The large variability in metabolic responses of dairy cows with similar genetic background and breeding system during the transition period (late gestation - early lactation) reflects individual differences in adaptive capacity. Inadequate adaptation of the cow has negative effects on its health as well as on its production and reproductive performances. This generates economic/profitability losses for the dairy industry as well as animal welfare concerns. Despite numerous studies, deciphering molecular mechanism that promote coordinated and adapted metabolic responses or disorders during the transition period of dairy cows is still a challenge that needs to be tackled. The originality of the FAIR_Cow project, is to consider plasma free fatty acids not only as indicators of metabolic status (and risk of disorders) but also as biologically active molecules acting as coordinators of metabolic responses. Furthermore, it is also hypothesized that free fatty acid receptors (FFARs), newcomers to free fatty acid signaling, allow free fatty acids to mediate their diversity of actions at the cellular level. Thus, through the FAIR_Cow project, key free fatty acids related to the adaptive capacities of dairy cows will be identified. The cellular mechanisms regulated by these key free fatty acids will be elucidated. The relative contribution of FFARs to the mechanism of action of free fatty acids at the cellular level will be quantified and associated biomarkers of FFAR-dependent signaling pathways will be identified. Finally, aptamer-based detection methods will be developed in order to allow to identify physiological processes regulated by FFARs in vivo. Knowledge acquired during the FAIR_Cow project will pave the way for a better understanding of the large variability of metabolic responses of dairy cows during the challenging transition period. Finally, the tools for phenotyping the adaptive capacities of dairy cows developed during the FAIR_Cow project will open up new perspectives for dairy herd management at the individual level.

Growing evidence demonstrates that emotional communication takes place between humans and domestic animals, but most studies have focused on the visual and acoustic channels, neglecting olfactory communication, the most primitive and widespread channel. Recent studies of our teams show that equids and bovidae can perceive human olfactory signals associated with different emotional states, and these chemical cues have begun to be characterized. These first results lead us to investigate further the chemical communication of emotions from humans to animals but also from animals to humans. We propose a project on two domestic livestock species, equids (Equus caballus) and bovidae (Ovis aries), with three aims: (1) To determine whether these species discriminate between different human emotional odours and whether these odours induce emotions in animals; (2) To investigate reciprocity, namely are humans able to discriminate animal emotional odours and how do they react emotionally to these odors? (3) To analyze the chemical composition of emotional odours produced by humans, horses and sheep to confirm whether chemical differences exist between odours from different emotional states in a species, and determine whether the three species share chemical signatures linked to emotional states. Regarding methods, collection of human emotional odours will be based on well-established and published protocols. The participants will watch emotion-charged film extracts (displaying fear, joy, sadness or inspiring disgust) while equipped with under-arm gauze pads. Animal emotional odours will be collected following the same principle. Horses and sheep will experience situations of contrasting emotional valence (positive, such as pleasant touch contact, and more negative, such as a novel environment), while equipped with gauze pads placed under abdominal belts. These odours will then be tested on receiver subjects in appropriate tests for each species. Thus, horses and sheep will participate in ‘habituation/ discrimination’ tests which will enable us to demonstrate whether they can discriminate different human emotional odours. They will then undergo a battery of tests to evaluate their emotional reactivity (e.g., a neophobia test) according to whether they are exposed or not to human emotional odours. The human subjects will take part in specific tests to determine whether or not they can evaluate implicitly or explicitly the animal odours (e.g., standardized laboratory tests in which they will self-evaluate their emotional state before and after smelling an odour). The consortium is well-experienced in the battery of tests the animal and human participants will perform. Finally, to describe the chemical composition of the emotional signals in human and animal sweat, the organic volatile compound extracts will be analyzsed through gas chromatography -mass spectrometry. This inter disciplinary project will group fields such as cognitive ethology, human psychology and chemical ecology. It should improve understanding of how animals and humans mutually communicate their emotions through chemicals. Four different scientific teams will collaborate on the project, which will be supported by scientists recognized in the domains of animal cognition, emotions and welfare, the human-animal relationship, olfactory processing in animals and humans, and chemical ecology.

The Mediterranean basin has been facing the challenge of increasing temperatures and drought due to climate change for several years. This situation threatens the availability of feed resources, the sustainability of grazing livestock and the livelihood of rural communities, particularly those living in marginal rural areas. Given the economic importance of livestock in the Mediterranean, if these effects persist as predicted by the IPCC scenarios (https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/), they will disrupt food security in this area and jeopardize small-scale traditional livestock systems that do not have the basic infrastructure necessary for efficient livestock management, nor the early warning systems to address the problem well in advance. According to recent studies, the goat has been shown to provide the solution to face these environmental challenges in the Mediterranean. Is evident that the goat, is ideal due to its resilience and high tolerance to heat and drought, its ability to survive on poor pastures and its high resistance to diseases, thus providing a source of animal proteins (meat and milk) to reduce human malnutrition in marginal areas where other livestock systems are not feasible, and to face climate changes and support agro-pastoral society. In addition, there are advantages associated with consuming goat meat and milk (low-fat content, healthy fatty acids profile, better tolerance and digestibility), so it could be part of the solution to reduce metabolic diseases. Based on these findings, the objectives of the MEDGOAT project are to support viable agro-pastoral agriculture and rational use of agro-pastoral lands by a) strengthening the knowledge of local goat breeds for their climate resilience and promoting the use of these specific breeds in the Mediterranean region b) assessing the potential of local goat breeds, in a perspective of potentiating biodiversity, exploiting their resistance to the effects of climate change, and improving animal management systems (especially feeding practices) to face climate challenges and reduce the water footprint of goat farming, in a circular bioeconomy approach. c) evaluating the impact of the contribution of non-conventional feed resources (e.g., cactus, olive and date co-products), non-protein nitrogen sources (e.g., urea and nitrate) and local plants that can be valorized on both the environmental impact of farming systems and the productivity of the goat and its health. The trials will also make it possible to characterize the quality of milk and meat and develop innovations for their storage. MEDGOAT implements an interconnected multidisciplinary approach that brings together academic and non-academic actors, including breeders and industrialists (13 partners), from six countries (France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia and Morocco) and that covers several disciplines:breeding, nutrition, animal and human health, animal welfare, sociology and economics. With the technical support of one of the world's leading goat experts (ICAR-National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology in Bangalore, India), this project will involve a technological and organizational model of multi-stakeholder collaboration for sustainable goat production to ensure food security and sustainability in the Mediterranean regions. MEDGOAT responds to FAO recommendations by aiming to ensure the livelihood security of farmers in rural areas, especially women, the primary holders of small ruminants in the Mediterranean regions.

