Project description
Phenomic approaches for ethical and sustainable pig breeding
Livestock breeding requires both productivity and good welfare and sustainability. Behaviour of the animals influences their productivity, but these variables are hardly ever incorporated in any form of selection procedure. Molecular phenotyping is not adequately explored, and there is lack of a connection between behavioural and molecular traits, which shows another limitation in precision breeding. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions scheme, the ABPhenomics project aims at improving the current strategy of selecting pigs by connecting their behavioural and molecular traits using metabolomics. This includes developing AI techniques to analyse behavioural phenotypes through videos and sensors, discovering metabolic traits connected to behavioural phenotype and using genomic selection for breeding that ensures better welfare.
Objective
Livestock breeding faces growing societal and scientific pressure to balance productivity with animal welfare and sustainability. In pigs, social behaviour significantly affects performance and welfare, yet it is rarely included in selection programs due to measurement challenges. At the same time, molecular phenotyping approaches can capture the physiological basis of complex traits but remain underused. No existing framework integrates digital behavioural data with molecular profiles, leaving a key gap in precision breeding. ABPhenomics aims to fill this gap by developing an integrated phenotype-based approach linking behavioural and molecular phenotypes based on metabolomics, to improve selection strategies in pigs. The project’s objectives are: (O1) to develop artificial intelligence (AI)-driven pipelines for extracting behavioural phenotypes from video/sensor data; (O2) to identify metabolomic profiles associated with behaviour; (O3) to incorporate these phenotypes into genomic selection for welfare-oriented breeding. The project will produce the first integrated datasets of this kind, identifies biomarkers, and advance precision breeding tools. The outgoing phase at Iowa State University will focus on digital phenotyping and behavioural modelling, which will be complemented by my expertise in metabolomics. A secondment at PIC, a leading global pig breeding company, will provide first-hand experience with the application of these tools in commercial settings. The return phase at the University of Bologna will consolidate findings and establish an independent research line. This work responds to growing demands for more ethical and sustainable meat production by providing tools that support welfare-oriented breeding without compromising productivity. The fellowship will enrich my interdisciplinary profile, combining behaviour, AI, phenomics with genomics and metabolomics, preparing me to lead innovation at the interface of animal breeding and welfare.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics
- social sciences economics and business economics production economics productivity
- agricultural sciences animal and dairy science domestic animals animal husbandry
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Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
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Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-GF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
40126 Bologna
Italy
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.