Animal最新文献

{"title":"High canola meal in sow diets: effects on reproduction, piglet growth, milk composition, serum metabolites, and nutrient digestibility over two reproductive cycles","authors":"X. Zhang ,&nbsp;A. Rogiewicz ,&nbsp;E.G. Kiarie ,&nbsp;C. Yang ,&nbsp;C.M. Nyachoti","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101752","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101752","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Feed costs and global demand for soybean meal are increasing, reducing profitability in pig industry. Canola meal is the second most used protein source in swine diets, but evidence on its long-term effects across successive sow parities is limited. This study investigated the effects of canola meal inclusion as the main protein source in sow diets on sow and litter performance over two reproductive cycles. Sixty-eight sows from two batches were randomly allotted one of two diets on d 80 of pregnancy. The control diet (<strong>CON</strong>) consisted of corn, barley and soybean meal, and the treatment diet (<strong>CSCM</strong>) consisted of corn, barley and canola meal, included at 14.50% for gestating and 24.50% for lactating sows. The BW and backfat thickness of sows were measured on d 1, d 35, d 80, and d 111 of pregnancy, and on d 1 and d 21 post-farrowing. On d 1 and d 19 post-farrowing, piglets were weighed and milk and blood samples from sows were collected to determine milk composition and serum metabolites. Fecal samples from sows were collected on d 110 of gestation and d 19 of lactation to determine apparent total digestibility (<strong>ATTD</strong>) determination. Data were analyzed using a randomized complete block design with repeated measures. Results showed that sow BW and backfat thickness were unaffected by diet. Sows fed the CSCM diet exhibited lower (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) BW gain than CON sows during late gestation in the first cycle but not in the second cycle. Litter performance, including weight and size, was unaffected by dietary treatment, though litter weight at birth was higher (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) in the second cycle than in the first cycle. The composition of colostrum and milk was generally unaffected by diet or cycle, except for colostrum fat, which showed a significant interaction (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) between diet and cycle. Serum metabolites revealed tendencies (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.10) for increased creatinine and gamma-glutamyl transferase (<strong>GGT</strong>) with the CSCM diet, while reproductive cycle effects were observed for GGT, cholesterol, calcium, protein, and albumin levels. Apparent total tract digestibility of nutrients was not significantly influenced by diet or reproductive cycle, though the CSCM diet tended to reduce (<em>P</em> = 0.06) the ATTD of CP. In conclusion, sow diets containing 14.50% canola meal during gestation and 24.50% during lactation maintained similar sow reproductive and litter performance comparable with soybean meal-based diets across two reproductive cycles.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"20 2","pages":"Article 101752"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146013181","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Review: A systematic review on the use and effects of postbiotics on the general health, gut health, and performance of sows and piglets","authors":"B. Polimeni,&nbsp;F. Correa,&nbsp;P. Trevisi,&nbsp;D. Luise","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101749","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101749","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Growing concerns over antibiotic resistance have led to restrictions on antimicrobial use in various regions, including the European Union, prompting the search for alternative strategies to promote gut health. Of these, postbiotics have emerged as a promising strategy due to their potential immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and gut barrier-enhancing properties. Despite extensive research regarding human health, the application of postbiotics in swine nutrition remains unexplored, with limited and inconclusive findings. The definition of postbiotics has evolved, leading to inconsistencies in the literature regarding their classification and functional properties. This review aimed to clarify the concept, the definition, and classification, and evaluate the types and effects of postbiotic supplementation on the health and performance of pigs. A literature search was conducted using PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Scopus, employing search terms mainly related to “postbiotic preparation” (i.e., cell wall fragments, exopolysaccharides, etc.) and “pig category” (gestating and lactating sows, suckling and post-weaning pigs). The search yielded 2 151 articles (published between 1982 and 2025), and 33 fulfilled the eligibility criteria (studies on swine and studies in which the postbiotic respected the latest definition of the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics). The findings indicate that postbiotics derived from <em>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</em> and <em>Lactobacillus</em> species are the most extensively investigated. Based on the explored studies, the mechanisms of action of the various postbiotics appear to be closely linked to their specific bioactive components and, consequently, to the originating microbial strains. Postbiotics derived from both <em>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</em> and <em>Lactobacillus</em> demonstrated beneficial effects on gut health pillars