In response to environmental threats, numerous indicators have been developed to assess the impact of livestock farming systems on the environment. Some of them, notably those based on management practices have been reported to have low accuracy. This paper reports the results of a study aimed at assessing whether accuracy can be increased at a reasonable cost by mixing individual indicators into models. We focused on proxy indicators representing an alternative to the direct impact measurement on two grassland bird species, the lapwing Vanellus vanellus and the redshank Tringa totanus. Models were developed using stepwise selection procedures or Bayesian model averaging (BMA). Sensitivity, specificity, and probability of correctly ranking fields (area under the curve, AUC) were estimated for each individual indicator or model from observational data measured on 252 grazed plots during 2 years. The cost of implementation of each model was computed as a function of the number and types of input variables. Among all management indicators, 50% had an AUC lower than or equal to 0.50 and thus were not better than a random decision. Independently of the statistical procedure, models combining management indicators were always more accurate than individual indicators for lapwings only. In redshanks, models based either on BMA or some selection procedures were non-informative. Higher accuracy could be reached, for both species, with model mixing management and habitat indicators. However, this increase in accuracy was also associated with an increase in model cost. Models derived by BMA were more expensive and slightly less accurate than those derived with selection procedures. Analysing trade-offs between accuracy and cost of indicators opens promising application perspectives as time consuming and expensive indicators are likely to be of low practical utility.

This simulation study investigated the farm-level economic benefits of a genetic improvement scheme using artificial insemination (AI) with fresh ram semen in dairy sheep of the Chios breed in Greece. Data were collected from 67 farms associated with the Chios Sheep Breeders’ Cooperative ‘Macedonia’, describing the percentage of ewes that would be artificially inseminated in the flock, pregnancy rate, annual ram costs that could be saved using AI rather than natural mating, expected improvement in milk production, annual costs of semen and feed, milk price and number of years of AI usage. The study considered 77 760 possible scenarios in a 3 × 4 × 4 × 3 × 3 × 3 × 4 × 15 factorial arrangement. Analysis of variance was used to investigate the effect of each factor on farm profitability. All factors considered were statistically significant (P < 0.001), but their effect varied. The number of years using AI had the greatest effect on profitability and farmers should become aware that using AI is a long-term investment. Semen price, pregnancy rate and improvement in milk production also had substantial effects. The price of milk and feed had a considerably lower effect on profitability, as did the annual cost of maintaining rams that would be replaced by AI. A positive annual and cumulative return was achieved in the model within the first 6 years. The cost of semen was estimated at 8€ to 10€ per dose for the first 5 years. Where the annual improvement in milk production was 1% of annual phenotypic mean (e.g. 3.0 kg) profitability of the scheme was improved greatly.

The five Northern European short-tailed sheep breeds present in North America are the Finnsheep, Romanov, Icelandic, Shetland and Gotland. The Finnsheep and Romanov were first imported in 1966 and 1986, respectively, for their high reproductive performance. The Shetland, Icelandic and Gotland breeds were first imported in 1980, 1985 and 2005, respectively, for the uniqueness of their physical appearance and their unique fleeces desired by fiber craftspeople. There have been no scientific studies conducted on the performance of the Shetland, Icelandic or Gotland breeds relative to other breeds of sheep in North America. However, the Shetland and Icelandic breeds have become very popular in the United States and ranked 9th and 18th, respectively, among 35 breeds of sheep for number of purebred animals registered in 2008. The performance of the Finnsheep breed in North America relative to domestic breeds has been thoroughly investigated. Compared to several domestic purebreds and crosses, sheep with Finnsheep breeding had a younger age at puberty, greater fertility to autumn mating, greater litter size, greater survival to weaning, similar growth rate, similar subcutaneous fat thickness, smaller loin muscle area and greater percentage of kidney and pelvic fat. Each 1% increase in Finnsheep breeding in ewes was associated with approximately 0.01 more lambs born per ewe lambing. In North American studies, Romanov ewes were superior to Finnsheep ewes for reproductive rate and lamb production per ewe under both autumn and spring mating. Lambs of the two breeds were similar for survival, growth and carcass traits. Romanov and Romanov-cross ewes produced fleeces that were heavily contaminated with medulated and colored fibers and were of very low commercial value. Three composite breeds containing 25% to 49% Finnsheep breeding (Polypay, Rideau Arcott and Outaouais Arcott) were developed in North America and are now more popular than the Finnsheep breed.

