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This study focuses on the problem of assessing inter-observer reliability (IOR) in the case of dichotomous categorical animal-based welfare indicators and the presence of two observers. Based on observations obtained from Animal Welfare Indicators (AWIN) project surveys conducted on nine dairy goat farms, and using udder asymmetry as an indicator, we compared the performance of the most popular agreement indexes available in the literature: Scott’s
Mauro Giammarino; Silvana Mattiello; Monica Battini; Piero Quatto; Luca Battaglini; Ana Vieira; George Stilwell; Manuela Renna. Evaluation of Inter-Observer Reliability of Animal Welfare Indicators: Which Is the Best Index to Use? Animals 2021, 11, 1445 .
AMA StyleMauro Giammarino, Silvana Mattiello, Monica Battini, Piero Quatto, Luca Battaglini, Ana Vieira, George Stilwell, Manuela Renna. Evaluation of Inter-Observer Reliability of Animal Welfare Indicators: Which Is the Best Index to Use? Animals. 2021; 11 (5):1445.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMauro Giammarino; Silvana Mattiello; Monica Battini; Piero Quatto; Luca Battaglini; Ana Vieira; George Stilwell; Manuela Renna. 2021. "Evaluation of Inter-Observer Reliability of Animal Welfare Indicators: Which Is the Best Index to Use?" Animals 11, no. 5: 1445.
Mountain husbandry systems and their related products may directly or indirectly provide either ecosystem services (ESs) or disservices to humanity. The present study aims to evaluate the perception that a local mountain community has towards animal husbandry in the Lanzo Valleys (Piedmont, Italy) and towards the typical local dairy product, Toma di Lanzo, as well as to investigate the consumers’ habits and preferences, to detect possible positive impacts on mountain tourism. A questionnaire was delivered to 233 respondents. The perception of the impact was scored using a five-point Likert scale. The results show a very positive perception of the product Toma di Lanzo because of its origin and type of processing, with different perceptions of the local society depending on age (p < 0.01), residence (p < 0.01), and education level (p < 0.05). The respondents had a very positive awareness of the impact of mountain livestock farming in the Lanzo Valleys. The most important perceived ESs are cultural identity and maintenance of local breeds. Women, non-residents, and respondents with an intermediate education level generally had a more positive perception of ESs. There was a very low perception of disservices derived from mountain animal farming. The main perceived obstacles to the spread of benefits derived from these farming systems were the scarce presence of specific supporting politics and the low income generated by mountain farming activities. The coexistence of touristic activities and extensive livestock farming systems has to be associated with a better promotion of mountain products like Toma di Lanzo to improve the sustainability of mountain regions.
Rebecca Montrasio; Silvana Mattiello; Martina Zucaro; Dino Genovese; Luca Battaglini. The Perception of Ecosystem Services of Mountain Farming and of a Local Cheese: An Analysis for the Touristic Valorization of an Inner Alpine Area. Sustainability 2020, 12, 8017 .
AMA StyleRebecca Montrasio, Silvana Mattiello, Martina Zucaro, Dino Genovese, Luca Battaglini. The Perception of Ecosystem Services of Mountain Farming and of a Local Cheese: An Analysis for the Touristic Valorization of an Inner Alpine Area. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (19):8017.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRebecca Montrasio; Silvana Mattiello; Martina Zucaro; Dino Genovese; Luca Battaglini. 2020. "The Perception of Ecosystem Services of Mountain Farming and of a Local Cheese: An Analysis for the Touristic Valorization of an Inner Alpine Area." Sustainability 12, no. 19: 8017.
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.
