Data mining-based discriminant analysis as a tool for the study of egg quality in native hen breeds

Enhancing Honey Bee Health: Evaluating Pollen Substitute Diets in Field and Cage Experiments

Honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) play vital roles as agricultural pollinators and honey producers. However, global colony losses are increasing due to multiple stressors, including malnutrition. Our study evaluated the effects of four pollen substitute diets (Diet 1, Diet 2, Diet 3, and Control) through field and cage experiments, analyzing 11 parameters and 21 amino acids. Notably, Diet 1 demonstrated significantly superior performance in the field experiment, including the number of honey bees, brood area, consumption, preference, colony weight, and honey production. In the cage experiment, Diet 1 also showed superior performance in dried head and thorax weight and vitellogenin (vg) gene expression levels. Canonical discriminant and principle component analyses highlighted Diet 1's distinctiveness, with histidine, diet digestibility, consumption, vg gene expression levels, and isoleucine identified as key factors. Arginine showed significant correlations with a wide range of parameters, including the number of honey bees, brood area, and consumption, with Diet 1 exhibiting higher levels. Diet 1, containing apple juice, soytide, and Chlorella as additive components, outperformed the other diets, suggesting an enhanced formulation for pollen substitute diets. These findings hold promise for the development of more effective diets, potentially contributing to honey bee health.

Evaluation of the effect of the addition of an olive oil-derived antioxidant (Pectoliv-80A) in the extender for cryopreservation of rooster sperm through the use of a discriminant statistical tool

During the poultry sperm cryopreservation process, an excess of reactive oxygen species is generated resulting in oxidative stress which harms the quality of avian spermatozoa. To counteract this effect, the addition of exogenous antioxidants, such as Pectoliv-80A (a by-product of olive oil), to the cryopreservation diluent is interesting. For this purpose, 16 roosters belonging to the Utrerana avian breed were used. Six semen pools (from the 6 different replicates) were divided into 4 aliquots corresponding to different concentrations of Pectoliv-80A that were tested (0, 300, 400, and 500 μg/mL), and the cryopreservation process was carried out. To evaluate post-thawing semen quality, different parameters such as motility, membrane functionality, reactive oxygen species production, lipid peroxidation, and acrosome integrity were studied. A discriminant canonical analysis was used to determine both the differences between the Pectoliv-80A concentration groups and the discriminant power of the aforementioned parameter used for semen evaluation. Total motility and membrane functionality were reported to be the most discriminant variables for differentiating the different antioxidant enrichment groups and concluded that concentrations of 300 μg/mL showed the most desirable quality of post-thawing semen. The present study could lead to the optimization of both cryopreservation and quality evaluation techniques of the sperm of rooster species, that support the conservation program of endangered local breeds.

A Study on the Growth and Development Characteristics of Lindian Chickens

As an excellent chicken breed found in a high-altitude zone of northern China, Lindian chickens are characterized by good egg and meat production, strong adaptability, cold tolerance, rough feeding resistance, excellent egg quality, and delicious meat quality. To facilitate the exploitation of the unique qualities of the Lindian chicken, the varying patterns and correlations of various body size and carcass traits of 3-22-week-old Lindian chickens were analyzed in this study. The optimal growth model of these traits was determined by growth curve fitting analysis. The results showed that most traits of Lindian chickens increased steadily with increasing age, and most of them increased rapidly before 10 weeks of age. In addition, the inflection point age of each trait was predicted to be between 4 and 10 weeks. Furthermore, this study revealed that body size traits were closely related to carcass traits in Lindian chickens. In summary, Lindian chickens are in a rapid growth stage before the age of 10 weeks, and better slaughter performance can be achieved through good feeding management during this stage. The reproductive traits and muscles are the main developmental focus after the age of 19 weeks, so it is important to adequately meet their energy requirements for subsequent good breeding performance.

Determination of breeding criteria for gait proficiency in leisure riding and racing dromedary camels: a stepwise multivariate analysis of factors predicting overall biomechanical performance

To date, the biomechanical dynamics in camelids have not been addressed, although it might be a factor that can affect selection and breeding in this species. Therefore, the aim of this article is to conduct curve fitting and discriminant canonical analysis to identify the mathematical function that best captures the dynamics of camel locomotion and to study the impact of kinematic, morphometric, physiological, and phaneroptic variables on gait performance in leisure riding and racing activities in dromedaries, respectively. The cubic function emerged as the most suitable mathematical model to represent the locomotive behavior of camels. Various factors were found to play a pivotal role in the athletic performance of leisure riding and racing dromedary camels. Concretely, angular measurements at the distal fore and rear extremity areas, pelvis inclination, relative volume of the hump, impact forces of the front limbs, post-neutering effects, and the kinematic behavior of the scapula, shoulder, carpus, hip, and foot are the factors that greatly impact gait performance in leisure riding and racing camels. The biomechanical performance at these specific body regions has a profound impact on weight absorption and minimization of mechanic impact during camel locomotion, static/dynamic balance, force distribution, energy of propulsion, movement direction and amplitude, and storage of elastic strain in leisure riding and racing dromedaries. In contrast, other animal- and environment-dependent factors do not exert significant influence on camel gait performance, which can be attributed to species-specific, inherited adaptations developed in response to desert conditions, including the pacing gait, broad foot pads, and energy-efficient movements. The outcomes of our functional data analysis can provide valuable insights for making informed breeding decisions aimed at enhancing animal functional performance in camel riding and racing activities. Furthermore, these findings can open avenues for exploring alternative applications, such as camel-assisted therapy.

