Italian Holstein cows from 652 herds. Variance components and heritability were estimated using single-trait repeatability animal models, whereas bivariate repeatability animal models were used to estimate genetic and phenotypic correlations between traits, including the fixed effects of stage of lactation, parity, and herd-test-date, and the random effects of additive genetic animal, cow permanent environment and the residual. Heritabilities and genetic correlations obtained in the present study reflected both the origins of FA (extracted from the blood or synthesized de novo by the mammary gland) and their grouping according to saturation or chain length. In addition, correlations among FA groups were in line with correlation among individual FA. Moderate negative genetic correlations between FA and milk yield and moderate to strong positive correlations with fat, protein, and casein percentages suggest that actual selection programs are currently affecting all FA groups, not only the desired ones (e.g., polyunsaturated FA). The absence of association with differential somatic cell count and the weak association with somatic cell score indicate that selection on FA profile would not affect selection on resistance to mastitis and vice versa. In conclusion, our findings suggest that genetic selection on FA content is feasible, as FA are variable and moderately heritable. Nevertheless, in the light of correlations with other milk traits estimated in this study, a clear breeding goal should first be established.
Tania Bobbo; Mauro Penasa; Martino Cassandro. Genetic Parameters of Bovine Milk Fatty Acid Profile, Yield, Composition, Total and Differential Somatic Cell Count. Animals 2020, 10, 2406 .
AMA StyleTania Bobbo, Mauro Penasa, Martino Cassandro. Genetic Parameters of Bovine Milk Fatty Acid Profile, Yield, Composition, Total and Differential Somatic Cell Count. Animals. 2020; 10 (12):2406.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTania Bobbo; Mauro Penasa; Martino Cassandro. 2020. "Genetic Parameters of Bovine Milk Fatty Acid Profile, Yield, Composition, Total and Differential Somatic Cell Count." Animals 10, no. 12: 2406.
Food antioxidants enhance products shelf life and stability during technological treatments through the maintenance of their physical and chemical properties. Moreover, they are endowed with several positive effects on human health, including cell membranes preservation, enzyme functionality, and DNA integrity. Milk has been described in relation to a wide array of fat soluble and water-soluble antioxidant compounds, in particular vitamin A, C, and E, lactoferrin and peptides derived from casein and whey proteins. The total antioxidant activity (TAA) of milk is a novel and scarcely explored trait, defined as the sum of antioxidant contributions of the aforementioned compounds. On this background, the aims of the present study were to investigate the variability of milk TAA on a large scale exploiting predictions obtained through mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy and to estimate genetic parameters of this trait in Holstein cows. Individual milk samples were collected between January 2011 and December 2018 during the routine milk recording procedure. Samples were analysed for gross composition through MIR spectroscopy and MIR spectra were stored. Milk TAA was then predicted (pTAA) from the stored milk MIR spectra (111,653 test-day records of 9519 cows in 344 herds) using the previously developed prediction model; considering the prediction accuracy, pTAA might be considered a proxy of the TAA determined through the reference method. Overall, pTAA averaged 7.16 mmoL/L of Trolox equivalents, showed a nadir around 40 days after calving and increased thereafter, following a linear trend up to the end of lactation. The lowest pTAA was observed in milk sampled from June to September. Milk pTAA was heritable (0.401 ± 0.015) and genetically associated to fat yield (0.366 ± 0.049), crude protein (CP) yield (0.238 ± 0.052), fat percentage (0.616 ± 0.022) and CP percentage (0.754 ± 0.015). The official selection index of Italian Holstein put the 49% of the emphasis on fat and protein yield and percentage; therefore, it derives that an indirect favourable selection for milk pTAA should be already in progress in Italian Holstein population.
Giovanni Niero; Angela Costa; Marco Franzoi; Giulio Visentin; Martino Cassandro; Massimo De Marchi; Mauro Penasa. Genetic and Non-Genetic Variation of Milk Total Antioxidant Activity Predicted from Mid-Infrared Spectra in Holstein Cows. Animals 2020, 10, 2372 .
