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Author contributions T.G., J.B., and M.C.M.S. conceptualized and designed the study. J.B. conducted data negotiation and collection. T.G., J.B., P.C., and M.C.M.S. were responsible for methodology design while T.G. and P.C. performed the analysis. T.G., J.B., and M.C.M.S. were responsible for validation and review of the results. The first draft of the manuscript was written by T.G., which was reviewed by the rest of authors. M.C.M.S. and J.B. supervised the entire project. The author responsible for funding acquisition and project supervision were J.M.S.V., J.B. and M.C.M.S. M.C.M.S. and J.B. are co-last authors. All authors read and approved the definitive version of this manuscript., African swine fever (ASF) is an infectious and highly fatal disease affecting wild and domestic swine, which is unstoppably spreading worldwide. In Europe, wild boars are one of the main drivers of spread, transmission, and maintenance of the disease. Landscape connectivity studies are the main discipline to analyze wild-species dispersal networks, and it can be an essential tool to predict dispersal-wild boar movement routes and probabilities and therefore the associated potential ASF spread through the suitable habitat. We aimed to integrate wild boar habitat connectivity predictions with their occurrence, population abundance, and ASF notifications to calculate the impact (i.e., the capacity of a landscape feature to favor ASF spread) and the risk (i.e., the likelihood of a habitat patch becoming infected) of wild boar infection across Europe. Furthermore, we tested the accuracy of the risk of infection by comparing the results with the temporal distribution of ASF cases. Our findings identified the areas with the highest impact and risk factors within Europe's central and Eastern regions where ASF is currently distributed. Additionally, the impact factor was 31 times higher on habitat patches that were infected vs non-infected, proving the utility of the proposed approach and the key role of wild boar movements in ASF-spread. All data and resulting maps are openly accessible and usable., Unión Europea (grant agreement no. 862874A), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Depto. de Sanidad Animal, Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria (VISAVET), Fac. de Veterinaria, TRUE, pub

Australia’s National Feral Pig Action Plan 2021-2031 is the first national strategy to reduce the extensive and diverse impacts caused by feral pigs to Australia’s environmental, agricultural, cultural and social assets by actively suppressing feral pig populations over time. Its development was instigated in response to growing threats of an exotic disease incursion, particularly African swine fever to the Australian pork industry. It provides a national framework for alignment of state, regional and local strategic feral pig management plans. The Plan was endorsed by Australia’s National Biosecurity Committee in October 2021 and aims to encourage land managers to work together in coordinated groups on a landscape scale, cross tenure basis, and strategically apply the most appropriate combinations of best practice management methods for their region (National Feral Pig Action Plan 2021). Its 10-year time frame reflects the long time required to reduce impacts from feral pigs, and their populations, as well as the enormity of the task. Many stakeholders, including governments, agricultural industries, natural resource management organisations, universities, Indigenous organisations, private land managers and not for profit environmental conservation managers are being engaged to support the Plan’s implementation. In Australia, how feral pig management is being undertaken needs to shift from being fragmented, ad hoc and reactive to be more coordinated, collaborative, strategic, and proactive; with activities supported by strong and trusted partnerships between all land managers. This paper discusses several initiatives being undertaken to support the implementation of the National Feral Pig Action Plan 2021-2031. These initiatives are principally directed at improving the efficacy and efficiency of on-ground best practice management actions by land managers by influencing practice and behaviour change and undertaking monitoring to fill significant data and knowledge

The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (the 2018 Farm Bill) established the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program. The program funded $75M for 5 years, split evenly between the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), both programs within the US Department of Agriculture. The agencies solicited joint programs from states with high densities of feral swine in two phases. In Texas, NRCS and APHIS submitted three multi-county project areas along watersheds for Phase I funding and one eradication effort along with two crop protection projects in Phase II. The eradication project was adjacent to a Phase I project area and after extensive surveillance, it was determined to be successful, the first such project in Texas. All the remaining projects were designed with a direct management effort, a self-help effort through trap loans and a damage assessment process. Landowner in-kind contributions were identified and captured to detail the effects of the program.

Interspecific interactions are crucial in shaping ecosystem dynamics (Connell 1983, Tilman 1987, Barbosa and Castellanos 2005). Non-native ungulates have been introduced across the globe (Ferretti and Lovari 2014, Volery et al. 2021) and in environments where multiple invasives thrive, these co-occurring sympatric species may shift spatiotemporal patterns to minimize interspecific competition (Schoener 1974, Chesson 2000). Spatiotemporal shifts can lead to cascading effects to the native flora and fauna (Simberloff and Von Holle 1999). Given the potential negative impacts, understanding these interactions is vital for effective management of these ecosystems. Two invasive ungulates, the wild pig (Sus scrofa) and the Philippine deer (Rusa marianna), have inhabited much of Guam since their introduction in the 1600s and 1700s (Intoh 1986, Wiles et al. 1999) and both have been associated with significant ecological damage throughout the island (Conroy 1989). Despite sharing similar invasive roles, they seemingly coexist throughout areas of Guam. Subsequently, efforts are increasingly put forth to remove both species from partitioned areas at one time. To aid these efforts and understand invasive species interactions, we studied the seasonal spatiotemporal patterns of wild pigs and Philippine deer during February 2021-March 2022. Specifically, we used GPS collars from 39 wild pigs and 22 deer to examine spatial and temporal partitioning and assess dynamic spatiotemporal interactions between interspecific dyads at seasonal scales. We investigated spatial partitioning of wild pigs and deer by estimating the spatial overlap between home ranges and core areas of interspecific neighboring dyads. We estimated temporal overlap in diel activity to evaluate temporal partitioning between the species. Lastly, we examined dynamic spatiotemporal interactions, those that occur simultaneously in space and time, by estimating movement interactions between neighboring interspecific dyads

Wild pigs are among the most widespread invasive vertebrate species, having been introduced across the globe as a source of food and for sport hunting. Over the last few decades, the growing ecological and economic impacts of wild pigs have precipitated a shift in the perception and management of this species from a desired game animal to a destructive invasive species, resulting in substantial investments in wild pig management. Most notably, in 2014 the National Feral Swine Damage Management Program was established by the U.S. Congress, representing one of the most extensive management programs for a single invasive species in North America to date. This infusion of interest in wild pig control and resources to carry out these programs has spurred technological innovation, resulting in new and enhanced tools for locating, capturing, and removing wild pigs, as well as a surge in research on this species across its range. These investments have resulted in the elimination or presumed elimination of wild pigs from 12 U.S. States in the last decade. However, several significant hurdles remain that must be addressed to achieve long term success in the management of invasive wild pigs. The lack of unified management goals both within and between many agencies is probably the most important factor limiting widespread control efforts, as there is still no standardized legalized classification of this species in the U.S., and some states continue to actively manage wild pigs as a game species. The lack of concordance in management goals underscores the need for better educational programs targeting the public, legislators, and even wildlife professionals. Further, illegal movement of pigs remains a major contributor to the continued establishment of wild pig populations in new areas. As control efforts shift into states with abundant wild pig populations and an entrenched culture of wild pig hunting, new approaches to management, expanded educational campaigns, more unifie

The objective of this preclinical study was to evaluate the feasibility and safety of transcatheter endocardial alginate hydrogel injection (TEAi) in a large animal model, utilizing the high-stiffness XDROP® alginate hydrogel in combination with the dedicated EndoWings® catheter-based system. All swine (n = 9) successfully underwent TEAi without complications. Acute results from a subset of animals (n = 5) demonstrated the ability of the catheter to access a wide range of endomyocardial areas and achieve consecutive circumferential hydrogel distribution patterns within the mid-left ventricular wall. Histological examinations at 6 months (n = 4) demonstrated that the XDROP® remained localized within the cardiac tissue. In addition, serial echocardiographic imaging showed that XDROP® had no adverse impacts on LV systolic and diastolic functions. In conclusion, this innovative combination technology has the potential to overcome the translational barriers related to alginate hydrogel delivery to the myocardium.

