Genetic and metabolic aspects of androstenone and skatole deposition in pig adipose tissue: A review

High levels of androstenone and skatole in fat tissues are considered the primary causes of boar taint, an unpleasant odour and flavour of the meat from non-castrated male pigs. The aim of this article is to review our current knowledge of the biology and genetic control of the accumulation of androstenone and skatole in fat tissue. Two QTL mapping studies have shown the complexity of the genetic control of these traits. During the last ten years, several authors have taken a more physiological approach to investigate the involvement of genes controlling the metabolism of androstenone and skatole. Although some authors have claimed the identification of candidate genes, it is more appropriate to talk about target genes. This suggests that genes affecting androstenone and skatole levels will have to be sought for among specific or non-specific transcription factors interacting with these target gene

Genetic and metabolic aspects of androstenone and skatole deposition in pig adipose tissue: A review (Open Access publication)

High levels of androstenone and skatole in fat tissues are considered the primary causes of boar taint, an unpleasant odour and flavour of the meat from non-castrated male pigs. The aim of this article is to review our current knowledge of the biology and genetic control of the accumulation of androstenone and skatole in fat tissue. Two QTL mapping studies have shown the complexity of the genetic control of these traits. During the last ten years, several authors have taken a more physiological approach to investigate the involvement of genes controlling the metabolism of androstenone and skatole. Although some authors have claimed the identification of candidate genes, it is more appropriate to talk about target genes. This suggests that genes affecting androstenone and skatole levels will have to be sought for among specific or non-specific transcription factors interacting with these target genes

Potential gain from including major gene information in breeding value estimation

Two indexes were compared for the selection of a quantitative trait in the case of a mixed inheritance. The first index did not consider the major genotype information (standard method) whereas the second index took this information into account (modified method). Two types of selection scheme were considered: individual selection and selection based on a progeny test. The model for the estimation of genetic progress and evolution of allele frequencies takes overlapping generations into account. All of the effects studied suggested a large number of interactions. However, it can be concluded that information about the major gene should be put into the selection indexes when the heritability is low, the major gene effect high and its initial frequency small, in particular for a recessive major gene. The selection pressure has little influence on the results. In the short term, the modified method is of more value in the case of individual selection than in the case of selection based on a progeny test. On the whole, the extra genetic gain of the modified method is limited and considering the major genotypes in the selection indexes without any change of the selection scheme is probably not the best way to use this information.Le but de l’étude est de comparer l’application de deux indices dans le cas d’une sélection sur un caractère quantitatif soumis à l’effet d’un gène majeur. Dans le premier cas, l’indice ne prend pas en compte l’information sur le génotype au locus majeur (méthode standard) alors que le deuxième indice prend en compte cette information (méthode modifiée). Deux types de schémas sont considérés : sélection individuelle et sélection sur descendance. Le calcul du progrès génétique et de l’évolution des fréquences alléliques est réalisé pas à pas en considérant des générations chevauchantes. Tous les effets étudiés sur la supériorité de la méthode modifiée sur la méthode standard suggèrent de nombreuses interactions. Cependant, il ressort que la prise en compte de l’information sur le gène majeur dans l’indexation est avantageuse dans les cas de faible héritabilité, de fort effet du gène majeur et de faible proportion initiale de l’allèle favorable surtout lorsque cet allèle est récessif. Le taux de sélection n’a que peu d’influence sur les résultats. Enfin, l’intérêt de la méthode modifiée est plus visible et plus rapide dans la sélection individuelle que dans la sélection sur descendance. Il n’en demeure pas moins qu’en dehors des conditions extrêmes précédemment citées, l’intérêt de la méthode modifiée sur la méthode standard reste pour le moins limité et la prise en compte de l’information sur les génotypes au locus majeur dans l’indice de sélection, sans modification du schéma de sélection, ne constitue sûrement pas le meilleur outil de valorisation de cette information pour la sélection

Les premières traductions françaises du Coran, (XVIIe-XIXe siècles)

