I rivestimenti parietali delle terme romane di Albintimilium

Atti del 22° Colloquio dell'Associazione italiana per lo studio e la conservazione del mosaico (Matera, 16-19 marzo 2016

Keep Garfagnina alive. An integrated study on patterns of homozygosity, genomic inbreeding, admixture and breed traceability of the Italian Garfagnina goat breed

The objective of this study was to investigate the genetic diversity of the Garfagnina (GRF) goat, a breed that currently risks extinction. For this purpose, 48 goats were genotyped with the Illumina CaprineSNP50 BeadChip and analyzed together with 214 goats belonging to 9 other Italian breeds (~25 goats/breed), whose genotypes were available from the AdaptMap project [Argentata (ARG), Bionda dell'Adamello (BIO), Ciociara Grigia (CCG), Di Teramo (DIT), Garganica (GAR), Girgentana (GGT), Orobica (ORO), Valdostana (VAL) and Valpassiria (VSS)]. Comparative analyses were conducted on i) runs of homozygosity (ROH), ii) admixture ancestries and iii) the accuracy of breed traceability via discriminant analysis on principal components (DAPC) based on cross-validation. ROH analyses was used to assess the genetic diversity of GRF, while admixture and DAPC to evaluate its relationship to the other breeds. For GRF, common ROH (more than 45% in GRF samples) was detected on CHR 12 at, roughly 50.25-50.94Mbp (ARS1 assembly), which spans the CENPJ (centromere protein) and IL17D (interleukin 17D) genes. The same area of common ROH was also present in DIT, while a broader region (~49.25-51.94Mbp) was shared among the ARG, CCG, and GGT. Admixture analysis revealed a small region of common ancestry from GRF shared by BIO, VSS, ARG and CCG breeds. The DAPC model yielded 100% assignment success for GRF. Overall, our results support the identification of GRF as a distinct native Italian goat breed. This work can contribute to planning conservation programmes to save GRF from extinction and will improve the understanding of the socio-agro-economic factors related with the farming of GRF

Effects of Protein Restriction on Performances and Meat Quality of Cinta Senese Pig Reared in an Organic System

In lean genotypes, protein restriction during growing increases intramuscular fat content without affecting the overall carcass fatness. The present study aims to assess the feasibility of applying this feeding management on an obese pig, the Cinta Senese, since obese genotypes are characterized by great lipogenic potential often leading to excessively high backfat deposits. Twenty pigs of average weight 38 kg, were divided in two groups, the first group was fed a protein restricted diet (9% of crude protein), while the second one a normal diet (13.5% of crude protein). During finishing, both groups were fed the same diet (10% of crude protein). Average daily gain, protein conversion index, backfat thickness, carcass weight, and prime cuts were determined. A loin sample joint was dissected in intermuscular fat, bone, subcutaneous fat, longissimus lumborum, and psoas major. On longissimus lumborum, physical and chemical analysis was carried out. The fatty acid profile of longissimus lumborum and loin subcutaneous fat were determined. Data were analyzed by analysis of variance. Protein conversion index resulted lower in the restricted group, while backfat was slightly greater. Meat quality traits were not affected by feeding management. Slightly modifications in subcutaneous outer layer fatty acids profile were observed. The protein restriction during growing did not seem a suitable mode of feeding management for Cinta Senese pigs

Population Structure and Genetic Diversity of Italian Beef Breeds as a Tool for Planning Conservation and Selection Strategies

The aim was to investigate the population structure of eight beef breeds: three local Tuscan breeds under extinction, Calvana (CAL), Mucca Pisana (MUP), and Pontremolese (PON); three local unselected breeds reared in Sardinia, Sarda (SAR), Sardo Bruna (SAB), and Sardo Modicana (SAM); and two cosmopolitan breeds, Charolais (CHA) and Limousine (LIM), reared in the same regions. An effective population size ranges between 14.62 (PON) to 39.79 (SAM) in local breeds, 90.29 for CHA, and 135.65 for LIM. The average inbreeding coefficients were higher in Tuscan breeds (7.25%, 5.10%, and 3.64% for MUP, CAL, and PON, respectively) compared to the Sardinian breeds (1.23%, 1.66%, and 1.90% in SAB, SAM, and SAR, respectively), while for CHA and LIM they were <1%. The highest rates of mating between half-siblings were observed for CAL and MUP (~9% and 6.5%, respectively), while the highest rate of parent–offspring mating was ~8% for MUP. Our findings describe the urgent situation of the three Tuscan breeds and support the application of conservation measures and/or the development of breeding programs. Development of breeding strategies is suggested for the Sardinian breeds