PhD in Veterinary and Animal Sciences
MSc in Veterinary Biotechnological Sciences
BCs in Animal Sciences
RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS
Veterinary, Food Science
14
Scopus Publications
Scopus Publications
Birth Season and Breed Effects on Newborn Longissimus Thoracis and Semimembranosus Muscles: Insights from the Nero Di Lomellina Piglets Margherita Pallaoro, Giorgio Mirra, Lucia Aidos, Mirko Sergio, Mauro Di Giancamillo, Raffaella Rossi, Annamaria Costa, Eleonora Buoio, Silvia Michela Mazzola, Silvia Clotilde Modina, Alessia Di Giancamillo Animals, 2026 Background: Understanding the factors influencing muscle development is essential for the livestock industry. This study aims to evaluate the effect of birth season and breed on the muscles Longissimus thoracis (LT) and Semimembranosus (SM) from newborn piglets of the local Italian breed Nero di Lomellina (NL) and the Commercial Hybrid Large WhitexDuroc (CH), born in winter (W) and summer (S). Methods: Muscles’ morphological features were evaluated, and the expression of Myogenic Regulatory Factors (MRFs: MYF5, MYOD, MYOG, MYF6) and heat and cold shock proteins (HSP27, HSP70, HSP90, CIRBP, RMB3) was assessed by quantitative PCR. Results: Both muscles showed a larger fiber cross-sectional area (LT: NL/S > NL/W, p = 0.035. SM: NL/S > NL/W, p = 0.035; CH/S > CH/W, p = 0.05) and a lower total number of fibers in summer piglets (LT: NL/S < NL/W, p = 0.05. SM: NL/S < NL/W, p = 0.033). In LT, MYF6 was higher, mainly in NL, in S (NL/S > NL/W, p < 0.0001; NL/S > CH/S, p = 0.0002), as well as HSP27 (NL/S > NL/W, p = 0.0001; NL/S > CH/S, p = 0.0018), HSP70 (NL/S > NL/W, p = 0.044. CH/S > CH/W, p = 0.0018), HSP90 (NL/S > NL/W, p < 0.0001; NL/S > CH/S, p = 0.023; CH/S > CH/W, p = 0.027), CIRBP NL/S > NL/W, p = 0.003; CH/S > CH/W, p = 0.0008), and RBM3 (NL/S > NL/W, p = 0.01; NL/S > CH/S, p = 0.036). In SM, MYF5 was higher in W in both breeds (NL/W > NL/S, p = 0.008; CH/W > CH/S, p < 0.0001; CH/W > NL/S, p = 0.012). Similarly, MYOD (NL/W > NL/S, p = 0.045), MYOG (NL/W > NL/S, p = 0.002; CH/W > CH/S, p = 0.025), and CIRBP (NL/W > NL/S, p = 0.003; NL/W > CH/W, p = 0.004) were mainly expressed in winter, while HSP90 was expressed in summer in CH. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that muscle development in piglets at birth can vary between breeds and along different birth seasons, with an enhanced development observed mainly in summer newborns. These results could be helpful for improvement programs for NL and other local breeds by linking muscle development at birth to seasonal adaptation.
Impact of Ammonia Exposure on the Enteric Nervous System in the Ileum of Pigs From Birth Valentina Rafaela Herrera Millar, Mirko Sergio, Katarzyna Palus, Giorgio Mirra, Chiara Cialini, Margherita Pallaoro, Lucia Aidos, Laura Mangiavini, Chiara Bazzocchi, Eleonora Buoio, Annamaria Costa, Silvia Clotilde Bianca Modina, Alessia Di Giancamillo Neurogastroenterology and Motility, 2025 BackgroundBest Available Techniques have been introduced in the EU to counteract pollution related to intensive farming and its effect on the health of animals and workers. It is known that high levels of ammonia (NH3) worsen the productive performance of animals, but the exact mechanism of interaction with the intestine is still unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of NH3 on the gut of pigs exposed to different levels since birth.MethodsTwo farms with different manure removal systems were considered (Recirculation and Vacuum), where two different NH3 levels were detected: high and low ammonia (recirculating slurry system, RS, and vacuum slurry system, VS, respectively). The entire production cycle was considered, and a fecal score and microbiological analyses of the feces were performed. After slaughtering, the ileum of 12 animals was sampled to evaluate ileum morphology and the expression of some neurotransmitters.Key ResultsNo differences were found in Peyer's patches morphology. The mucus layer thickness was higher, and the acidic mucins were lower in the RS animals. Results revealed changes in the number and area of neuronal and glial cells, and an upregulation of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and galanin (GAL) genes was observed.Conclusions and InferencesThe alteration of the Enteric Nervous System (ENS) highlighted a connection between high levels of environmental NH3 and neuroplasticity. Furthermore, the upregulation of ChAT and GAL genes suggests a key role in visceral pain, creating a link between peristalsis and chronic diarrhea observed in healthy pigs. Lastly, these findings are important for both animal health and human workplace safety.
