C. Barba

Diversity in the dry land mixed system and viability of dairy sheep farming

Castilla La Mancha is a Spanish region where sheep farming system is traditionally pasture-based. Recently, this territory has undergone a recession of dairy sheep activity, which changed the type and intensity of land utilization and led to environmental and landscape degradation. The present study analyzed the diversity and viability of dairy sheep of mixed systems. Multivariate analysis was conducted on 157 dairy sheep farms, factor analysis selected 3 productivity factors (level of intensification, land use, size and family labour), and cluster analysis classified farms into three groups. Group 1, smallholders – with the smallest size (405.5 ewes and 564.7 ha), lowest area in ownership (1.5%), and agriculture activity (6.5% crops area): family farms (90.8%) highly dependent on external inputs. Group 2, large-scale farms (1058.7 ewes and 1755.1 ha) – with the lowest stocking rate (0.14 livestock unit/ha) and productivity: non-family farms (39.1%) with low area in ownership (4.1%) and agriculture activity (7.6%). Group 3, mixed-technified – with the highest levels of technology and least use of family labour (27.0%): large-scale farms (1387.4 ewes and 955.8 ha), combining milk production with agricultural activities (55.7% crops area), with the highest area in ownership (63.1%) and the best productivity performance. In conclusion, the dry land mixed system of Castilla La Mancha showed diversity of farms. Improving viability requires a systemic approach where the key tool is grazing, allowing the mixed system to be consolidated as a model that enhances the positive impact of livestock on the environment in the Mediterranean basin.

Chato Murciano pig breed: genetic and ethnozoological characterization

The Chato Murciano is the only surviving breed of pig of those historically farmed in the region of Murcia for their quality meat. At present, it is on the verge of extinction, having a population of only 260 reproductive animals. This paper describes the genetic studies made in the conservation and recovery programme of this breed of pig. A study of the morphological characterization of these animals was carried out first, measuring thirteen quantitative and six qualitative variables in a sample of 24 adult animals, 8 males and 16 females. Subsequently, investigation was made of the consanguinity of the individuals and of the population as well as the future influence of inbreeding in each generation. Finally, the accuracy and precision of the heterozygote-excess method was evaluated using two data sets from the Chato Murciano pig. One data set is an original population and the other is a F3+F4+F5 generation of a line created from mating a Chato Murciano female with a Large White boar as part of an absorption programme based on backcrosses with Chato Murciano boars.

Fatty acid profile of feral cattle meat

Abstract Marismeña is a feral Spanish cattle breed reared in the Doñana National Park, whose meat quality is traditionally appreciated in the area of influence. We assessed male (n = 32) and female (n = 22) Marismeña calves raised in their natural habitat (n = 30) vs. feedlot conditions (n = 24) to test differences in the lipid profiles of the m. longissimus thoracis. Meat from the feral system displayed (p < .05) lower intramuscular fat (IMF) (0.93%), higher saturated fatty acids (SFA) (18:0) proportion, and lower monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) proportion compared with feedlot meat. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) percentage was higher for feral meat compared with feedlot meat, especially the proportion of PUFA n-3, which was about 8.5 times greater. The PUFA/SFA (0.37) and PUFA n-6/n-3 (2.87) ratios showed that feral meat was presumably healthier, from a human dietary perspective, than feedlot meat (0.21 and 13.42, respectively). This study used a direct comparison of natural feral meat and conventional feedlot meat in cattle, and the results demonstrated a clear influence of natural production on the constituents of meat.

Genetic parameters of traits associated with the growth curve in Segureña sheep

This paper studies the genetic importance of growth curve parameters and their relevance as selection criteria in breeding programmes of Segureño sheep. Logistic and Verhulst growth functions were chosen for their best fit to BW/age in this breed; the first showed the best general fit and the second the best individual fit. Live weights of 41 330 individuals from the historical archives of the National Association of Segureña Sheep Breeders were used in the analysis. The progeny of 1464 rams and 27 048 ewes were used to study the genetic and phenotypic parameters of growth curve parameters and derived traits. Reproductive management in the population consists in controlled natural mating inside every herd, with a minimum of 15% of the females fertilized by artificial insemination with fresh semen; with the purpose being the herd genetic connections, all herd genealogies are screened with DNA markers. Estimates of growth curve parameters from birth to 80 days were obtained for each individual and each function by the non-linear regression procedure using IBM SPSS statistics (version 21) with the Levenberg-Marquart estimation method. (Co)variance components and genetic parameters were estimated by using the REML/Animal model methodology. The heritability of mature weight was estimated as 0.41±0.042 and 0.38±0.021 with the logistic and Verhulst models, respectively, and the heritability of other parameters ranged from 0.41 to 0.62 and 0.37 to 0.61, with the models, respectively. A negative genetic correlation between mature weight and rate of maturing was found.

Analysis of the Non-Genetic Factors Affecting the Growth of Segureño Sheep

A study was conducted to evaluate the effects of non-genetic factors on the growth behaviour of Segureña sheep breed. Growth related data (early weaning weight, late weaning weight and weight at 80 days of age) were taken from 59,704 lambs belonging to historical data from National Association of Segureño Sheep Breeders (ANCOS) during a period of 11 years. Statistical analyses were performed by using the multifactorial analysis of variance of IBM SPSS Statistics v.19 software. The model included non-genetic factors – lamb sex (S), birth season (N), herd (H), birth year (A) and birth type (P) – as main effects, the dam’s age at lambing and the lamb’s age when weighed as covariables, and the interactions between these factors. Results showed that all weights at developmental stages were significantly (P<0.001) affected by all factors, except for A and the covariable age of dams at lambing on lambs aged 80 days. Double interactions H×A, H×P and H×N were significant (P<0.001) for all variables, as well as the triple interaction H×A×P. Non-genetic factors have a very important role in the development and growth of the Segureña sheep breed, at different ages or growth stages, therefore a correction is necessary to increase the accuracy of direct selection on lamb weight at early weaning, late weaning and at slaughtering (80 days of age).

Murciano-Granadina Goat: A Spanish Local Breed Ready for the Challenges of the Twenty-First Century

The present chapter describes all the initiatives, ready or in progress, which have been and/or are being implemented to ensure the competitiveness of the Murciano-Granadina goat breed, so as to maintain its leadership in Spain, as the most representative dairy goat breed of the country at a national and an international level. After an intense introduction concerning the history and the present status of the breed, we started with the description of the presently ongoing official breeding program. Selection objectives and their associated criteria are presented together with a summary of the information used in the last genetic evaluation. This information is accompanied by the genetic parameters of the main selection criteria, i.e., milk production and content (fat, protein, and usable dry matter), and morphology, (through official milk yield control and linear morphological qualification, respectively) and an evaluation of the genetic response selection over 15 years of experience. In a different section, we present the results on the meat productivity with the aim to characterize all the process of meat production of the breed. Kid performance (daily gains, commercial weight, carcass characteristics, and quality) is defined under intensive, semi-intensive, and extensive management systems. A special interest is paid to the fatty acid profile of the meat from each tested management system. We conclude the chapter describing the future ongoing challenges to maintain the efficiency of the breed. On the one hand, we describe the study of lactation curve parameters, especially peak and persistence, as candidates for the selection criteria of the breed with the intention to increase the maximum production and its maintenance in an enlarged lactation. On the other hand, we described our dedication to develop the improvement of the case in profiles by using marker-assisted selection.