Slovenian Students’ Knowledge and Opinions about Wild Boar (Sus Scrofa L.)

ABSTRACT

Wild boar are present almost throughout Slovenia, causing similar problems as in many other countries, mainly damage to agriculture. Dealing with these problems also involves children. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of age, gender, and farm residence on knowledge, attitudes, and opinions about wild boar management in 11- and 15-year-olds (n = 478) attending schools in/near areas of high wild boar densities, via an anonymous closed-ended questionnaire. Only 52.4% of the questions on factual knowledge were answered correctly, although a relatively high proportion of students (38.3%) reported having seen wild boar in their natural environment. The majority of students (81.4%) expressed affection toward animals in general, while only 11.3% stated that they liked wild boar. The main source of information about these animals was home (40.0%), followed by school (26.1%). Logistic regression analysis revealed that students’ age and gender usually predicted their response (p < 0.05), while living on a farm influenced only the source of information and one attitude question: farm residents were more likely to express affection toward wild boar. The older students were more likely to know more about wild boar, but they also were more likely to be indifferent toward the species. Boys and girls did not differ in their knowledge, but girls were more likely to express fear/dislike of wild boar. In general, older students and girls were more likely to be undecided in their responses. Since we found almost no effect of farm residence on students’ knowledge and opinions, it can be concluded that wild boar problems are recognized generally, not only in agriculture. Because information from home can be biased, we propose that teachers be encouraged to include wild boar topics in their teaching, educating young people properly about wild boar problems and consequently influencing their adult behavior concerning management issues.     

Examination of Testicular Gene Expression Patterns in Yorkshire Pigs with High and Low Levels of Boar Taint

Boar taint refers to the objectionable odor and flavor in meat of some uncastrated male pigs, which is primarily due to high levels of androstenone, a steroid produced in the testis, and 3-methylindole (skatole) which is produced by bacterial degradation of tryptophan in the intestinal tract. We determined testicular gene expression patterns of Yorkshire pigs with high and low levels of boar taint using swine DNA microarrays with two-color hybridization. The microarrays contained 19486 annotated probes; the expressions of 8719 genes were detected. Fifty-three genes were significantly up-regulated in the high boar taint group and four were significantly down-regulated (p < 0.05; fold change > ±1.55). Gene ontology (GO) analysis short-listed 11 significant GO terms (p < 0.05), most of which are associated with steroid metabolism and mitochondrial components. Comparing the results of this study with published work on Duroc and Norwegian Landrace boars, ¹ Moe M , Meuwissen T , Lien S , Bendixen C , Wang X , Conley LN , Berget I , Tajet H , Grindflek E . Gene expression profiles in testis of pigs with extreme high and low levels of androstenone . BMC Genomics . 2007 ; 8 : 405 . [Google Scholar] eleven genes (HSB17B4, FDX1, CYP11A1, DHRS4, PRDX1, CYB5, CYP17A1, FTL, IDI1, SULT2A1, and RDH12) were over-expressed in all three breeds with a high androstenone level. The current findings confirmed a number of candidate genes identified in previous functional studies and suggest several new genes differentially expressed with different levels of boar taint.     

猪TLR4基因外显子1新等位基因的分离及遗传变异分析

文章采用PCR-SSCP方法对亚洲野猪、3个引进的商业化品种和10个中国地方猪品种共893个个体TLR4基因外显子1的遗传变异进行了检测,旨在系统分析国内外猪种TLR4基因的多态性,为探讨该基因在免疫和防御系统中发挥的作用提供依据。结果,在猪TLR4基因外显子1中分离到新的等位基因,共检测到3个等位基因,6种基因型。其中杜洛克检测到AA、BB、CC、AB、AC、BC基因型,有杜洛克血统的苏太猪中检测到BB、CC、BC基因型,长白猪、约克夏中检测到CC、BC基因型,野猪及所有10个中国地方猪品种TLR4基因外显子1高度保守,只检测到CC基因型,中国地方猪品种和引进品种TLR4基因外显子1多态性存在极显著的差异。3种基因型中CC型与GenBank中的序列一致,BB和AA基因型分别存在G93C同义突变位点和G194A无义突变位点,这2个变异位点与抗逆性和一般抗病力的关系值得进一步深入研究。     