A Preliminary Study on Productive Performance and Environmental Requirements of a Newly Established Breed: Nero di Lomellina Pig Annamaria Costa, Eleonora Buoio, Margherita Pallaoro, Edda Mainardi, Giorgio Mirra, Alessia Di Giancamillo, Silvia Michela Mazzola, Raffaella Rossi Animals, 2025 The Nero di Lomellina (NL) pig, a newly established breed from the cross of the Poland China with the Berkshire breed, which was created to reconstitute a local breed called Nero di Cavour, was recognized by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture in 2020 (DM 12222/2020). The objective of this study is to investigate, for the first time, the zootechnical performance and environmental response of the NL breed in comparison with a commercial crossbreed (CH; Large White × Duroc). An evaluation was conducted of a traditional closed-cycle farming system rearing NL and CH mixed in the same units. Pigs were observed for two cycles of 10 months each, one with piglets born in winter and the other in summer, to evaluate the productive performance and stress response through hair cortisol (HCC) levels of the pigs according to environmental conditions. For this purpose, the temperature–humidity index (THI) was calculated for each phase of the two cycles, and the values were compared with the comfort zone values indicated by the Italian Classyfarm values. The NL pigs showed slower growth performance in the first phase, with a high THI (p < 0.05). In the R2 phase, the backfat thickness was higher in the NL than CH pigs (p < 0.001). The CH had consistently higher HCC compared with the NL pigs across the production phases, showing a potential higher response to chronic stress. It is worth noting that the NL weaners and growers seemed to better face a cold environment, referring to their growth performance in comparison with the commercial breed, although the local breeds usually show a slower growth rate and hair cortisol levels during the second cycle, which was characterized by prolonged low temperatures far from the comfort zones. More studies are needed to deepen the influence of the environment, as well as consider the outdoor conditions on the physiological status, productivity, and meat quality of this new breed.
Preparation of CO2-Triggered Extrudable Chitosan for Fat Production Andrea Fiorati, Beatrice Sottini, Matteo Pavarini, Margherita Pallaoro, Gabriela Graziani, Roberto Casalini, Alessia Di Giancamillo, Luigi De Nardo, Lina Altomare ACS Biomaterials Science and Engineering, 2025 -triggered structural modulation, supporting its application as a matrix for cultured food ingredients. For the first time, we add cells to the developed gel by standard mixing and using a newly developed method based on embedding predifferentiated adipocyte pellets. The findings reveal that the gel is stable and results in optimal cell viability when the cells are embedded in differentiated pellets. The system exhibits an effective release of lipids, thus validating its potential for application in edible fat-based ingredients. Moreover, the gel shows an interesting shear-thinning behavior, paving the road for extrusion-based processing.
Morphological evaluation of Semimembranosus muscle quality in the Nero di Lomellina pig: a contribution to porcine biodiversity Margherita Pallaoro, Lucia Aidos, Giorgio Mirra, Mirko Sergio, Raffaella Rossi, Eleonora Buoio, Annamaria Costa, Mauro Di Giancamillo, Silvia Mazzola, Silvia Modina, Alessia Di Giancamillo Annals of Anatomy, 2025 BACKGROUND: This study provides a morphological characterization of the thigh and Semimembranosus muscle (SM) of the Nero di Lomellina (NL) pig, considering two different rearing periods, December-October (rearing period 1) and September-July (rearing period 2), and using a commercial crossbreed (CH) as a reference. METHODS: Fat content in the thigh was evaluated using computed tomography, while SM characteristics were assessed by comparing muscle fiber area, density, and total number. Fiber type composition was determined by immunofluorescence and molecular analyses through the localization and expression of myosin isoforms, including MyHC I, MyHC IIb, and MyHC IIa/x (red slow oxidative, white fast glycolytic, and intermediate fast oxidative glycolytic fibers, respectively). Additionally, physicochemical analyses were conducted to assess muscle quality. RESULTS: The results showed that both breeds had higher intermuscular fat deposition in the rearing period 2. In period 1, NL pigs exhibited larger muscle fibers than CH pigs, whereas no differences were observed in period 2. Immunofluorescence revealed that CH pigs in period 2 had a higher proportion of red and intermediate fibers, while NL pigs showed no significant changes in fiber composition related to the rearing period. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, lower temperatures in period 2 promoted an oxidative phenotype in CH, whereas NL pigs showed greater stability across rearing periods and better adaptability to temperature fluctuations. These findings suggest that NL pigs exhibit greater resilience to environmental changes, supporting previous studies on breed-specific responses to temperature variation.
