Genome-wide association studies unveil major genetic loci driving insecticide resistance in Anopheles funestus in four eco-geographical settings across Cameroon.

Background: Insecticide resistance is jeopardising malaria control efforts in Africa. Deciphering the evolutionary dynamics of mosquito populations country-wide is essential for designing effective and sustainable national and subnational tailored strategies to accelerate malaria elimination efforts. Here, we employed genome-wide association studies through pooled template sequencing to compare four eco-geographically different populations of the major vector, Anopheles funestus, across a South North transect in Cameroon, aiming to identify genomic signatures of adaptive responses to insecticides.

A graph-based goat pangenome reveals structural variations involved in domestication and adaptation.

Pangenomes can facilitate a deeper understanding of genome complexity. Using de novo phased long-read assemblies of eight representative goat breeds, we constructed a graph-based pangenome of goats (Capra hircus) and discovered 113 Mb autosomal novel sequences. Combining this multi-assembly pangenome with low-coverage PacBio HiFi sequences, we constructed a long-read structural variations (SVs) database containing 59,325 SV deletions, 84,910 SV insertions and 24,954 other complex SV alleles.

Advances and new horizons in metabolic engineering of heterotrophic bacteria and cyanobacteria for enhanced lactic acid production.

Bacteria species such as E.Coli, Lactobacilli, and pediococci play an important role as starter strains in fermentation food or polysaccharides into lactic acid. These bacteria were metabolically engineered using multiple proven genome editing methods to enhance relevant phenotypes.

An eight-founder wheat MAGIC population allows fine-mapping of flowering time loci and provides novel insights into the genetic control of flowering time.

Flowering time synchronizes reproductive development with favorable environmental conditions to optimize yield. Improved understanding of the genetic control of flowering will help optimize varietal adaptation to future agricultural systems under climate change. Here, we investigate the genetic basis of flowering time in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.

Chromosome-level genome assembly of the mud carp (Cirrhinus molitorella) using PacBio HiFi and Hi-C sequencing.

The mud carp (Cirrhinus molitorella) is an important economic farmed fish, mainly distributed in South China and Southeast Asia due to its strong adaptability and high yield. Despite its economic importance, the paucity of genomic information has constrained detailed genetic research and breeding efforts. In this study, we utilized PacBio HiFi long-read sequencing and Hi-C technologies to generate a meticulously assembled chromosome-level genome of the mud carp.

Towards a microRNA-based Johne's disease diagnostic predictive system: Preliminary results.

Background: Johne's disease, caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), is a chronic enteritis that adversely affects welfare and productivity in cattle. Screening and subsequent removal of affected animals is a common approach for disease management, but efforts are hindered by low diagnostic sensitivity. Expression levels of small non-coding RNA molecules involved in gene regulation (microRNAs), which may be altered during mycobacterial infection, may present an alternative diagnostic method.

History and genetic diversity of African sheep: Contrasting phenotypic and genomic diversity.

Domesticated sheep have adapted to contrasting and extreme environments and continue to play important roles in local community-based economies throughout Africa. Here we review the Neolithic migrations of thin-tailed sheep and the later introductions of fat-tailed sheep into eastern Africa. According to contemporary pictorial evidence, the latter occurred in Egypt not before the Ptolemaic period (305-25 BCE).

A one health roadmap towards understanding and mitigating emerging Fungal Antimicrobial Resistance: fAMR.

The emergence of fungal antimicrobial resistance-fAMR-is having a growing impact on human and animal health, and food security. This roadmap charts inter-related actions that will enhance our ability to mitigate the risk of fAMR. As humanity's reliance on antifungal chemicals escalates, our understanding of their one-health consequences needs to scale accordingly if we are to protect our ability to manage the global spectrum of fungal disease sustainably.

Hatchery type influences the gill microbiome of Atlantic farmed salmon (Salmo salar) after transfer to sea.

Background: Salmon aquaculture involves freshwater and seawater phases. Recently there has been an increase in multifactorial gill health challenges during the seawater phase which has led to an urgent need to understand the gill microbiome. There is a lack of understanding on what drives the composition of the gill microbiome, and the influence the freshwater stage has on its long-term composition.

A single mutation G454A in the P450 CYP9K1 drives pyrethroid resistance in the major malaria vector Anopheles funestus reducing bed net efficacy.

Metabolic mechanisms conferring pyrethroid resistance in malaria vectors are jeopardizing the effectiveness of insecticide-based interventions, and identification of their markers is a key requirement for robust resistance management. Here, using a field-lab-field approach, we demonstrated that a single mutation G454A in the P450 CYP9K1 is driving pyrethroid resistance in the major malaria vector Anopheles funestus in East and Central Africa. Drastic reduction in CYP9K1 diversity was observed in Ugandan samples collected in 2014, with selection of a predominant haplotype (G454A mutation at 90%), which was completely absent in the other African regions.