in both sows and piglets. Sows’ supplementation enhanced immunoglobulin concentrations in blood (31%) and milk (58%) while reducing oxidative stress markers (malondialdehyde, 34%). In weaned pigs, postbiotic supplementation reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines (Tumour Necrosis Factor-α, Interleukin 1β and Interleukin 6) along with improvements in gut morphology parameters and α-diversity. These effects collectively contribute to improved overall health and growth performance in the animals. In conclusion, postbiotic supplementation, whether administered to sows or directly to pigs, appears to support and enhance piglet health and growth, even under challenging conditions. The limited characterisation of the postbiotic formulation employed in the studies precluded definitive attribution of the observed mechanisms of action to specific bioactive constituents. Future research should focus on defining the optimal dosage and timing of supplementation to exploit the potential benefits of postbiotics fully.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"20 2","pages":"Article 101749"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146013195","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Arterial blood ionised calcium activity in periparturient Holstein cows fed an alkaline low-energy density or acidifying high-energy density close-up prepartum rations","authors":"M.B. Samarasinghe ,&nbsp;L.E. Hernández-Castellano ,&nbsp;N.B. Kristensen ,&nbsp;M. Larsen","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101753","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101753","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Periparturient dairy cows often experience metabolic and health challenges due to impaired Ca homeostasis. Therefore, improving Ca metabolism and monitoring functional Ca status are essential during this critical transition phase. The objective was to test the effects of different feeding strategies in the close-up dry period on arterial blood ionised Ca concentration (<strong>iCa</strong>) of periparturient Holstein cows. A total of 28 Holstein dry cows were fed a common far-off dry cow ration (<strong>FAR</strong>; grass silage and barley straw-based, dietary cation–anion difference (<strong>DCAD</strong>) of +300 mEq/kg DM) and randomly allocated to four experimental treatments at the beginning of the close-up period (−21 days relative to expected parturition). The treatments were (1) continuation of FAR ration (FAR; n = 7), (2) high-energy acidifying ration with MgCl₂ (<strong>MGC-70</strong>; maize silage and mechanically expelled rapeseed cake based, DCAD of −70 mEq/kg DM, n = 6), (3) high-energy acidifying ration with MgCl₂ and NH₄Cl (<strong>MGC-100</strong>; maize silage and mechanically expelled rapeseed cake based, DCAD of −100 mEq/kg DM, n = 7), (4) a 7 days transition diet (grass silage:MGC-70 ratio of 20:80 DM basis, DCAD of 0 mEq/kg DM), followed by 14 days of MGC-100 feeding (<strong>OVE</strong>; n = 8). During the close-up period, urine samples were collected weekly. Arterial blood samples were collected on −12, +0.5, +1.5, and +2.5 days relative to parturition by puncturing the arteria auricularis caudalis. On −7 day relative to parturition, urine pH in MGC-70, MGC-100 and OVE was lower than in FAR, indicating metabolic acidosis. Furthermore, MGC-100 and OVE had lower blood pH than FAR on −12 day relative to parturition. Although having higher postpartum arterial blood pH, cows fed acidifying close-up diets had a higher postpartum iCa than FAR. Tendency for an increased arterial iCa was detected in MGC-100 already on +0.5 day postpartum and MGC-70 tended to have an increased iCa on +2.5 day relative to parturition. Plasma total Ca concentration (<strong>tCa</strong>) was greater in cows fed acidifying close-up diets compared with FAR on +2.5 day, but tCa was not affected by treatments on +0.5 day and +1.5 day relative to parturition. Therefore, the present results indicate that the determination of physiologically active Ca status in periparturient dairy cows can differ depending on the chosen biological indicator (iCa vs tCa). Overall, feeding maize silage-based acidifying close-up rations improved iCa status in periparturient cows. Sampling of arterial blood from the arteria auricularis caudalis is a method to be considered in future studies evaluating functional Ca status.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"20 2","pages":"Article 101753"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145999589","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genetic parameters of lamb leather and wool traits in Lacaune dairy sheep","authors":"H. Largant ,&nbsp;L. Drouilhet ,&nbsp;F. Woloszyn ,&nbsp;F. Plisson-Petit ,&nbsp;S. Lucas ,&nbsp;J.-C. Duchêne ,&nbsp;D. Allain ,&nbsp;H. Larroque","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101750","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101750","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Lacaune lamb skins are well known for their high quality and are widely used in the leather industry and luxury ready-to-wear fashion. However, in France, the quality of this leather has declined over recent decades, primarily due to two major defects: pinhole and straw-like bushiness. The study aimed to estimate the genetic parameters of these defects and wool traits, and to assess the genetic correlations between these traits and traits currently under selection in the Lacaune breed. To investigate the genetic determinism of these defects, around 1 400 Lacaune lambs, from 72 rams, were genotyped using the Illumina OvineSNP50 BeadChip and were phenotyped for both leather defects and four wool traits. Environmental factors