The stage of development between birth and weaning in mammals is a period of very rapid growth that is crucial for the long-term well-being of the animal. The rate of protein deposition in neonatal animals is very high because dietary protein is efficiently utilized to increase body protein mass. Our studies in neonatal pigs have shown that this high efficiency of protein deposition is largely due to the marked increase in protein synthesis after feeding, and this response is particularly profound in the skeletal muscle. The enhanced stimulation of muscle protein synthesis in neonates after feeding is independently mediated by the rise in insulin and amino acids and this response declines with age. Intracellular signaling components that respond to the postprandial rise in amino acids and insulin have been identified and their activation has been shown to be elevated in skeletal muscle of neonatal pigs after a meal and to decrease with development. The enhanced activation of these components in the amino acid and insulin signaling pathways in neonatal muscle contributes to the high rate of muscle protein synthesis and rapid gain in skeletal muscle mass in newborn pigs, which are essential determinants of efficient growth during development.

Intensive selection for high milk yield in dairy cows has raised production levels substantially but at the cost of reduced fertility, which manifests in different ways including reduced expression of oestrous behaviour. The genomic regulation of oestrous behaviour in bovines remains largely unknown. Here, we aimed to identify and study those genes that were associated with oestrous behaviour among genes expressed in the bovine anterior pituitary either at the start of oestrous cycle or at the mid-cycle (around day 12 of cycle), or regardless of the phase of cycle. Oestrous behaviour was recorded in each of 28 primiparous cows from 30 days in milk onwards till the day of their sacrifice (between 77 and 139 days in milk) and quantified as heat scores. An average heat score value was calculated for each cow from heat scores observed during consecutive oestrous cycles excluding the cycle on the day of sacrifice. A microarray experiment was designed to measure gene expression in the anterior pituitary of these cows, 14 of which were sacrificed at the start of oestrous cycle (day 0) and 14 around day 12 of cycle (day 12). Gene expression was modelled as a function of the orthogonally transformed average heat score values using a Bayesian hierarchical mixed model on data from day 0 cows alone (analysis 1), day 12 cows alone (analysis 2) and the combined data from day 0 and day 12 cows (analysis 3). Genes whose expression patterns showed significant linear or non-linear relationships with average heat scores were identified in all three analyses (177, 142 and 118 genes, respectively). Gene ontology terms enriched among genes identified in analysis 1 revealed processes associated with expression of oestrous behaviour whereas the terms enriched among genes identified in analysis 2 and 3 were general processes which may facilitate proper expression of oestrous behaviour at the subsequent oestrus. Studying these genes will help to improve our understanding of the genomic regulation of oestrous behaviour, ultimately leading to better management strategies and tools to improve or monitor reproductive performance in bovines.