This study aimed (i) to assess the relative weight of different predicting variables, related to site and grassland characteristics, in determining the fatty acid (FA) composition of permanent grasslands and (ii) to verify if and at which extent the same variables have a significant predicting role for the FA composition of the derived bulk cow milk. Available data collected from 2003 to 2016 by three European research institutions were used. A dataset (n = 144) was built up including: (i) the proximate and FA compositions of herbage, (ii) site altitude and climatic conditions, (iii) grasslands botanical composition (main family groups), herbage phenology and growing cycle, (iv) herd characteristics and (v) milk gross and FA compositions. Prediction models for herbage FA profile were highly reliable (R2 adjusted ≥ 0.80) for C18:3 n3, total monounsaturated FA and total polyunsaturated FA (Σ PUFA). Reliable predictions (R2 adjusted ≥ 0.60) were obtained for the other main herbage FA. The relative predicting weight was higher for phenology and proximate composition than for botanical composition. Among proximate composition variables, dry matter showed the highest relative weight in determining the majority of the predicting models. Prediction models for milk FA profile were reliable (R2 adjusted ≥ 0.60) for Σ de novo FA, C16:0, C18:3 n3, total even-chain saturated FA (Σ ECFA), Σ PUFA and the C18:1 c9/C16:0 ratio, while they were moderately reliable (R2 adjusted ≥ 0.50) for C18:1 t10+t11, C18:2 n6, C18:2 c9t11 and the C18:2 n6/C18:3 n3 ratio. Diet composition, site altitude and grazed grassland features concurred to predict milk FA. Fresh herbage proportion in the diet played a relevant role in determining the milk proportion of several FA. Phenology was the main driver for the C18:2 c9t11 and Σ PUFA proportions, negatively affecting them. Herbage phenology fitted milk FA better than proximate and botanical compositions.
Manuela Renna; Anne Ferlay; Carola Lussiana; Didier Bany; Benoit Graulet; Ueli Wyss; Simone Ravetto Enri; Luca Maria Battaglini; Mauro Coppa. Relative hierarchy of farming practices affecting the fatty acid composition of permanent grasslands and of the derived bulk milk. Animal Feed Science and Technology 2020, 267, 114561 .
AMA StyleManuela Renna, Anne Ferlay, Carola Lussiana, Didier Bany, Benoit Graulet, Ueli Wyss, Simone Ravetto Enri, Luca Maria Battaglini, Mauro Coppa. Relative hierarchy of farming practices affecting the fatty acid composition of permanent grasslands and of the derived bulk milk. Animal Feed Science and Technology. 2020; 267 ():114561.
Chicago/Turabian StyleManuela Renna; Anne Ferlay; Carola Lussiana; Didier Bany; Benoit Graulet; Ueli Wyss; Simone Ravetto Enri; Luca Maria Battaglini; Mauro Coppa. 2020. "Relative hierarchy of farming practices affecting the fatty acid composition of permanent grasslands and of the derived bulk milk." Animal Feed Science and Technology 267, no. : 114561.
In the last 50 years, the diversity of cattle breeds has experienced a severe contraction. However, in spite of the growing diffusion of cosmopolite specialized breeds, several local cattle breeds are still farmed in Italy. Genetic characterization of breeds represents an essential step to guide decisions in the management of farm animal genetic resources. The aim of this work was to provide a high-resolution representation of the genome-wide diversity and population structure of Italian local cattle breeds using a medium-density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array. After quality control filtering, the dataset included 31,013 SNPs for 800 samples from 32 breeds. Our results on the genetic diversity of these breeds agree largely with their recorded history. We observed a low level of genetic diversity, which together with the small size of the effective populations, confirmed that several breeds are threatened with extinction. According to the analysis of runs of homozygosity, evidence of recent inbreeding was strong in some local breeds, such as Garfagnina, Mucca Pisana and Pontremolese. Patterns of genetic differentiation, shared ancestry, admixture events, and the phylogenetic tree, all suggest the presence of gene flow, in particular among breeds that originate from the same geographical area, such as the Sicilian breeds. In spite of the complex admixture events that most Italian cattle breeds have experienced, they have preserved distinctive characteristics and can be clearly discriminated, which is probably due to differences in genetic origin, environment, genetic isolation and inbreeding. This study is the first exhaustive genome-wide analysis of the diversity of Italian cattle breeds. The results are of significant importance because they will help design and implement conservation strategies. Indeed, efforts to maintain genetic diversity in these breeds are needed. Improvement of systems to record and monitor inbreeding in these breeds may contribute to their in situ conservation and, in view of this, the availability of genomic data is a fundamental resource.