affecting each studied trait were determined using ANOVA. Then, heritabilities and genetic correlations were estimated by fitting an animal linear model using an average information REML algorithm. The pinhole defect showed a high heritability (0.59 ± 0.07) and was highly genetically correlated to the wool predicted core bulk (r_g = 0.54 ± 0.09). The straw-like bushiness defect had a lower heritability (0.26 ± 0.07) and was genetically correlated to the mean fibre diameter (r_g = 0.48 ± 0.14). Importantly, neither of the leather defects was highly genetically correlated with the traits currently included in the breed’s total merit index. Therefore, improving leather quality through genetic selection appears feasible and could be pursued alongside the existing breeding objectives for the Lacaune breed in France, and could also be considered in other countries where the Lacaune genetics are exported.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"20 2","pages":"Article 101750"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146013137","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prelamb shearing and its long-term benefits: behavioural and physiological responses of weaned male lambs to social isolation","authors":"A. Freitas-de-Melo ,&nbsp;L. Lacuesta ,&nbsp;J. Fernández ,&nbsp;S. Cowie ,&nbsp;R. Ungerfeld","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101746","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101746","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Prelamb shearing enhances neonatal ability to cope with environmental challenges after birth, but there is scarce information on its long-term effects. The aim of the study was to determine whether the physiological and behavioural responses to social isolation in a novel environment differ in weaned male lambs born to ewes shorn or not at mid-gestation (Sh and Con, respectively). On day 80 of gestation (winter), 12 multiparous Merino ewes carrying a single male foetus were shorn, while 9 were left unshorn. Ninety-day-old lambs were subjected to a social isolation test in a novel environment. Lambs’ behaviour was video recorded during the test, and physiological responses were determined before and after the test. A fear index was calculated based on the display of fearful and exploratory behaviours. Serum cortisol, triiodothyronine (<strong>T3</strong>), total protein, albumin, globulin concentrations, maximum eye IR temperature, and glycemia increased immediately after social isolation ended (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). The area under the curve of T3 concentration tended to be greater in Sh than in Con lambs (<em>P</em> = 0.069). However, the other physiological responses did not differ between groups. The mean duration of vocalisations was shorter in Sh than Con lambs (<em>P</em> = 0.0006). The number (<em>P</em> = 0.001) and the total time sniffing were greater in Sh than in Con lambs (<em>P</em> = 0.002). The fear index was greater in Con than in Sh lambs (<em>P</em> = 0.02). Lambs born to shorn ewes exhibited reduced fear and increased exploration when isolated in a novel environment, indicating they cope better with an acute stress challenge.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"20 2","pages":"Article 101746"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146020413","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Using transcriptomic data to improve the prediction of immunity traits in pigs","authors":"T. Jové-Juncà ,&nbsp;V.P. Haas ,&nbsp;M.P.L. Calus ,&nbsp;M. Ballester ,&nbsp;R. Quintanilla","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101742","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101742","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Considering health-related traits among breeding selection criteria has been proposed as a way to improve pig robustness. This study investigated the potential of whole blood RNA-sequencing data for predicting immunity-related traits, stress indicators and carcass weight, using data from 255 pigs belonging to a commercial Duroc population. The prediction performance of mixed models fitting either genomic (<strong>G</strong>), transcriptomic (<strong>T</strong>) or both effects as independent (<strong>GT</strong>) was evaluated and compared. Three additional models addressing the redundant information between G and T were also evaluated: the GTC model that subtracts the genetic effect from the transcriptome, the GTCi model that makes this correction based on the estimated heritability of T effects, and a multiomic model that weights G and T effects in a multiomics relationship matrix. The models including gene expression information captured a higher proportion of variance than the genomic model for all studied traits but carcass weight. Adding transcriptomic effects improved both model fit and phenotypic prediction of all immunity traits, particularly those with a high transcriptomic contribution such as the abundance of T helper and γδ T cells, the haptoglobin concentration and the leukocyte counts. Considering the interaction between genomic and transcriptomic effects led to greater prediction accuracies, with the GTCi model performing the best. Our work demonstrates the value of considering gene expression data to predict immunity traits as well as the importance of adequately modelling the interaction between genomic and transcriptomic effects.