Prediction of dry-cured ham weight loss and prospects of use in a pig breeding program

Large ham weight losses (WL) in dry-curing are undesired as they lead to a loss of marketable product and penalise the quality of the dry-cured ham. The availability of early predictions of WL may ease the adaptation of the dry-curing process to the characteristics of the thighs and increase the effectiveness of selective breeding in enhancing WL. Aims of this study were (i) to develop Bayesian and Random Forests (RFs) regression models for the prediction of ham WL during dry-curing using on-site infrared spectra of raw ham subcutaneous fat, carcass and raw ham traits as predictors and (ii) to estimate genetic parameters for WL and their predictions (P-WL). Visible-near infrared spectra were collected on the transversal section of the subcutaneous fat of raw hams. Carcass traits were carcass weight, carcass backfat depth, lean meat content and weight of raw hams. Raw ham traits included measures of ham subcutaneous fat depth and linear scores for round shape, subcutaneous fat thickness and marbling of the visible muscles of the thigh. Measures of WL were available for 1672 hams. The best prediction accuracies were those of a Bayesian regression model including the average spectrum, carcass and raw ham traits, with R2 values in validation of 0.46, 0.55 and 0.62, for WL at end of salting (23 days), resting (90 days) and curing (12 months), respectively. When WL at salting was used as an additional predictor of total WL, the R2 in validation was 0.67. Bayesian regressions were more accurate than RFs models in predicting all the investigated traits. Restricted maximum likelihood (REML) estimates of genetic parameters for WL and P-WL at the end of curing were estimated through a bivariate animal model including 1672 measures of WL and 8819 P-WL records. Results evidenced that the traits are heritable (h2 ± SE was 0.27 ± 0.04 for WL and 0.39 ± 0.04 for P-WL), and the additive genetic correlation is positive and high (ra = 0.88 ± 0.03). Prediction accuracy of ham WL is high enough to envisage a future use of prediction models in identifying batches of hams requiring an adaptation of the processing conditions to optimise results of the manufacturing process. The positive and high genetic correlation detected between WL and P-WL at the end of dry-curing, as well as the estimated heritability for P-WL, suggests that P-WL can be successfully used as an indicator trait of the measured WL in pig breeding programs

PASSIOMA: Exploring Expressed Sequence Tags during Flower Development in Passiflora spp.

The genus Passiflora provides a remarkable example of floral complexity and diversity. The extreme variation of Passiflora flower morphologies allowed a wide range of interactions with pollinators to evolve. We used the analysis of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) as an approach for the characterization of genes expressed during Passiflora reproductive development. Analyzing the Passiflora floral EST database (named PASSIOMA), we found sequences showing significant sequence similarity to genes known to be involved in reproductive development such as MADS-box genes. Some of these sequences were studied using RT-PCR and in situ hybridization confirming their expression during Passiflora flower development. The detection of these novel sequences can contribute to the development of EST-based markers for important agronomic traits as well as to the establishment of genomic tools to study the naturally occurring floral diversity among Passiflora species

Hybrid Kinematic-Dynamic Sideslip and Friction Estimation

Vehicle sideslip and tyre/road friction are crucial variables for advanced vehicle stability control systems. Estimation is required since direct measurement through sensors is costly and unreliable. In this paper, we develop and validate a sideslip estimator robust to unknown road grip conditions. Particularly, the paper addresses the problem of rapid tyre/road friction adaptation when sudden road condition variations happen. The algorithm is based on a hybrid kinematic-dynamic closed-loop observer augmented with a tyre/road friction classifier that reinitializes the states of the estimator when a change of friction is detected. Extensive experiments on a four wheel drive electric vehicle carried out on different roads quantitatively validate the approach. The architecture guarantees accurate estimation on dry and wet asphalt and snow terrain with a maximum sideslip estimation error lower than 1.5 deg. The classifier correctly recognizes 87% of the friction changes; wrongly classifies 2% of the friction changes while it is unable to detect the change in 11% of the cases. The missed detections are due to the fact that the algorithm requires a certain level of vehicle excitation to detect a change of friction. The average classification time is 1.6 s. The tests also indicate the advantages of the friction classifiers on the sideslip estimation error