Salvatore Mastrangelo; Elena Ciani; Paolo Ajmone Marsan; Alessandro Bagnato; Luca Battaglini; Riccardo Bozzi; Antonello Carta; Gennaro Catillo; Martino Cassandro; Sara Casu; Roberta Ciampolini; Paola Crepaldi; Mariasilvia D’Andrea; Rosalia Di Gerlando; Luca Fontanesi; Maria Longeri; Nicolò P. Macciotta; Roberto Mantovani; Donata Marletta; Donato Matassino; Marcello Mele; Giulio Pagnacco; Camillo Pieramati; Baldassare Portolano; Francesca M. Sarti; Marco Tolone; Fabio Pilla. Conservation status and historical relatedness of Italian cattle breeds. Genetics Selection Evolution 2018, 50, 1 -16.
AMA StyleSalvatore Mastrangelo, Elena Ciani, Paolo Ajmone Marsan, Alessandro Bagnato, Luca Battaglini, Riccardo Bozzi, Antonello Carta, Gennaro Catillo, Martino Cassandro, Sara Casu, Roberta Ciampolini, Paola Crepaldi, Mariasilvia D’Andrea, Rosalia Di Gerlando, Luca Fontanesi, Maria Longeri, Nicolò P. Macciotta, Roberto Mantovani, Donata Marletta, Donato Matassino, Marcello Mele, Giulio Pagnacco, Camillo Pieramati, Baldassare Portolano, Francesca M. Sarti, Marco Tolone, Fabio Pilla. Conservation status and historical relatedness of Italian cattle breeds. Genetics Selection Evolution. 2018; 50 (1):1-16.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSalvatore Mastrangelo; Elena Ciani; Paolo Ajmone Marsan; Alessandro Bagnato; Luca Battaglini; Riccardo Bozzi; Antonello Carta; Gennaro Catillo; Martino Cassandro; Sara Casu; Roberta Ciampolini; Paola Crepaldi; Mariasilvia D’Andrea; Rosalia Di Gerlando; Luca Fontanesi; Maria Longeri; Nicolò P. Macciotta; Roberto Mantovani; Donata Marletta; Donato Matassino; Marcello Mele; Giulio Pagnacco; Camillo Pieramati; Baldassare Portolano; Francesca M. Sarti; Marco Tolone; Fabio Pilla. 2018. "Conservation status and historical relatedness of Italian cattle breeds." Genetics Selection Evolution 50, no. 1: 1-16.
European Mediterranean mountain regions have been characterized by a sort of competition between the tourism sector and the agro-silvo-pastoral system, which in recent years has contributed to generate a continuous decline of the second one. Nevertheless, Pasture-based Livestock Farming Systems (PLSFS) are relevant for their role in the management and conservation of large High Nature Value (HNV) farmlands in Europe. The goal of our research is therefore to analyze what are the main features of farming organizations in the Italian alpine mountains and how they may be combined into inovative and sustainable business models (BM), characterized by the coexistence of agro-silvo-pastoral and touristic activities. By drawing upon the BM definition suggested by the Bocken’s et al. (2014), an exploratory case study has been analyzed; in particular, we propose the case study of the Lanzo Valleys, an alpine mountain region in the northwest of Italy, and the Toma di Lanzo Producers Association. The way a concrete and sustainable innovation in the more traditional BM could be supported only by the proactive intervention of a supra-farm dimension, while maintaining the peculiarities of the individual farms, is clearly shown in the article. A system of firms and institutions linked together in a collaborative relationship may represent a strong network, able to achieve the common goal of producing a sustainable development for the territory. Indeed, environment and cultural heritage may be preserved, as well as the economic perspective of farms reinforced, while the PLSFS could become more attractive for the tourism phenomenon. Interesting implications for farmers, policy makers and local institutions are identified.
Dino Genovese; Francesca Culasso; Elisa Giacosa; Luca Maria Battaglini. Can Livestock Farming and Tourism Coexist in Mountain Regions? A New Business Model for Sustainability. Sustainability 2017, 9, 2021 .