For many years, the breeding value estimation for Swedish riding horses has been based on results from Riding Horse Quality Tests (RHQTs) of 4-year-olds only. Traits tested are conformation, gaits and jumping ability. An integrated index including competition results is under development to both get as reliable proofs as possible and increases the credibility of the indexes among breeders, trainers and riders. The objectives of this study were to investigate the suitability of competition data for use in genetic evaluations of horses and to examine how well young horse performance agrees with performance later in life. Competition results in dressage and show jumping for almost 40 000 horses from the beginning of the 1960s until 2006 were available. For RHQT data of 14 000 horses judged between 1988 and 2007 were used. Genetic parameters were estimated for accumulated competition results defined for different age groups (4 to 6 years of age, 4 to 9 years of age and lifetime), and for different birth year groups. Genetic correlations were estimated between results at RHQT and competitions with a multi-trait animal model. Heritabilities were higher for show jumping than dressage and increased with increasing age of the horse and amount of information. For dressage, heritabilities increased from 0.11 for the youngest group to 0.16 for lifetime results. For show jumping corresponding values increased from 0.24 to 0.28. Genetic correlations between competition results for the different age groups were highly positive (0.84 to 1.00), as were those between jumping traits at RHQT and competition results in show jumping (0.87 to 0.89). For dressage-related traits as 4-year-old and dressage competition results the estimated genetic correlations were between 0.47 and 0.77. We suggest that lifetime results from competitions should be integrated into the genetic evaluation system. However, genetic parameters showed that traits had changed during the over 35-year period covered due to the development of the sport, which needs to be considered in future genetic evaluations.

Reproductive performance has recently been a growing concern in cattle dairy systems, but few research methodologies are available to address it as a complex problem in a livestock farming system. The aim of this paper is to propose a methodology that combines both systemic and analytical approaches in order to better understand and improve reproductive performance in a cattle dairy system. The first phase of our methodology consists in a systemic approach to build the terms of the problem. It results in formalising a set of potential risk factors relevant for the particular system under consideration. The second phase is based on an analytical approach that involves both analysing the shapes of the individual lactation curves and carrying out logistic regression procedures to study the links between reproductive performance and the previously identified potential risk factors. It makes it possible to formulate hypotheses about the biotechnical phenomena underpinning reproductive performance. The last phase is another systemic approach that aims at suggesting new practices to improve the situation. It pays particular attention to the consistency of those suggestions with the farmer’s general objectives. This methodology was applied to a French system experiment based on an organic low-input grazing system. It finally suggested to slightly modify the dates of the breeding period so as to improve reproductive performance. The formulated hypotheses leading to this suggestion involved both the breed (Holstein or Montbéliarde cows), the parity, the year and the calving date with regard to the turnout date as the identified risk factors of impaired performance. Possible use of such a methodology in any commercial farm encountering a biotechnical problem is discussed.

Three methanogen 16S rRNA gene clone libraries were constructed from liquid (LM), solid (SM) and epithelium (EM) fractions taken from the rumen of Jinnan cattle in China. After the amplification by PCR using methanogen-specific primers Met86F and Met1340R, equal quantities of PCR products from the same fractions from each of the four cattle were mixed together and used to construct the three libraries. Sequence analysis showed that the 268 LM clones were divided into 35 phylotypes with 18 sequences of phylotypes affiliated with the genus Methanobrevibacter (84.3% of clones). The 135 SM clones were divided into 19 phylotypes with 11 phylotypes affiliated with the genus Methanobrevibacter (77.8%). The 267 EM clones were divided into 33 phylotypes with 15 phylotypes affiliated with the genus Methanobrevibacter (77.2%). Clones closely related to Methanomicrobium mobile and Methanobrevibacter wolinii were only found in the LM library, and those to Methanobrevibacter ruminantium and Methanobrevibacter gottschalkii only in the SM library. LM library comprised 12.4% unidentified euryarchaeal clones, SM library 23.7% and EM library 25.5%, respectively. Five phylotypes (accession number: EF055528 and EF055531–EF055534) did not belong to the Euryarchaeota sequences we had known. One possible new genus (represented by phylotype E17, accession number EF055528) belonging to Methanobacteriaceae was identified from EM library. Quantitative real-time PCR for the first time revealed that epithelium fraction had significantly higher density of methanogens, with methanogenic mcrA gene copies (9.95 log 10 (copies per gram of wet weight)) than solid (9.26, P < 0.01) and the liquid (8.44, P < 0.001). The three clone libraries also appeared different in Shannon index (EM library 2.12, LM library 2.05 and SM library 1.73). Our results showed that there were apparent differences in the methanogenic diversity and abundance in the three different fractions within the rumen of Jinnan cattle, with Methanobrevibacter species predominant in all the three libraries and with epithelium fraction having more unknown species and higher density of methanogens.