Wild pigs arrived on the Bankhead Ranger District in the late 1980s and ‘90s. They proliferated and control efforts began in the early 2000s. In 2011, intensive efforts began, centered around whole sounder removal. By 2020, pigs were controlled at low densities throughout the District except for the rugged and remote Sipsey Wilderness Area. The area is 25,810 acres and surrounding environs remained off limits until a minimum resource analysis was completed, allowing for active management. The Sipsey Pig Project was born. An interagency team was formed, comprised of United States Forest Service (USFS), Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR), and Animal and Plant Health Inspection (APHIS) Wildlife Services personnel. Crucial funding and volunteer support was provided by several local organizations including the wilderness advocacy group. The project began in 2021, when ADCNR agreed to eliminate two special hog hunts on the District. Four technicians from the three agencies began control efforts focused primarily on trapping and whole sounder removal. Other techniques were utilized including aerial gunning and Judas pig with varying levels of success. The first year concluded with approximately 50% of the wilderness receiving control efforts and a record 421 pigs removed from the District, a three-fold increase over the previous year. The next year, 2022, saw the entirety of the wilderness receive control efforts and a marked decrease in pig densities. The initial battle is won but the war remains undecided. Initial control was achieved faster than expected, yet much work remains with four years left in the project. The Sipsey Pig Project is the most aggressive action to date undertaken against wild pigs in a USFS wilderness area east of the Mississippi River. The strategic application of management techniques combined with strong partnerships can achieve wild pig control in the remote regions of our country.

Wild pigs have one of the widest global distributions of any invasive species, and damage associated with them has been documented for centuries. Previously, a field trial was performed in 2015 to evaluate the use of paraffin bait formulations containing warfarin to control wild pigs. While the results of this study were satisfactory, prior research suggests that a cracked corn-based alternative could successfully deliver warfarin to wild pigs and the authors indicated caveats associated with their study that should be addressed. For the current study, a field trial was conducted (2017), as a continuation of the prior research, to evaluate the use of a 0.005% warfarin cracked corn bait in reducing feral hogs, utilizing an alternative feeder type. Results indicated warfarin bait could reduce wild pig consumption and presence at feeders by 92-96.4%. The results also indicated that the feeder use during the current trial was superior in keeping non-targets from accessing the bait, yet potentially more difficult for wild pigs to utilize than previously used commercial feeders. Results further indicated that wild pig presence at feeders was noticeably greater during the current field trial. The availability of an alternative warfarin bait formulation could provide an additional tool to managers to control wild pigs in North Texas and the remainder of ever-expanding wild pig habitat in the U.S and potentially globally.

Traps are one of the most commonly used products for controlling wild pig populations, but every trapping product and process produces different results. Early sexual maturity, extraordinary reproduction rate, and high piglet survivability gives feral pigs the capacity to recover quickly from inferior control efforts which do not target all age classes at the same time. Many trapping efforts fail to accomplish whole-sounder success, creating an industry need to evaluate efficiency and effectiveness. The 2018 Farm Bill provided funding for pilot projects in 10 states to collect feral swine harvest data. Researchers did not collect data points to measure work production or product efficiency and missed an important opportunity to numerically analyze Best Management Practices (BMPs). Our research compared four different trap products using their individual trapping processes to determine which, if any, was more efficient. This project eliminated the total wild pig population from a 20.23 km² (5,000-acre) Flint River property in Reynolds, Georgia. A total of 771 wild pigs were removed by one 57-year-old operator from 70 miles away while working only weekends (two days per week). Four different trapping products were tested and the best capture success rate over 32 months was 97.18% while using a mobile corral trap coupled with an automatic feeder with digital timer set to disburse bait at dusk. This method resulted in an average capture time of 29.65 minutes after sunset by incorporating an innovative conditioning process whereas the population dynamics and education level of each individual sounder dictated the time period between feeder conditioning and trap building. We continually observed several different sounder behaviors change, including predictable dusk feeding times, compared to the remaining three trapping products and methods tested.

BackgroundStructural variations (SVs) have significant impacts on complex phenotypes by rearranging large amounts of DNA sequence.ResultsWe present a comprehensive SV catalog based on the whole-genome sequence of 1060 pigs (Sus scrofa) representing 101 breeds, covering 9.6% of the pig genome. This catalog includes 42,487 deletions, 37,913 mobile element insertions, 3308 duplications, 1664 inversions, and 45,184 break ends. Estimates of breed ancestry and hybridization using genotyped SVs align well with those from single nucleotide polymorphisms. Geographically stratified deletions are observed, along with known duplications of the KIT gene, responsible for white coat color in European pigs. Additionally, we identify a recent SINE element insertion in MYO5A transcripts of European pigs, potentially influencing alternative splicing patterns and coat color alterations. Furthermore, a Yorkshire-specific copy number gain within ABCG2 is found, impacting chromatin interactions and gene expression across multiple tissues over a stretch of genomic region of ~200 kb. Preliminary investigations into SV's impact on gene expression and traits using the Pig Genotype-Tissue Expression (PigGTEx) data reveal SV associations with regulatory variants and gene-trait pairs. For instance, a 51-bp deletion is linked to the lead eQTL of the lipid metabolism regulating gene FADS3, whose expression in embryo may affect loin muscle area, as revealed by our transcriptome-wide association studies.ConclusionsThis SV catalog serves as a valuable resource for studying diversity, evolutionary history, and functional shaping of the pig genome by processes like domestication, trait-based breeding, and adaptive evolution.

Wildlife in cities divides people, with some animals bringing positive benefits and others causing conflict, for example due to property damage.Urban wildlife professionals from municipal administration, nature conservation, and hunting associations have a crucial role in shaping human-wildlife relationships in cities and fostering conflict-free coexistence. While many studies on urban wildlife have focused on the views of citizens, few have investigated the perspectives of experts to date. To address this knowledge gap, we interviewed 36 urban wildlife professionals giving guidance in the context of urban wildlife management, either in one of the four largest German cities by population (Berlin, Hamburg, Munich and Cologne) or at the national level.Red foxes, wild boars, raccoons, stone martens and Eurasian beavers were the five mammal species most frequently highlighted in interviews to cause human-wildlife conflicts. The interviewees saw wild boars and raccoons as the most controversial urban wild mammals but emphasized the need to create refuges for beavers and better inform the public about foxes.Management in terms of public outreach, urban planning and population control, as well as establishing official contact points and stricter fines of activities violating regulations were highlighted as important elements of a toolkit to manage urban wildlife conflicts.

African swine fever is a transmissible virus impacting wild and domestic swine populations. In Europe, it is non-native and the recently introduced genotype affects wild boar populations with occasional outbreaks in domestic pigs. The ability to predict short-term spatial dynamics of this disease will greatly improve our ability to control and limit future spread of the virus. The BioDT disease outbreaks prototype, currently in development, implements an individual-based landscape-level mechanistic model as a digital twin aimed at providing informed support for management decisions in response to the spread of African swine fever in European wild boar populations.