Si la traduction du Coran s’est affranchie en France, dès le xviie siècle, de la controverse religieuse, il a fallu attendre le milieu du xixe siècle pour disposer, avec la version de Kazimirski, d’un texte en langue française relativement fiable. Le travail de qualité réalisé, au début du xviiie siècle, par Antoine Galland avait en effet disparu sans être publié et les premières traductions demeuraient très imparfaites, la version Du Ryer (1647) étant celle d’un pionnier et la version Savary (1783) celle d’un littérateur déiste. Ces traductions françaises, dont chacune représente un progrès par rapport à la précédente, doivent cependant être remises en perspective dans un espace européen car elles sont tributaires des versions contemporaines les plus reconnues: la version latine du Père Marracci (1698) et la version anglaise de George Sale (1734).As early as the 17th century, translating the Qur’an in France was separated from religious disputes. However, there was no dependable French translation available before Kazimirski’s in the mid-19th century: Antoine Galland’s quality work had disappeared in the early 18th century before publication, and both Du Ryer’s pioneer translation (1647) and Savary’s deist literary version remained very imperfect. This article puts all these French translations into their European space, and traces their debts to two authoritative translations, into Latin by Marraci (1698) and into English by George Sale (1734).Aunque en Francia, la traducción del Corán se ha librado, desde el siglo 17, de la controversia religiosa, fue preciso esperar hasta mediados del siglo 19 para disponer, con la versión Kasimirski, de un texto en lengua francesa bastante fiable. De hecho, el trabajo esmerado que llevó a cabo Antoine Galland a principios del siglo 17 desapareció sin ser publicado y las primeras traducciones no resultaban idóneas, siendo la versión de Du Ryer (1647) la de un pionero, y la versión de Savary (1783) la de un literato deísta. Si bien cada de estas traducciones representa un progreso respecto a la anterior, deben ponerse en perspectiva en un área europea pues son deudoras de versiones coetáneas más reconocidas: la versión latina de Marracci (1698) y la versión inglesa de George Sale (1734)

Divergent selection on 63-day body weight in the rabbit: response on growth, carcass and muscle traits

The effects of selection for growth rate on weights and qualitative carcass and muscle traits were assessed by comparing two lines selected for live body weight at 63 days of age and a cryopreserved control population raised contemporaneously with generation 5 selected rabbits. The animals were divergently selected for five generations for either a high (H line) or a low (L line) body weight, based on their BLUP breeding value. Heritability (h2) was 0.22 for 63-d body weight (N = 4754). Growth performance and quantitative carcass traits in the C group were intermediate between the H and L lines (N = 390). Perirenal fat proportion (h2 = 0.64) and dressing out percentage (h2 = 0.55) ranked in the order L < H = C (from high to low). The weight and cross-sectional area of the Semitendinosus muscle, and the mean diameter of the constitutive myofibres were reduced in the L line only (N = 140). In the Longissimus muscle (N = 180), the ultimate pH (h2 = 0.16) and the maximum shear force reached in the Warner-Braztler test (h2 = 0.57) were slightly modified by selection

Selection for reduced muscle glycolytic potential in Large White pigs I. Direct responses

International audienc

Review: Towards the agroecological management of ruminants, pigs and poultry through the development of sustainable breeding programmes. II. Breeding strategies

Agroecology uses ecological processes and local resources rather than chemical inputs to develop productive and resilient livestock and crop production systems. In this context, breeding innovations are necessary to obtain animals that are both productive and adapted to a broad range of local contexts and diversity of systems. Breeding strategies to promote agroecological systems are similar for different animal species. However, current practices differ regarding the breeding of ruminants, pigs and poultry. Ruminant breeding is still an open system where farmers continue to choose their own breeds and strategies. Conversely, pig and poultry breeding is more or less the exclusive domain of international breeding companies which supply farmers with hybrid animals. Innovations in breeding strategies must therefore be adapted to the different species. In developed countries, reorienting current breeding programmes seems to be more effective than developing programmes dedicated to agroecological systems that will struggle to be really effective because of the small size of the populations currently concerned by such systems. Particular attention needs to be paid to determining the respective usefulness of cross-breeding v. straight breeding strategies of well-adapted local breeds. While cross-breeding may offer some immediate benefits in terms of improving certain traits that enable the animals to adapt well to local environmental conditions, it may be difficult to sustain these benefits in the longer term and could also induce an important loss of genetic diversity if the initial pure-bred populations are no longer produced. As well as supporting the value of within-breed diversity, we must preserve between-breed diversity in order to maintain numerous options for adaptation to a variety of production environments and contexts. This may involve specific public policies to maintain and characterize local breeds (in terms of both phenotypes and genotypes), which could be used more effectively if they benefited from the scientific and technical resources currently available for more common breeds. Last but not least, public policies need to enable improved information concerning the genetic resources and breeding tools available for the agroecological management of livestock production systems, and facilitate its assimilation by farmers and farm technicians