Genetic (or ‘genomic’) imprinting, a feature of approximately 100 mammalian genes, results in monoallelic expression from one of the two parentally inherited chromosomes. To date, most studies have been directed on imprinted genes in murine or human models; however, there is burgeoning interest in the effects of imprinted genes in domestic livestock species. In particular, attention has focused on imprinted genes that influence foetal growth and development and that are associated with several economically important production traits in cattle, sheep and pigs. We have re-sequenced regions in 20 candidate bovine imprinted genes in order to validate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that may influence important production traits in cattle. Putative SNPs detected via re-sequencing were subsequently re-formatted for high-throughput SNP genotyping in 185 cattle samples comprising 138 performance-tested European Bos taurus (all Limousin bulls), 29 African B. taurus and 18 Indian B. indicus samples. Analysis of the resulting genotypic data identified 117 validated SNPs. Preliminary genotype–phenotype association analyses using 83 SNPs that were polymorphic in the Limousin samples with minor allele frequencies ⩾0.05 revealed significant associations between two candidate bovine imprinted genes and a range of important beef production traits: average daily gain, average feed intake, live weight, feed conversion ratio, residual feed intake and residual gain. These genes were the Ras protein-specific guanine nucleotide releasing factor gene (RASGRF1) and the zinc finger, imprinted 2 gene (ZIM2). Despite the relatively small sample size used in these analyses, the observed associations with production traits are supported by the purported biological function of the RASGRF1 and ZIM2 gene products. These results support the hypothesis that imprinted genes contribute significantly to important complex production traits in cattle. Furthermore, these SNPs may be usefully incorporated into future marker-assisted and genomic selection breeding schemes.

Muscle metabolism (in interaction with other organs and tissues, including adipose tissue) plays an important role in the control of growth and body composition. Muscle ontogenesis has been described in different genotypes of cattle for myofibres, connective tissue and intramuscular depots. The ontogenesis or the action of putatively important factors controlling muscle development (IGF-II expression, IGF receptors, growth hormone (GH) receptor, myostatin, basic fibroblast growth factor, transforming growth factor-β1, insulin and thyroid hormones) has also been studied on bovine foetal muscle samples and satellite cells. The glucose/insulin axis has been specifically studied in both the bovine adipose tissue and heart. Clearly, cattle, like sheep, are mature species at birth based on their muscle characteristics compared to other mammalian or farm animal species. The different myoblast generations have been well characterised in cattle, including the second generation which is liable to be affected by foetal undernutrition at least in sheep. Interesting genotypes, for example, double-muscled genotype, have been characterised by an altered metabolic and endocrine status associated with a reduced fat mass, specific muscle traits and different foetal characteristics. Finally, the recent development of genomics in cattle has allowed the identification of novel genes controlling muscle development during foetal and postnatal life. Generally, a high muscle growth potential is associated with a reduced fat mass and a switch of muscle fibres towards the glycolytic type. The possibility and the practical consequences of manipulating muscle growth and, hence, body composition by nutritional and hormonal factors are discussed for bovines based on our current biological knowledge.

Soil carbon sequestration (enhanced sinks) is the mechanism responsible for most of the greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation potential in the agriculture sector. Carbon sequestration in grasslands can be determined directly by measuring changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks and indirectly by measuring the net balance of C fluxes. A literature search shows that grassland C sequestration reaches on average 5 ± 30 g C/m2 per year according to inventories of SOC stocks and −231 and 77 g C/m2 per year for drained organic and mineral soils, respectively, according to C flux balance. Off-site C sequestration occurs whenever more manure C is produced by than returned to a grassland plot. The sum of on- and off-site C sequestration reaches 129, 98 and 71 g C/m2 per year for grazed, cut and mixed European grasslands on mineral soils, respectively, however with high uncertainty. A range of management practices reduce C losses and increase C sequestration: (i) avoiding soil tillage and the conversion of grasslands to arable use, (ii) moderately intensifying nutrient-poor permanent grasslands, (iii) using light grazing instead of heavy grazing, (iv) increasing the duration of grass leys; (v) converting grass leys to grass-legume mixtures or to permanent grasslands. With nine European sites, direct emissions of N2O from soil and of CH4 from enteric fermentation at grazing, expressed in CO2 equivalents, compensated 10% and 34% of the on-site grassland C sequestration, respectively. Digestion inside the barn of the harvested herbage leads to further emissions of CH4 and N2O by the production systems, which were estimated at 130 g CO2 equivalents/m2 per year. The net balance of on- and off-site C sequestration, CH4 and N2O emissions reached 38 g CO2 equivalents/m2 per year, indicating a non-significant net sink activity. This net balance was, however, negative for intensively managed cut sites indicating a source to the atmosphere. In conclusion, this review confirms that grassland C sequestration has a strong potential to partly mitigate the GHG balance of ruminant production systems. However, as soil C sequestration is both reversible and vulnerable to disturbance, biodiversity loss and climate change, CH4 and N2O emissions from the livestock sector need to be reduced and current SOC stocks preserved.

Hair follicle and fibre characteristics of Peruvian alpaca and llama and Bolivian llama were analysed in three experimental studies. The first experiment was designed to determine the age at which all the secondary follicles reach maturity, as well as to compare the skin follicular structure and activity among these different types of Peruvian camelids. It is concluded that the South American camelids investigated in this study gained a complete and mature skin follicle apparatus at an early age, and hence producers should practise an early first shearing. A second Peruvian experiment investigated comparative fibre cuticular structure on twenty Peruvian domestic camelids comprising huacaya, suri and llama (woolly) ‘chacos’ genotypes. The results showed that the number of cuticular scales per 100 μm fibre length proved to be strongly affected by both the fleece type and the fibre diameter. The suri fleece was clearly differentiated from those of both huacaya and llama by possessing the highest percentage of fibres with a number of scales less than eight, the lowest percentage of fibres with more than nine scales, along with the lowest percentage of fibres with a diameter of more than 35 μm. It is concluded that, with the exception of the scale height, the cuticular parameters investigated in this study can be utilised in textile fibre analyses for distinguishing among these three types of fleece, as well as in selection projects designed to produce homogeneous fibres from Peruvian domestic camelids. A further study was conducted to determine the age at which the hair follicles in Bolivian llamas reach maturity as well as for comparing the skin follicular structure and activity between the two distinct genotypes. Thirty-one llama kids were chosen. They were born between January and April 1998 and were of different sex and of ‘Q’aras’ (or Carguera) or ‘T’amphullis’ type. Skin biopsies were taken from the right mid-costal region at 2, 4, 6, 8,10,12 and 14 months of age in order to monitor four follicular parameters. In this experiment, secondary to primary (S/P) data show that the Bolivian llama population analysed possessed a complete and mature skin follicle apparatus at birth that remained essentially constant throughout the investigation period. Due to the variation of these traits inside the same genetic population, the present results showed that T and Q types could only be subjective on the basis of S/P ratio.

