The current study compared the faecal microbiota composition of two pig breeds (autochthonous vs. commercial) to understand what happens after the integration of liquid whey in the diet and what the role of the host genetic is. The trial was conducted for 60 days, and the faecal microbiota composition was investigated at three time points, T0, T1 (after 30 days) and T2 (after 60 days) in 30 female pigs (20 commercial crossbred and 10 Nero Siciliano pigs). The animals were divided into four groups (two control and two treatment groups). Generally, in both breeds, Firmicutes (51%) and Bacteroidota (36%) were the most abundant phylum whereas Prevotella, Treponema and Lactobacillus were the most abundant genera. The two breeds have a different reaction to a liquid whey diet. In fact, as shown by PERMANOVA analysis, the liquid whey significantly (p < 0.001) affects the microbiota composition of crossbreeds while not having an effect on the microbiota of the Nero Siciliano. Despite this, in both breeds Bifidobacterium and Ruminococcus have been positively influenced by liquid whey and they promote intestinal health, improve immunity, increase performance, and feed efficiency. In conclusion, the integration of liquid whey had a different effect on the Nero Siciliano and crossbred pig breeds, emphasizing the importance of the host genetic profile in determining the faecal bacterial composition.

Anticoagulants, such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), sodium citrate (Na-citrate), or heparin are normally used in hematological clinical tests to prevent coagulation. Although anticoagulants are fundamental for the correct application of clinical tests, they produce adverse effects in different fields, such as those involving specific molecular techniques; for instance, quantitative real time polymerase chain reactions (qPCR) and gene expression evaluation. For this reason, the aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of 14 genes in leukocytes that were isolated from the blood of Holstein cows, and which were collected in Li-heparin, K-EDTA, or Na-citrate tubes; then, they were analyzed using qPCR. Only the SDHA gene showed a significant dependence (p ≤ 0.05) on the anticoagulant that was used with the lowest expression; this was observed in Na-Citrate after being compared with Li-heparin and K-EDTA (p < 0.05). Although a variation in transcript abundance with the three anticoagulants was observed in almost all the investigated genes, the relative abundance levels were not statistically significant. In conclusion, the qPCR results were not influenced by the presence of the anticoagulant; thus, we had the opportunity to choose the test tube that was used in the experiment without interfering effects impacting the gene expression levels caused by the anticoagulant.

Dogs are considered the main reservoir of several zoonoses endemic to the Mediterranean Basin. In this study, a prevalence of infections and coinfections of canine vector-borne diseases was analyzed in apparently healthy dogs of different canine pure breeds in Sicily (Italy), where these diseases are endemic. The seroprevalence of Leishmania infantum, Ricketsia ricketsii, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Erlichia canis was assessed, as single and coinfections. Biochemical and hematological parameters were evaluated, and epidemiological factors, including sex, age, and canine breed, were recovered. The most frequent infection was L. infantum (45.61%), following R. ricketsii (36.84%), both as single, double, or triple coinfections. Coinfections change the biochemical and hematological parameters of the host, and canine breeds are related to the infection frequency and the parameters observed during infections. Changes in the complete blood count (CBC) and biochemical values also differ between canine breeds, with the Cirneco dell’Etna dogs infected with L. infantum being the animals presenting the most interesting results in our study. High values of RBC, hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), the albumin/globulin (A/G) ratio, and albumin and low levels of β-2 globulin and γ-globulin were found only in this canine breed, suggesting some resistance to infection in these dogs. Future studies about the immune response of this canine breed could be interesting to determine their possible resistance to zoonotic pathogens, such as L. infantum.

Background: Local livestock breeds play a pivotal role in maintaining agricultural sustainability, conserving biodiversity, and preserving cultural heritage. These breeds often possess unique genetic characteristics tailored to their specific environments. The Cinisara is a dual-purpose local cattle breed of Podolian origin, primarily farmed in western Sicily, Italy. However, reports of spurious crossbreeding with cosmopolitan breeds aimed at improving the breed productivity exist. To assess the conservation status and ongoing selective pressures on this unique breed, we genotyped 71 unrelated Cinisara cattle (CIN_A) at 65k SNPs, and extended the dataset with publicly available genotype data of 30 Cinisara individuals sampled 20 years ago (CIN_B). We also included 194 individuals from seven cattle breeds, including the Podolica (POD) breed and the cosmopolitan Holstein (HOL) and Brown Swiss (BRW) breeds. We assessed the genetic diversity, population structure, and determined the extent of introgression from cosmopolitan breeds into Cinisara using local ancestry inference. Results: Population structure analyses confirmed the Cinisara’s Podolian lineage and revealed significant HOL and BRW introgression. While both Cinisara populations, CIN_A and CIN_B, displayed broadly comparable genetic diversity to larger breeds, CIN_B showed reduced heterozygosity and increased inbreeding. CIN_A exhibited higher introgression, suggesting ongoing crossbreeding. Local ancestry was inferred using POD, HOL, and BRW references. CIN_A showed about 258/257 HOL/BRW introgressed SNPs, intercepting 186/131 genes and 1,584/1,772 QTLs. CIN_B had approximately 256/254 HOL/BRW introgressed SNPs, intercepting 218/184 genes and 547/437 QTLs. Predominantly, these regions overlapped with milk production QTLs, but some intercepted genes linked to unique Cinisara traits, like milk quality and climate adaptation, potentially altering breed typicality. Notably, CIN_B shows a potentially higher relative BRW contribution, while CIN_A shows a higher HOL contribution. Conclusion: Our findings align with the reports of crossbreeding with cosmopolitan breeds to enhance the production performance of Cinisara, and reflect breeding choices such as a reduction in BRW crossing or a preference for HOL. This raises significant concerns regarding the preservation of local breeds, livestock biodiversity, and their cultural and economic value, and highlights the importance of developing informed breeding strategies that balance production improvements with the conservation of genetic heritage.

The Capra Comune di Sicilia (CCS), also known as Mascaruna, is a Sicilian local goat population first described in 1870 and is currently the focus of a recovery project aimed at its characterization and formal ethnic recognition. To elucidate the ancestral genetic components and selection trajectories of the CCS population, we genotyped 78 CCS goats using the Goat 60 K SNP BeadChip, integrated with genotype data from 1,920 individuals representing 66 goat breeds of Mediterranean and African origin. CCS exhibited relatively high heterozygosity (0.408), and moderate levels of inbreeding (0.04), an estimated effective population size of 185. Genetic ancestry analysis revealed gene flow from Maltese, Girgentana, Rossa Mediterranea and Saanen populations, alongside evidence of putative Greek ancestry shared with most Mediterranean breeds in our dataset, reflecting Sicily’s profound historical and cultural ties with Greece. To better understand the evolutionary trajectories of the CCS population and to explore the potential contribution of Greek goat ancestry, we investigated selection signatures using iHS and ROH analyses. We identified 76 and 31 SNPs intercepting 38 and 12 genes, respectively, under putative selection. Subsequently, we applied XP-nSL and ROH analyses using Greek populations as ancestral references, identifying 21 and 431 SNPs associated with four and 157 genes, respectively, under putative selection. Overall, these selection signature analyses highlighted genes under positive selection related to traits such as milk and meat production, body size and growth, fertility, coat colour, fat deposition, and ear and horn development. Our findings shed light on the historical and genetic distinctiveness of the CCS population, emphasizing its uniqueness and providing critical insights into its genetic background. This information is essential for supporting informed efforts to formally recognize CCS as a distinct and valuable breed.