EURECA Cryoconservation WP2. Italy. Summary report

Transcription

1 EURECA Cryoconservation WP2 Italy Summary report In Italy 23 local breeds exist with less then 6500 cows, among which 12 have less then 1000 cows (Table 1). According to the DADIS risk status assessment, two breeds, Sardo Bruna and Siciliana, are classified endangered 1 ; five: Agerolese, Garfagnina, Modenese, Pisana, Pustertaler are endangered-maintained 2, and five, Burlina, Cabannina, Calvana, Montana and Pontremolese are critical-maintained 2 3. Table 1: Italian local cattle breeds breed n. cows 2007 National risk status DADIS semen embryos genetic reserve rare less 1000 cows agerolese 275 endangered-maintained yes cheese provolone del monaco burlina 518 critical-maintained yes cheese morlacco cabannina 287 critical-maintained yes yes cheese U'Cabanin calvana 426 critical-maintained yes yes garfagnina 186 endangered-maintained yes yes modenese BVP 575 endangered-maintained yes yes cheese parmigiano reggiano montana 140 critical-maintained yes yes cheese montebore pisana 274 endangered-maintained yes yes meat pontremolese 16 critical-maintained yes yes pustertaler 610 endangered-maintained yes yes sardo bruna 497 endangered no siciliana 846 endangered no local >1000 cows<6500 cinisara 2857 not at risk no maremmana 4899 not at risk yes modicana 2567 not at risk yes oropa 5618 not at risk yes cheese Toma, maccagno pinzguauer 1883 endangered-maintained yes yes reggiana 1380 not at risk yes yes yes cheese parmigiano reggiano Vacche Rosse rendena 3980 not at risk yes yes cheese formaggio di malga sarda 3347 not at risk no sardo modicana 1309 not at risk no valdostana castana 6310 not at risk yes cheese fontina valdostana PN 1055 not at risk yes cheese fontina product For all Italian local breeds some semen doses are stored, except the Sardinian breeds (Sardo Bruna, Sardo Modicana, Sarda) and Siciliana. Only few breeds have embryos stored (Table 1). 1 ENDANGERED The total number of breeding females is greater than 100 and less than or equal to or the total number of breeding males is less than or equal to 20 and greater than five; or The overall population size is greater than 80 and less than and increasing and the percentage of females being bred to males of the same breed is above 80 percent; or The overall population size is greater than and less than or equal to decreasing and the percentage of females being bred to males of the same breed is below 80 percent. 2 CRITICAL-MAINTAINED or ENDANGERED-MAINTAINED. These categories identify critical or endangered populations for which active conservation programmes are in place or populations are maintained by commercial companies or research institutions. 3 CRITICAL The total number of breeding females is less than or equal to 100 or the total number of breeding males is less than or equal to five; or The overall population size is less than or equal to 120 and decreasing and the percentage of females being bred to males of the same breed is below 80 percent. 1

2 History and major developments of cryopreservation and AnGR management in Italy Artificial insemination in Italy began many years ago in 1783 when Lazzaro Spallanzani made the first successful AI in a bitch. In 1935 Telesforo Bonadonna built the first AI center for cattle in Pavia near Milano. From 1976 to 1981 the National Research Council (CNR) developed the first national programme on farm animal genetic resources, including a survey of cattle, horse and small ruminants local breeds. At the end of this programme the CNR created a research institute (Istituto per la Difesa e Valorizzazione delle Germoplasma Animale now IBBA) on animal genetic resources. In 1985 the Ministry for Agricultural and Forestry (Ministero delle Politiche Agricole e Forestali, MiPAF) set up the Herdbooks for all local cattle breeds that were still unregistered, including: Agerolese, Bianca Val Padana, Burlina, Cabannina, Calvana, Cinisara, Garfagnina, Grigia di Val d Adige Modicana, Mucca Pisana, Pezzata Rossa d Oropa, Pinzgau, Pontremolese, Pustertaler, Sarda, Sardo Bruna, Sardo-Modicana, Siciliana, Varzese-Ottonese-Tortonese, Tarina. As far as research activities are concerned, 58 research projects on animal biodiversity have been developed between 1976 and 2001, thus demonstrating an increased interest of research and public institutions on AnGR conservation. Organisations involved, their roles and status Different organizations are involved in the management of breeding and AI of AnGR. The Ministry for Agricultural and Forestry Policy ( Ministero delle Politiche Agricole e Forestali, MiPAF) carry out general duties and national coordination, safekeeping and protection of plant and animal genetic resources. Concerning farms animals, MiPAF laid down the requirements of the Breeders Association that manage the Herdbooks. The breeders association involved are: i) Associazione Italiana Allevatori (AIA) (Italian Breeder Association), responsible for the Herdbooks of local breeds keeping and management. AIA is also in charge of the production recording and indexing of the animal of the local breeds. ii) Associazioni Provinciali Allevatori (APA) (Regional Breeder Association), managing animal production recording. iii) Associazioni Nazionali Allevatori di razza (ANA) (National Association of the cattle breeds). By appointment of MiPAF, they are responsible for the Herd Books, for the promotion and for the genetic improvement of the breed through a national breeding program. The Regions supervise the management of Herdbooks of the breeds farmed in their area. They also authorize the institution of AI centres and embryo production and storage centre. Some Regions such as Piemonte, Lombardia, and Sicilia support the creation of cryobanks of local breeds. AI centres In 2009 there were 13 EC-approved AI centres mainly located in Northern and Central Italy. AI centres select the bulls to be enrolled in the progeny test, and produce and store semen doses. In addition, storage centres exist for the selling and storage of national and imported semen doses. About 6 million of doses were produced by Italian AI centres in