The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) has multiple functions including digestion, nutrient absorption, secretion of hormones and excretion of wastes. In the ruminant animal, development of this organ system is more complex than that of the monogastric animal due to the necessity to establish a fully functional and differentiated rumen, in which a diverse microbial population of bacteria, fungi and protozoa support fermentation and digestion of dietary fiber. Central to the goal of animal scientists to enhance nutrient uptake and production efficiency of ruminants is the need for a comprehensive understanding of GIT development, as well as conditions that alter the digestion process. The relatively recent availability of genome sequence information has permitted physiological investigations related to the process of digestion for many agriculturally important species at the gene transcript level. For instance, numerous studies have evaluated the expression of ruminant GIT genes to gain insight into mechanisms involved in normal function, physiology and development, such as nutrient uptake and transport across the epithelial cell barrier throughout the alimentary canal, maintenance of rumen pH, and regulation of GIT motility and cell proliferation. Further, multiple studies have examined the effects of dietary modification, including feeding of supplemental fat, starch and protein, or a forage- v. concentrate-based diet on expression of critical gene pathways in the gut. In addition, the expression of genes in the GIT in response to disease, such as infection with gastrointestinal parasites, has been investigated. This review will summarize some of the recent scientific literature related to the gene expression in the GIT of ruminants, primarily cattle, sheep and goats, as it pertains to normal physiology, and dietary, developmental, and disease effects to provide an overview of critical proteins participating in the overall digestive processes, and their physiological functions. Recent findings from our laboratory will be highlighted also related to expression of the glucagon-like peptide two-hormone pathway in the GIT of dairy cattle during in various stages of the development and lactation, alterations in gene pathways associated with the rumen development and differentiation in the weaning calf, and genes of the GIT responding to Ostertagia, a common nematode infection of the cattle. Finally, prospective areas of investigation will be highlighted.

The objective of this study was to investigate genetic merit of return over feed (ROF), which is a herd profit index defined by CanWest Dairy Herd Improvement as a difference between milk income and feed cost. A multiple-trait (MT) model and random regression model (RRM) were used. The traits analyzed in MT were rearing cost and ROF of the first three lactations. In RRM, a cumulative ROF was fitted as function of age and rearing cost was treated as a correlated trait. Variance components were estimated within a Bayesian framework by Gibbs sampling using a subsample of data. Breeding values were then estimated for 3 041 078 animals using records of 1 951 893 cows. Estimates of heritability for rearing cost from MT and RRM were 0.23 and 0.22, respectively. ROF per lactation and cumulative ROF were negatively correlated with rearing cost. Estimates of heritability of ROF through the first, second and third lactation from MT were 0.27, 0.10 and 0.08, respectively. Estimates of heritability of ROF from RRM increased with age and ranged from 0.08 through 0.31. Estimated breeding values (EBVs) for ROF from MT and RRM were moderately correlated with official EBV for production traits and the Canadian selection index (Lifetime Profit Index). Herd life EBV had −0.07 and 0.19 correlations with EBVs for ROF from MT and RRM, respectively. From both MT and RRM, small favorable correlations were reported between EBVs for ROF and for bone quality and angularity, whereas low unfavorable correlations were reported with EBV for udder depth, front end and chest width. Majority of correlations between EBVs for ROF and for reproduction traits were near 0, with the exception of EBV for gestation length, calf size and calving ease, where small favorable correlations were reported. The ROF is a good indicator of cow profitability despite the fact that it is a simplified profit index that does not account for animal-specific health and reproductive cost. However, because ROF does not account for differences in heritabilities between components of profit, ROF is not recommended to be used for direct selection for profit.

Excessive accumulation of lipids in the adipose tissue is one of the main problems faced by the broiler industry nowadays. In chicken, lipogenesis occurs essentially in the liver, in which much of the triglycerides that accumulate in avian adipose tissue are synthesized. In order to better understand the gene expression and its regulation in chicken liver, the gene expression profiles of liver at developmental stages of chicken (1 week, 4 weeks and 7 weeks of age) were investigated and differentially expressed genes between lean and fat chicken lines divergently selected for abdominal fat content for eight generations were screened. Our data indicated that 4 weeks of age was a very important stage on chicken liver lipogenesis compared to 1 week and 7 weeks of age, and the glycometabolism in chicken liver could be related to lipid metabolism and the difference of glycometabolism could be another potential reason for the fat and lean phenotype occurrence besides the difference of lipogenesis in chicken liver. Our result have established groundwork for further study of the basic genetic control of chicken obesity and will benefit chicken research communities as well as researches that use chicken as a model organism for developmental biology and human therapeutics.