Association Between Dairy Production System and Milk Functionality Based on Analysis of miRNAs in Exosomes from Milk.

Dairy farming practices significantly affect the nutritional and functional properties of milk. This study compares miRNAs in milk exosomes from extensive and intensive dairy systems and explores their potential implications for human consumers. Extensive systems are believed to produce milk of higher quality with better animal welfare compared to intensive systems.

Detecting play behaviour in weaned dairy calves using accelerometer data.

This research paper describes a validation study evaluating the ability of IceTag accelerometers (Peacock Technology, UK) to detect play behaviour in weaned dairy calves. Play behaviour is commonly observed in young animals and is regarded as an indicator of positive welfare states. Eight Holstein Friesian calves aged three to five months old were monitored using leg-mounted accelerometers for 48 h.

Effectiveness of implemented global dietary interventions: a scoping review of fiscal policies.

Background: Although the World Health Organisation (WHO) has proposed the use of fiscal policies to mitigate consumption externalities such as overweight and obesity-related diseases, very little is known about the impacts of the different types and framing of national and/or regional fiscal policies that have been implemented over the years. There is the need to provide up-to-date evidence on the impact of fiscal policies that have been enacted and implemented across the globe.

Methods: We conducted a scoping review of all implemented government fiscal policies in the food and drinks sector to identify the different types of fiscal policies that exist and the scope of their impact on consumers as well as the food environment.

Analysis of genotyping data reveals the unique genetic diversity represented by the breeds of sheep native to the United Kingdom.

Background: Sheep breeds native to the United Kingdom exhibit a striking diversity of different traits. Some of these traits are highly sustainable, such as seasonal wool shedding in the Wiltshire Horn, and are likely to become more important as pressures on sheep production increase in coming decades. Despite their clear importance to the future of sheep farming, the genetic diversity of native UK sheep breeds is poorly characterised.

Understanding the interests of academics from diverse disciplines to identify the prospective focus for a UK-based transdisciplinary network involving farm-to-fork stakeholders on antimicrobial resistance in agrifood systems: An online survey.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) evolution and onward transmission of resistance genes is impacted by interrelated biological and social drivers, with evidence and impacts observed across human, animal and environmental One Health domains. Systems-based research examining how food production impacts on AMR in complex agrifood systems is lacking, with little written on management approaches in the UK that might prevent and respond to this challenge. One approach is the creation of a transdisciplinary network to enhance capacity, capability and collaboration between agrifood-focused disciplines and stakeholders.

Cleaning practices of transport vehicles by commercial and non-commercial livestock markets users in Scotland.

Background: Livestock markets are critical intermediaries in the movement of cattle and sheep between herds and to abattoirs. Disease prevention strategies promoting Cleansing & Disinfection (C&D) of vehicles moving animals from markets are in place in Scotland to reduce the risk of widespread transmission of pathogens within the livestock industry. However, little is known about how market users implement C&D on their vehicles and how these may differ between sectors of the industry.

Leadership amongst pigs when faced with a novel situation.

Leadership is a risky behaviour that can impact individuals and groups. Leaders, i.e.

Validation of the diagnostic accuracy of the 3M™ Petrifilm™ coliform and aerobic count plates to measure colostrum bacterial contamination on Scottish dairy farms.

A calf should receive 10-12 % of its bodyweight in high quality colostrum ( >50 g/L immunoglobulin) shortly after birth in order to confer passive immunity, with calves ideally receiving their first feed of colostrum in the first 1-2 hours of life (Godden et al., 2019). It is recommended (not validated) that total counts for bacteria and coliforms in colostrum should not exceed 100,000 colony forming units per mL (CFU/mL) and 10,000 CFU/mL, respectively.

Improving triplet lamb survival: management practices used by commercial farmers.

Introduction: Prolificacy has become an important breeding goal in sheep farming to increase farm profitability. With the adoption of improved genetics and management practices leading to increased lambing percentages, the proportion of triplet-born lambs has also increased on farms. However, mortality rates of triplet lambs are higher than for single- and twin-born lambs, and additional management inputs may be needed to support survival.

Genetic analysis of a maternal assistance score in sheep.

Maternal behaviour is important for lamb survival, as ewes perform many behaviours that affect the chances of a lamb surviving. Collecting maternal behaviour data directly at lambing is time-consuming and not considered suitable for acquiring the large volumes of data that would be required for using as selection criteria within commercial breeding flocks. The aim of this study was to investigate if a simple scoring system is heritable and assesses the expression of behaviours that reduce the probability of lamb mortality.

Animal welfare with Chinese characteristics: Chinese poultry producers' perceptions of, and attitudes towards, animal welfare.

China's poultry industry faces challenges in adopting and sustaining cage-free systems for poultry production. Effective interventions are crucial to support producers transitioning from cages to alternative systems or maintaining cage-free systems to improve animal welfare. However, little is known about how Chinese poultry producers perceive animal welfare in relation to cage-free systems and the importance of animal welfare in poultry production.