HAL ENVT (Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse)
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Gut Microbiota in the Canine Neonate
No full textInternational audienceThe gut colonization in the dog is particularly intense in the first days after birth. Optimal gut microbiota development enables the newborn to digest carbohydrates and proteins, produce vitamins, and develop immunity. When colonization is disrupted (cesarean section, bottle-feeding, or neonatal illness) the gut microbiota is altered, potentially leading to long-term health consequences. Preventing gut dysbiosis is essential and can be supported through dam selection, neonatal intake of maternal colostrum, minimizing antimicrobial use, and maternal supplementation with yeasts. However, further research is needed to better characterize the bacterial taxa essential for optimal neonatal development and good health in adulthood
Validation of photographic fecal scoring in puppies
No full textInternational audienceBackground: Diarrhea is a common issue in puppies and compromises the well-being of animals and their owners. To date, objective assessment of fecal consistency has relied on a fecal scoring scale applied to fresh feces; however, given the challenges associated with accessing fresh stool samples, digital scoring presents an interesting potential alternative. This study aimed to test the validity of using photographs to approximate the in situ fresh fecal scoring scale.Methods: In a first experiment, 40 fresh feces were collected from puppies and scored in-situ with a 13-point fecal scale. Feces were then photographed and later assessed on picture. Agreement between the two scoring methods was evaluated using a Bland-Altman plot and kappa coefficients. In a second experiment, four observers scored independently 98 stool photographs. Intraclass correlation coefficient was calculated to assess inter-observer agreement. Intra-observer reproducibility was also explored with a Bland-Altman plot and kappa coefficients.Results: Our findings showed good agreement between the two methods (weighted kappa coefficient of 0.93 (95 % CI [0.87, 0.98]) and no significant bias in the Bland-Altman plot). Our study also showed good inter-observer (ICC of 0.83 (95 % CI [0.78, 0.87])) and intra-observer (weighted kappa coefficient of 0.93 (95 % CI [0.91, 0.96]) and no significant bias in the Bland-Altman plot) agreements.Conclusions: The puppy fecal scoring scale employed in the present study appeared to be reliably applicable to photographs for objectively assessing fecal consistency in puppies. It is a promising solution for veterinary practices and future research studies
Personality traits of aged dogs according to their cognitive status
No full textInternational audienceCanine cognitive dysfunction (CCD) syndrome is a neurodegenerative condition that shares similarities with Alzheimer's disease (AD) in humans. In human studies, high neuroticism, low openness, and low extraversion have been significantly associated with AD diagnosis. Similarly, changes in dog behaviour, including alterations in personality, have been reported as common features in dogs with CCD, but no precise assessment of their changes has yet been realised. The aim of this study (based on the CaniAge cohort) was to compare characteristics of dogs with cognitive impairment (CI dogs) and non-CI dogs in a French senior dog population including owner-reported personality traits between dogs. Data were collected via an online survey, including the CADES scale (Canine Dementia Scale), the Monash Canine Personality Questionnaire, the Canine Owner-Reported Quality of Life (CORQ) assessment, and an environment questionnaire. Dogs aged of 6 years and older were included. Responses were obtained for 566 senior dogs of various breeds, with a median age of 9.86 years (Interquartile range: 8.08-11.98). Among them, 234 were classified as cognitively impaired, including 182 with mild impairment, 44 with moderate impairment, and 8 with severe impairment or dementia. Compared to non-CI dogs, CI dogs scored significantly lower on extraversion and amicability, and higher on neuroticism. After adjustment, CI dogs showed significantly lower amicability and higher neuroticism compared to non-CI dogs. This study is complementary of previous studies regarding CI-characteristics but is also the first to explore personality trait differences between CI and non-CI dogs, supporting observations previously reported in Alzheimer's disease research.</div
Effects of host sex, age and behaviour on co-infection patterns in a wild ungulate