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"20 2","pages":"Article 101742"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145950128","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrating genomic selection and genome-wide association study to enhance growth performance in swamp buffalo","authors":"R. Lomngam ,&nbsp;M. Duangjinda ,&nbsp;W. Kenchaiwong ,&nbsp;K. Kuha ,&nbsp;K. Sintala ,&nbsp;K. Pothikanit ,&nbsp;V. Chankitisakul ,&nbsp;W. Boonkum","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101729","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101729","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Thai swamp buffalo (<em>Bubalus bubalis</em>) represents an important genetic resource in Southeast Asia but exhibits slow growth and limited productivity, constraining meat production efficiency. This study aimed to characterise the genetic architecture of growth traits and evaluate the effectiveness of genomic selection in improving growth performance. Data comprised 2 077 phenotypic records (birth weight, weaning weight at 240 days, and BW at 400 days) and 474 genotyped animals analysed using the weighted single-step genomic best linear unbiased prediction (<strong>WssGBLUP</strong>) and weighted single-step genome-wide association study (<strong>WssGWAS</strong>) models. Variance components were estimated via multiple-trait animal models. Heritability estimates from WssGBLUP were moderate to high (0.52, 0.59, and 0.41 for the three traits, respectively), confirming strong genetic control. Incorporating genomic information improved prediction accuracy of genomic estimated breeding values (<strong>GEBVs</strong>) by 3–8% compared with pedigree-based EBVs. Significant genomic regions associated with growth traits were identified on chromosomes 1, 3, 6, and 23, encompassing 17 major SNPs linked to candidate genes including <em>MUSK</em>, <em>SVEP1</em>, <em>ATP1A2</em>, <em>CASQ1</em>, <em>DMBT1</em>, and <em>CUZD1</em>. These genes are involved in muscle development, calcium homeostasis, cellular growth, and immunity, suggesting pleiotropic roles across growth stages. Strong genetic correlations between weaning and post-weaning BWs (0.80) indicate that selection for weaning weight could yield correlated responses in mature weight. Overall, this study demonstrates the potential of WssGBLUP for enhancing genetic evaluation and provides genomic insights that can guide the implementation of sustainable breeding programmes for growth improvement in Thai swamp buffalo.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"20 1","pages":"Article 101729"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145828892","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Predictive ability and mediation effects of the rumen microbiome on feed efficiency and methane traits in Hereford beef cattle","authors":"P. Peraza ,&nbsp;G. Martinez-Boggio ,&nbsp;H. Naya ,&nbsp;J. Sotelo-Silveira ,&nbsp;E.A. Navajas","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101730","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101730","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The ruminant genome exerts moderate control over rumen microbial composition, which is a major determinant of feed efficiency and methane emissions. However, the integration of new omics data, whether for phenotypic prediction, selective breeding, or both, is still under discussion. This study aimed to (1) estimate the heritability and microbiability for residual feed intake (<strong>RFI</strong>), dry matter intake (<strong>DMI</strong>), BW, and methane yield (<strong>MY</strong>); (2) assess the predictive ability of models including host genome and microbiome information; and (3) evaluate the mediation effects of the rumen microbiome on feed efficiency and performance traits. The data set consisted of 537 Hereford bulls and steers with RFI, DMI, and BW records, as well as a subset of them (n = 123) with MY records. All animals were genotyped using 100 k single-nucleotide polymorphism panels, and rumen microbial abundances were determined through enzyme-restriction reduced representation sequencing (<strong>ER-RRS</strong>) analysis. Heritability estimates ranged from 0.18 for RFI to 0.36 for BW, while microbiability values were moderate (0.16–0.32), indicating that both host genetics and the microbiome significantly contribute to trait variation. We found that the use of genome and rumen microbiome information improved predictive ability for BW (r = 0.48–0.52), as assessed by Pearson’s correlation between observed and predicted values, but not for RFI (r = 0.15–0.14), DMI (r = 0.72–0.73), or MY (r = 0.68–0.69). We also identified several amplicon sequence variants (<strong>ASVs</strong>) with moderate genetic control and potential mediation effects on RFI, DMI, and BW. However, given the large number of tests performed, these findings should be interpreted with caution due to the increased risk of false positives. Interestingly, our findings show better results for the use of rumen microbiome for selective breeding than for phenotypic prediction in beef cattle. Additionally, we highlighted that using genomics and rumen microbiome data within structural equation models provides new biological insights into animal performance. However, the assumption of no environmental covariance between the host and the microbiome is strict but necessary. Further exploration includes the use of instrumental auxiliary variables that allow for the inclusion of the environmental covariance between the traits of interest.