AMA StyleGiovanni Niero, Angela Costa, Marco Franzoi, Giulio Visentin, Martino Cassandro, Massimo De Marchi, Mauro Penasa. Genetic and Non-Genetic Variation of Milk Total Antioxidant Activity Predicted from Mid-Infrared Spectra in Holstein Cows. Animals. 2020; 10 (12):2372.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGiovanni Niero; Angela Costa; Marco Franzoi; Giulio Visentin; Martino Cassandro; Massimo De Marchi; Mauro Penasa. 2020. "Genetic and Non-Genetic Variation of Milk Total Antioxidant Activity Predicted from Mid-Infrared Spectra in Holstein Cows." Animals 10, no. 12: 2372.
Miniaturized coagulation (MC) models have been proposed for the evaluation of curd yield (CY) in individual milk samples of different dairy species and breeds, and for the analysis of cheese microstructure and texture. It is still unclear if MC using less than 50 mL of milk is suitable to evaluate CY and chemical composition, and if preservative added to raw milk may interfere with MC process. Therefore, this study aimed at evaluating repeatability and reproducibility of CY, curd moisture, and fat and protein content on curd dry matter (DM) from MC trials using 40 g of milk. Miniaturized coagulations were performed by 3 different operators on 3 consecutive days, using raw milk (RM) and raw milk added with preservative (RMP). Repeatability of CY, calculated as relative standard deviation on 6 miniaturized curds obtained within a day by the same operator, was below 5% for MC carried out with both RM and RMP. The Horwitz ratio, which is the ratio between measured and expected reproducibility, highlighted good reproducibility for CY from RM and fair reproducibility for CY from RMP. The same ratio highlighted lower accuracies for curd moisture and fat and protein content on curd DM, especially for MC trials carried out with RMP. The z-test was performed to evaluate the similarity between curds manufactured with RM and RMP in terms of average yield and chemical composition; z-scores did not highlight significant differences between values obtained from MC carried out with RM and RMP. It can be concluded that preservative had negligible effects on MC, giving the opportunity to extend milk physical and chemical stability, to schedule laboratory trials on longer time span, and to broaden the sample size within a batch of analyses.
G. Niero; A. Goi; V. Vigolo; M. Saugo; M. Franzoi; M. Cassandro; M. Penasa; M. De Marchi. Technical note: Repeatability and reproducibility of curd yield and composition in a miniaturized coagulation model. Journal of Dairy Science 2020, 103, 11100 -11105.
AMA StyleG. Niero, A. Goi, V. Vigolo, M. Saugo, M. Franzoi, M. Cassandro, M. Penasa, M. De Marchi. Technical note: Repeatability and reproducibility of curd yield and composition in a miniaturized coagulation model. Journal of Dairy Science. 2020; 103 (12):11100-11105.
Chicago/Turabian StyleG. Niero; A. Goi; V. Vigolo; M. Saugo; M. Franzoi; M. Cassandro; M. Penasa; M. De Marchi. 2020. "Technical note: Repeatability and reproducibility of curd yield and composition in a miniaturized coagulation model." Journal of Dairy Science 103, no. 12: 11100-11105.
T. Bobbo; M. Penasa; A. Rossoni; M. Cassandro. Short communication: Genetic aspects of milk urea nitrogen and new indicators of nitrogen efficiency in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 2020, 103, 9207 -9212.
AMA StyleT. Bobbo, M. Penasa, A. Rossoni, M. Cassandro. Short communication: Genetic aspects of milk urea nitrogen and new indicators of nitrogen efficiency in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science. 2020; 103 (10):9207-9212.
Chicago/Turabian StyleT. Bobbo; M. Penasa; A. Rossoni; M. Cassandro. 2020. "Short communication: Genetic aspects of milk urea nitrogen and new indicators of nitrogen efficiency in dairy cows." Journal of Dairy Science 103, no. 10: 9207-9212.
It is known that heat stress affects dairy cow performance in multiple ways: physiological, behavioral, reproductive, and productive. The aim of the present study was to determine if a threshold of temperature-humidity index (THI) exists for multiple milk production traits (milk yield, fat-corrected milk, protein and fat yield and percentage, energy-corrected milk, cheese production, and cheese yield) in Italian Brown Swiss dairy cows from the period 15 d before the day of the Italian Breeders Association test-day sampling. A 10-yr data set (2009-2018) containing 202,776 test-day records of 23,296 Brown Swiss cows was matched with the maximum THI. In all parities considered, no THI thresholds were observed for milk yield in Brown Swiss. In contrast, a THI threshold of 75 was identified for fat-corrected milk. No THI threshold was found for fat percentage, but fat yield showed the highest THI thresholds in cows of first and second parity. Protein yield and cheese production were affected by heat stress with average THI threshold of 74. The THI thresholds identified indicate that the Brown Swiss breed has higher thermal tolerance versus literature values reported for Holstein cows. As THI rises, Brown Swiss cows tend to produce the same volume of milk, but with a decreasing quality with regard to components. Further study is necessary to estimate the genetic component of heat tolerance, in Brown Swiss cattle, considering that the correct estimation of THI thresholds represents the first step to identify components that could be included in selection procedures.