The rapid expansion of wild pigs (Sus scrofa) throughout the United States has been fueled by unlawful introductions, with invasive populations causing extensive crop losses, damaging native ecosystems, and serving as a reservoir for disease. Multiple states have passed laws prohibiting the possession or transport of wild pigs. However, genetic and phenotypic similarities between domestic pigs and invasive wild pigs—which overwhelmingly represent domestic pig and wild boar hybrids—pose a challenge for the enforcement of such regulations. We sought to exploit wild boar ancestry as a common attribute among the vast majority of invasive wild pigs as a means of genetically differentiating wild pigs from breeds of domestic pig found within the United States. We organized reference high-density single nucleotide polymorphism genotypes (1039 samples from 33 domestic breeds and 382 samples from 16 wild boar populations) into five genetically cohesive reference groups: mixed-commercial breeds, Durocs, heritage breeds, primitive breeds, and wild boar. Building upon well-established genetic clustering approaches, we structured the test statistic to describe the difference in the likelihood of a given genotype's ancestry vectors (sensu genetic clustering analysis) if derived strictly from the four described domestic pig reference groups versus allowing for admixture from the wild boar group. By fitting statistical distributions to test statistics of reference domestic pigs, we characterized the distribution of the null hypothesis that a given genotype descends strictly from domestic pig reference groups. We tested the approach with simulated genotypes and empirical data from an additional 29 breeds of domestic pig represented by 435 unique genotypes; all associated test statistics for simulated and empirical domestic pig challenge sets fell within the distribution of reference domestic pigs. We then evaluated 6566 invasive wild pigs sampled across the contiguous United States

The pig sector in Corsica is based by a wide range of farming systems, mainly characterized on traditional extensive practices, which favor contacts between domestic and wild individuals. These contacts are suspected to influence the maintenance and the transmission of shared infectious diseases between both populations. Therefore, it is important to develop methods that allow to understand and anticipate their occurrence. Modeling these interactions requires accurate data on the presence, location and use of land on pig farms and farming practices, but such data are often unavailable, incomplete or outdated. In this study, we suggest a method to collect and analyze pig farming information that combines approaches from social sciences and epidemiology and enables a spatial representation of an index of potential interaction (IPI) between wild and domestic pigs at municipality level in the Corsican territory. As a first step of the process, interviews were conducted to gather information from 103 pig farms. Then, using hierarchical clustering, we identified five different clusters of pig farming practices which were evaluated and validated by local experts using participatory tools. The five pig farming clusters with their respective estimated levels of direct and indirect interactions with wild boars were combined in a linear equation with pig density to estimate a hypothetical index of potential interaction (IPI) in 155 municipalities. Our results revealed the diversity of pig farming practices across the island of Corsica and pointed out potential hotspots of interaction. Our method proved to be an effective way to collect and update information on the presence and typology of pig farms which has the potential to update official livestock production statistics. The spatial representation of an IPI between wild boars and domestic pigs in the Corsican territory could help design regional disease management strategies and policies to improve the control of certain sh

[EN] Baits are a means of orally delivering toxicants, medicaments, or chemical markers to wild boar and feral pigs (Sus scrofa). We tested three bait types, the paraffin-feed-sugar-based IREC bait (green and colorant-free versions), a puffed leguminous bait with the same flavoring as the IREC bait (Flavor), and a plain puffed leguminous bait without flavoring (Plain). Baits were deployed in a fenced hunting estate with year-round feeding to assess bait type preference and study the effect of bait flavoring and coloring, pre-feeding, baiting device, and habituation on bait consumption and bait selectivity. Baits were deployed under heavy pavel stones, targeting adult wild boar, or in piglet-selective feeders. The main bait consumer was the wild boar (IREC 54%; Flavor 15%; Plain 16%) followed by azure-winged magpies (Cyanopica cooki; IREC 11%; Flavor 8%; Plain 17%). The most consumed bait was IREC (n = 164; 71%, mean 4.1 baits per site/day), followed by Flavor (102; 40%; 2.5) and Plain (70; 29%; 1.7). Pre-feeding increased bait consumption of all bait types (IREC 92%; Flavor 63%; Plain 40%). IREC baits were more consumed when deployed under stones (86%) than when deployed in piglet feeders (57%), while no difference between baiting devices was observed for Flavor and Plain baits. Birds preferred color-free baits (consumption ratio of 10% for color-free baits and 0% for green baits), while no other animal showed color preference. We suggest using green IREC-type baits, deployed after pre-baiting using species- and age-specific baiting devices., [ES] Los cebos son un medio para administrar por vía oral tóxicos, medicamentos o marcadores a jabalíes y cerdos salvajes (Sus scrofa). Probamos tres tipos de cebo, el cebo IREC a base de parafina y azúcar (versiones verdes y sin colorantes), un cebo de leguminosas infladas con el mismo sabor que el cebo IREC (Flavor) y el mismo cebo de leguminosas sin sabor (Plain). Los cebos se colocaron en una finca de caza cercada con alimentación durante todo el año para evaluar la preferencia del tipo de cebo y estudiar el efecto del sabor y color del cebo, el precebado, el dispositivo de cebo y la habituación sobre el consumo y la selectividad. Los cebos se colocaron debajo de piedras, dirigidos a jabalíes adultos, o en comederos selectivos para rayones. El principal consumidor fue el jabalí (IREC 54%; Sabor 15%; Sencillo 16%) seguido del rabilargo (Cyanopica cooki; IREC 11%; Flavor 8%; Plain 17%). El cebo más consumido fue IREC (n = 164; 71%, media 4,1 cebos por sitio/día), seguido de Flavor (102; 40%; 2,5) y Plain (70; 29%; 1,7). El precebado aumentó el consumo de todos los tipos de cebo (IREC 92%; Flavor 63%; Plain 40%). Los cebos IREC se consumieron más cuando se colocaron bajo piedras (86%) que cuando se dispusieron en comederos para rayones (57%), mientras que no se observaron diferencias entre dispositivos para los demás cebos. Las aves prefirieron los cebos sin color (proporción de consumo del 10% para cebos sin color y 0% para cebos verdes), mientras que ningún otro animal mostró preferencia en función del color. Sugerimos utilizar cebos verdes tipo IREC, distribuidos tras un precebado y utilizando dispositivos específicos para cada especie y edad.

Large genotyping datasets, obtained from high-density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays, developed for different livestock species, can be used to describe and differentiate breeds or populations. To identify the most discriminating genetic markers among thousands of genotyped SNPs, a few statistical approaches have been proposed. In this study, we applied the Boruta algorithm, a wrapper of the machine learning random forest algorithm, on a database of 23 European pig breeds (20 autochthonous and three cosmopolitan breeds) genotyped with a 70k SNP chip, to pre-select informative SNPs. To identify different sets of SNPs, these pre-selected markers were then ranked with random forest based on their mean decrease accuracy and mean decrease gene indexes. We evaluated the efficiency of these subsets for breed classification and the usefulness of this approach to detect candidate genes affecting breed-specific phenotypes and relevant production traits that might differ among breeds. The lowest overall classification error (2.3%) was reached with a subpanel including only 398 SNPs (ranked based on their mean decrease accuracy), with no classification error in seven breeds using up to 49 SNPs. Several SNPs of these selected subpanels were in genomic regions in which previous studies had identified signatures of selection or genes associated with morphological or production traits that distinguish the analysed breeds. Therefore, even if these approaches have not been originally designed to identify signatures of selection, the obtained results showed that they could potentially be useful for this purpose.