Monitoring Immune Modulation in Season Population: Identifying Effects and Markers Related to Apis mellifera ligustica Honey Bee Health

Honey bees play a significant role in ecology, producing biologically active substances used to promote human health. However, unlike humans, the molecular markers indicating honey bee health remain unknown. Unfortunately, numerous reports of honey bee collapse have been documented. To identify health markers, we analyzed ten defense system genes in Apis mellifera ligustica honey bees from winter (Owb) and spring (Fb for foragers and Nb for newly emerged) populations sampled in February and late April 2023, respectively. We focused on colonies free from SBV and DWV viruses. Molecular profiling revealed five molecular markers of honey bee health. Of these, two seasonal molecular markers-domeless and spz genes-were significantly downregulated in Owb compared to Nb and Fb honey bees. One task-related marker gene, apid-1, was identified as being downregulated in Owb and Nb compared to Fb honey bees. Two recommended general health markers, SOD and defensin-2, were upregulated in honey bees. These markers require further testing across various honey bee subspecies in different climatic regions. They can diagnose bee health without colony intervention, especially during low-temperature months like winter. Beekeepers can use this information to make timely adjustments to nutrients or heating to prevent seasonal losses.

Thermographic ranges of dromedary camels during physical exercise: applications for physical health/welfare monitoring and phenotypic selection

Despite the relatively wide knowledge of camel biomechanics, research into the immediate functional response that accompanies the execution of physical exercise remains unapproached. Therefore, selective breeding programs lack an empirical basis to achieve genetic improvement of physical stress tolerance traits and monitor camel welfare in this regard. Given the fact that physical exercise increases net heat production, infrared thermography (IRT) was selected to study the temperature changes at the skin surface of the different body areas in clinically normal dromedary camels, mostly relegated to leisure activities. Specifically, a lower dispersion at the individual level of the surface temperature at the scapular cartilage region, shoulder joint, and pelvis region, as well as lower values for Tmax and Tmin at the region of the ocular region, pectoral muscles, semimembranosus-semitendinosus muscles, and hind fetlock after exercise, have to be considered as breeding criteria for candidate selection. Such thermophysiological responses can be used as indirect measures of tissue activity in response to exercise and hence are reliable indicators of animal tolerance to physical exercise-induced stress. Additionally, sex, castration, age, and iris pigmentation significantly impacted the thermo-physiological response to exercise in the study sample, which can be attributed to hormones, general vigor, and visual acuity-mediated effects. These specific factors' influence has to be considered for the evaluation of physical performance and the design of selection schemes for physical-related traits in dromedaries.

Study of Meat and Carcass Quality-Related Traits in Turkey Populations through Discriminant Canonical Analysis

The present research aimed to determine the main differences in meat and carcass quality traits among turkey genotypes worldwide and describe the clustering patterns through the use of a discriminant canonical analysis (DCA). To achieve this goal, a comprehensive meta-analysis of 75 documents discussing carcass and meat characteristics in the turkey species was performed. Meat and carcass attributes of nine different turkey populations were collected and grouped in terms of the following clusters: carcass dressing traits, muscle fiber properties, pH, color-related traits, water-retaining characteristics, texture-related traits, and meat chemical composition. The Bayesian ANOVA analysis reported that the majority of variables statistically differed (p < 0.05), and the multicollinearity analysis revealed the absence of redundancy problems among variables (VIF < 5). The DCA reported that cold carcass weight, slaughter weight, sex-male, carcass/piece weight, and the protein and fat composition of meat were the traits explaining variability among different turkey genotypes (Wilks' lambda: 0.488, 0.590, 0.905, 0.906, 0.937, and 0.944, respectively). The combination of traits in the first three dimensions explained 94.93% variability among groups. Mahalanobis distances cladogram-grouped populations following a cluster pattern and suggest its applicability as indicative of a turkey genotype's traceability.

Origin, Selection and Current Status of the Utrerana Chicken Breed: A Review

The conservation of threatened local livestock genetic resources involves characterising them to implement conservation strategies. The Utrerana is a Mediterranean-type chicken breed, included in the Official Catalogue of Livestock Breeds of Spain and in the Domestic Animal Diversity Information System (DAD-IS) of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), native to south Spain created in 1926 by a farmer from Utrera (Seville province). It was selected for laying performance and with four plumage varieties (White, Black, Black-barred and Partridge), reaching average yields of 180 eggs per hen per year. It was widely used in commercial farming in the second quarter of the 20th century, being subsequently displaced in the second half of the 20th century by the spreading of the improved foreign breeds and lines. The Utrerana breed was reared from then on for its aesthetic values and in backyard systems, being endangered with a vulnerable local risk status (1822 birds in 2022 with an increasing trend) and having worsened its laying performance as selection for productivity ceased. The breed has received little attention from the research community. Therefore, this work aims to review the literature on the origin, selection, genetic and productive characterisation and status of the populations of the breed, as well as the conservation strategies. The Utrerana chicken is a polymorphic breed showing high genetic diversity, sexual dimorphism and morpho-functional differences among varieties. Currently, Utrerana hens start laying at 6 months of age, and a hen lays 94-121 high quality eggs (59-64 g) per year, showing seasonality. It is a slow-growing breed with mature weights of 2.4-2.6 kg for roosters and 1.9-2.0 g for hens. The Utrerana chicken breed is rustic and adapted to alternative farming systems. This review has identified research gaps to be filled, such as characterising the carcass and meat quality of the Utrerana chicken, and evidences the need to make efforts to promote the breed and expand its populations.