A. Maggiolino; G.E. Dahl; N. Bartolomeo; U. Bernabucci; A. Vitali; G. Serio; M. Cassandro; G. Centoducati; E. Santus; P. De Palo. Estimation of maximum thermo-hygrometric index thresholds affecting milk production in Italian Brown Swiss cattle. Journal of Dairy Science 2020, 103, 8541 -8553.
AMA StyleA. Maggiolino, G.E. Dahl, N. Bartolomeo, U. Bernabucci, A. Vitali, G. Serio, M. Cassandro, G. Centoducati, E. Santus, P. De Palo. Estimation of maximum thermo-hygrometric index thresholds affecting milk production in Italian Brown Swiss cattle. Journal of Dairy Science. 2020; 103 (9):8541-8553.
Chicago/Turabian StyleA. Maggiolino; G.E. Dahl; N. Bartolomeo; U. Bernabucci; A. Vitali; G. Serio; M. Cassandro; G. Centoducati; E. Santus; P. De Palo. 2020. "Estimation of maximum thermo-hygrometric index thresholds affecting milk production in Italian Brown Swiss cattle." Journal of Dairy Science 103, no. 9: 8541-8553.
I. Lora; F. Gottardo; B. Contiero; A. Zidi; L. Magrin; M. Cassandro; G. Cozzi. A survey on sensor systems used in Italian dairy farms and comparison between performances of similar herds equipped or not equipped with sensors. Journal of Dairy Science 2020, 1 .
AMA StyleI. Lora, F. Gottardo, B. Contiero, A. Zidi, L. Magrin, M. Cassandro, G. Cozzi. A survey on sensor systems used in Italian dairy farms and comparison between performances of similar herds equipped or not equipped with sensors. Journal of Dairy Science. 2020; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleI. Lora; F. Gottardo; B. Contiero; A. Zidi; L. Magrin; M. Cassandro; G. Cozzi. 2020. "A survey on sensor systems used in Italian dairy farms and comparison between performances of similar herds equipped or not equipped with sensors." Journal of Dairy Science , no. : 1.
Climate change has the potential to adversely affect the health of livestock, with consequences to animal welfare, greenhouse gas emissions, productivity, human health and livelihoods. Phenotypic plasticity is the ability of a genotype to produce different phenotypes, depending on environmental, biotic or abiotic conditions; it is a factor influencing and modifying the genes of animal and plant organisms, to adaptation to climate change. Among the various climate variables, heat stress has been reported to be the most detrimental factor to the economy of the livestock industry. There are a number of candidate genes that are associated with adaptation of ruminants, monogastric and poultry to heat stress. For instance, the genes encoding leptin, thyroid hormone receptor, insulin growth factor-1, growth hormone receptor, are associated with the impacts of heat stress on the physiological pathways of domestic animals such as dairy cows, beef cattle, buffaloes, poultry, pigs and horses. This review aims to highlight genes and traits that are involved with thermo-tolerance of domestic animals to sustain production and to cope with climate change. Selection and experimental evolution approaches have shown that plasticity is a trait that can evolve when under direct selection and has a correlated response to some specific traits. Therefore, new breeding goals should be defined for the potential of livestock species to acquire plasticity for adaptation to the current climate changing conditions.
Giacomo Rovelli; Simone Ceccobelli; Francesco Perini; Eymen Demir; Salvatore Mastrangelo; Giuseppe Conte; Fabio Abeni; Donata Marletta; Roberta Ciampolini; Martino Cassandro; Umberto Bernabucci; Emiliano Lasagna. The genetics of phenotypic plasticity in livestock in the era of climate change: a review. Italian Journal of Animal Science 2020, 19, 997 -1014.
