Outreach, society, policy

A preliminary network development of experts with key skills in livestock resilience traits

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Abstract

Animal resilience refers to the ability of an animal to cope with short-term disturbances, including those caused by pathogens, through effective responses and rapid recovery to its original state. Within the European Partnership on Animal Health and Welfare (EUPAHW), established by the European Commission, a research project involving seventeen Research Performing Organizations (RPOs) was developed under Specific Objective Action 16 (SOA16). SOA16 was designed to integrate resilience-traits into selective breeding programmes and to support the development of comprehensive animal health management systems. SOA16 consisted of six major tasks, one of which (Task 1) aimed to establish a network of experts in genetics and breeding, feed additives (including pre-and probiotics), applied ethology, stress physiology, and immunology. The purpose of this network was to identify research gaps, define shared research priorities, promote interdisciplinary projects, and facilitate the exchange of knowledge and best practices. To achieve these objectives, an online survey was developed and launched to identify individuals and institutions working in resilience-related fields. The survey was initially distributed internally among EUPAHW members and partner projects and was later disseminated externally through scientific congresses, as the network was intended to be open to academics, experts, and practitioners beyond the EUPAHW partnership. At this stage, the integration of research outcomes and the development of joint educational, implementation, and project initiatives were also envisaged. Following the collection of basic respondent information, the survey consisted of 14 main questions, addressing: 1) areas of expertise, 2) agreement with definitions of resilience, resistance, and robustness proposed by the project group, 3) animal traits whose resistance status affects performance, 4) stress factors considered in research activities, and 5) willingness to participate in the cooperative network. Survey results indicated that the most frequent research areas were genetics (33 respondents), ethology (13), animal husbandry (13), animal biology (13), and veterinary science (7). Less frequently represented areas included immunology, microbiology, biomathematics, and agricultural engineering. More than 75% of respondents reported familiarity with the concept of animal resilience, and most expressed willingness to participate in the expert network. In contrast, respondents unfamiliar with the concept showed significantly lower willingness to engage, highlighting the need for improved communication and education regarding the definition and practical implications of animal resilience. A bibliometric analysis based on publication and collaboration data of survey respondents was underway at the time of writing, using the R package openalexR and bibliometrix. This analysis was expected to support the mapping of the scientific landscape, research focus, and collaborative structures relevant for building a coherent, multidisciplinary pan-European and international network.Survey link for expert participation: https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/97cabefe-08cb-426d-a6cf-d7d87f585bf7

Keywords: 2026

How to Cite:

Arczewska-WÅ‚osek, A., Ballester, M., Crisà , A., Pinard-van Der Laan, M., Quintanilla, R., Swiatkiewicz, M., Topolski, P., Tusell, L. & Å»ukowski, K., (2026) “A preliminary network development of experts with key skills in livestock resilience traits”, World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production Digital Archive 2026(1): 2285443. doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/wcgalp.23710

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