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In this perspective analysis, we strive to answer the following question: how can we advance integrative biology research in the 21st century with lessons from animal science? At the University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Animal Science, we share here our three lessons learned in the two decades from 2002 to 2022 that we believe could inform integrative biology, systems science, and animal science scholarship in other countries and geographies. Cultivating multiomics knowledge through a conceptual lens of integrative biology is crucial for life sciences research that can stand the test of diverse biological, clinical, and ecological contexts. Moreover, in an era of the current COVID-19 pandemic, animal nutrition and animal science, and the study of their interactions with human health (and vice versa) through integrative biology approaches hold enormous prospects and significance for systems medicine and ecosystem health.

Capons of three genotypes (Barred Prelux, Sulmtaler, Styrian hen) were fattened outdoors and slaughtered at two ages (163, 198 days). Cockerels were caponised at age 47 days and at age 84 days were moved to grower houses with free access to pasture. Animals had ad libitum access to food and water. Ten carcasses of each genotype and age were sampled at slaughter for sensory analysis. The four trained panellist assessed three traits of raw carcasses on scale 1-5 and 19 traits on roasted carcasses on scale 1-7. Shear force was measured on cooled meat slices by appartus Texture Anayser, TA.XT plus, Volodkevich contact cell. Statistical analysis was performed by MIXED procedure in SAS/STAT. Age at slaughter affected nine, genotype five and interactions between age and genotype three sensory traits. Shear force differed among genotypes and it got worse at older age. Any of three genotypes was not superior in most of sensory traits. Thus, decision which genotype to fatten and how long depends on preferences and importance of certain sensory traits by consumers. Kopune treh genotipov (grahasti prelux, sultaler, štajerska kokoš) smo pitali v izpustih in zaklali pri dveh starostih (163 in 198 dni). petelinčke smo kastrirali pri starosti 47 dni in jih pri starosti 84 dni preseleili v hlev z izpustom. Živali so imele krmo in vodo po volji. Po deset trupov vsakega genotipa in starosti smo ob zakolu vzorčili za senzorično analizo. Štirje usposobljeni ocenjevalci so na presnih trupih ocenili tri lastnosti (skala 1-5) in na pečenih trupih 19 lastnosti (skala 1-7). Reznost smo merili na ohlajenih rezinah mesa z aparatom Texture Analyser, TA,XT plus, kontaktni nastavek po Volodkevich. Za statistično obdelavo podatkov smo uporabili proceduro MIXED v SAS/STAT. Starost ob zakolu je vplivala na devet, genotip napet ter interakcija med starostjo in genotipom na tri senzorične lastnosti. Rezna trdnost se je med genotipi razlikovala, povečala pa se je s staostjo. Noben od genotipov ni najboljši v večini senzoričnih lastnosti, zato je odločitev, kateri genotip kopunov bi bil najprimernejši, odvisna predvsem od želja in pomembnosti senzoričnih lastnosti s strani porabnikov.

In order to study the effects of long-term selection on genetic parameters, the effect of selection on selected and correlated traits and to develop lines for various physiological, biochemical and molecular genetic studies a comprehensive selection study for body weight in chickens has been conducted at the Biotechnical Faculty of University in Ljubljana. Long-term divergent selection in chickens for 8-week body weight for 31 generations produced a high weight (D+) and low weight (D-) line. Bodz weight at 8 weeks of age was the exclusive selection criterion. Selection lines were compared for body weight and for unselected traits including carcass traits, feed conversion, egg and meat quality traits, reproduction traits, muscle characteristics, nutritional and physiological traits. This paper describes the most important results of different experiments that were performed on animals from both lines in various generations of selection. Z namenom ocenjevanja učinkov dolgotrajne selekcije na genetske parametre, selekcionirane in korelirane lastnosti ter za potrebe izvajanja raziskav s področij fiziologije, biokemije in molekularne genetike je bil na Biotehniški fakulteti Univerze v Ljubljani izpeljan obsežen dvosmerni selekcijski poskus na telesno maso piščancev. Enaintrideset generacij smo odbirali piščance na večjo (D+ linija) in manjšo (D- linija) telesno maso pri osmih tednih starosti, ki je bila vseskozi edini selekcijski kriterij. V posameznih generacijah smo proučevali direktne (telesna masa) in korelirane učinke selekcije (klavne lastnosti, iykoriščanje krme, kakovost jajc in mesa, reprodukcijske lastnosti, lastnosti mišičnih vlaken, prehranske in fiziološke lastnosti). V članku so zbrani najpomembnejši rezultati omenjenih raziskav.