Sustainability of ruminant production is of concern to society because of its implications for the environment, the economy and food security. Microbiomes associated with the host play a key role in health, welfare and environmental efficiency in ruminant production systems. However, despite the information already available, we lack the insights to precisely link the causes and mechanisms of microbial influence on ruminant phenotypes. This is because the interconnection and communication between the animal and its different microbiomes have never been studied in a deep, integrated way. The goal of the project is to elucidate the role of ruminant-associated microbiomes and their interplay with the host in early life and throughout fundamental life events. HoloRuminant will use a holistic multi-omics approach to characterise the acquisition and evolution of microbiomes from different body sites, their inheritability and their influence on the host’s resistance to disease and environmental efficiency of production. Specifically we will: determine microbiomes’ functions by combining multi-level information for microbes, host and their interaction; define microbiomes’ roles during challenging life periods such as perinatal, weaning, and after exposure to pathogens; and evaluate the effect of ruminant microbiomes on critical phenotypes for sustainable production, health and welfare. This will allow the identification of novel microbial markers for monitoring, predicting and selecting phenotypes of interest. By engaging actors from the livestock value chain, we will evaluate the socio-economic impact and acceptability of the innovations proposed among stakeholders and the public. HoloRuminant will provide highly innovative, standardized methodologies that will radically advance our understanding of the ruminant holobiont. This knowledge and the tools created will allow the use of microbiome-based diagnostics and solutions for improving ruminant sustainability.

The project aims to develop an agroecological sheep/goat farming system (HaloSheep) based on the valorization of spontaneous halophytes of saline area of the coastal Mediterranean regions, threated by climate change (CL), salinization of water and soil, anthropogenic pressures, biological invasions, and extinction of native species. This project is based on a multidisciplinary approach considering soil-plant-atmosphere continuum, plant-animal-human food chain, and socio-environmental constraints. The challenge is to maintain a balance between productivity, household food security, and environmental preservation in systems developed in high salinity and in a context of CL. The consortium is multidisciplinary with complementary skills to carry out systemic approaches and model the functioning of the ecosystem and provide tangible solutions improving the sustainability of the ecosystem and its resilience to CL. The work will be carried out in collaboration with development organizations, associations, and breeders. Six Mediterranean countries (Tunisia, Greece, Turkey, Italy, France, Spain) are implicated and three of them (Tunisia, Greece and Turkey) are concerned by the prototype study, on the field. In each country, one or two locations are considered (Kerkennah archipelago for Tunisia, Creta and Aegean Islands for Greece and lake of Burdur and Yarışlı for Turkey). The approach is to characterize first the existing agrosystem and then to propose innovative practices, based on agroecological concepts (HaloSheep agroecosystem) to improve the technical, economic, social and environmental sustainability. The typology of sheep/goat production system will be done to evaluate the importance of this activity in the target areas. The spatio-temporal flora diversity will be analysed to identify the most valuable pasture resources and model some species dynamic in a context of CL. Sustainable feeding systems based on halophytes and maximal incorporation of local resources will be developed. Genetic diversity of local breeds will be explored to identify high impact candidate alleles that may contribute to adaptation to harsh conditions and CL. In pilot farms, risks factors for animal health and welfare will be identified and assessed to develop and promote best practices for livestock health and welfare. Health benefits (antibacterial and antiparasitic effects) of halophytes extracts will be also evaluated. Sensorial and nutritional milk and meat qualities produced according to innovative feeding practices will be appreciated, to assess labelling possibilities, considering ecological, agronomical, socio-economic and regulatory data. The novel products can be highly valued in a context of promotion of agroecological and sustainable agriculture. Finally, economic, social, and environmental sustainability of the HaloSheep agroecosystem will be studied to highlight the potential increase of income for sheep and goat farms. HaloSheep project will impacts at the short and long terms, it will increase knowledge concerning the genetic diversity of local breeds, their adaptation capacity to salinity, thermic stress and their phenotypic traits that provide a longer-term impact as a basis for the sustainable development of small ruminant system. It will improve knowledge about extremophile flora, represented by halophytes and their possible adaptation with CL. The project is expected to help local communities to develop farms based on local breeds in order not only to increase production by terms of yields but also by terms of better-quality products and better biodiversity and environment management. The sustainability and viability of the farms could be achieved, with parallel amelioration of farmers ‘income.