AMA StyleGiacomo Rovelli, Simone Ceccobelli, Francesco Perini, Eymen Demir, Salvatore Mastrangelo, Giuseppe Conte, Fabio Abeni, Donata Marletta, Roberta Ciampolini, Martino Cassandro, Umberto Bernabucci, Emiliano Lasagna. The genetics of phenotypic plasticity in livestock in the era of climate change: a review. Italian Journal of Animal Science. 2020; 19 (1):997-1014.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGiacomo Rovelli; Simone Ceccobelli; Francesco Perini; Eymen Demir; Salvatore Mastrangelo; Giuseppe Conte; Fabio Abeni; Donata Marletta; Roberta Ciampolini; Martino Cassandro; Umberto Bernabucci; Emiliano Lasagna. 2020. "The genetics of phenotypic plasticity in livestock in the era of climate change: a review." Italian Journal of Animal Science 19, no. 1: 997-1014.
The genomic variability of local Italian chicken breeds, which were monitored under a conservation plan, was studied using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to understand their genetic diversity and population structure. A total of 582 samples from 23 local breeds and four commercial stocks were genotyped using the Affymetrix 600 K Chicken SNP Array. In general, the levels of genetic diversity, investigated through different approaches, were lowest in the local chicken breeds compared to those in the commercial stocks. The level of genomic inbreeding, based on runs of homozygosity (FROH), was markedly different among the breeds and ranged from 0.121 (Valdarnese) to 0.607 (Siciliana). In all breeds, short runs of homozygosity (ROH) (<4 Mb in length) were more frequent than long segments. The patterns of genetic differentiation, model-based clustering, and neighbor networks showed that most breeds formed non-overlapping clusters and were clearly separate populations, which indicated the presence of gene flow, especially among breeds that originated from the same geographical area. Four genomic regions were identified as hotspots of autozygosity (islands) among the breeds, where the candidate genes are involved in morphological traits, such as body weight and feed conversion ratio. We conclude that the investigated breeds have conserved authentic genetic patterns, and these results can improve conservation strategies; moreover, the conservation of local breeds may play an important role in the local economy as a source of high-quality products for consumers.
Filippo Cendron; Francesco Perini; Salvatore Mastrangelo; Marco Tolone; Andrea Criscione; Salvatore Bordonaro; Nicolaia Iaffaldano; Cesare Castellini; Margherita Marzoni; Arianna Buccioni; Dominga Soglia; Achille Schiavone; Silvia Cerolini; Emiliano Lasagna; Martino Cassandro. Genome-Wide SNP Analysis Reveals the Population Structure and the Conservation Status of 23 Italian Chicken Breeds. Animals 2020, 10, 1441 .
AMA StyleFilippo Cendron, Francesco Perini, Salvatore Mastrangelo, Marco Tolone, Andrea Criscione, Salvatore Bordonaro, Nicolaia Iaffaldano, Cesare Castellini, Margherita Marzoni, Arianna Buccioni, Dominga Soglia, Achille Schiavone, Silvia Cerolini, Emiliano Lasagna, Martino Cassandro. Genome-Wide SNP Analysis Reveals the Population Structure and the Conservation Status of 23 Italian Chicken Breeds. Animals. 2020; 10 (8):1441.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFilippo Cendron; Francesco Perini; Salvatore Mastrangelo; Marco Tolone; Andrea Criscione; Salvatore Bordonaro; Nicolaia Iaffaldano; Cesare Castellini; Margherita Marzoni; Arianna Buccioni; Dominga Soglia; Achille Schiavone; Silvia Cerolini; Emiliano Lasagna; Martino Cassandro. 2020. "Genome-Wide SNP Analysis Reveals the Population Structure and the Conservation Status of 23 Italian Chicken Breeds." Animals 10, no. 8: 1441.
