Abstract Body reserves (BR) mobilization (BRM) and accretion (BRA) are crucial biological processes in ruminants that help them manage negative energy balance adapt to changing environments. The BR dynamics (BRD) is affected by the interplay of key factors such as farming system (FS) characteristics, physiological stage (PhySt), parity (Par) or cohort (Coh) ewes, well litter size (LSi) at lambing during suckling. This study aimed evaluate effects contrasting FS (intensive, indoor (IND) vs....

Current trends in sheep farming practices rely on animals with a greater level of behavioral autonomy than before, phenotype that actively contributes to the sustainability animal production. Social reactivity and humans are relevant traits sheep, known for their strong gregariousness weak tolerance handling, which have previously been reported moderate high heritabilities. To identify loci underlying such behaviors, we performed genome study Romane lambs. The experiment was carried out 934...

Sterol regulatory element binding protein-1 and -2 (SREBP-1 -2) are key transcription factors involved in the biosynthesis of cholesterol fatty adds. The SREBP have mainly been studied rodents which lipogenesis is regulated both liver adipose tissue. There is, however, a paucity information on birds, occurs essentially as humans. As prelude to investigation role lipid metabolism regulation chicken, we sequenced cDNA, encoding mature nuclear form chicken SREBP-2 protein, mapped SREBP-1 genes...

Liver X receptor α (LXRα), also referred to as nuclear subfamily 1, group H, member 3 is a of the hormone superfamily, and has recently been shown act master transcription factor governing hepatic lipogenesis in mammals. directly regulates both expression other lipogenic factors enzymes, thereby enhancing fatty acid synthesis (FASN). In birds, like humans, primarily occurs liver. Whether LXRα involved regulation genes remained be investigated this species. Here we show that synthase (sterol...

The main limitation for determining feed efficiency of freely grazing ruminants is measurement daily individual intake. This paper describes an investigation that assessed a method estimating intake forage based on changes in BW ewes. A total 24 dry and non-pregnant Romane ewes (12 hoggets, HOG; mean±SD 51.8±2.8 kg BW; body condition score (BCS) 2.6±0.2; 12 adults, ADU; 60.4±8.5 BCS 2.7±0.8) were selected the study moved from their rangeland system to confined pen with controlled conditions...

Animal robustness may be defined as a complex trait characterizing the ability of an individual to adapted, productive and healthy under contrasted fluctuating environmental situations. Such is now considered essential criterion in order meet more ambitious goals farming sustainability. In ruminants, one key mechanisms via which expressed capacity mobilize or restore body reserves (BR) cope with challenges negative energy balances. The objectives this work were follows: 1) estimate genetic...

Breeding for resilience requires a better understanding of intra-flock variability and the related mechanisms responsible robustness traits. Among such traits, animals' ability to cope with feed fluctuations by mobilizing or restoring body reserves (BR) is key mechanism in ruminants. The objective this work was characterize individual BR dynamics productive Romane ewes reared extensive conditions. profiles were characterized combining longitudinal measurements BW condition scores (BCS) over...

In sheep, social reactivity and to humans are relevant behavioral responses that used investigate the adaptation of farm animals various rearing conditions. Such traits were previously reported as heritable associated with several QTLs. However, few behavior-related genotype by environment (G × E) interactions have been date. The experiment was performed on 2,989 male female lambs issued from 30 sires. Every sire had progeny reared under both intensive extensive After weaning, all...

In animal production, behavioral selection is becoming increasingly important to improvethe docility of livestock. Several traits, including motion, are experimentally recorded in orderto characterize the reactivity animals and investigate its genetic determinism. Behavioral analysesare often time consuming because large numbers have be compared. For this reason,automatization needed develop high throughput data recording efficient phenotyping. Herewe introduce a new method monitor position...

Abstract In livestock, improving maternal reactivity towards the litter is an important issue in breeding strategies to promote production and animal welfare. As of yet, no studies have investigated within‐breed genetic variation sheep. The objective this study was estimate parameters traits. A total 1,095 primiparous 1,441 multiparous Romane ewes were phenotyped 24 hr postlambing using a behavioural test (arena test, AT) over 10‐year experimental period. consisted three successive phases...

The aims of this study were to investigate the existence a circadian rhythm basal corticosterone (B) plasma concentrations in male and female Japanese quail lines divergently selected for long (LTI) or short (STI) duration tonic immobility (TI) possible effects photoperiod length on corticotropic axis reactivity. Significant peaks B levels observed throughout day 3 out 4 groups used our experiments. However, remained very low all (< 5.0 ng/mL) there was no consensus between groups. We...

Among the adaptive capacities of animals, management energetic body reserves (BR) through BR mobilization and accretion processes (BR dynamics, BRD) has become an increasingly valuable attribute for livestock sustainability, allowing animals to cope with more variable environments. BRD previously been reported be heritable in ruminants. In present work, we conducted genome-wide studies (GWAS) sheep determine genetic variants associated BRD. (i.e. levels) changes over time) were obtained...

Abstract The main objective of this work was to study the relationships between body reserve (BR) dynamics and rearing performance (PERF) traits in ewes from a Romane meat sheep flock managed extensively on “Causse” rangelands south France. Flock records were used generate data sets covering 14 lambing years (YR). set included 1,146 with 2 ages first (AGE), 3 parities (PAR), 4 litter sizes (LS). Repeated measurements BW BCS as indicators BR. ewe PERF recorded indirect for maternal abilities...

In situations of negative energy balance (NEB) due to feed scarcity or high physiological demands, body reserves (BRs), mainly stored in adipose tissues, become the main sources for ruminants. The capacity mobilise and restore such BRs response different challenges is major concern current context breeding resilience. Body condition score (BCS) a common, practical indicator BR variations throughout successive productive cycles, quantitative tools characterising dynamics at individual level...

The automated quantification of the behaviour freely moving animals is increasingly needed in applied ethology. State-of-the-art approaches often require tags to identify animals, high computational power for data collection and processing, are sensitive environmental conditions, which limits their large-scale utilization, instance genetic selection programs animal breeding. Here we introduce a new tracking system based on millimetre-wave radars real time robust precision monitoring untagged...

Gentle handling seems to elicit positive states in sheep. The study investigated whether spatial distance alters sheep responses brushing and is influenced by reactivity. Twenty Romane ewes were assessed three sessions: Sessions 1 3, one grid separated the test animal from pen mates, with no between them, Session 2 two grids mates a of about 1.7 m. Ewes had been genetically selected for low (R-) or high (R+) behavioural reactivity social isolation. Body postures, head orientation, ear closed...