Efficacy of non-nutritive sorbent materials as intestinal-binding agents for the control of boar taint

In many countries, male pigs are castrated to prevent boar taint, but this practice raises concerns about animal welfare and reduces the production efficiency of pork. The objective of this study was to develop dietary manipulations to prevent boar taint. We evaluated the effectiveness of adding activated carbon (AC) or Tween-60 (Tween; polyoxyethylene sorbitan monostearate) to pig finishing diets to reduce levels of androstenone (AND) and skatole in plasma and fat of entire male pigs. Boars (159 ± 2 days of age at the start of the experiment) were fed diets supplemented with either 5% AC or 5% Tween for 28 days followed by either 14 or 28 days of recovery. Plasma samples were collected at experimental days 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, 42 and 56, and backfat biopsies were taken at experimental days 0, 28, 42 and 56. Feeding AC significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the levels of AND in plasma by day 28 compared to day 0 and by day 42 in fat compared to day 0. AC treatment also decreased levels of oestrone sulphate (E(1)S) in plasma by day 7 compared to day 0. Treatment with Tween significantly decreased (P < 0.05) the levels of plasma AND by day 28 from levels at day 0. Tween treatment did not significantly affect levels of fat AND or plasma E(1)S compared to day 0; however, fat AND levels decreased between days 28 and 42 following treatment with Tween (P < 0.05). Levels of plasma E(1)S, plasma AND and fat AND for control boars remained constant throughout the experiment. Skatole plasma concentrations were very low and did not vary significantly (P > 0.05) from day 0 for any treatment, but fat skatole levels decreased by day 42 in the Tween treatment group. Importantly, there was no difference in growth rate between the control and experimental groups. We conclude that adding AC or Tween to finishing diets for boars can reduce the levels of plasma and fat AND, but further work is needed to confirm the effects of these treatments on reducing fat skatole levels.     

野猪在非洲猪瘟流行中的重要作用

非洲猪瘟因其高死亡率、没有疫苗防疫、影响国际贸易而备受广泛关注。1921年首次确认非洲猪瘟疫情以来,先后在非洲、欧洲、美洲等多个国家和地区发病造成重大经济损失。野猪作为该病传播的重要生物媒介在俄罗斯等多个国家非洲猪瘟疫情散播中发挥了重要作用。充分了解全球非洲猪瘟疫情状况和野猪在俄罗斯非洲猪瘟疫情中的影响,分析我国野猪分布、疫病监测和管理现状,将为我国非洲猪瘟外来疫情防控策略制定提供参考。     

Comparative landscape genetic analyses show a Belgian motorway to be a gene flow barrier for red deer (Cervus elaphus), but not wild boars (Sus scrofa)

While motorways are often assumed to influence the movement behaviour of large mammals, there are surprisingly few studies that show an influence of these linear structures on the genetic make-up of wild ungulate populations. Here, we analyse the spatial genetic structure of red deer (Cervus elaphus) and wild boars (Sus scrofa) along a stretch of motorway in the Walloon part of Belgium. Altogether, 876 red deer were genotyped at 13 microsatellite loci, and 325 wild boars at 14 loci. In the case of the red deer, different genetic clustering tools identified two genetic subpopulations whose borders matched the motorway well. Conversely, no genetic structure was identified in the case of the wild boar. Analysis of isolation-by-distance patterns of pairs of individuals on the same side and on different sides of the motorway also suggested that the road was a barrier to red deer, but not to wild boar movement. While telemetry studies seem to confirm that red deer are more affected by motorways than wild boar, the red deer sample size was also much larger than that of the wild boars. We therefore repeated the analysis of genetic structure in the red deer with randomly sub-sampled data sets of decreasing size. The power to detect the genetic structure using clustering methods decreased with decreasing sample size.     

