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.

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.

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.

On the Eastern Steppe of Central Asia, the period spanning the Late Bronze Age (1200–700 BCE) and the Early Iron Age (700–400 BCE) witnessed major societal changes, characterised by an increase in social differentiation and interconnectivity. The adoption of mounted pastoralism during the Late Bronze Age may have played a major role in this transformation. At that time, the horse had already been domesticated. It was harnessed, ridden, and probably used for traction, making it possible for the population to travel greater distances. The overwhelming presence of the horse in funerary and ritual monuments clearly indicates that this animal was of central importance and may have been an integrative component of ceremonial activities linking regionally distinct groups. MOBISTEPPE aims to provide an unprecedented understanding of the role played by horses in interactions among the pastoral communities of Mongolia in the Late Bronze Age. This aim will be achieved through the multi-isotopic (C, O, Sr) analysis of the teeth of ancient horses to investigate pastoral mobility. Our hypothesis is that isotopic analysis can be used to reconstruct the size of the territory used by local human communities, and to thereby illuminate the social differentiation and multi-scalar connections among them. However, current limitations in knowledge on the incorporation of Sr isotopes into enamel, the geospatial distribution of isotopic signatures in the environment, and the availability of ancient horse material have prevented testing of this hypothesis. To remove these barriers and thus address the impact of domestic animals in the structuration of past human societies, MOBISTEPPE will combine animal feeding experiments, archaeology, movement ecology, social anthropology, and state-of-the-art isotopic and geospatial analyses and modelling. Specifically, we will (1) conduct controlled feeding experiments on sheep to document how fast the C and Sr isotopic composition of the diet is recorded in the animals’ tissues; (2) characterise and map the variability in Sr isotope values and mobility patterns of different nomadic herder families living in Central Mongolia today using GPS collars to infer the isotope record of mobility in the teeth of the modern herd animals; and (3) excavate, study, and isotopically analyse ancient horse remains from a large number of archaeological structures in that same region. Controlled feeding experiments will provide ground-breaking theoretical results that will be widely applicable in archaeology and beyond. Our work, which is set in an archaeologically rich region, will produce the first Sr isoscape in Eurasia that will be permanently stored and made freely available. This rigorous mapping and modelling approach is at the frontier of Sr isotope research and will be of great interest to the wider scientific community. MOBISTEPPE will bridge the social, natural, and geological sciences and produce new data in at least four disciplines (archaeology, biogeochemistry, ecology, and social anthropology), which will be made available to the widest possible audience. Besides traditional activities aimed at the scientific community (publication and presentation of the scientific results, organisation of an international workshop), MOBISTEPPE contains an ambitious dissemination programme, including (1) training and teaching of students and young researchers (recruited by the project and participating in excavations) and (2) transfer of knowledge to the general public (through a public website, documentary film, miniseries, and photo exhibition).

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.