No full textInternational audienceRecent zoonotic disease emergences emphasize the importance of studying wildlife parasite communities. As wild hosts frequently harbour diverse parasite species, understanding the drivers of multiple infection patterns in free-ranging hosts is critical for elucidating the ecological and epidemiological dynamics of parasite communities. In this study, we analysed co-infection patterns in European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) inhabiting a fragmented rural landscape in southwestern France. Using data from 130 samples of GPS-tracked deer, we examined the influence of proximity to livestock, host activity levels, age, sex, and between-parasite interactions on the presence of 11 parasitic taxa. Hierarchical modelling of species communities (HMSC) revealed that proximity to livestock significantly increased the likelihood of infection with orofecally transmitted parasites (Toxoplasma gondii, gastrointestinal parasites). Sex and age were other key predictors, with males and juveniles exhibiting a higher frequency of parasite presence, likely influenced by hormonal and immune system differences. Activity levels showed distinct age-related effects, with higher activity levels being positively associated with increased parasite prevalence in yearlings, but not in adults. In contrast, parasite association patterns within individual hosts were weak, suggesting minimal interactions between parasite species. Our findings highlight the interplay between exposure and susceptibility in shaping co-infection patterns and underscore the value of hierarchical modelling approaches in multi-parasite systems
Genetic correlations of environmental sensitivity based on daily feed intake perturbations with economically important traits in a male pig line
No full textInternational audienceBackground Pigs in intensive production systems encounter various stressors that negatively impact their productivity and welfare. The primary aim of this study was to estimate the genetic correlations of the slope (indicator of sensitivity of the animals to environmental challenges) of the daily feed intake (DFI) across different environmental gradients (probability of the occurrence of a challenge on a given day) with growth, feed efficiency, carcass, and meat quality traits using a single-step reaction norm animal model (RNAM) in Piétrain pigs. In addition, genetic correlations of DFI (its total breeding value) with the same traits were also estimated. The probabilities of the occurrence of an unrecorded environmental challenge, inferred via a Gaussian mixture model, were taken as a reference and used in the genetic analysis as an environmental descriptor. Variance components were estimated via restricted maximum likelihood using the single-step genomic best linear unbiased prediction method, using a series of multivariate RNAM with two phenotypes (DFI and each of the traits of economic importance), with the probability of an unrecorded challenge on a given day included as an environmental descriptor for DFI only, because DFI is recorded daily but the other traits are not. ResultsGenetic correlations of the slope of DFI were 0.15 with age at 100 kg, 0.04 with backfat thickness, -0.29 with loin muscle thickness, 0.05 with feed conversion ratio, -0.07 with lean meat percentage, -0.13 with pH of the ham at 24 h postmortem, 0.06 with drip loss percentage, and 0.15 with boneless ham weight. Complementary results showed that genetic correlations of DFI with other economic traits varied across the environmental gradients. ConclusionsEstimates of genetic correlations of DFI with other traits of economic importance varied across the environmental gradients, especially for growth rate, which suggests the presence of genotype-by-environment interactions. The slope of DFI is an indicator of sensitivity of the animals to environmental challenges. Most traits of economic importance exhibited weak genetic correlations with the slope of DFI, indicating that selection for resilience based on the environmental sensitivity (slope of DFI) can be performed without adversely affecting these other traits. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of improving resilience through genetic selection.</div
The "Agroecology & Markets" project led by the INRAE sector groups
No full textThe agrifood sector encountered increasing market segmentation, with the proliferation of public and private quality claims (i.e. labels), which commit the supply chains to the building of differentiated production, processing and distribution practices. We know very little about the way in which value chains move towards agroecology, particularly for value chains with quality labels other than organic farming. From 2022 to 2023, INRAE’s Scientific Division for Agriculture conducted an exploratory project with 11 sector research groups of INRAE to analyse how differentiated supply chains are committing to agroecology. This project, entitled ‘Agroecology and Market’, was based on desk research and interviews with over 60 actors from the interbranch organisations and different stages in agrifood chains. This introductory article presents the rationale for the project, the mission of the INRAE sector research groups and the 28 case studies selected for illustrative purposes in order to conduct this exploratory analysis in a diverse range of production and supply chain contexts.International audienceThe agrifood sector encountered increasing market segmentation, with the proliferation of public and private quality claims (i.e. labels), which commit the supply chains to the building of differentiated production, processing and distribution practices. We know very little about the way in which value chains move towards agroecology, particularly for value chains with quality labels other than organic farming. From 2022 to 2023, INRAE's Scientific Division for Agriculture conducted an exploratory project with 11 sector research groups of INRAE to analyse how differentiated supply chains are committing to agroecology. This project, entitled 'Agroecology and Market', was based on desk research and interviews with over 60 actors from the interbranch organisations and different stages in agrifood chains. This introductory article presents the rationale for the project, the mission of the INRAE sector research groups and the 28 case studies selected for illustrative purposes in order to conduct this exploratory analysis in a diverse range of production and supply chain contexts