Salivary and urinary metabolome analysis for pre-puberty-related biomarkers identification in porcine

Estrus synchronization is important for optimal management of gilt reproduction in pig farms. Hormonal treatments, such as synthetic progestogens, are used on a routine basis, but there is a growing demand for non-hormonal alternative breeding tools. Before puberty, gilts exhibit a ‘waiting period,’ related to the ovarian development and gonadotrophin secretions, during which external stimulations, such as boar exposure, could induce and synchronize first ovulation. Practical non-invasive tools for identification of this period in farms are lacking. During this period, urinary oestrone levels are high, but urine sampling is difficult in group-housed females. The aim of this work was to search for specific biomarkers of the ‘waiting period’ in saliva and urine. In total, nine 144- to 147-day-old Large White gilts were subjected to trans-abdominal ultrasonography three times a week for 5 weeks until puberty detection (week –5 to week –1 before puberty). Urine and saliva samples were collected for oestrone assay to detect the ‘waiting period’ and for metabolome analysis using ¹H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to detect potential biomarkers of the ‘waiting period.’ Gilts were slaughtered 7 days after puberty detection for puberty confirmation. Results were consistent with ultrasonography data for six gilts. Urine and saliva samples from these six gilts were analyzed. Urinary estrone concentration significantly increased 2 weeks before puberty detection. Metabolome analysis of urine samples allowed the identification of 78 spectral bins, among them, 42 low-molecular-weight metabolites were identified. Metabolome analysis of salivary samples allowed the identification of 59 spectral bins, among them, 23 low-molecular-weight metabolites were detected and 17 were identified. No potential biomarker was identified in urinary samples. In saliva, butyrate and 2HOvalerate, 5.79 ppm (putatively uridine), formate, malonate and propionate could be biomarker candidates to ascertain the pre-puberty period in gilt reproduction. These results confirm that non-invasive salivary samples could allow the identification of the physiological status of the gilts and presumably the optimal time for application of the boar effect. This could contribute to synchronize puberty onset and hence to develop non-hormonal breeding tools.     

The crater defect in boar spermatozoa: A correlative study with transmission electron microscopy,scanning electron microscopy,and light microscopy

Nuclear vacuoles resembling the “crater defect” described in bull spermatozoa were observed in 14 boars. Both the incidence of the defect and semen quality were monitored with phase contrast microscopy over a three-month period. The percentages of cratered spermatozoa varied widely both among boars and in ejaculates from the same boar taken on different days. The presence of cratered spermatozoa at a level of 5% or more appeared to be associated with low semen quality. The defect was studied with scanning and transmission electron microscopy and was found to consist of nuclear invaginations, about 0.5 μm in diameter, containing some scanty amorphous electron-dense material. In boars showing a high incidence of spermatozoa with crater defects, abnormalities of the acrosome and perforatorium were common.     

基于微卫星标记的中国大陆地区野猪种群结构分析与亚种分化

对中国大陆地区分布的野猪亚种分类尚存在争议.本研究通过对野猪11个微卫星位点的变异分析,探讨了中国大陆地区野猪的遗传结构,以期对野猪亚种分类问题有所启迪.对野猪华北、华南和东北种群的分析表明,各种群基因库中都维持了较高的遗传变异水平.基于遗传距离构建的系统树分析发现,研究中所涉及的所有亚种在系统树中混杂,没有任何亚种在其中构成显著的支系.基于微卫星变异的FCA分析不能区分华南、华北、东北三个种群.基于Fst检验的遗传差异分析发现,长江两侧的华南、华北种群之间的遗传差异较小(Fst=0.014),表明长江两侧的野猪可能存在着较高水平的基因流,长江并非是一个有效的空间隔离;东北地区野猪和华北、华南地区野猪之间的遗传差异相对较大(Fst=0.040、0.042),东北野猪可以作为独立的亚种S.s.ussuricus.     

野猪种源生态与杂交利用的研究进展

野猪是家猪的祖先,分欧洲野猪与亚洲野猪两大类,共有27个野猪亚种.野猪多柄息于山林近水地带,食性杂,主要以植物为食.夏季以夜间活动为主,冬季多为白天活动.野猪前躯大,后躯小,与家猪正好相反,体高与体长的比例也较家猪大,这种体型适于其野外生活与奔袭.冬季发情配种,春季产仔.野猪与家猪杂交能够产生具有正常繁殖力的后代.野猪具有耐粗饲、抗病力强、肌纤维细的优良特性.野猪与家猪杂交可改良家猪肉质,生产特色猪肉.