Innovative Protein Ingredients for Feeding Gilthead Seabream (Sparus aurata) Broodstock Lucia Aidos, Giorgio Mirra, Mirko Sergio, Margherita Pallaoro, Maria Chiara Di Meo, Chiara Cialini, Chiara Bazzocchi, Silvia Clotilde Bianca Modina, Lorenzo Proietti, Luciano Foglio, Francisco Javier Alarcón-López, Katia Parati, Alessia Di Giancamillo Aquaculture Nutrition, 2025 A feeding trial with alternative protein sources was conducted in gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata, L.) broodstock fed a control diet and two diets with 5% or 10% inclusion levels of a blend of novel ingredients. The blend is composed of 40% insect (Hermetia illucens), 10% duckweed (Lemna minor), 45% Nannochloropsis gaditana, and 5% Alaria esculenta meal dry biomass. The animals were reared in a recirculating aquaculture system and administered the experimental diets 3 months before spawning and for a total of 7 months. Fertilized eggs were incubated until hatching and newly hatched larvae were monitored until the yolk sac absorption stage. High inclusion (HI; 10%) of novel ingredients to broodstock resulted in a significantly higher hatching rate, while both groups fed novel ingredients produced offspring with significantly higher survival until the end of the yolk sac stage compared to offspring from parents fed the control diet (p < 0.05). The inclusion of the protein blend at any level did not produce differences in larval growth. Morphological and histometric analyses in larvae revealed hypertrophic growth during the yolk sac stage. The expression of genes involved in muscle development and growth indicated no differences in growth potential in larvae between groups. Overall, broodstock feeds for gilthead seabream can have an inclusion of novel ingredients without a negative impact on larval performance and growth. Further studies are needed to study the long‐term effects of broodstock diet on offspring quality.
Age and anatomical region-related differences in vascularization of the porcine meniscus using microcomputed tomography imaging Ville‐Pauli Karjalainen, Valentina R. Herrera Millar, Silvia Modina, Giuseppe M. Peretti, Margherita Pallaoro, Khaled Elkhouly, Simo Saarakkala, Ali Mobasheri, Alessia Di Giancamillo, Mikko A. J. Finnilä Journal of Orthopaedic Research, 2024 Meniscal lesions in vascularized regions are known to regenerate while lack of vascular supply leads to poor healing. Here, we developed and validated a novel methodology for three‐dimensional structural analysis of meniscal vascular structures with high‐resolution microcomputed tomography (µCT). We collected porcine medial menisci from 10 neonatal (not‐developed meniscus, n‐) and 10 adults (fully developed meniscus, a‐). The menisci were cut into anatomical regions (anterior horn (n‐AH and a‐AH), central body (n‐CB and a‐CB), and posterior horn (n‐PH and a‐PH). Specimens were cut in half, fixed, and one specimen underwent critical point drying and µCT imaging, while other specimen underwent immunohistochemistry and vascularity biomarker CD31 staining for validation of µCT. Parameters describing vascular structures were calculated from µCT. The vascular network in neonatal spread throughout meniscus, while in adult was limited to a few vessels in outer region, mostly on femoral side. n‐AH, n‐CB, and n‐PH had 20, 17, and 11 times greater vascular volume fraction than adult, respectively. Moreover, thickness of blood vessels, in three regions, was six times higher in adults than in neonatal. a‐PH appeared to have higher vascular fraction, longer and thicker blood vessels than both a‐AH and a‐CB. Overall, neonatal regions had a higher number of blood vessels, more branching, and higher tortuosity compared to adult regions. For the first time, critical point drying‐based µCT imaging allowed detailed three‐dimensional visualization and quantitative analysis of vascularized meniscal structures. We showed more vascularity in neonatal menisci, while adult menisci had fewer and thicker vascularity especially limited to the femoral surface.
