Laboratory of Animal Science
LABORATORY OF ANIMAL SCIENCE
The main goal of the Animal Science lab is to increase the quality of animal products also taking into consideration animal welfare status, safeguard and conservation of species, breeds and populations as well as food quality and safety.
The research areas involved are genetics and animal breeding, nutrition, reproduction, welfare, milk/meat/egg quality of cattle, sheep, goat, horse, donkey, swine, wild ungulates, rabbit, poultry and fish.
Main research lines:
– Livestock biodiversity studies (different breeds and populations) for an in-depth knowledge, valorization and conservation of genetic variability, by using modern approaches at the DNA and RNA level based on ‘omic’ technologies;
– Quantitative and applied genetics of complex livestock traits by high-throughput genotyping, whole genome sequencing (i.e. next-generation sequencing technologies – NGS), whole genome expression and bioinformatics, also by developing computational-bioinformatics new tools for data analysis.
– Reduction of the environmental impact of livestock diets in farming systems also based on the dietary recycling of agro-industrial byproducts;
– Equine nutrition and management for improving growth and sport performances as well as products yield and quality, with emphasis on the nutritive and nutraceutical value of horse and donkey milks for their use as innovative human food, with a special focus on health promoting (antimicrobial, hormonal, anti-inflammatory, probiotic) components and technological properties.
– Studies on the management of wild ungulates for a sustainable development that both limits the impact on agricultural and forest ecosystems in mountain and hilly areas;
– Studies on the management and valorisation of pasture exploitation as to the nutritional and habitat needs of the different livestock species;
– Studies of the effects of endogenous and exogenous factors on in vivo and post mortem performance of livestock, with emphasis on the metabolic and structural characteristics of muscle, collagen, bone and fat component, as well as the effect on the physico-chemical, nutritional and sensorial properties of meat;
– Sensory evaluation of meat and derived products;
– Development of innovative technologies for the administration of bioactive substances in ovo and in the diet of broiler chicken also in acute heat stress condition, to improve their health, growth performance and meat quality;
– Effects of dietary supplementation of natural extracts with antioxidant activity on blood parameters and plasma oxidative status in livestock species, with particular emphasis on the assessment of productive performance and the quality of animal products (meat and milk);
– Evaluation of the animal welfare and behaviour in different climate environments;
– Semen cryopreservation as a tool for ex situ conservation of animal biodiversity: semen cryobank.
– Strategies to improve the quality of stored semen.
Staff: