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Giovannini S, Strillacci MG, Bagnato A, Albertini E, Sarti FM. Genetic and Phenotypic Characteristics of Belted Pig Breeds: A Review. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3072. [PMID: 37835678 PMCID: PMC10571877 DOI: 10.3390/ani13193072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Belted pig breeds have unique, distinguishing phenotypic characteristics. This review summarises the current knowledge on pig breeds displaying a belted coat pattern. Belts of different widths and positions around the animal's trunk characterise specific pig breeds from all around the world. All the breeds included in the present paper have been searched through the FAO domestic animal diversity information system (DAD-IS), Every country was checked to identify all breeds described as having black or red piebald coat pattern variations. Advances in genomic technologies have made it possible to identify the specific genes and genetic markers associated with the belted phenotype and explore the genetic relationships between different local breeds. Thus, the origin, history, and production traits of these breeds, together with all the genomic information related to the mechanism of skin pigmentation, are discussed. By increasing our understanding of these breeds, we can appreciate the richness of our biological and cultural heritage and work to preserve the biodiversity of the world's animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samira Giovannini
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06121 Perugia, Italy; (E.A.); (F.M.S.)
| | - Maria Giuseppina Strillacci
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Dell’Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (M.G.S.); (A.B.)
| | - Alessandro Bagnato
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Dell’Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (M.G.S.); (A.B.)
| | - Emidio Albertini
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06121 Perugia, Italy; (E.A.); (F.M.S.)
| | - Francesca Maria Sarti
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06121 Perugia, Italy; (E.A.); (F.M.S.)
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Papakonstantinou GI, Arsenakis I, Pourlis A, Papatsiros VG. Animal Health and Productivity of Organic Greek Pig Farms: The Current Situation and Prospects for Sustainability. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2834. [PMID: 37760234 PMCID: PMC10526005 DOI: 10.3390/ani13182834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
A review of organic pig production in Greece was carried out. The aim was to present updated information on the production, development and health status of organic pig farming in Greece and potential prospects for sustainability and future development. The indigenous Greek Black Pig is the main breed reared in Greek organic pig farms. All the reasons why Greek Black Pig breeding is ideal for organic farming are mentioned. Furthermore, respiratory and parasitic infections are the most common health problems, while high piglet mortality rates are the main welfare issue in Greek organic pig farming. Concerns about how farmers and authorities should utilize the demands of modern consumers are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgios I. Papakonstantinou
- Clinic of Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Trikalon 224, 43100 Karditsa, Greece;
| | - Ioannis Arsenakis
- Farma Messinias—Provision of Swine Herd Health Services, 12241 Egaleo, Greece;
| | - Aris Pourlis
- Laboratory of Anatomy Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Trikalon 224, 43100 Karditsa, Greece;
| | - Vasileios G. Papatsiros
- Clinic of Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Trikalon 224, 43100 Karditsa, Greece;
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Lange A, Wutke M, Ammer S, Appel AK, Henne H, Deermann A, Traulsen I. Old breeds, new solutions? Effects of two different traditional sire breeds on skin lesions, tail lesions, tail losses, performance and behaviour of rearing pigs. Animal 2023; 17:100721. [PMID: 36857817 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2023.100721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Some studies indicated a relationship between modern, fast-growing, lean-meat-producing hybrid pigs and the occurrence of tail-biting, one of the major issues of conventional pig husbandry. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of different local, traditional sire breeds on the behaviour and performance of rearing pigs. Between December 2019 and November 2020, a total of 1 561 piglets were weaned from hybrid sows (Bundes Hybrid Zucht Programm (BHZP) Landrace × BHZP Large White) that were paired with either Swabian-Hall (SH), Bentheim Black Pied (BB) or BHZP-Piétrain (Pi) boars. Tails of the piglets were left intact (43.5%) or docked (56.5%), and male piglets were castrated. Piglets were conventionally reared on fully slatted plastic flooring in mixed-sex groups. Starting one day after weaning, skin lesions were scored once per pig, and tail lesions and losses were scored weekly until the end of rearing. The average daily gain was documented for the suckling and rearing period. The activity behaviour of eight focal pens was analysed using video recordings. Differences between modern and traditional breeds were found in this study for so-called aggressive and non-aggressive biting pronounced by skin and tail lesions and tail losses. Significantly fewer BB pigs had severe skin lesions on the front body than SH or Pi pigs (P < 0.05). Additionally, piglets that were classified as light (<5.6 kg) at weaning showed skin lesion scores of 0 more often than piglets that were classified with a medium (≥5.6-≤8.3 kg) or heavy (>8.3 kg) weaning weight (P < 0.05). In the first half of the rearing period, significantly more BB pigs were assessed as having no tail lesions and tail losses than SH and Pi pigs (P < 0.01). However, these differences disappeared in the second half of rearing. Either docked or undocked Pi pigs had significantly higher average daily gains than SH and BB pigs (P < 0.05). The activity of the focal pens was not influenced by the sire breed or tail lesion class, which might be due to the limited sample size of eight pens. To conclude, the use of the traditional sire breed BB has the potential to reduce injurious behaviour in the offspring. However, adjustments to the housing and feeding should be taken to further reduce the incidence of tail lesions and losses and to enhance performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Lange
- Department of Animal Sciences, Livestock Systems, Georg-August-University, Albrecht-Thaer-Weg 3, 37075 Göttingen, Germany.