Assessment of genetic diversity and population structure provides important control metrics to avoid genetic erosion, inbreeding depression and crossbreeding between exotic and locally-adapted cattle breeds since these events can have deleterious consequences and eventually lead to extinction. Historically, the Alpine Arc represents an important pocket of cattle biodiversity with a large number of autochthonous breeds that provide a fundamental source of income for the entire regional economy. By using genotype data from medium-density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays, we performed a genome-wide comparative study of 23 cattle populations from the Alpine Arc and three cosmopolitan breeds. After filtering, we obtained a final genotyping dataset consisting of 30,176 SNPs for 711 individuals. The local breeds showed high or intermediate values of genetic diversity compared to the highly selected cosmopolitan breeds. Patterns of genetic differentiation, multidimensional scaling, admixture analysis and the constructed phylogenetic tree showed convergence, which indicates the presence of gene flow among the breeds according to both geographic origin and historical background. Among the most differentiated breeds, we identified the modern Brown cattle. In spite of admixture events, several local breeds have preserved distinctive characteristics, which is probably due to differences in genetic origin and geographic location. This study represents one of the most comprehensive genome-wide analysis of the Alpine cattle breeds to date. Using such a large dataset that includes the majority of the local breeds found in this region, allowed us to expand knowledge on the evaluation and status of Alpine cattle biodiversity. Our results indicate that although many of the analyzed local breeds are listed as endangered, they still harbor a large amount of genetic diversity, even when compared to some cosmopolitan breeds. This finding, together with the reconstruction of the phylogeny and the relationships between these Alpine Arc cattle breeds, provide crucial insights not only into the improvement of genetic stocks but also into the implementation of future conservation strategies.
Gabriele Senczuk; Salvatore Mastrangelo; Elena Ciani; Luca Battaglini; Filippo Cendron; Roberta Ciampolini; Paola Crepaldi; Roberto Mantovani; Graziella Bongioni; Giulio Pagnacco; Baldassare Portolano; Attilio Rossoni; Fabio Pilla; Martino Cassandro. The genetic heritage of Alpine local cattle breeds using genomic SNP data. Genetics Selection Evolution 2020, 52, 1 -12.
AMA StyleGabriele Senczuk, Salvatore Mastrangelo, Elena Ciani, Luca Battaglini, Filippo Cendron, Roberta Ciampolini, Paola Crepaldi, Roberto Mantovani, Graziella Bongioni, Giulio Pagnacco, Baldassare Portolano, Attilio Rossoni, Fabio Pilla, Martino Cassandro. The genetic heritage of Alpine local cattle breeds using genomic SNP data. Genetics Selection Evolution. 2020; 52 (1):1-12.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGabriele Senczuk; Salvatore Mastrangelo; Elena Ciani; Luca Battaglini; Filippo Cendron; Roberta Ciampolini; Paola Crepaldi; Roberto Mantovani; Graziella Bongioni; Giulio Pagnacco; Baldassare Portolano; Attilio Rossoni; Fabio Pilla; Martino Cassandro. 2020. "The genetic heritage of Alpine local cattle breeds using genomic SNP data." Genetics Selection Evolution 52, no. 1: 1-12.
The combined use of somatic cell count (SCC) and differential somatic cell count (DSCC), which is the ratio of neutrophils plus lymphocytes to total milk SCC, represents a novel approach to define cow’s udder health status, as it allows to identify healthy animals (those with low SCC and DSCC), cows susceptible to mastitis (those where an immune response has begun, so that there is an increase of neutrophils, i.e. DSCC, but not yet of total SCC), animals with a mastitic event in progress (those with high SCC and DSCC) and animals with possible chronic inflammation (those with high SCC and low DSCC, as macrophages prevail). We investigated the association of cow’s udder health status with milk yield, composition and coagulation properties in four cattle breeds. Results demonstrated that milk traits vary among cows with different udder health status, especially in terms of fat percentage, lactose percentage and coagulation ability. The most pronounced worsening in milk yield and coagulation ability was observed for animals with chronic inflammation. Our findings support the new approach based on the combined use of SCC and DSCC to screen for cow’s udder health, as it would allow to identify susceptible cows that will probably undergo a mastitic event and chronic cows that would possibly reduce the herd milk production and quality.
Tania Bobbo; Mauro Penasa; Martino Cassandro. Combining total and differential somatic cell count to better assess the association of udder health status with milk yield, composition and coagulation properties in cattle. Italian Journal of Animal Science 2020, 19, 697 -703.