Author contributions T.G., J.B., and M.C.M.S. conceptualized and designed the study. J.B. conducted data negotiation and collection. T.G., J.B., P.C., and M.C.M.S. were responsible for methodology design while T.G. and P.C. performed the analysis. T.G., J.B., and M.C.M.S. were responsible for validation and review of the results. The first draft of the manuscript was written by T.G., which was reviewed by the rest of authors. M.C.M.S. and J.B. supervised the entire project. The author responsible for funding acquisition and project supervision were J.M.S.V., J.B. and M.C.M.S. M.C.M.S. and J.B. are co-last authors. All authors read and approved the definitive version of this manuscript., African swine fever (ASF) is an infectious and highly fatal disease affecting wild and domestic swine, which is unstoppably spreading worldwide. In Europe, wild boars are one of the main drivers of spread, transmission, and maintenance of the disease. Landscape connectivity studies are the main discipline to analyze wild-species dispersal networks, and it can be an essential tool to predict dispersal-wild boar movement routes and probabilities and therefore the associated potential ASF spread through the suitable habitat. We aimed to integrate wild boar habitat connectivity predictions with their occurrence, population abundance, and ASF notifications to calculate the impact (i.e., the capacity of a landscape feature to favor ASF spread) and the risk (i.e., the likelihood of a habitat patch becoming infected) of wild boar infection across Europe. Furthermore, we tested the accuracy of the risk of infection by comparing the results with the temporal distribution of ASF cases. Our findings identified the areas with the highest impact and risk factors within Europe's central and Eastern regions where ASF is currently distributed. Additionally, the impact factor was 31 times higher on habitat patches that were infected vs non-infected, proving the utility of the proposed approach and the key role of wild boar movements in ASF-spread. All data and resulting maps are openly accessible and usable., Unión Europea (grant agreement no. 862874A), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Depto. de Sanidad Animal, Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria (VISAVET), Fac. de Veterinaria, TRUE, pub

Data on third party interference and post-conflict behaviour in pigs (Sus scrofa) during aggressive interactions. Data were gathered from video observations from the first 30 minutes after regrouping pigs. For more information see the publication.

Modern hunting is an ambivalent practice, torn between leisure and labor. Nowhere are these conflicting dimensions better manifested than for wild boar—a simultaneous game and pest species in many countries. Here, we consider the sociological, political and cultural phenomenon of wild boar hunting from a change perspective, starting at its historical roots to future implications concerning the changing demographics, drivers, needs and practices of a modernizing hunting community. Using the case context of France, we present an approach to deconstructing each component of wild boar hunting firstly, and subsequently the external forces that change the nature of hunting. The objective of this manuscript is to discuss of the wild boar optimal harvesting to be applied in changing social and ecological environment. Findings show that the challenges facing wild boar management will likely intensify in the future, especially under the spotlight of a controversial public debate.

Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are among the world's most destructive mammalian invasive species, and mitigating farther range expansion will require a thorough understanding of movement behavior, diel activity patterns, space use, and resource selection. Currently, limited empirical evidence is available on the ecology of wild pigs in Southwest Florida. Therefore, I examined how wild pigs behaviorally modified their movements and diel activity patterns in response to individual and environmental covariates. I investigated space use dynamics (e.g., home range size and seasonal variation) and evaluated how individual and environmental variation influenced home range size. Next, I determined how fine-scale movement patterns and resource selection of wild pigs are affected by temperature and time of day, and how those resources changed at broad and fine-scales, given their availability. I found that as temperature increased, the probability of foraging increased while the probability of traveling decreased. Foraging behavior occurred predominately between 8:00 and 17:00, and traveling behavior occurred predominately between 18:00 and 7:00, thereby indicating wild pigs were cathemeral. Home range size ranged from 2.6 to 35.8 km2 and averaged 13.0 km2 (n=16). Finally, home range size increased as the proportion of pasture increased and decreased as the proportion of wetlands increased, indicating that resources in agricultural areas were more diffuse than in natural habitats. At the broad (i.e., home range selection) and fine-scale (i.e., within home range) wild pigs selected for wetlands, forests, and pastures. Wild pig movement tended to be tortuous in forested and cropland habitats, but more directed in pasture habitats. Slower movements (i.e., smaller steps) and more directed (i.e., fewer turning) steps were observed during warmer temperatures, particularly avoiding croplands when temperatures were warmer. Wild pigs avoided wetland habitats during dusk and night hours and cr

Background: Veterinary telemedicine has only been adopted to some degree. One aspect that needs to be evaluated is clinical examinations using video. The objective of this study was to evaluate agreement between a traditional physical clinical examination and a clinical examination using recorded video using finishing pigs with umbilical outpouchings (umbilical hernias, cysts, and abscesses) as the study unit. A total of 102 finisher pigs with umbilical outpouchings were clinically examined and recorded on video. Four experienced pig veterinarians were allowed to examine each pig for approximately 10 min and were individually asked to fill out a predesigned clinical record. Approximately 1 month after the physical examinations, the veterinarians individually reexamined all 102 pigs in a blinded manner, utilizing the video recordings and filling in a predesigned clinical record. Results: For all measurements using a ruler, a high Pearson correlation coefficient was observed between physical and video examinations (range 0.69–0.95). In comparison, the visual bodyweight estimation had a lower Pearson correlation coefficient (range 0.57–0.64). Substantial to almost perfect agreement was observed between the physical and video examinations for abnormal weight distribution on any leg, restricted gait movements, lameness, signs of pain, fitness for transportation, presence of wounds, and categorization of the number of wounds > 4 cm2 on the umbilical outpouching (mean Kappa range 0.67–0.87). Fair agreement was observed for the presence of perineal soiling, ear wounds, pendulation of umbilical outpouching, umbilical outpouching touching the legs, skin not movable over the umbilical outpouching, and umbilical outpouching wound characteristics: type, presence of crusts, active bleeding, thick wound edges, connective tissue (mean Kappa range 0.21–0.40). Slight agreement was observed for umbilical outpouching characteristics: shape, macroscopic vascularization

Background: De novo mutations arising in the germline are a source of genetic variation and their discovery broadens our understanding of genetic disorders and evolutionary patterns. Although the number of de novo single nucleotide variants (dnSNVs) has been studied in a number of species, relatively little is known about the occurrence of de novo structural variants (dnSVs). In this study, we investigated 37 deeply sequenced pig trios from two commercial lines to identify dnSVs present in the offspring. The identified dnSVs were characterised by identifying their parent of origin, their functional annotations and characterizing sequence homology at the breakpoints. Results: We identified four swine germline dnSVs, all located in intronic regions of protein-coding genes. Our conservative, first estimate of the swine germline dnSV rate is 0.108 (95% CI 0.038–0.255) per generation (one dnSV per nine offspring), detected using short-read sequencing. Two detected dnSVs are clusters of mutations. Mutation cluster 1 contains a de novo duplication, a dnSNV and a de novo deletion. Mutation cluster 2 contains a de novo deletion and three de novo duplications, of which one is inverted. Mutation cluster 2 is 25 kb in size, whereas mutation cluster 1 (197 bp) and the other two individual dnSVs (64 and 573 bp) are smaller. Only mutation cluster 2 could be phased and is located on the paternal haplotype. Mutation cluster 2 originates from both micro-homology as well as non-homology mutation mechanisms, where mutation cluster 1 and the other two dnSVs are caused by mutation mechanisms lacking sequence homology. The 64 bp deletion and mutation cluster 1 were validated through PCR. Lastly, the 64 bp deletion and the 573 bp duplication were validated in sequenced offspring of probands with three generations of sequence data. Conclusions: Our estimate of 0.108 dnSVs per generation in the swine germline is conservative, due to our small sample size and restricted possibilities of dnSV