3 Embryo production centres Among the few embryo production centres existing in Italy is the Avantea-LTR at Porcellasco (CR) where IVP and other reproductive technologies are applied also in locals breeds. Avantea-LTR most famous achievement is the bull Galileo, first clone of a progeny tested bull world wide. In Italy ET are also performed on farm by vet teams. Research institutions In addition to the institutions mentioned above and University Departments, some other research organisations are involved in cryoconservation, including: ConSDABI at Circello (BN) and the Istituto di Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria of the National Research Council (IBBA-CNR). Major policies, policy changes and regulatory framework The conservation of local cattle breeds is managed by AIA, mostly through Herdbooks. A regular survey of the consistency and performance of local breed populations is performed by AIA in connection with APA. Mating plans are elaborated with the aim of controlling inbreeding. For some local breeds genetic indexes are calculated. The major milestone in the legal framework for the management of AnGR is Law n. 30/91 issue by the Italian Government, defining general rules and operational aspects of animal breeding and reproduction in cattle, horse, small ruminants, and swine. In January 2009 new regulation of Herdbooks of local cattle breeds (Agerolese; Burlina; Cabannina; Calvana; Cinisara; Garfagnina; Modenese; Modicana; Mucca Pisana; Pezzata Rossa Oropa; Pinzgauer; Pontremolese; Pustertaler Sprinzen; Sarda; Sardo Bruna; Sardo Modicana; Varzese-Ottonese-Tortonese) and breeds standard were approved by MiPAF. - Objectives of the breed management Local breeds are either managed by the respective national Breed Associations (ANA) or by the Italian Breeders Association (AIA), always under the supervision of Ministry of Agriculture MiPAF. Mating plans for local breeds are elaborated by AIA to control inbreeding. - Sampling strategies In breeds classified not at risk most of the semen has been stored for routine use, and best (genetic indexes or phenotype) bulls are sampled. In the other breeds (endangered, endangered maintained, critical maintained) most of the semen is stored for the cryobank as a back up, should genetic problems occur in the population/breed (e.g., breed extinction, loss of some founders, excessive inbreeding, undesirable mutations increasing frequency). Bulls donors are chosen to increase genetic variation of the stored material. - Number of sires and doses in storage per breed The number of bulls and doses stored per breed are shown in Table 2. Bulls are classified according to the number of doses: less than 200, from 200 to 1000, and more than

4 Table 2: number of doses and bulls stored per breed Number of bulls with Total number Total number Breed of doses of bulls <200 doses 200<doses<1000 >1000 doses agerolese burlina cabannina calvana garfagnina maremmana modenese BVP modicana montana oropa pinzgauer pisana pontremolese pustertaler reggiana rendena valdostana castana valdostana PN Most of the bulls have less than 200 doses stored, only few more than 1000 doses (Figure 1). Figure 1: distribution of bulls for number of doses stored Figure 2 shows the availability of bull semen by year of birth of the bull. 4

5 - Use of AI (percentage of cows AI inseminated) In some Italian local breeds like Cinisara, Sarda, Sardo Modicana, Siciliana AI is not used. In others, such as Modenese, Montana and Reggiana, the percentage of AI is over 90%. - Collection methods (% on farm or on centre) In Italian local breeds semen is frequently collected on farms benefiting from the derogation for local breeds mentioned in Art. 7 of Decree n. 172/94, that follows Law n. 30/1991. Sixty-six percent of bulls are collected on farms, but if we consider only the breeds with less than 1000 cows, almost all the bulls are collected on farms. - Semen packaging (straw, pellets) In Italy most of semen doses are packaged in 0.5 ml straws. However, the semen of Alpine breeds like Pinzgauer, Pustertaler, Valdostana Pezzata Nera and Castana is packaged only in 0.25 ml (Figure 2). Figure 2: semen packaging - Storage sites There are 9 storage sites for local breeds semen; 8 of them are EC-approved AI centres; only one is a research institution. Fifty percent of the breeds are stored in more than one site. - Ownership Breeders association are the owners of the 85% of doses stored of local cattle breeds; 10% belong to research institutions and only 5% to AI centres. - Funding Almost all (95.5%) of the funds for cryoconservation of local cattle breeds are provided by public institutions (Ministry, Breeders Associations). 5

6 - Information available In the questionnaires the information on the pedigree is collected as pedigree known or unknown. For 88% of bulls at least one parent is known (Figure 3). For 10% of the data this information was missing. Figure 3: pedigree information known unknown missing SWOT: Analysis of national cryoconservation program in terms of efficiency In Italy there is no national program in AGR cryoconservation. Since many years some cryoconservation activities are ongoing. This SWOT analysis is addressed to these activities. We performed the analysis of the Strengths and Weaknesses of cryoconservation in Italy, as well of the Opportunities and Threats associated to the national context, in terms of enhancing its efficiency. Strengths Collections of semen and embryos for most local breeds Regulatory framework for local breed collection on farm Many commercial AI centers technically involved in cryoconservation of local breeds Many Breeders Associations involved Weaknesses Limited public financial support Absence of a national coordination / program Absence of a national/regional databases Absence of national and/or regional cryobanks Only collections rather than organised cryobanks Lack of coordination among collections Discontinuity in the cryoconservation activities Incomplete storage for most of local breeds in current collections Poor involvement of stakeholders Opportunities National and local policies for AnGR conservation Strong breeder associations system Presence of routine AI in most of the local breeds with, in some cases, public incentives for AI use Increased awareness for local breeds conservation Threats Negative trend in public funds for agriculture and AGR management, research Poor national strategy in AGR conservation and management Lack of A.I centers in some areas with presence of local breeds 6