ADAMEP - Improve the Development of Animals by Controlling their Early Environment

Context and challenges

The effects of environmental events experienced during early life on development of the welfare and health of an individual should no longer be ignored in farmed livestock. The nutritional status of the mother, pre- and postnatal stress, mother's milk, solid foods and their type, the microbiota and social experiences are all factors that shape an individual and have more or less long term repercussions. This is not without consequences in terms of health, where experiences during the pre- and postnatal periods affect establishment of the immune defences and welfare of individuals. The construction of a consortium involving research units from the PHASE, GA and SA Divisions to focus on common, cross-disciplinary issues has become a necessity in order to pool human and experimental resources and combine forces to respond to challenges from society, build major projects and change certain husbandry methods.

Objectives

The ADAMEP consortium involves different INRAE units and aims to Improve the Development of Animals by Controlling their Early Environment, whether this means (1) counteracting the harmful effects of the absence of the mother after birth (sheep, goats, cattle) or of early weaning (pigs, rabbits); (2) understanding the role of the mother in the development of young individuals (milk composition; neuro-behavioural development; transmission of the microbiota; imitation of dietary habits); (3) studying the impact of changes to the biotic and abiotic environment of young animals, and (4) transposing these levers into management tools. The scope of the ADAMEP consortium is defined by a broad panel of species of agronomic interest (focused on mammals) and disciplines (biology, health, ethology, nutrition, genomics, social and human sciences, animal husbandry, etc.) and focuses on the period between birth and adulthood (puberty, mating, initiation of production). This framework may evolve over time and integrate the prenatal period or be broadened to other species.

Species concerned

Partnerships

• Joint Research Unit for Reproductive and Behavioural Physiology (UMR PRC), Animal Physiology and Livestock Systems Division (PHASE), INRAE: ethology, neurobiology of socio-emotional behaviours, sexual neuroendocrinology.
• Joint Research Unit for Animal Genetics and Integrative Biology (UMR GABI), Animal Physiology and Livestock Systems (PHASE) and Animal Genetics (GA) Divisions, INRAE: functional genomics, physiology of lactation, epigenetics.
• Joint Research Unit for Genetics, Physiology and Livestock Systems (UMR GenPhyse), Animal Physiology and Livestock Systems Division, INRAE: nutrition, microbial ecology, digestive physiology.
• Herbivore Joint Research Unit (UMR UMRH), Economics and Social Sciences for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (ECOSOCIO) and Animal Physiology and Livestock Systems (PHASE) Divisions, INRAE: ethology, gastrointestinal microbiology, physiology of digestion, livestock systems.
• Joint Research Unit for Pathogen/Host Interactions (UMR IHAP), Animal Health Division, INRAE: health, biostatistics.
• Experimental Unit for Innovative Pig Management (GenESI), Animal Physiology and Livestock Systems Division (PHASE), INRAE: livestock systems, welfare.
• Research Unit for Agrosystems, Territories and Resources (UR SAD-ASTER), Economics and Social Sciences for Agriculture, Food and the Environment Division (ECOSOCIO): economics and social sciences.
• Research Unit for Agrosystems, Territories and Resources (UR SAD-ASTER), Economics and Social Sciences for Agriculture, Food and the Environment Division (ECOSOCIO): economics and social sciences.
• External partnerships (currently in development): French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES): health, welfare; Interprofessional Regional Centre for the Dairy Industry (CRIEL): goat breeding, Centre Region.