| | - M Wutke
- Department of Animal Sciences, Breeding Informatics Group, Georg-August-University, Margarethe von Wrangell-Weg 7, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - S Ammer
- Department of Animal Sciences, Livestock Systems, Georg-August-University, Albrecht-Thaer-Weg 3, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - A K Appel
- BHZP GmbH, An der Wassermühle 8, 21368 Dahlenburg-Ellringen, Germany
| | - H Henne
- BHZP GmbH, An der Wassermühle 8, 21368 Dahlenburg-Ellringen, Germany
| | - A Deermann
- ASB GmbH, Boschstraße 9, 49770 Herzlake, Germany
| | - I Traulsen
- Department of Animal Sciences, Livestock Systems, Georg-August-University, Albrecht-Thaer-Weg 3, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
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Paek HJ, Luo ZB, Choe HM, Quan BH, Gao K, Han SZ, Li ZY, Kang JD, Yin XJ. Association of myostatin deficiency with collagen related disease-umbilical hernia and tippy toe standing in pigs. Transgenic Res 2021; 30:663-674. [PMID: 34304368 DOI: 10.1007/s11248-021-00275-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Herein, we investigate the high incidence of umbilical hernia and tippy-toe standing and their underlying changes in gene expression and proliferation in myostatin knockout (MSTN-/-) pigs. Thirty-six male MSTN-/- pigs were generated by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). These pigs presented a considerably high incidence of tippy-toe standing and umbilical hernia (69.4% and 61.1%, respectively). The tendon to body weight ratio was significantly lower than wild-type pigs (0.202 ± 0.017 vs 0.250 ± 0.004, respectively). The crimp length of the MSTN-/- tendon was significantly longer than that of wild-type pigs. The expression of MSTN and the activin type IIB (ACVR2B) was detected in the tendon and linea alba of MSTN-/- pigs. MSTN treatment significantly increased the phosphorylation of Smad2/3 in both tendon and linea alba fibroblasts. Type I collagen (Col1A) and Scleraxis (Scx) expression levels in the tendon and linea alba of MSTN-/- pigs were significantly lower than those in wild-type in vivo, whereas and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1 (p21) expression levels were higher. Treatment of tendon and linea alba fibroblasts with recombinant MSTN increased Col1A and Scx and decreased p21 expression in vivo. Moreover, there was a significant increase in fibroblast proliferation after treatment. The results indicated that MSTN regulates collagen expression and proliferation in tendon and linea alba fibroblasts; thus, MSTN deficiency causes collagen-related pathological features in MSTN-/- pigs. Hence, MSTN could be used as a therapeutic target for treating UH and tendon abnormalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyo-Jin Paek
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Transgenic Animal and Embryo Engineering, Yanbian University, Yanji, 133002, Jilin, China
| | - Zhao-Bo Luo
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Transgenic Animal and Embryo Engineering, Yanbian University, Yanji, 133002, Jilin, China
| | - Hak-Myong Choe
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Transgenic Animal and Embryo Engineering, Yanbian University, Yanji, 133002, Jilin, China
| | - Biao-Hu Quan
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Transgenic Animal and Embryo Engineering, Yanbian University, Yanji, 133002, Jilin, China
| | - Kai Gao
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Transgenic Animal and Embryo Engineering, Yanbian University, Yanji, 133002, Jilin, China
| | - Sheng-Zhong Han
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Transgenic Animal and Embryo Engineering, Yanbian University, Yanji, 133002, Jilin, China
| | - Zhou-Yan Li
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Transgenic Animal and Embryo Engineering, Yanbian University, Yanji, 133002, Jilin, China
| | - Jin-Dan Kang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Transgenic Animal and Embryo Engineering, Yanbian University, Yanji, 133002, Jilin, China
| | - Xi-Jun Yin
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Transgenic Animal and Embryo Engineering, Yanbian University, Yanji, 133002, Jilin, China.
