News

Period
event

15 September 2025

Webinar

The 29th EAAP Webinar titled Advances in Animal Epigenetics: Driving Research and Breeding

The 29th EAAP Webinar titled Advances in Animal Epigenetics: Driving Research and Breeding Forward is organised in collaboration with Illumina. At the forefront of the genomics revolution for decades, Illumina develops innovative sequencing and array-based life science technologies that enable animal researchers and breeders to improve livestock health and productivity.
article

09 September 2025

By: INRAE - Edition P. Huan

Titanium dioxide particles detected in milk, despite a ban on E171

In collaboration with the GALAC team, researchers from INRAE, AP-HP, the SOLEIL Synchrotron and CNRS detected particles of titanium dioxide in human, animal and infant milk. Their work to describe the size and composition of the particles can serve as a starting point for future toxicity studies, especially in terms of chemical cocktail effects. Their findings were published in Science of the Total Environment.
article

11 July 2025

By: A. Jacques - Edition P. Huan

Optimizing the use of cryopreserved genetic resources for animal populations in breeding and conservation

How can cryopreserved animal genetic resources be used? Simulation work has shown that the use of cryopreserved genetic resources can not only slow down the loss of genetic diversity in populations, but also support changes in breeding objectives. The use of these resources varies according to the objective of the population manager. This study provides practical recommendations for different management scenarios.
Abeilles sur le couvain @Tristan Kistler (licence CC-BY)
article

23 May 2025

By: GABI T. Kistler - Edition P. Huan

Reducing bee generation gaps by partial phenotyping: an interesting strategy in beekeeping selection?

The GUPPIE team has just published a simulation study of selection plans in the journal Heredity on the contribution of partial phenotyping aimed at reducing the intervals between generations to increase genetic gains in bee populations under selection.
@ INRAE Tristan Kistler
event

08 April 2025

INRAE, Amphithéâtre du bâtiment 440, domaine de Vilvert, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas

Tristan Kistler's thesis defense

Tristan Kistler will present his thesis on Tuesday April 8 at 2pm, entitled “Multi-characteristic selection plans for honey bees (Apis mellifera): design and efficiency”.
INRAE
article

14 March 2025

By: GABI - PH

Samuel Jansseune's thesis defense

Samuel Jansseune will present his thesis on “Pro- and postbiotics in broiler feed - The matrix reassessed” at Wageningen University, on Tuesday April 1, from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm.
article

14 March 2025

By: GABI - PH

Solène Fresco's thesis defense

Solène Fresco will present her thesis “Towards genetic selection to reduce enteric methane emissions from French dairy cattle”, on Wednesday March 26, at the INRAE Centre in Jouy-en-Josas.
article

31 January 2025

By: INRAE-GABI

Open competition : GABI unit recruit research scientists

Join our research teams by registering for the competitive examination for research fellows (F/H). This competition gives access to permanent positions in the civil service. Registration deadline: March 4, 2025
© Académie des sciences – Mathieu Baumer
article

28 November 2024

By: GABI

Didier Boichard honored by the Académie des Sciences for his work on bovine genetics

On Tuesday November 26, the Académie des Sciences celebrated scientific excellence at its second awards ceremony, held at the Palais de l'Institut de France. This celebration highlights remarkable scientific advances that enrich the landscape of contemporary science. Didier Boichard received the Dujarric de la Rivière prize for his work on bovine genetics.
CP_Methode_Innovante_Anomalies_genetiques_20240705_133721_
article

10 October 2024

By: INRAE

Data science for cattle health: innovative method reveals 33 previously invisible genetic anomalies

French cattle breeding faces a major challenge: the management of inbreeding and its corollary, the appearance of recessive genetic anomalies affecting the health and sustainability of herds. A proof-of-concept study conducted by INRAE geneticists, in partnership with the Institut de l'élevage (IDELE), ELIANCE, the 4 French veterinary schools (ENVF) and the main French breeding organizations and companies, proposes a new approach to identifying and countering these anomalies. Taking advantage of the large databases generated for cattle breeding, this method called HHED (Homozygous Haplotype Enrichment/Depletion) has been published in Genome Biology. By analyzing genomic data and the life histories of millions of cattle, the HHED method was able to detect 33 new genome regions associated with an increased risk of juvenile death and/or reduced productive life in homozygous females. One of the major discoveries was the identification of a genetic mutation in the Holstein breed responsible for the BLIRD syndrome. This syndrome, undetected for over 40 years, causes growth retardation and affects intestinal immunity. These advances offer promising prospects for improving the health and sustainability of cattle farms.
article

10 October 2024

By: INRAE

Understanding embryo development in farmed mammals: an asset for selecting tomorrow's animals

The selection of farm animals is mainly based on so-called “reference” populations, in which we know the genetic information contained in the DNA of each animal (the genotype), as well as numerous measures of its characteristics (the phenotype). Quantifying the association between genetic and phenotypic data within reference populations then enables us to better select young animals for which we only have the genetic information.
article

10 October 2024

By: GABI

A major article on the origin and precise dating of the domestication of Equus caballus 4200 years ago in the Don Valley.