An integrated genomic approach for the study of mandibular prognathism in the European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax)

Skeletal anomalies in farmed fish are a relevant issue affecting animal welfare and health and causing significant economic losses. Here, a high-density genetic map of European seabass for QTL mapping of jaw deformity was constructed and a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was carried out on a total of 298 juveniles, 148 of which belonged to four full-sib families. Out of 298 fish, 107 were affected by mandibular prognathism (MP). Three significant QTLs and two candidate SNPs associated with MP were identified. The two GWAS candidate markers were located on ChrX and Chr17, both in close proximity with the peaks of the two most significant QTLs. Notably, the SNP marker on Chr17 was positioned within the Sobp gene coding region, which plays a pivotal role in craniofacial development. The analysis of differentially expressed genes in jaw-deformed animals highlighted the "nervous system development" as a crucial pathway in MP. In particular, Zic2, a key gene for craniofacial morphogenesis in model species, was significantly down-regulated in MP-affected animals. Gene expression data revealed also a significant down-regulation of Sobp in deformed larvae. Our analyses, integrating transcriptomic and GWA methods, provide evidence for putative mechanisms underlying seabass jaw deformity

Exploring the role of auxin in the androgynophore movement in passiflora

The flowers of the species belonging to the genus Passiflora show a range of features that are thought to have arisen as adaptations to different pollinators. Some Passiflora species belonging to the subgenus Decaloba sect. Xerogona, show touch-sensitive motile androgynophores. We tested the role of auxin polar transport in the modulation of the androgynophore movement by applying auxin (IAA) or an inhibitor of auxin polar transport (NPA) in the flowers. We recorded the movement of the androgynophore during mechano-stimulation and analyzed the duration, speed, and the angle formed by the androgynophore before and after the movement, and found that both IAA and NPA increase the amplitude of the movement in P. sanguinolenta. We hypothesize that auxin might have a role in modulating the fitness of these Decaloba species to different pollination syndromes and demonstrate that an interspecific hybrid between insect- and hummingbird-pollinated Xerogona species present a heterosis effect on the speed of the androgynophore383301307CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQCOORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL DE NÍVEL SUPERIOR - CAPESFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPES

A Genomic Approach to Study Anthocyanin Synthesis and Flower Pigmentation in Passionflowers

Most of the plant pigments ranging from red to purple colors belong to the anthocyanin group of flavonoids. The flowers of plants belonging to the genus Passiflora (passionflowers) show a wide range of floral adaptations to diverse pollinating agents, including variation in the pigmentation of floral parts ranging from white to red and purple colors. Exploring a database of expressed sequence tags obtained from flower buds of two divergent Passiflora species, we obtained assembled sequences potentially corresponding to 15 different genes of the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway in these species. The obtained sequences code for putative enzymes are involved in the production of flavonoid precursors, as well as those involved in the formation of particular (“decorated”) anthocyanin molecules. We also obtained sequences encoding regulatory factors that control the expression of structural genes and regulate the spatial and temporal accumulation of pigments. The identification of some of the putative Passiflora anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway genes provides novel resources for research on secondary metabolism in passionflowers, especially on the elucidation of the processes involved in floral pigmentation, which will allow future studies on the role of pigmentation in pollinator preferences in a molecular level

Genetic relationships between weight gain and feeding behaviour of ad libitum-fed pigs and weight gain of heavy pigs under restricted feeding

Pig breeding in Italy aims to obtain heavy pigs for production of typical cured end products. Detailed guidelines related to animals, weight, age, feeding regime, carcass and fresh ham traits impose constraints on this type of production

Health disorders and their association with production and functional traits in Holstein Friesian cows