Automated body weight (BW) estimation can be a useful tool for continuous monitoring of growth in commercial pigs, whereas deviations could indicate welfare problems. We validated a depth camera for BW estimation in 251 conventional growing pigs on two farms. Scale-based BW of individual pigs was used as gold standard (Farm 1: 107 pigs, BW range: 16–130 kg, recorded on three days; Farm 2: 144 pigs BW range: 20–114 kg, recorded on nine days). The camera was placed above the individual feeding station (Farm 1) or multi-partitioned feeder (Farm 2) and combined with a radio frequency identification system. Whenever a pig visited the feeding site, three-dimensional images were taken, and all individual daily images were used to calculate the median individual estimated BW. The pen estimated BW was calculated by taking the median of all daily picture estimates. A very high agreement (Concordance Correlation Coefficient >0.96) between scale-based BW and estimated BW was found on both farms at individual and pen level. Additionally, the individual-level and pen-level BW estimation errors of the median weight over the fattening period were low on both farms (≤3.6%). Yet, the camera's BW estimation performance decreased in pigs weighing >110 kg on Farm 1. Whereas, on Farm 2, the performance decreased when pigs weighed approximately 60 kg and were subjected to a typical dietary change, which potentially increased the competition for access to the multi-partitioned feeder and, consequently, limited body boundary detection.

Modern hunting is an ambivalent practice, torn between leisure and labor. Nowhere are these conflicting dimensions better manifested than for wild boar—a simultaneous game and pest species in many countries. Here, we consider the sociological, political and cultural phenomenon of wild boar hunting from a change perspective, starting at its historical roots to future implications concerning the changing demographics, drivers, needs and practices of a modernizing hunting community. Using the case context of France, we present an approach to deconstructing each component of wild boar hunting firstly, and subsequently the external forces that change the nature of hunting. The objective of this manuscript is to discuss of the wild boar optimal harvesting to be applied in changing social and ecological environment. Findings show that the challenges facing wild boar management will likely intensify in the future, especially under the spotlight of a controversial public debate.

Background: Veterinary telemedicine has only been adopted to some degree. One aspect that needs to be evaluated is clinical examinations using video. The objective of this study was to evaluate agreement between a traditional physical clinical examination and a clinical examination using recorded video using finishing pigs with umbilical outpouchings (umbilical hernias, cysts, and abscesses) as the study unit. A total of 102 finisher pigs with umbilical outpouchings were clinically examined and recorded on video. Four experienced pig veterinarians were allowed to examine each pig for approximately 10 min and were individually asked to fill out a predesigned clinical record. Approximately 1 month after the physical examinations, the veterinarians individually reexamined all 102 pigs in a blinded manner, utilizing the video recordings and filling in a predesigned clinical record. Results: For all measurements using a ruler, a high Pearson correlation coefficient was observed between physical and video examinations (range 0.69–0.95). In comparison, the visual bodyweight estimation had a lower Pearson correlation coefficient (range 0.57–0.64). Substantial to almost perfect agreement was observed between the physical and video examinations for abnormal weight distribution on any leg, restricted gait movements, lameness, signs of pain, fitness for transportation, presence of wounds, and categorization of the number of wounds > 4 cm2 on the umbilical outpouching (mean Kappa range 0.67–0.87). Fair agreement was observed for the presence of perineal soiling, ear wounds, pendulation of umbilical outpouching, umbilical outpouching touching the legs, skin not movable over the umbilical outpouching, and umbilical outpouching wound characteristics: type, presence of crusts, active bleeding, thick wound edges, connective tissue (mean Kappa range 0.21–0.40). Slight agreement was observed for umbilical outpouching characteristics: shape, macroscopic vascularization

Improving welfare is still a critical issue in pig husbandry. Upgrades of the housing environment seem to be a promising solution to optimise resilience as a whole, and therefore improve animal welfare. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of an alternative housing system to enhance cognitive resilience and also to promote the pigs' welfare. A total of 96 piglets from two contrasted housing systems [alternative housing system (AHS) vs. conventional system (CONV)] was used. The major upgrades of the alternative system were multi-litter housing during lactation, delayed weaning, extra space allowance, and environmental enrichment from birth onwards. To estimate welfare, weight, and feed intake (as a general indicator of performances), the tear staining area (as a chronic stress indicator), behavioural postures, heart rate traits, and saliva cortisol concentration were measured over a 21 h-isolation. To assess cognitive resilience, the pigs were subjected to a maze with a social reward both before and after the isolation challenge and indicators of cognitive abilities were followed. The AHS pigs showed lower cortisol levels and tear staining area before the challenge, demonstrating overall better welfare due to the alternative housing conditions. During the challenge, AHS pigs had a lower heart rate, higher heart rate variability, and higher vagal activity than the CONV pigs, which might indicate a reduced sensitivity to the stressor. AHS pigs appeared to have a better long-term memory tested in a maze. Providing social and environmental enrichments, that fit the satisfaction of the essential needs of the pigs better, appears to be beneficial for pig welfare as a whole. Its effects on cognitive resilience still need to be proven.

Management of invasive species is notoriously difficult and often expensive. The aim of this study was to inform feral pig management practises in far-north Queensland by utilising molecular markers and geographic information systems to evaluate the affect of landscape features on feral pig population structure. This thesis evaluated landscape features at multiple spatial scales to identify landscape features that are a barrier or facilitator of feral pig movement and makes recommendations for future management strategies.

Robust epidemiological knowledge and predictive modelling tools are needed to address challenging objectives, such as: understanding epidemic drivers; forecasting epidemics; and prioritising control measures. Often, mul- tiple modelling approaches can be used during an epidemic to support effective decision making in a timely manner. Modelling challenges contribute to understanding the pros and cons of different approaches and to fostering technical dialogue between modellers. In this paper, we present the results of the first modelling challenge in animal health – the ASF Challenge – which focused on a synthetic epidemic of African swine fever (ASF) on an island. The modelling approaches proposed by five independent international teams were compared. We assessed their ability to predict temporal and spatial epidemic expansion at the interface between domestic pigs and wild boar, and to prioritise a limited number of alternative interventions. We also compared their qualitative and quantitative spatio-temporal predictions over the first two one-month projection phases of the challenge. Top-performing models in predicting the ASF epidemic differed according to the challenge phase, host species, and in predicting spatial or temporal dynamics. Ensemble models built using all team-predictions out- performed any individual model in at least one phase. The ASF Challenge demonstrated that accounting for the interface between livestock and wildlife is key to increasing our effectiveness in controlling emerging animal diseases, and contributed to improving the readiness of the scientific community to face future ASF epidemics. Finally, we discuss the lessons learnt from model comparison to guide decision making.

