Our platforms and collective structures
Harmonie Barasc
Alexandre Journaux
Christophe Huau
Christophe Klopp
Virginie Clément
Hélène Larroque
Animal cytogenetics platform
If undetected, these irregularities can quickly spread throughout the population. This service is provided in partnership with professional animal breeding organisations and focuses on cattle, pigs, horses, and dogs. Checks are also conducted to characterise the chromosomal status of wild boar populations.
More informations about this platform by following this link.
ALIEN : Automation, software and infrastuctures for livestock
The activities of this team are dedicated to the development of tools to help collect and store measurements taken on the animal and its environment. These tools fall into two main categories: software and measurement equipment. We develop dedicated software for each species and for cross-cutting themes, such as animal health or feed, for example. The team's computer scientists work full-time for the CATI (Automated Information Processing Centres) SICPA (Information and Calculation Systems for Animal Phenotyping).
Experimental facilities
The sheep facilities include a flock of suckler sheep, mainly of the Romane breed (180 ewes), livestock buildings (3,500 m²) and 70 hectares of arable land (for fodder and cash crops).
The objective of this installation is :
The rabbit breeding facilities, located on 2 sites (Langlade site (2,400 m²) and Auzeville site (2,800 m²), represent all of the Animal Genetics department's facilities and most of the Animal Physiology and Breeding Systems department's facilities for this species. These facilities house 200 males and 370 females. The latter enable the implementation of protocols and collection of data for experiments conducted by GenPhySE teams specialising in nutrition, genetics and breeding systems. They may also be carried out by external partner teams working alongside GenPhySE. The facility is equipped with the necessary experimental equipment, including rabbits of all ages, food, prototypes of equipment intended for breeding.... Additionally, the team is focused on developing and acquiring references concerning alternative housing in rabbit breeding.
Today, the two sites, comprising 16 people, are managed jointly within a single entity. This entity is referenced under the following name: IE GenPhySE, INRAE, 2023. Experimental facility on sheep and rabbits, https://doi.org/10.17180/ftvh-x393.
Maxime Ben Braiek, Carole C. Moreno, Charlotte Allain, Philippe Bardou, Arnaud Bordes, et al.. A Nonsense Variant in CCDC65 Gene Causes Respiratory Failure Associated with Increased Lamb Mortality in French Lacaune Dairy Sheep. Genes, 2022, 13 (1), pp.45. ⟨10.3390/genes13010045⟩. ⟨hal-03525204⟩
Maxime Ben Braiek, Carole C. Moreno, Céline André, Jean-Michel Astruc, Philippe Bardou, et al.. Searching for homozygous haplotype deficiency in Manech Tête Rousse dairy sheep revealed a nonsense variant in the MMUT gene affecting newborn lamb viability. Genetics Selection Evolution, 2024, 56 (1), pp.16. ⟨10.1186/s12711-024-00886-7⟩. ⟨hal-04485067⟩
Marie Renevey, Sylvie Combes, Laurent Cauquil, Patrick Aymard, Virginie Helies, et al.. Etude de la résilience de l'holobionte suite à une rupture de la transmission symbiotique dans 2 lignées de lapins sélectionnées sur l'efficacité alimentaire. Journées de la Recherche Cunicole, ITAVI; INRAE, Mar 2023, Le Mans (72000), France. pp.137-140, ⟨10.15454/1.5572370921303193E12)⟩. ⟨hal-04646246⟩
Mélanie Gunia, Julien Ruesche, Patrick Aymard, Emilie Gillet, Caroline Herbert, et al.. Une expérience de sélection pour la résistance non-spécifique aux maladies. Journées de la Recherche Cunicole, ITAVI; INRAE; ASFC, Mar 2023, Le Mans, France. pp.142-145. ⟨hal-04052767⟩
SIGENAE : Animal genomic bioinformatic platform
SIGENAE provides to INRAE biologists working on animal genomics with data processing, training, expertise, and software development services. The members of SIGENAE specialize in sequence processing, assisting biologists in assembling genomes and transcriptomes, quantifying the expression of coding and non-coding genes, identifying small and large variations, studying 16S diversity, and designing SNP chips. SIGENAE members have participated in several significant international projects, including the 1000 Bull Genome Project, Vargoats, PhyloFish, GenoFish, and IMAGE.
More informations about this platform by following this link.
UMT-STAR : Genetic selection for the agroecological transition of small ruminants
The GenPhySE unit is also a member of Mixed Technological Units (UMT). UMTs are scientific and technical partnership instruments created and supported by the Ministry of Agriculture under the coordination of ACTA and the French Chamber of Agriculture. The aim of a UMT is to develop in-depth working relationships between public research or higher education establishments and agricultural or agro-industrial technical institutes around an applied research theme.
GenPhySE hosts and co-hosts with the livestock institute (IDELE) the UMT-STAR: The Mixed Technological Unit Genetic Selection for the Agroecological Transition of Small Ruminants (UMT-STAR), which was certified in January 2023 for a period of five years.
In the context of climate change and an evolving social and societal context, the genetic selection of small ruminants can contribute to reducing the impact of livestock farming by producing animals better adapted to their environment and mitigating their impact on the environment. To respond to this dual challenge, the UMT is structured into three axes called : "a multi-performing animal", "a selection of adapted populations" and "tools and methods for support". These axes are supported by a transversal action with a prospective aim : "Small ruminants actors of the Agroecological Transition".
For further information on the activities and outcomes of UMT-STAR, please refer to the website : https://idele.fr/umt-star/.