Logistic regression models were used for studying the relationships between milk yield, body condition score (BCS), somatic cell score and some disorders of periparturient cows (mammary edema and retained placenta) with the occur- rence of ovarian cysts, clinical mastitis and lameness. Data from milk recording (milk yield and somatic cell content) col- lected at nearly monthly intervals (time period: 35 ± 3 d) were merged with BCS recorded on the same dates of milk recording on periparturient heifers, lactating and dry cows, and with health disorders data (retained placenta, severe mammary edema, ovarian cysts and clinical mastitis and lameness) collected during regular herd activities over nearly 3.5 years. Data were from one commercial herd consisting of over 200 lactating dairy cows and exhibiting an average 305-d milk yield of nearly 10,000 kg. A total of 5,315 records from 728 lactations and 429 cows were used in the analy- ses. The time period incidence rate was 11.9%, 6.6% and 4.6% for ovarian cysts, lameness and mastitis, respectively, and the lactational incidence rate was 44.1%, 33.4% and 28.1% for ovarian cysts, lameness and mastitis, respectively. Occurrence of both ovarian cysts and mastitis was more common in the early lactation than afterwards, whereas lame- ness tended to occurr erratically during lactation. The risk of occurrence of mastitis and lameness was lower in primi- parous when compared to multiparous cows. The increase of milk yield increased the risk of occurrence of ovarian cysts (odds ratio: 1.32, P < 0.01) and of mastitis (odds ratio: 1.12, P < 0.10), whereas no significant relationship was found between milk yield and lameness. An increase of somatic cell score was found to be a risk factor for mastitis (odds ratio: 1.36, P<0.01) and for the occurrence of lameness (odds ratio: 1.06, P<0.05). The occurrence of relative risk of disor- ders was not related to BCS at calving, and monthly variation of BCS was related to the onset of mastitis only. Retained placenta did not appear to present a risk factor for the occurrence of diseases of concern, whereas the presence of severe mammary edema at calving increased the risk of mastitis occurrence by nearly 50%. Regular recording of herd health data seems advisable for a better understanding of the relationships between production and functional traits and the occurrence of health disorders

Survival analysis of piglet pre-weaning mortality

Survival analysis methodology was applied in order to analyse sources of variation of preweaning survival time and to estimate variance components using data from a crossbred piglets population. A frailty sire model was used with the litter effect treated as an additional random source of variation. All the variables considered had a significant effect on survivability: sex, cross-fostering, parity of the nurse-sow and litter size. The variance estimates of sire and litter were closed to 0.08 and 2 respectively and the heritability of pre-weaning survival was 0.03

On-site visible-near IR prediction of iodine number and fatty acid composition of subcutaneous fat of raw hams as phenotypes for a heavy pig breeding program.

Abstract The quality of subcutaneous fat of raw hams is a trait of interest in selective breeding programs for pig lines used in dry-cured ham production, and rapid, non-invasive methods for its assessment are available. However, the efficacy of such methods to provide indicator traits for breeding programs needs to be proven. The study investigated the accuracy of on-site visible–near IR spectroscopy predictions of iodine number and fatty acid (FA) composition of raw ham subcutaneous fat, and it evaluated their effectiveness as indicator traits of ham fat quality in a pig breeding program. Prediction equations were developed using visible–near IR spectra acquired at the slaughterhouse from five sites in subcutaneous fat of raw hams of 1025 crossbred pigs. Pigs were raised, under standardized rearing and feeding conditions, in the sib-testing program of the Goland C21 boar line and slaughtered at nine months of age and average body weight of 166 ± 15 kg. Accuracy was generally relatively poor, but R2 in external validation was > 0.7 for iodine number and concentration of C18:2n-6, polyunsaturated FAs and omega-6 FAs. To assess the effectiveness of the on-site predictions as indicator traits in a breeding program, (co)variance components of the measured traits (OBS) and of their predictions using in-lab (in-lab-PR) or on-site (on-site-PR) spectrometers were estimated. Available records for OBS were 6814 and 2048, for iodine number and FA composition, respectively. Predictions using in-lab were available for pigs slaughtered between 2006 and 2014, for a total of 10 153 records. Predictions using on-site were obtained from spectra collected since 2011, for a total of 10 296 records. The estimated heritabilities for the investigated traits ranged from 0.34 to 0.50 and were greater for on-site-PR than for OBS. Genetic correlations between OBS and in-lab-PR were very close to 1.00 for all the investigated traits, whereas those between OBS and on-site-PRED ranged from 0.86 to 0.94. On-site visible-IR predictions are accurate enough to support the use of this technique for large-scale phenotyping of raw ham fat quality, even when dealing with animals of a single genetic line raised in standardized conditions, and may be implemented as indicator traits in breeding programs