Two experiments, a performance experiment and a mineral balance study, were conducted on grower–finisher pigs (42 to 101 kg live weight) to investigate the effects of Peniophora lycii phytase enzyme and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25-OHD3) on growth performance, carcass characteristics, nutrient retention and excretion, and bone and blood parameters. The two experiments were designed as a 2 × 2 factorial (two levels of phytase and two levels of 25-OHD3). The four diets were T1, low-phosphorous diet; T2, T1 + phytase; T3, T1 + 25-OHD3 and T4, T1 + phytase + 25-OHD3 diet. In all, 25 μg of 25-OHD3 was used to replace 1000 IU of vitamin D3 in diets T3 and T4. Diets were pelleted (70°C) and formulated to contain similar concentrations of energy (13.8 MJ DE/kg), lysine (9.5 g/kg) and digestible phosphorus (P; 1.8 g/kg). Neither the inclusion of phytase nor 25-OHD3 in the diet had any effect on pig performance. There was an interaction between phytase and 25-OHD3 on calcium (Ca) and P retention (P < 0.01) and on the apparent digestibility of ash (P < 0.01), P (P < 0.001) and Ca (P < 0.001). Pigs offered phytase diets only, had a higher retention of Ca and P and digestibility of ash (P < 0.01), P (P < 0.001) and Ca (P < 0.01) compared with pigs offered unsupplemented diets. However, when the combination of phytase and 25-OHD3 were offered, no effects were detected compared with 25-OHD3 diets only. Pigs fed phytase diets had higher bone ash (P < 0.01), bone P (P < 0.01) and bone Ca (P < 0.05) concentrations compared with pigs offered non-phytase diets. In conclusion, pigs offered phytase diets had a significantly increased bone ash, Ca and P than pigs offered unsupplemented phytase diets. However, there was no advantage to offering a combination of phytase and 25-OHD3 on either bone strength or mineral status compared to offering these feed additives separately.

Farmers have been slow to adopt decision support system (DSS) models and their outputs, mainly owing to (i) the complexity of the data involved, which most potential users are unable to collect and process; and (ii) inability to integrate these models into real representations of their informational environments. This situation raises questions about the way farm management researchers have modelled information and information management, and especially about the quality of the information assessed by the farmers. We consider that to review advisory procedures we need to understand how farmers select and use farm management-related information, rather than focusing on decisions made in particular situations. The aim of this study was to build a conceptual model of the farmer-targeted farm management-related information system. This model was developed using data collected in commercial beef cattle farms. The design structure and operational procedures are based on (i) data categories representing the diversity of the informational activity; and (ii) selected criteria for supporting decisions. The model is composed of two subsystems, each composed of two units. First, an organizational subsystem organizes, finalizes and monitors informational activity. Second, a processing subsystem builds and exploits the informational resources. This conceptual model makes it possible to describe and understand the diverse range of farmers’ informational activity by taking into account both the flow of information and the way farmers make sense of that information. This model could serve as a component of biodecisional DSS models for assigning information in the decision-making process. The next task will be to take into account the broad range of farmers’ perceptions of the management situations in DSS models.

Results of studies in dairy cattle about the magnitude of the genotype–environment interaction (GEI) are variable, depending on the definitions of genotype and environment. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the magnitude of the interaction of genotype and feeding system (confinement and grazing) in the Mexican genetic evaluation of Jersey cattle for milk yield. The number of lactations and animals in the pedigree used were 5122 and 18 432. An animal model and the MTDFREML program were used to estimate genetic parameters and predict genetic values of the animals. Bivariate analysis was carried out considering the performance of confined and grazing cows as two different traits. Three indicator variables were used to assess GEI: (i) magnitude of the genetic correlation coefficients, (ii) correlation between predicted breeding values and (iii) frequency of coincidence in the ranking of top sires. The magnitude of GEI depended on the choice of the indicator variable. The estimate of genetic correlation coefficient less than unity (0.76; P < 0.05) suggested the presence of biologically important GEI. The differences in phenotypic averages and variances between confinement and grazing systems seem to be the main causes for the genotype by environment interaction detected. However, the correlation coefficient between breeding values from confined and grazing animals (0.96) and the frequency of coincidence between breeding values of common sires within the top 100 in confinement and grazing (0.86) indicated low-to-moderate re-ranking of animals or top sires. In addition, the high correlations between predicted breeding values of Mexican genetic evaluation and the two environments (0.99 and 0.93 for confinement and grazing) indicated that for the two feeding systems, breeding values from national analyses could be safely used.