AMA StyleTania Bobbo, Mauro Penasa, Martino Cassandro. Combining total and differential somatic cell count to better assess the association of udder health status with milk yield, composition and coagulation properties in cattle. Italian Journal of Animal Science. 2020; 19 (1):697-703.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTania Bobbo; Mauro Penasa; Martino Cassandro. 2020. "Combining total and differential somatic cell count to better assess the association of udder health status with milk yield, composition and coagulation properties in cattle." Italian Journal of Animal Science 19, no. 1: 697-703.
The collection of phenotypes related to livestock methane emissions is hampered by costly and time-demanding techniques. In the present research, a laser methane detector was used to measure several novel phenotypes, including mean and aggregate of methane records, and mean and number of methane peak records, considering Simmental heifers as a case study. Phenotypes showed satisfactory repeatability and reproducibility for log-transformed data. The number of emission peaks had great variability across animals and thus it is a promising candidate to discriminate between high and low emitters.
Giovanni Niero; Filippo Cendron; Mauro Penasa; Massimo De Marchi; Giulio Cozzi; Martino Cassandro. Repeatability and Reproducibility of Measures of Bovine Methane Emissions Recorded using a Laser Detector. Animals 2020, 10, 606 .
AMA StyleGiovanni Niero, Filippo Cendron, Mauro Penasa, Massimo De Marchi, Giulio Cozzi, Martino Cassandro. Repeatability and Reproducibility of Measures of Bovine Methane Emissions Recorded using a Laser Detector. Animals. 2020; 10 (4):606.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGiovanni Niero; Filippo Cendron; Mauro Penasa; Massimo De Marchi; Giulio Cozzi; Martino Cassandro. 2020. "Repeatability and Reproducibility of Measures of Bovine Methane Emissions Recorded using a Laser Detector." Animals 10, no. 4: 606.
Through the development of the high-throughput genotyping arrays, molecular markers and genes related to phenotypic traits have been identified in livestock species. In poultry, plumage color is an important qualitative trait that can be used as phenotypic marker for breed identification. In order to assess sources of genetic variation related to the Polverara chicken breed plumage colour (black vs. white), we carried out a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and a genome-wide fixation index (FST) scan to uncover the genomic regions involved. A total of 37 animals (17 white and 20 black) were genotyped with the Affymetrix 600 K Chicken single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) Array. The combination of results from GWAS and FST revealed a total of 40 significant markers distributed on GGA 01, 03, 08, 12 and 21, and located within or near known genes. In addition to the well-known TYR, other candidate genes have been identified in this study, such as GRM5, RAB38 and NOTCH2. All these genes could explain the difference between the two Polverara breeds. Therefore, this study provides the basis for further investigation of the genetic mechanisms involved in plumage color in chicken.
Salvatore Mastrangelo; Filippo Cendron; Gianluca Sottile; Giovanni Niero; Baldassare Portolano; Filippo Biscarini; Martino Cassandro. Genome-Wide Analyses Identifies Known and New Markers Responsible of Chicken Plumage Color. Animals 2020, 10, 493 .
AMA StyleSalvatore Mastrangelo, Filippo Cendron, Gianluca Sottile, Giovanni Niero, Baldassare Portolano, Filippo Biscarini, Martino Cassandro. Genome-Wide Analyses Identifies Known and New Markers Responsible of Chicken Plumage Color. Animals. 2020; 10 (3):493.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSalvatore Mastrangelo; Filippo Cendron; Gianluca Sottile; Giovanni Niero; Baldassare Portolano; Filippo Biscarini; Martino Cassandro. 2020. "Genome-Wide Analyses Identifies Known and New Markers Responsible of Chicken Plumage Color." Animals 10, no. 3: 493.
This study aimed to identify bovine breeds through trichological morphology and morphometry and to validate this technique by comparing it with genetic characterization. Animals from Caracu, Curraleiro Pé-Duro, Nelore, and Bovino Pantaneiro breeds were studied. Morphological and morphometric analyses of the guard hairs were performed. The cuticular pattern was observed on the shaft and the medulla pattern on the shield of the samples. The cattle genetic characterization was accomplished using microsatellite markers. Statistical analyses were performed using R version 3.2.4 software. Pearson’s correlation test showed a high positive and significant correlation between the matrices generated by trichological and genetic analyses (r = 0,996 and p < 0.001). Trichological analysis is a useful method for cattle breed identification. Its potential for identifying other species of interest for animal production should be studied since it is a simple, low-cost, and non-invasive method.