Cross-sectional analysis of 28 agrifood value chain initiatives: Various innovation dynamics related to their commitment to agroecology
No full textThe agrifood sector encountered increasing market segmentation, with the proliferation of public and private quality claims (i.e. labels), which commit the supply chains to the building of differentiated production, processing and distribution practices. We know very little about the way in which value chains move towards agroecology, particularly for value chains with quality labels other than organic farming. From 2022 to 2023, INRAE’s Scientific Division for Agriculture conducted an exploratory project with 11 sector research groups of INRAE to analyse how differentiated supply chains are committing to agroecology. This project, entitled ‘Agroecology and Market’, was based on desk research and interviews with over 60 actors from the interbranch organisations and different stages in agrifood chains. This introductory article presents the rationale for the project, the mission of the INRAE sector research groups and the 28 case studies selected for illustrative purposes in order to conduct this exploratory analysis in a diverse range of production and supply chain contexts.International audiencePlant and animal supply chains may choose to reinforce or adopt agroecological principles in various ways. Twenty-eight case studies on initiatives claiming to differentiate themselves through practices related to agroecological principles have been analysed across different fields of production. The analytical framework used is based on the innovation functions implemented by value chains. The different actions taken within the value chains are analysed relatively to their capacity to feed into a process of collective learning in the transition towards agroecology. The presented results show a variable transformative capacity of the value chains, but we observed several regularities based on which the agroecological transition in France may take place. This article makes suggestions regarding collective actions that can support the agroecological transition in France
Resource acquisition and allocation trade-offs and the link to genetic correlation between traits in agriculture
No full textAgeing-driven molecular and functional changes in the bovine endometrium
No full textInternational audienceUnderstanding how ageing impacts endometrial function is crucial for preserving fertility in older females. While ageing-related cellular dysfunction and inflammation are observed in the bovine uterus, its effects on endometrial physiology remain unclear. Using an experimental model of young (4−7 years) and old (13−15 years) cloned female cattle, we assessed the effect of ageing on the endometrium through transcriptome profiling and responses of cultured endometrial cells to interferon tau (IFNT) and of cultured endometrial explants to LPS. Progesterone profiles were similar between young and old females. Transcriptomic analysis of endometrial biopsies on day 15 of the estrous cycle identified 859 differentially expressed genes (DEG; p ≤ 0.05, |FC| ≥ 1.5), among which 402 DEG were over-expressed and 457 DEG were under-expresssed in old females. These DEG are linked to immune, inflammatory, metabolic, and cell organization pathways and networks. RT-qPCR validation of selected candidate DEG revealed an increased expression of COL4A3, CPA3, IGFBP1, IGFBP2, RSAD2, SCARA5, and SERPINA14 in young females. In vitro stimulation with IFNT of primary uterine glandular epithelial and stromal cells revealed that glandular epithelial cells exhibit a greater sensitivity to IFNT than stromal cells, both in old and young females. Glandular epithelial cells derived from old females exhibit a weaker response to IFNT, in terms of the number of differentially expressed genes, compared to those from young females. The effect of LPS treatment on cytokine concentrations was lightly more pronounced in young females than in old females, with LPS leading to a significant increase in the concentration of IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-10 in young females. By altering the transcriptomic profile of the endometrium and its capacity to respond to both the embryo's signal and inflammatory factors, we propose that age may be a key factor underlying uterine-related reproductive failures. Further experiments are required to confirm this hypothesis
