PhD in Veterinary Sciences for Animal Health and Food Safety

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Curriculum vitae

Curriculum Vitae

Phd thesis

Under intensive rabbit farming, the most widespread reproductive rhythm practiced is based on artificial insemination performed at around 11 days postpartum simultaneously with intramuscular administration of GnRH to induce ovulation, which involves double containment of the animal. This commercial breeding system is well adapted to cycled production, but it does not take into account the reproductive physiology of the doe, so it results in high production rates, but requires high yearly replacement of animals that cannot sustain the enormous energy demand. Moreover, current housing systems do not allow animals to express the typical behavioural pattern of the species, with presence of abnormal behaviours that contribute to increase stress levels, reducing welfare. As a consequence of the combination of this different factors (invasive techniques, intensive rhythm and reduced housing space), rabbit does show a relatively short reproductive carrier, being not able to compensate the enormous demand of energy during reproductive cycles.

Housing animals in cages more respectful of their behavioural nature, together with the extensification of the rhythm and animal-friendly practices could allow better animal welfare, with a positive impact also on performances.

Having the above mentioned as guidelines, the present PhD Thesis was conformed with the goal of proposing alternative solutions that can be adopted under intensive farming conditions in order to have an improvement in welfare and consequently an extension of the reproductive career of rabbit does, such as the use of less invasive techniques for the induction of ovulation, directly diluting GnRH into the seminal dose, or the adoption of alternative housing systems instead of conventional cages currently utilized, together with an extensification of the reproductive rhythm.

Research activities

Projects

Evaluation of rabbit production and welfare

 

Articles

Munari C, Ponzio P, Alkhawagah AR, Schiavone A, Mugnai C. (2019). Effects of an intravaginal GnRH analogue administration on rabbit reproductive parameters and welfare. Theriogenology 125:122-128. 

Munari C, Mugnai C, Braconnier M, Toscano MJ, Gebhardt-Henrich SG. (2020). Effect of different management protocols for grouping does on aggression and dominance hierarchies. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 227:104999.

Munari C, Ponzio P, Macchi E, Elkhawagah AR, Tarantola M, Ponti G, Mugnai C. (2020). A multifactorial evaluation of different reproductive rhythms and housing systems for improving welfare in rabbit does. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 230:105047.

Braconnier M, Munari C, Gómez Y, Gebhardt-Henrich SG. (2020). Grouping of breeding rabbit does at different time points: effects on fertility, mortality and weight. World Rabbit Science 28:73-80.

 

Abstracts

Ponzio P, Mugnai C, Munari C, Alkhawagah AR, Macchi E, Vincenti L. Effect of a GnRH intravaginal administration on semen quality and reproductive performances of rabbit does. National LXXIII SISVet Congress, 19^th -22^nd June 2019, Olbia, Italy. ORAL PRESENTATION

Munari C, Ponzio P, Alkhawagah AR, Schiavone A, Mugnai C. Effect of lecirelin acetate intravaginal administration on rabbit reproductive parameters and welfare. 17^th International Conference on Production Diseases in Farm Animals, 27^th -29^th June 2019, Bern, Switzerland. ORAL PRESENTATION

Mugnai C, Salio C, Munari C, Aimar P, Falzone M, Pastorino P, Sicuro B. Preliminary results of fishmeal substitution with insect meal (Hermetia illucens) on Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus) feeding: effect on gut health, reproductive parameters and water quality. ESVCN Congress, 18-20 September 2019, Turin, Italy. ORAL PRESENTATION

Munari C, Mugnai C, Braconnier M, Toscano MJ, Gebhardt-Henrich SG. Effect of different management schedules for grouping rabbit does on aggression and dominance hierarchies. 12^th World Rabbit Congress, Nantes 1-3 July 2020. Postponed to 2021. ORAL PRESENTATION

Munari C, Ponzio P, Macchi E, Elkhawagah AR, Tarantola M, Ponti G, Mugnai C. Effect of housing system and reproductive rhythm on rabbit does welfare: preliminary implications on reproductive, behavioural and physiological traits. 12^th World Rabbit Congress, Nantes 1-3 July 2020. Postponed to 2021. POSTER

 

Congresses

Summer School "Meat Production Safety and Health". (June 4-9^th 2018, University of Padova, Italy)

6^th Mediterranean Poultry Summit. (18-20^th June 2018, Turin, Italy)

Research days oral presentation "Una gabbia per l'allevamento cunicolo più rispettoso del benessere animale". (20^th July 2018, Grugliasco, Turin, Italy)

17^th International Conference on Production Diseases in Farm Animals. (27-29^th June 2019, Bern, Switzerland)

 

Attended Seminars and Workshops

 

Year 2017/2018

Seminar ECM "Using insects in animal feed: state of the art and perspectives". (13^th October 2017, Grugliasco, Turin, Italy) 

Journal Club "Machine Learning for Biomedical Data", Dott.ssa Irene Azzali. (17^th October 2017, Grugliasco, Turin, Italy) 

Seminar "Luminex multiplex technology: principles, methods and applicants in Veterinary".  (31^th October 2017, Grugliasco, Turin, Italy) 

Seminar "L' allevamento biologico migliora l' impatto ambientale?". (3^rd November 2017, Lodi, Italy).