Gisele Aparecida Felix; Maria Clorinda Soares Fioravanti; Martino Cassandro; Nicola Tormen; Juliana Quadros; Raquel Soares Juliano; Andrea Alves Do Egito; Maria Ivete De Moura; Ubiratan Piovezan. Bovine Breeds Identification by Trichological Analysis. Animals 2019, 9, 761 .
AMA StyleGisele Aparecida Felix, Maria Clorinda Soares Fioravanti, Martino Cassandro, Nicola Tormen, Juliana Quadros, Raquel Soares Juliano, Andrea Alves Do Egito, Maria Ivete De Moura, Ubiratan Piovezan. Bovine Breeds Identification by Trichological Analysis. Animals. 2019; 9 (10):761.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGisele Aparecida Felix; Maria Clorinda Soares Fioravanti; Martino Cassandro; Nicola Tormen; Juliana Quadros; Raquel Soares Juliano; Andrea Alves Do Egito; Maria Ivete De Moura; Ubiratan Piovezan. 2019. "Bovine Breeds Identification by Trichological Analysis." Animals 9, no. 10: 761.
This study aimed to estimate genetic parameters for 19 linear type traits related to frame, udder, and feet and legs, and for final score of 10,305 first-parity Jersey cows evaluated between 2004 and 2016. Since scoring of locomotion in Jersey breed started in 2009, a subset of 6853 animals was extracted from the original data and used to investigate sources of variation and heritability of locomotion score, and its associations with the other traits. Univariate animal models were used to estimate variance components of type traits and bivariate analyses were implemented to obtain genetic correlations between traits. Fixed effects were herd-year-classifier, season of evaluation, stage of lactation at scoring and age at calving, and the random effects were additive genetic animal and the residual. Herd-year-classifier was the major source of variation affecting the traits. Heritabilities were low with the only exception of a moderate heritability (0.32 ± 0.02) for stature. The lowest heritabilities were estimated for feet and legs traits with values between 0.04 ± 0.02 (rear leg set side view, rear leg set rear view and locomotion) and 0.07 ± 0.02 (foot angle). The final score had heritability of 0.20 ± 0.02. Genetic correlations were generally stronger than their phenotypic counterparts. Overall, frame traits were weakly correlated with feet and legs, and udder traits, except for rump width, which showed moderate correlations with almost all traits, and angularity which showed the greatest correlations with rear udder height (0.61 ± 0.10) and rear udder width (0.62 ± 0.11). Genetic correlations between locomotion and frame traits ranged from 0.08 ± 0.22 (angularity) to 0.32 ± 0.16 (stature). The strongest correlations were estimated between locomotion and other feet and legs traits, but also with front teat placement (0.97 ± 0.19) and with rear teat placement (0.88 ± 0.17). Results of the present study will be used to enhance genetic evaluation of linear type traits in Jersey cattle breed.
Chiara Roveglia; Giovanni Niero; Tania Bobbo; Mauro Penasa; Raffaella Finocchiaro; Giulio Visentin; Nicolas Lopez-Villalobos; Martino Cassandro. Genetic parameters for linear type traits including locomotion in Italian Jersey cattle breed. Livestock Science 2019, 229, 131 -136.
AMA StyleChiara Roveglia, Giovanni Niero, Tania Bobbo, Mauro Penasa, Raffaella Finocchiaro, Giulio Visentin, Nicolas Lopez-Villalobos, Martino Cassandro. Genetic parameters for linear type traits including locomotion in Italian Jersey cattle breed. Livestock Science. 2019; 229 ():131-136.
Chicago/Turabian StyleChiara Roveglia; Giovanni Niero; Tania Bobbo; Mauro Penasa; Raffaella Finocchiaro; Giulio Visentin; Nicolas Lopez-Villalobos; Martino Cassandro. 2019. "Genetic parameters for linear type traits including locomotion in Italian Jersey cattle breed." Livestock Science 229, no. : 131-136.
Martino Cassandro. Animal breeding and climate change, mitigation and adaptation. Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics 2019, 137, 121 -122.
AMA StyleMartino Cassandro. Animal breeding and climate change, mitigation and adaptation. Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics. 2019; 137 (2):121-122.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMartino Cassandro. 2019. "Animal breeding and climate change, mitigation and adaptation." Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics 137, no. 2: 121-122.