The goal of this project was to determine if standardized ileal digestible (SID) lysine provided at 40% above estimated requirements, with the concomitant increase in protein intake, from days 90 to 110 of gestation would stimulate mammary development in gilts. From day 90 of gestation, Yorkshire × Landrace gilts were fed 2.65 kg of either a conventional diet (CTL, control, n = 19) providing 18.6 g/d of SID Lys or a diet providing 26.0 g/d of SID Lys via additional soybean meal (HILYS, n = 19). Both diets were isoenergetic. Jugular blood samples obtained on days 90 and 110 of gestation were used to measure concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), metabolites, and amino acids (AA). Gilts were necropsied on day 110 ± 1 of gestation to obtain mammary glands for compositional analyses, immunohistochemistry, and analysis of mRNA abundance for AA transporters and markers of cell proliferation and differentiation. The HILYS gilts gained more body weight (P < 0.01) during the experimental period compared with CTL gilts, and had greater fetal weights (1.29 vs. 1.21 ± 0.03 kg, P < 0.05). There was no difference in circulating IGF-1, glucose, or albumin (P > 0.10) between HILYS and CTL gilts on day 110 of gestation, whereas concentrations of urea and free fatty acids were greater (P < 0.01), and those of Trp and Ala were lower (P < 0.05), in HILYS than CTL gilts. The provision of lysine at 40% above estimated requirements increased total mammary parenchymal mass by 44%, as well as total parenchymal fat, protein, DNA, and RNA (P < 0.01). The mRNA abundance of ACACA was greater (P < 0.05) in HILYS than CTL gilts, while only the AA transporter SLC6A14 tended (P < 0.10) to be greater. Results demonstrate that providing dietary Lys above current National Research Council recommendations in late gestation increases mammary development in gilts. Results also indicate that Lys may have been limiting for protein retention. These data suggest that

For many species, population size data is difficult to obtain or even unavailable. Therefore, estimations or indirect abundance measures of populations are crucial for ungulate management. Hunting has an important role in wildlife management, and is a partnership between state, landowners, and hunting communities. In ungulate management harvest statistics, as well as ungulate-vehicle collisions (UVCs) and observations, are often used as proxies for population densities and provide detailed information on a spatial and temporal scale. A Bayesian approach was used to model hunters’ response to population densities of fallow deer (Dama dama), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), and wild boar (Sus scrofa). The results indicate that the variability in number of individuals observed and the non-linearity of both hunters’ harvest and UVCs response varies between roe deer, fallow deer, and wild boar. Both hunters’ harvest and UVC display a sub-linear response to population densities to all three species. Additionally, roe deer show a low variability in the number of individuals observed compared to the other two species. Predictions of population densities by using proxies like harvest statistics and UVC statistics need to be species-specific to be reliable, and by considering a potential sub-linearity and temporal trends for the species of interest more confident and realistic estimates can be developed.

The objective was to expand and update the knowledge on the presence and genotype diversity of porcine circoviruses 2 and 3 (PCV2 and PCV3) in the wild boar populations from the hunting grounds in northeastern Serbia. The presence of PCV3 was not determined, and PCV2 was confirmed in 40.32% of the organ samples from 124 wild boars hunted from 2018 to 2019, indicating their significance in virus circulation since traditional pig farms with irregular PCV2 vaccination strategies are widespread in this region. The most prevalent genotype was PCV2d, followed by PCV2b and PCV2a in 55.6%, 38.9%, and 5.5% of the examined samples, respectively. Nucleotide sequences of the detected strains were homogenous within the genotype and clustered within the subgroups PCV2d-2, PCV2b-1A/B, and PCV2a-2D with high identity to European, Chinese, and Serbian domestic pig sequences suggesting their origin. Wild boars presented with no clinical or pathological signs of infection, implying that these animals might be less susceptible to disease, particularly since the cofactors present in pig farming systems that support the disease development are absent in the wild. The high PCV2 detection frequency demonstrates the importance of wildlife monitoring to track virus population dynamics, especially in regions with free-range pig farming in order to plan adequate disease control strategies.

The admixture of domestic pig into French wild boar populations has been monitored since the 1980s thanks to the existence of a cytogenetic difference between the two sub-species. The number of chromosomes is 2n = 36 in wild boar and 2n = 38 in pig, respectively. This difference makes it possible to assign the “hybrid” status to wild boar individuals controlled with 37 or 38 chromosomes. However, it does not make it possible to determine the timing of the hybridization(s), nor to guarantee the absence of domestic admixture in an animal with 2n = 36 chromosomes. In order to analyze hybridization in greater detail and to avoid the inherent limitations of the cytogenetic approach, 362 wild boars (WB) recently collected in different French geographical areas and in different environments (farms, free ranging in protected or unprotected areas, animals with 2n = 36, 37 or 38 chromosomes) were genotyped on a 70K SNP chip. Principal component analyses allowed the identification of 13 “outliers” (3.6%), for which the proportion of the genome of “domestic” origin was greater than 40% (Admixture analyses). These animals were probably recent hybrids, having Asian domestic pig ancestry for most of them. For the remaining 349 animals studied, the proportion of the genome of “wild” origin varied between 83% and 100% (median: 94%). This proportion varied significantly depending on how the wild boar populations were managed. Local ancestry analyses revealed adaptive introgression from domestic pig, suggesting a critical role of genetic admixture in improving the fitness and population growth of WB. Overall, our results show that the methods used to monitor the domestic genetic contributions to wild boar populations should evolve in order to limit the level of admixture between the two gene pools.

For many species, population size data is difficult to obtain or even unavailable. Therefore, estimations or indirect abundance measures of populations are crucial for ungulate management. Hunting has an important role in wildlife management, and is a partnership between state, landowners, and hunting communities. In ungulate management harvest statistics, as well as ungulate-vehicle collisions (UVCs) and observations, are often used as proxies for population densities and provide detailed information on a spatial and temporal scale. A Bayesian approach was used to model hunters’ response to population densities of fallow deer (Dama dama), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), and wild boar (Sus scrofa). The results indicate that the variability in number of individuals observed and the non-linearity of both hunters’ harvest and UVCs response varies between roe deer, fallow deer, and wild boar. Both hunters’ harvest and UVC display a sub-linear response to population densities to all three species. Additionally, roe deer show a low variability in the number of individuals observed compared to the other two species. Predictions of population densities by using proxies like harvest statistics and UVC statistics need to be species-specific to be reliable, and by considering a potential sub-linearity and temporal trends for the species of interest more confident and realistic estimates can be developed.

SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19 in humans, can efficiently infect a large number of animal species. Like any virus, and particularly RNA viruses, SARS-CoV-2 undergoes mutations during its life cycle some of which bring a selective advantage, leading to the selection of a given lineage. Minks are very susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 and owing to their presence in mass rearing, they make a good model for studying the relative importance of mutations in viral adaptation to host species. Variants, such as the mink-selected SARS-CoV-2 Y453F and D614G or H69del/V70del, Y453F, I692V and M1229I were identified in humans after spreading through densely caged minks. However, not all mink-specific mutations are conserved when the virus infects human populations back. Many questions remain regarding the interspecies evolution of SARS-CoV-2 and the dynamics of transmission leading to the emergence of new variant strains. We compared the human and mink ACE2 receptor structures and their interactions with SARS-CVoV-2 variants. In minks, ACE2 presents a Y34 amino acid instead of the H34 amino acid found in the human ACE2. H34 is essential for the interaction with the Y453 residue of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein. The Y453F mink mutation abolishes this conflict. A series of 18 mutations not involved in the direct ACE2 interaction was observed in addition to the Y453F and D614G in 16 different SARS-CoV-2 strains following bidirectional infections between humans and minks. These mutations were not random and were distributed into five different functional groups having an effect on the kinetics of ACE2-RD interaction. The interspecies transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from humans to minks and back to humans, generated specific mutations in each species which improved the affinity for the ACE2 receptor either by direct mutation of the core 453 residue or by associated compensatory mutations.