All of the world's domesticated horses, whether racing champions or equestrian club mates, have their origins in the Don Valley in southwest Russia, but the exact chronology of their widespread integration into human societies still divides the scientific community. A study published on June 6 in the journal Nature shows that the rise of domesticated horses only began around 4,200 years ago. This date marks a new era in human history when horses revolutionized the speed of travel and exchanges between peoples. This research was coordinated by a team from the CNRS and the Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, led by Ludovic Orlando at the Centre d'anthropobiologie et de génomique de Toulouse1 , and involved 133 scientists from 113 institutions around the world.
article

05 July 2024

By: INRAE

We inherit part of our intestinal microbiota, as demonstrated by pigs

The intestinal microbiota is a collection of billions of microorganisms that forms after birth in humans and animals. While we know that the environment, and in particular diet, has a major influence on the formation and composition of the microbiota, the influence of genetics is still debated. For the first time, scientists at INRAE have demonstrated experimentally, in pigs, that the formation of intestinal microbiota is partly heritable. They selected 2 lines of pigs for 2 types of intestinal microbiota characterized by their bacterial composition. The results, published in the journal Microbiome, show that the frequency of each type of microbiota increases from generation to generation in each line. Another finding is that, for one type of microbiota, selection favors faster growth in piglets. These results open up new prospects for taking intestinal microbiota into account in animal selection schemes for more sustainable and resilient breeding.
article

10 October 2024

By: INRAE

Bees at the heart of transitions

Wild bees and honeybees are seeing their populations eroded by the many pressures they face. Scientists are continuing their analysis of these multiple pressures, while developing applied research to meet the need for operational solutions. New research questions emerge! Work carried out within the GABI unit shows that selection for classic beekeeping production traits and colony resilience traits is feasible under rearing conditions, and would be effective.
Pixabay
article

07 June 2024

By: INRAE

Feed efficiency in laying hens: a helping hand from the gut microbiota?

The intestinal microbiota influences the characteristics of its host in a wide variety of ways. One of the most important roles played by the microbiota is its ability to break down feed that cannot be digested by the host itself, thus facilitating its utilization. This raises the question of the microbiota's influence on the feed efficiency (1) of farm animals. INRAE researchers have published a study in the journal Scientific Reports showing the existence of a relationship between the composition and function of this microbiota and the feed efficiency of laying hens.
article

06 June 2024

By: GABI

14th International Havemeyer Foundation Horse Genome Workshop a great success

The 14th Havemeyer Horse Genome Workshop was held from May 12 to 15, 2024 at the University of Caen, bringing together an international community of 110 people to share scientific results on the horse genome. A resounding success that will undoubtedly raise the international profile of INRAE, the GABI unit, LABÉO, the city of Caen and the Normandy region.
INRAE Médiathèque C. Maître
article

30 April 2024

By: INRAE

Animal health and welfare: a new European research partnership targets unprecedented societal, economic and political impact

The European Partnership for Animal Health and Welfare (EUPAHW) is by far the most ambitious research and innovation initiative funded by the European Commission to control infectious animal diseases and promote animal welfare.
C. Pichoux (Workflow des différentes étapes nécessaires à la mise en œuvre de la CLEM)
article

19 April 2024

By: GABI

Development of a new approach to correlated optical and electron microscopy

The MIMA2 platform's Cellular Ultrastructure Unit (CUP) has specifically developed a method for preserving animal tissue and arterial cell morphology, as well as signal preservation.
article

16 April 2024

By: GABI

SOCS2 mutation induces structural and functional changes in mammary gland development.

Lactation is an essential process for mammals. In sheep, the R96C mutation in the SOCS2 (Suppressor Of Cytokine Signaling 2) protein is associated with higher milk production and increased susceptibility to mastitis. To understand the involvement of the R96C mutation in mammary gland development and lactation, we developed a mouse model carrying this mutation (SOCS2KI/KI).
Photothèque INRAE porcelet
article

16 April 2024

By: GABI

Effects of genetic variants on gene regulation in pigs

Understanding the molecular bases controlling complex traits in livestock is essential for optimizing genetic selection methods and thus improving breeding.
@INRAE Mathilde Dupont-Nivet (Truites arc-en-ciel)
article

08 March 2024

By: GABI

Selection and dynamics of genetic diversity in rainbow trout

Any animal or plant population, wild or domesticated, evolves through continuous and cumulative changes over time, based on various evolutionary forces, namely selection, genetic drift, mutation and migration, with relative effects that depend on population history and structure. The footprints left along the genome by these evolutionary processes may correspond to positive selection of favorable alleles, resulting in highly homozygous regions with low genetic diversity, or, on the contrary, to balancing selection phenomena enabling regions to be maintained in a heterozygous state and thus with high genetic diversity.
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