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"20 1","pages":"Article 101730"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145841227","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Shortening the measurement period decreases precision in the determination of digestibility and nitrogen balance-related traits in growing bulls","authors":"R. Bellagi,&nbsp;G. Cantalapiedra-Hijar,&nbsp;R. Baumont,&nbsp;P. Nozière","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101677","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101677","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Digestibility and nitrogen (<strong>N</strong>) balance (<strong>NB</strong>) are classically measured in animals held in digestibility stalls for several consecutive days. These measurements are essential references for the development of feed evaluation and animal phenotyping, but raise animal welfare issues. This study quantified how the duration of the measurement period affects the precision − assessed via residual error, animal variance, and intra-class correlation (<strong>ICC</strong>) − of key traits: voluntary DM intake (<strong>VDMI</strong>), DM excreted in faeces (<strong>FDM</strong>), DM digestibility (<strong>DMd</strong>), N intake (<strong>NI</strong>), N excreted in urine (<strong>UN</strong>) and in faeces (<strong>FN</strong>), NB and finally N use efficiency (<strong>NUE</strong>). Sixteen Charolais bulls previously adapted to their respective experimental diets were submitted to two 15-day experimental periods (repetitions 1 and 2 separated by 63 days) in digestibility stalls with 5 days of adaptation and 10 days of measurement. Eight bulls received a high crude protein diet (HIGH; 173 g/kg DM), and the other eight a low one (LOW; 116 g/kg DM). From d1 to d10 of measurements, VDMI, total faeces and urine excretion were measured daily. Pooled samples representative of d1-d3, d4-d5, d6-d7, d8, d9 and d1-d10 of offered feeds, individual refusals, urine and faeces were analysed for N content to allow calculation of NB and NUE for several period lengths (from 3 to 10 days). Increasing the number of collection days reduced residual error for all traits, especially for NB and NUE (e.g., NB residual error for the HIGH diet: 10.8 vs 5.1 g/d between 3 and 10 days; NUE residual error: 4.19 vs 1.85%). Measured variables (VDMI, NI, UN, FN) were more precise and repeatable (residual error% 6–9%, ICC 38–64%) than calculated ones like NB and NUE (residual error% 15–18%, ICC 12–25%). For the LOW diet, NUE ICC increased markedly with time (from 24 to 66%), while for the HIGH diet, ICC for NB and NUE stabilised after 8 days. These results indicate that at least 8 days are needed to ensure reliable NB and NUE determination, especially in protein-limited contexts, and provide support for the refining of protocols to improve both data quality and animal welfare.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 12","pages":"Article 101677"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145684704","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Associations between foot lesions and carcass traits in young bulls reared indoors","authors":"S. Ishak ,&nbsp;R. Guatteo ,&nbsp;A. Lehebel ,&nbsp;N. Brisseau ,&nbsp;M. Drouet ,&nbsp;A. Duvauchelle-Waché ,&nbsp;A. Relun","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101713","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101713","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Even if painful foot lesions are frequent in indoor-finished young bulls, little is known about their economic impact. Previous research has primarily focused on their effect on average daily gain, but their potential impact on carcass weight and quality could further increase their economic cost and relevance to producers. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between foot lesions and key carcass characteristics, namely carcass weight, conformation, fat cover, and age at slaughter, in French beef and dairy young bulls. Postmortem data were collected from 2 089 animals across four slaughterhouses during two seasons in 2023. Each bull underwent a comprehensive foot examination, and lesion annotation was assessed using standardised criteria. Slaughter data, including carcass weight, EUROP muscle development scores, fat cover scores, and age at slaughter, were obtained from slaughterhouse records. Mixed multivariable linear and mixed ordinal logistic regression models were used to assess associations between specific foot lesions and carcass traits, adjusting for breed and other confounding factors, and including farm as a random effect to account for clustering. Results revealed that certain lesions, such as interdigital phlegmon and bulb ulcer, were negatively associated with carcass weight, suggesting a detrimental effect on growth. In contrast, heel horn erosion and various forms of sole and white line haemorrhages were associated with higher carcass weight and better conformation scores. For sole and white line haemorrhages, carcass weight increased progressively with lesion severity, further supporting the hypothesis that heavier animals may be more prone to developing these types of lesions. Heel horn erosion was also the only lesion significantly associated with higher slaughter age. The evidence for associations between foot lesions and fat cover, as well as between digital dermatitis and carcass traits, was inconclusive. Breed also significantly influenced carcass traits, with beef-specialised breeds generally achieving higher carcass weights and conformation scores compared to dairy-origin or crossbred animals. These findings suggest that foot lesions, while sometimes detrimental, may also reflect complex interactions between growth dynamics and foot health. They underscore the need for integrated management strategies that consider foot health not only as a welfare issue but also as a factor influencing or related to carcass performance and economic returns in beef systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 12","pages":"Article 101713"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145684844","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}