The objective was to expand and update the knowledge on the presence and genotype diversity of porcine circoviruses 2 and 3 (PCV2 and PCV3) in the wild boar populations from the hunting grounds in northeastern Serbia. The presence of PCV3 was not determined, and PCV2 was confirmed in 40.32% of the organ samples from 124 wild boars hunted from 2018 to 2019, indicating their significance in virus circulation since traditional pig farms with irregular PCV2 vaccination strategies are widespread in this region. The most prevalent genotype was PCV2d, followed by PCV2b and PCV2a in 55.6%, 38.9%, and 5.5% of the examined samples, respectively. Nucleotide sequences of the detected strains were homogenous within the genotype and clustered within the sub -group s PCV2d-2, PCV2b-1A/B, and PCV2a-2D with high identity to European, Chinese, and Serbian domestic pig sequences suggesting their origin. Wild boars presented with no clinical or pathological signs of infection, implying that these animals might be less susceptible to disease, particularly since the cofactors present in pig farming systems that support the disease development are absent in the wild. The high PCV2 detection frequency demonstrates the importance of wildlife monitoring to track virus population dynamics, especially in regions with fre e-range pig farming in order to plan adequate disease control strategies.

Native wild boar (Sus scrofa) populations are expanding across Europe. This is cause for concern in some areas where overabundant populations impact natural ecosystems and adjacent agronomic systems. To better manage the potential for impacts, managers require more information about how the species may affect other organisms. For example, information regarding the effect of wild boar on soil fungi for management application is lacking. Soil fungi play a fundamental role in ecosystems, driving essential ecological functions; acting as mycorrhizal symbionts, sustaining plant nutrition and providing defense; as saprotrophs, regulating the organic matter decomposition; or as plant pathogens, regulating plant fitness and survival. During autumn (Sep–Nov) 2018, we investigated the effects of wild boar (presence/absence and rooting intensity) on the abundance (number of individuals) of fungal sporocarps and their functional guilds (symbiotic, saprotrophic and pathogenic). We selected eleven forested sites (400–500 × 150–200 m) in central Sweden; six with and five without the presence of wild boar. Within each forest, we selected one transect (200 m long), and five plots (2 × 2 m each) for sites without wild boar, and ten plots for sites with boars (five within and five outside wild boar disturbances), to determine the relationship between the intensity of rooting and the abundance of sporocarps for three fungal guilds. We found that the presence of wild boar and rooting intensity were associated with the abundance of sporocarps. Interestingly, this relationship varied depending on the fungal guild analyzed, where wild boar rooting had a positive correlation with saprophytic sporocarps and a negative correlation with symbiotic sporocarps. Pathogenic fungi, in turn, were more abundant in undisturbed plots (no rooting) but located in areas with the presence of wild boar. Our results indicate that wild boar activities can potentially regulate the abundance of fungal sporocarps

Pig outdoor farming is gaining popularity and commercial success in the European Union, and its expansion, together with an increasing wild boar population, facilitates interactions between domestic and wild suids. In the Southern French Department of Ardèche, several episodes of mass mortalities due to infection with an enteropathogenic strain of Escherichia coli causing oedema disease (OD) were reported in wild boar populations between 2013 and 2016. In order to investigate a potential link between those events and the frequency of interactions between wild boar and domestic pig, we analyzed regional vegetation and hunting bag data and implemented a semi-structured questionnaire survey among a total of 30 outdoor pig farmers and 30 hunters distributed inside and outside the identified area of OD emergence. One third of interviewed farmers (11/30) had experienced intrusions of wild boars in domestic pig premises during the previous year. Similarly, 23% of interviewed hunters reported interactions between wild boar and feral free-ranging pigs in recent years, and 60% reported the observation of free-ranging pigs with a phenotypic feature of Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs (55%). Our analysis identified that in the OD emergence area, several factors could facilitate the transmission of pathogens between wild and domestic suids including a predominance of forested vegetation, a higher estimated wild boar density, weaker levels of farm biosecurity, a higher level of reported wild boar intrusions in pig farms and several reports of feral pot-bellied pig presence. Although our sample was limited, our study suggested a widespread occurrence of situations facilitating the transmission of pathogens between wild and domestic suids. Similar studies in other rural regions in the European Union are recommended, in order to promote preparedness for the emergence and circulation of shared swine pathogens.

Robust epidemiological knowledge and predictive modelling tools are needed to address challenging objectives, such as: understanding epidemic drivers; forecasting epidemics; and prioritising control measures. Often, mul- tiple modelling approaches can be used during an epidemic to support effective decision making in a timely manner. Modelling challenges contribute to understanding the pros and cons of different approaches and to fostering technical dialogue between modellers. In this paper, we present the results of the first modelling challenge in animal health – the ASF Challenge – which focused on a synthetic epidemic of African swine fever (ASF) on an island. The modelling approaches proposed by five independent international teams were compared. We assessed their ability to predict temporal and spatial epidemic expansion at the interface between domestic pigs and wild boar, and to prioritise a limited number of alternative interventions. We also compared their qualitative and quantitative spatio-temporal predictions over the first two one-month projection phases of the challenge. Top-performing models in predicting the ASF epidemic differed according to the challenge phase, host species, and in predicting spatial or temporal dynamics. Ensemble models built using all team-predictions out- performed any individual model in at least one phase. The ASF Challenge demonstrated that accounting for the interface between livestock and wildlife is key to increasing our effectiveness in controlling emerging animal diseases, and contributed to improving the readiness of the scientific community to face future ASF epidemics. Finally, we discuss the lessons learnt from model comparison to guide decision making.

Reliable estimates of the distribution of species abundance are a key element in wildlife studies, but such information is usually difficult to obtain for large spatial or long temporal scales. Wildlife–vehicle collision (WVC) data is systematically registered in many countries and could be used as a proxy of population abundance if the number of WVC in each territory increase with the population abundance. However, factors such as road density or human population should be controlled to obtain accurate abundance estimations from WVC data. Here, we propose a hierarchical modeling approach using the Royle–Nichols model for detection–non-detection data to obtain population abundance indices from WVC. Relative abundance and individual detectability were modeled for two species, wild boar Sus scrofa and roe deer Capreolus capreolus at 10 × 10 km cells in mainland Spain from WVC data using environmental, anthropological and temporal covariates. For each cell, a detection was annotated if at least one WVC was recorded at each month (used as survey occasion). The predicted abundance indices were compared with raw hunting statistics at region level to assess the performance of the modeling approach. Site specific covariates such as road density or administrative region and the month of the year, affected individual detectability, with higher WVC probability between October and December for wild boar and between April and July for roe deer. Wild boar and roe deer abundance can be explained by both, bioclimatic and land cover covariates. Abundance indices obtained from WVC data were significantly positively correlated with regional raw hunting yields for both species. We presented empirical evidence supporting that accurate wildlife abundance indices at fine spatial resolution can be generated from WVC data when individual detectability is considered in the modeling process.

Sequencing ancient DNA to high coverage is often limited by sample quality and cost. Imputing missing genotypes can potentially increase information content and quality of ancient data, but requires different computational approaches than modern DNA imputation. Ancient imputation beyond humans has not been investigated. In this study we report results of a systematic evaluation of imputation of three whole genome ancient Sus scrofa samples from the Early and Late Neolithic (∼7,100–4,500 BP), to test the utility of imputation. We show how issues like genetic architecture and, reference panel divergence, composition and size affect imputation accuracy. We evaluate a variety of imputation methods, including Beagle5, GLIMPSE, and Impute5 with varying filters, pipelines, and variant calling methods. We achieved genotype concordance in most cases reaching above 90%; with the highest being 98% with ∼2,000,000 variants recovered using GLIMPSE. Despite this high concordance the sources of diversity present in the genotypes called in the original high coverage genomes were not equally imputed leading to biases in downstream analyses; a trend toward genotypes most common in the reference panel is observed. This demonstrates that the current reference panel does not possess the full diversity needed for accurate imputation of ancient Sus, due to missing variations from Near Eastern and Mesolithic wild boar. Imputation of ancient Sus scrofa holds potential but should be approached with caution due to these biases, and suggests that there is no universal approach for imputation of non-human ancient species.