AMA StyleDino Genovese, Francesca Culasso, Elisa Giacosa, Luca Maria Battaglini. Can Livestock Farming and Tourism Coexist in Mountain Regions? A New Business Model for Sustainability. Sustainability. 2017; 9 (11):2021.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDino Genovese; Francesca Culasso; Elisa Giacosa; Luca Maria Battaglini. 2017. "Can Livestock Farming and Tourism Coexist in Mountain Regions? A New Business Model for Sustainability." Sustainability 9, no. 11: 2021.
G. Iussig; M. Renna; A. Gorlier; M. Lonati; C. Lussiana; L.M. Battaglini; G. Lombardi. Browsing ratio, species intake, and milk fatty acid composition of goats foraging on alpine open grassland and grazable forestland. Small Ruminant Research 2015, 132, 12 -24.
AMA StyleG. Iussig, M. Renna, A. Gorlier, M. Lonati, C. Lussiana, L.M. Battaglini, G. Lombardi. Browsing ratio, species intake, and milk fatty acid composition of goats foraging on alpine open grassland and grazable forestland. Small Ruminant Research. 2015; 132 ():12-24.
Chicago/Turabian StyleG. Iussig; M. Renna; A. Gorlier; M. Lonati; C. Lussiana; L.M. Battaglini; G. Lombardi. 2015. "Browsing ratio, species intake, and milk fatty acid composition of goats foraging on alpine open grassland and grazable forestland." Small Ruminant Research 132, no. : 12-24.
Effect of breed and nutrition on milk quality of sheep
R. Fortina; A. Ighina; P. Guaraldo; A. Mimosi; C. Lussiana; L. M. Battaglini. Effect of breed and nutrition on milk quality of sheep. Italian Journal of Animal Science 2010, 6, 554 .
AMA StyleR. Fortina, A. Ighina, P. Guaraldo, A. Mimosi, C. Lussiana, L. M. Battaglini. Effect of breed and nutrition on milk quality of sheep. Italian Journal of Animal Science. 2010; 6 (1s):554.
Chicago/Turabian StyleR. Fortina; A. Ighina; P. Guaraldo; A. Mimosi; C. Lussiana; L. M. Battaglini. 2010. "Effect of breed and nutrition on milk quality of sheep." Italian Journal of Animal Science 6, no. 1s: 554.
A study was undertaken to investigate the effects of farming systems (organic vs. conventional), diet (hay/concentrate vs. pasture) and their interaction on milk yield, gross composition and fatty acid (FA) profile of dairy cows bred in mountainous areas. For this purpose four dairy farms (two organic and two conventional) were chosen in the alpine territory of Aosta Valley (NW Italy); individual milk yield was recorded daily and bulk milk samples were collected monthly from February to September 2007 to cover dietary variations. Higher levels of milk production (P<0.05) and lower milk protein amounts (P<0.01) were observed in the organic farms with respect to the conventional ones, while no significant differences were noticed in milk fat and lactose contents and in somatic cell count. Concerning fatty acids, only small differences were detected between organic and conventional milk and such differences seemed to be related mainly to the stabled period. Diet affected almost all variables studied: pasture feeding provided a significant improvement in the fatty acid composition in both organic and conventional systems leading to lower hypercholesterolemic saturated fatty acids, higher mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid amounts (P<0.001).
Luca Maria Battaglini; Manuela Renna; Alex Garda; Carola Lussiana; Vanda Malfatto; Antonio Mimosi; Marcello Bianchi. Comparing milk yield, chemical properties and somatic cell count from organic and conventional mountain farming systems. Italian Journal of Animal Science 2009, 8, 384 -386.
AMA StyleLuca Maria Battaglini, Manuela Renna, Alex Garda, Carola Lussiana, Vanda Malfatto, Antonio Mimosi, Marcello Bianchi. Comparing milk yield, chemical properties and somatic cell count from organic and conventional mountain farming systems. Italian Journal of Animal Science. 2009; 8 (sup2):384-386.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLuca Maria Battaglini; Manuela Renna; Alex Garda; Carola Lussiana; Vanda Malfatto; Antonio Mimosi; Marcello Bianchi. 2009. "Comparing milk yield, chemical properties and somatic cell count from organic and conventional mountain farming systems." Italian Journal of Animal Science 8, no. sup2: 384-386.