As a newly described member of the apolipoprotein gene family, apolipoprotein A5 (APOA5) has been suggested to play a key role in the triglyceride metabolism in both human and mice. The aim of this study was to identify the porcine (Sus scrofa) APOA5 gene, determine its mRNA and its mutations that are associated with lipid accumulation. The porcine APOA5 cDNA was amplified by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction using the information of the mouse or other mammals. It had been determined that the open reading frame of the porcine APOA5 gene consists of 1092 bp, which encodes a predicted protein composed of 363 amino acids with a similarity to bovine (80.43%) and to human (78.47%). The expression analysis indicated that the porcine APOA5 gene was expressed in hypophysis, fat and liver. Twelve single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), including 4 SNPs in the 5′ end, 1 SNP in second intron, 1 SNP in third exon and 6 SNPs in the 3′ end, were identified in the porcine APOA5 gene and genotyped on the Jinhua × Pietrain F2 reference population, it had revealed that the SNP of C1834T was significantly associated with average backfat thickness and leaf fat weight (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively). In conclusion, this study has got basic information of the porcine APOA5 gene and provides evidence that the APOA5 gene could be a potential candidate gene for fat deposition.

This paper reviews genetics of fibre production and fleece characteristics in small ruminants, Angora rabbit and South American camelids with a special distinction between single-coated (SC) and double-coated (DC) species. Considering the biology of fibre production, there are variations in coat composition and structure, fibre growth pattern and fibre structure and quality between these two main kinds of fibre-producing animals. In SC species, all fibres are nearly similar in dimensions and are produced from individual follicles that have a very long period, essentially permanent, of active growth without a synchronous phase of rest between follicles. In contrast, in DC species the fleece comprises a coarse outer coat and a fine inner coat with variations of coat composition and structure, and fibre growth pattern according to the season with a well-defined duration of fibre growth. Genetic basis of hair growth pattern, coat composition and fibre structure are different between species. In small ruminants, these coat characters are additive and because of several genes whereas in rabbit, several autosomal recessive genes determine fibre growth, coat composition and structure. In alpaca, the fleece type (Suri or Huacaya) is determined by a single dominant gene. This paper also reviews genetic parameters of fibre production traits in Angora goat, Angora rabbit and alpaca in which many aspects of the genetic basis of fibre production are analogous. There are many traits controlling both fibre quality and fibre quantity, and most of these traits tend to be moderately to strongly inherited so that a rapid genetic progress in any traits is possible and indeed has been achieved. However, there are differences in breeding programmes. In DC Angora rabbit, selection for one single trait, the easy measurable total fleece weight has general beneficial effects on fleece quality. However, because of antagonistic relations between qualitative and quantitative traits in SC species, achieving this goal requires a multi-trait selection index approach. Gene mapping studies have recently identified several putative quantitative trait loci and major genes affecting fibre and fleece characteristics in sheep, goat and rabbit are reviewed. The whole genome sequence of sheep and rabbit will be available in the near future and the use of high-density single nucleotide polymorphism chip will allow fine mapping and dissection of the genetic basis of many production traits including fibre production and fleece characteristics. The application of these techniques will thus contribute to improving the efficiency, profitability and sustainability of small ruminant and rabbit fibre production.