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Zumbo A, Sutera AM, Tardiolo G, D’Alessandro E. Sicilian Black Pig: An Overview. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10122326. [PMID: 33297476 PMCID: PMC7762396 DOI: 10.3390/ani10122326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The conservation of the genetic variability of animals used for food production and non-food raw materials and services is a problem of primary importance at a global level. In recent years, conservation of biodiversity in livestock species has been favoring the need to preserve genetic variability of the autochthonous breeds, exploiting them in the context of production systems. In this context, a precious genetic reserve is represented by autochthonous breeds used for the production of typical products used in Italian gastronomic traditions, of which some organoleptic properties of their meats that could disappear due to severe selection programs are being recovered. Currently, the survival of autochthonous breeds is linked to various reasons such as their rusticity, i.e., the adaptability to difficult environmental conditions, and to the higher market value of their productions obtained according to traditional methods compared to the industrial production types. As information on autochthonous Italian pigs is limited, further research aims at making better use of these breeds and at increasing the knowledge of their genetic variability. Abstract The Sicilian black pig (SB) (Nero Siciliano), also known as the Nero dei Nebrodi, Nero delle Madonie, or Nero dell’Etna pig ecotype, is an autochthonous Italian breed. The origins of this breed date back to Greek and Carthaginian dominations. In ancient times, its breeding was fairly common throughout Sicily, registering only a temporary reduction during the Arab domination. This breed is known primarily for its distinctive black coat, although some individuals display wattles and a partially or wholly white face. The SB pig has a birth rate with an average per sow of 7.6 piglets, each of 1.4 kg live body weight, showing an average daily gain (ADG) of 346 g/day during the fattening period. Slaughter generally takes place at an average age of 390 days, with an average live weight of 95 kg. This breed also appears to withstand adverse climatic conditions and resist disease. The purpose of this manuscript is to offer a general overview regarding the Sicilian Black pig and to consider the recent findings related to genome investigation. The recent application of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technologies in the study of the genome of autochthonous breeds showed that polymorphisms of some candidate genes for production performance and phenotypic traits represent important information for selection processes. The protection of autochthonous breeds, intended as sources of genomic diversity for the further improvements of pigs for commercial use, constitutes a valuable opportunity to create new sustainable pig chains.
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König NL, Wähner M, Seeger J, Sigmarsson HL, Kauffold J. An investigation into uterine capacity based on litter and placental characteristics in two sow lines with different prolificacy (Danish Landrace x Danish Yorkshire versus German Saddleback). Reprod Domest Anim 2020; 56:34-45. [PMID: 33098192 DOI: 10.1111/rda.13847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Litter size in modern so called hyperprolific pig (Sus scrofa Linnaeus) breeds such as of crossbred Danish Landrace x Danish Yorkshire (LY/YL) sows increased remarkably over recent years, however, commonly associated with reduced piglet birth weight and higher within litter birth weight variability likely due to a limited uterine capacity. Since investigation into this issue is patchy, the aim of this study was to investigate uterine capacity based on litter and placental characteristics in two sow lines with different prolificacy, that is crossbred Danish genetic (Danish Landrace x Danish Yorkshire; DG; n = 14) and purebred German Saddleback (GS) sows (n = 12). Parameters recorded were litter size, piglet birth weight and vitality, placental weight and surface area as well as placental vascularization. Litters of DG were on average larger than of GS (p < .001). Piglets of DG weighed on average less than GS (p < .001) and were less vital (p < .001-.142). Increasing litter size was associated with reduced piglet birth weight and increased within litter birth weight variability in GS, but not in DG. DG had on average a lower placental weight (p < .001) and smaller placentae (p < .001) than GS, but the placenta was on average more efficient than of GS (based on the quotient of piglet and corresponding placental weight; p < .001). Vascularization of placentae was on average not or only slightly different between breeds (p < .05 - .982). Remarkably, however, vascularization of the lateral and apical chorionic epithelium of the chorionic ridges as the immediate foetal/maternal interface was on average slightly higher in DG than GS (p < .05-.111). Results thus demonstrate that uterine capacity based on litter and placental characteristics is higher in DG than GS sows.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Lea König
- Clinic for Ruminants and Swine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Martin Wähner
- Department of Agriculture, Ecotrophology and Landscape Development, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Bernburg, Germany
| | - Johannes Seeger
- Institute of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Johannes Kauffold
- Clinic for Ruminants and Swine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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Argemí-Armengol I, Villalba D, Ripoll G, Álvarez-Rodríguez J. Genetic but not lean grade impact on growth, carcass traits and pork quality under organic husbandry. Livest Sci 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2019.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Kongsted A, Nørgaard J, Jensen S, Lauridsen C, Juul-Madsen H, Norup L, Engberg R, Horsted K, Hermansen J. Influence of genotype and feeding strategy on pig performance, plasma concentrations of micro nutrients, immune responses and faecal microbiota composition of growing-finishing pigs in a forage-based system. Livest Sci 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2015.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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