PROGRESS
Programming Rumen Of Goats on early-life for Radical Evolution of Systems Sustainability
Goal
The objective of the PROGRESS project is the synergistic exploration of the strategies capable of accelerate rumen development in early life of goats with the aim to promote both the financial and environmental sustainability of the small ruminant sector.
Pillar 1
Explore the effect of maternal (natural) and artificial rearing system on goats’ rumen maturation both functionally and morphologically.
Pillar 2
Explore the effect of rumen inoculum supplementation in both artificially and naturally reared goats aiming to unveil if there are synergically effects that can further accelerate rumen maturation, or the rumen inoculum could substitute the impact of maternal rearing in modern dairy farms.
Pillar 3
Explore the dietary supplementation interplay of a feed additives blend consisted of live yeasts, bacteria, butyrate, and anti-methanogenic agents on naturally or artificially, inoculated or not newborns goats and their acquired features in adult life.
Work packages
WP1: Experimental design and protocols validation
The WP1 focuses on the preparation of the experimental facilities, animals’ pregnancy, newborns hygiene care and protocols validation.
WP2: Rumen development until weaning
The WP2 is aiming to design an integrated experimental plan answering to the 3 major scientific objectives concerning the acceleration of rumen maturation until weaning age.
WP3: Acquired properties in adult life
The WP3 aims to assess the implemented strategies after weaning. More specifically, the objective of this WP is the exploration of any acquired properties related to feed efficiency and gas production after the implementation of the WP2 strategies during the early life.
WP4: Samples Analysis
The objective of the major WP4 aims to analyze the samples of WP2 and WP3 using and establishing efficient protocols.
WP5: Project Management
The aim of WP5 is to ensure that the PI’s team works together and that any project delivery challenges which arise are dealt with effectively.
WP6: Dissemination Management
The aim of WP6 is to ensure that the PROGRESS project will be promoted to stakeholders, research community and demonstrate the results to the scientific society.