Journal Club "Neurological clinical signs in cattle with astrovirus-associated encephalitis", Dott. ssa Giulia Cagnotti. (9^th November 2017, Grugliasco, Turin, Italy)

Seminar "Biosensor assays in veterinary medicine". (13^th November 2017, Grugliasco, Turin, Italy)

Seminar "Overview on poultry production and management: intensive vs extensive farming systems". (27^th November 2017, Grugliasco, Turin, Italy)

Seminar "Gut health in animal production". (2^nd February, 2018, Grugliasco, Turin, Italy)

Seminar "Why non-rodent, domestic and wild animals models are needed for study brain plasticity", Prof. Luca Bonfanti. (14^th February 2018, Grugliasco, Turin, Italy) 

Seminar ECM "Approcci diagnostici ed emergenze sanitarie delle specie avicole e del coniglio da carne e d' affezione". (22^th February 2018, Grugliasco, Turin, Italy)

Research Days of  Veterinary Science Department. (7-8^th March 2018, Grugliasco, Turin, Italy)

Annual conference ASIC (Associazione Scientifica Italiana di Coniglicoltura) (6^th April 2018, Perugia, Italy)

Seminar "Practical aspects of pharmacokinetics in veterinary pharmacology", Dr. Andrejs Sitov, University of Riga-Lettonia. (12^th April 2018, Grugliasco, Turin, Itay)

Seminar ECM "Pet food tra nutrizione tecnologia e comunicazione". (15^th May 2018, Grugliasco, Turin, Italy)

Research Days of Veterinary Science Department. (19-20^th July 2018, Grugliasco, Turin, Italy)

"D-day" organized by the Doctoral School, Dept. Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences. (13^th September 2018, Via Nizza 52, Turin, Italy)

Seminar "Uncovering the hidden treasures: a philosophical approach can ease the food security challenge", Dr. Abdul Raziq. (24^th September 2018, Grugliasco, Turin, Itay)

Seminar "Species identification of food of animal origin",  Prof. Alessandra Dalmasso. (28^th September 2018, Grugliasco, Turin, Italy) 

 

Year 2018/2019

Journal Club " Big data analytics and precision animal agriculture symposium: Machine learning and data mining advance predictive big data analysis in precision animal agriculture", Dr. Francesca Abbona. (22^th October 2018, Grugliasco, Turin, Italy)

Workshop "Il Fundraising per progetti di ricerca: un'opportunità da cogliere". (24^th October 2018, Turin, Italy)

Seminar "Acquacoltura per creazione di start up per studenti", Dr. Benedetto Sicuro. (5^th November 2018, Grugliasco, Turin, Italy) 

Convention "La sicurezza alimentare nella filiera dei mangimi: efficienza ed efficacia dell'autocontrollo e del controllo ufficiale", Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta. (13^th November 2018, Grugliasco, Turin, Italy) 

Lesson on risk assessment for Speciality School, Visiting Professor Lis Alban. (25^th January 2019, Grugliasco, Turin, Italy)

Seminar "Lotta all' antibiotico resistenza, esperienze internazionali e progetti di campo", Visiting Professor Lis Alban. (28^th January 2019, Grugliasco, Turin, Italy)

Seminar "Camel adaptation to heat and water deprivation stresses", Prof. Achaaban. (3^rd April 2019, Grugliasco, Turin, Italy)

Seminar "Vector-borne diseases surveillance: an opportunity for putting One Health into practice", Dr. Laura Tomassone. (16^th April 2019, Grugliasco, Turin, Italy)

Seminar "Are you ready to publish? Understanding the publishing process", Dr. Massimiliano Bearzot. (15^th May 2019, Grugliasco, Turin, Italy)

Seminar "Experimental embriology in a sheep model", Dr. Paola Toschi. (18^th September 2019, Grugliasco, Turin, Italy)

 

Year 2019/2020

Seminar "Horizon Europe and Project Writing". (25^th October 2019, Turin, Italy)

Seminar "Engaged research in a PhD research". (4^th November 2019, Turin, Italy)

Laurea honoris causa Emiliana Brocchi e Uriel Dan Kitron. (11^th February 2020, Grugliasco, Turin, Italy)

Seminar "The ecology and control of sarcoptic mange in wombats". (11^th February 2020, Grugliasco, Turin, Italy)

 

Attended Lectures

Intensive course of German language (Level A1) organized by the Doctoral School in collaboration with DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service). 8-23th January 2018, Turin

Norms on animal testing and management of animal facilities,  Prof. ssa Flavia Girolami

Management of Data of Veterinary interest, Prof. Mario Giacobini

Image acquisition, manipulation and final figure preparation, Prof. Paolo Accornero

Scientific writing, Prof. Carlo Nebbia

Evaluation of research and third mission, Prof. Luca Bonfanti

Ricerche bibliografiche, Prof. Paolo Gardois/Nicoletta Colombi

The use of GIS in animal disease response, online course organized by IZSVe

Writing in Science, online course, Stanford University

Statistics for Medical Professionals, online course, Stanford University

Course of Scientific English, Dr. Alice Spencer

 

Stays abroad

15th June - 13th September: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Centre for Proper Housing: Poultry and Rabbits (ZTHZ), Bern (Switzerland) under the supervision of Professor Hanno Würbel and Dr. Sabine Gebhardt-Henrich