Kennis - Dit rapport beschrijft de stand van zaken van het beheer van wilde zwijnen in de provincies Noord-Brabant, Gelderland, Limburg en Overijssel.

The contribution of wildlife species to pathogen maintenance in multi-host communities has seldom been quantified. To assess the relative contribution of the main wildlife hosts of animal tuberculosis (TB) to its maintenance, we estimated the basic reproduction number (R0) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in wild boar and red deer at 29 sites in the Iberian Peninsula. Host abundance and true TB prevalence were estimated for each species at each site by sampling from distributions incorporating the uncertainty in the proportion of the population harvested each year, sensitivity, and specificity of the diagnostic methods, while excretion of mycobacteria was estimated using site-occupancy models. The distributions of these parameters were then used to estimate, at each site, the R0,wild boar (range 0.1 – 55.9, average 8.7, standard deviation 11.8), and the R0,red deer (0.1 – 18.9, 2.2, 3.9). Animal TB is maintained in epidemiological scenarios ranging from any single species acting as a maintenance host (the wild boar in 18 sites and the red deer in 5), to facultative multi-host disease (6 sites). The prevalence of TB in the red deer is likely an important driver of the epidemiology in multi-host communities. The wild boar was the main maintenance host of TB in most of the study sites and could have an epidemiological role linking the wildlife multi-host community and livestock.

Predation risk is a major driver of the distribution of prey animals, which typically show strong responses to cues for predator presence. An unresolved question is whether naïve individuals respond to mimicked cues, and whether such cues can be used to deter prey. We investigated whether playback of wolf sounds induces fear responses in naïve ungulates in a human-dominated landscape from which wolves have been eradicated since 1879. We conducted a playback experiment in mixed-coniferous and broadleaved forest that harboured three cervid and one suid species. At 36 locations, we played wolf sounds, sounds of local sheep or no sounds, consecutively, in random order, and recorded visit rate and group size, using camera traps. Visit rates of cervids and wild boar showed a clear initial reduction to playback of both wolf and sheep sounds, but the type of response differed between sound, forest type and species. For naïve wild boar in particular, responses to predator cues depended on forest type. Effects on visit rate disappeared within 21 days. Group sizes in all the species were not affected by the sound treatment. Our findings suggest that the responses of naïve ungulates to wolf sound seem to be species specific, depend on forest type and wear off in time, indicating habituation. Before we can successfully deter ungulates using predator sound, we should further investigate how different forest types affect the perception of naïve ungulates to these sounds, as responses to predator sound may depend on habitat characteristics.

Improving welfare is still a critical issue in pig husbandry. Upgrades of the housing environment seem to be a promising solution to optimise resilience as a whole, and therefore improve animal welfare. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of an alternative housing system to enhance cognitive resilience and also to promote the pigs' welfare. A total of 96 piglets from two contrasted housing systems [alternative housing system (AHS) vs. conventional system (CONV)] was used. The major upgrades of the alternative system were multi-litter housing during lactation, delayed weaning, extra space allowance, and environmental enrichment from birth onwards. To estimate welfare, weight, and feed intake (as a general indicator of performances), the tear staining area (as a chronic stress indicator), behavioural postures, heart rate traits, and saliva cortisol concentration were measured over a 21 h-isolation. To assess cognitive resilience, the pigs were subjected to a maze with a social reward both before and after the isolation challenge and indicators of cognitive abilities were followed. The AHS pigs showed lower cortisol levels and tear staining area before the challenge, demonstrating overall better welfare due to the alternative housing conditions. During the challenge, AHS pigs had a lower heart rate, higher heart rate variability, and higher vagal activity than the CONV pigs, which might indicate a reduced sensitivity to the stressor. AHS pigs appeared to have a better long-term memory tested in a maze. Providing social and environmental enrichments, that fit the satisfaction of the essential needs of the pigs better, appears to be beneficial for pig welfare as a whole. Its effects on cognitive resilience still need to be proven.

Simulated SNP genotype data for 3-way crossbred animals and their purebred ancestors, mimicking chromosomes 1 and 18 of the pig genome. Parental lines are closely related, distantly related or unrelated to each other. For each dataset, 10 replicates are available.

We sequenced Chinese indigenous pig breeds for introgression analysis.

This research was funded by the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Services, Wildlife Services, National Feral Swine Program, the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Services, Veterinary Services (contract no. 15-9408-0367), the SaBio Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC) (MINECO, AEI/FEDER, UE, AGL2016-76358-R), European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement no. 777832, and COMBIVET ERA Chair, H2020-WIDESPREAD-2018-04, grant agreement no. 857418., More effective methods to detect bovine tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium bovis, in wildlife, is of paramount importance for preventing disease spread to other wild animals, livestock, and human beings. In this study, we analyzed the volatile organic compounds emitted by fecal samples collected from free-ranging wild boar captured in Doñana National Park, Spain, with an electronic nose system based on organically-functionalized gold nanoparticles. The animals were separated by the age group for performing the analysis. Adult (>24 months) and sub-adult (12–24 months) animals were anesthetized before sample collection, whereas the juvenile (<12 months) animals were manually restrained while collecting the sample. Good accuracy was obtained for the adult and sub-adult classification models: 100% during the training phase and 88.9% during the testing pase for the adult animals, and 100% during both the training and testing phase for the sub-adult animals, respectively. The results obtained could be important for the further development of a non-invasive and less expensive detection method of bovine tuberculosis in wildlife populations., United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Services,Wildlife Services, the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Services, Veterinary Services, SaBio Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), European Union’s Horizon 2020, Depto. de Sanidad Animal, Fac. de Medicina, Fac. de Veterinaria, TRUE, pub

This research was funded by the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Services, Wildlife Services, National Feral Swine Program, the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Services, Veterinary Services (contract no. 15-9408-0367), the SaBio Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC) (MINECO, AEI/FEDER, UE, AGL2016-76358-R), European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement no. 777832, and COMBIVET ERA Chair, H2020-WIDESPREAD-2018-04, grant agreement no. 857418., More effective methods to detect bovine tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium bovis, in wildlife, is of paramount importance for preventing disease spread to other wild animals, livestock, and human beings. In this study, we analyzed the volatile organic compounds emitted by fecal samples collected from free-ranging wild boar captured in Doñana National Park, Spain, with an electronic nose system based on organically-functionalized gold nanoparticles. The animals were separated by the age group for performing the analysis. Adult (>24 months) and sub-adult (12–24 months) animals were anesthetized before sample collection, whereas the juvenile (<12 months) animals were manually restrained while collecting the sample. Good accuracy was obtained for the adult and sub-adult classification models: 100% during the training phase and 88.9% during the testing pase for the adult animals, and 100% during both the training and testing phase for the sub-adult animals, respectively. The results obtained could be important for the further development of a non-invasive and less expensive detection method of bovine tuberculosis in wildlife populations., United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Services,Wildlife Services, the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Services, Veterinary Services, SaBio Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), European Union’s Horizon 2020, Depto. de Sanidad Animal, Fac. de Medicina, Fac. de Veterinaria, TRUE, pub