Meat quality and sensory traits in rabbits fed with two different percentages of bovine colostrum Marta Castrica, Laura Menchetti, Stella Agradi, Giulio Curone, Daniele Vigo, Grazia Pastorelli, Margherita Pallaoro, Alessia Di Giancamillo, Silvia Clotilde Modina, Federica Riva, Valentina Serra, Egon Andoni, Gabriele Brecchia, Claudia Maria Balzaretti, Dino Miraglia Meat Science, 2024 The nutritional, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties of bovine colostrum (BC) have encouraged its use in animal nutrition as a functional food in recent years. Nonetheless, the potential implications of BC supplementation on meat quality remain to be thoroughly assessed. To address this, thirty-nine New Zealand White rabbits (n = 13/group) were fed different dietary regimens until slaughter.: commercial standard diet for the control group (C) and C with 2.5% and 5% w/w of BC for BC-2.5 and BC-5 groups, respectively. Rabbits were slaughtered at 91 days of age and meat quality, and sensory characteristics were evaluated at days 2 (48 h after slaughter), 5, and 10 of refrigerated storage at 4 °C. The addition of colostrum in the diet resulted in a reduction of the total viable count, albeit only at the highest concentration and at the final detection, whereas for Lactobacillus spp. and Pseudomonas spp., there was little or no effect. The colour coordinates showed no differences between the groups, but they varied over time according to diet. Some differences between groups emerged in the definition of sensory attributes but did not affect the overall liking and overall scores of individual descriptors. These results indicate that the use of colostrum in rabbit feeding does not significantly impart meat quality and sensory attributes, but the potential of this valuable by-product for the food industry needs further investigation.
Intestine Health and Barrier Function in Fattening Rabbits Fed Bovine Colostrum Lucia Aidos, Margherita Pallaoro, Giorgio Mirra, Valentina Serra, Marta Castrica, Stella Agradi, Giulio Curone, Daniele Vigo, Federica Riva, Claudia Maria Balzaretti, Roberta De Bellis, Grazia Pastorelli, Gabriele Brecchia, Silvia Clotilde Modina, Alessia Di Giancamillo Veterinary Sciences, 2023 The permeability of the immature intestine is higher in newborns than in adults; a damaged gut barrier in young animals increases the susceptibility to digestive and infectious diseases later in life. It is therefore of major importance to avoid impairment of the intestinal barrier, specifically in a delicate phase of development, such as weaning. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of bovine colostrum supplementation on the intestinal barrier, such as the intestinal morphology and proliferation level and tight junctions expression (zonulin) and enteric nervous system (ENS) inflammation status (through the expression of PGP9.5 and GFAP) in fattening rabbits. Rabbits of 35 days of age were randomly divided into three groups (n = 13) based on the dietary administration: commercial feed (control group, CTR) and commercial feed supplemented with 2.5% and 5% bovine colostrum (BC1 and BC2 groups, respectively). Rabbits receiving the BC1 diet showed a tendency to have better duodenum morphology and higher proliferation rates (p < 0.001) than the control group. An evaluation of the zonulin expression showed that it was higher in the BC2 group, suggesting increased permeability, which was partially confirmed by the expression of GFAP. Our results suggest that adding 2.5% BC into the diet could be a good compromise between intestinal morphology and permeability, since rabbits fed the highest inclusion level of BC showed signs of higher intestinal permeability.
Postnatal morpho-functional development of a dog's meniscus Silvia Clotilde Modina, Lucia Aidos, Valentina Rafaela Herrera Millar, Margherita Pallaoro, Umberto Polito, Maria Cristina Veronesi, Giuseppe Maria Peretti, Laura Mangiavini, Liliana Carnevale, Federica Boschetti, Francesco Abbate, Alessia Di Giancamillo Annals of Anatomy, 2023 This study evaluates the morpho-functional modifications that characterize meniscal development from neonatal to adult dogs. Even if menisci are recognized as essential structures for the knee joint, poor information is available about their morphogenesis, in particular in dog models. Menisci from a group of Dobermann Pinchers aged 0, 10, 30 days, and 4 years (T0, T10, T30, adult, respectively) were analyzed by SEM, histochemistry (Safranin O and Picro Sirius Red Staining analyzed under a polarized light microscope), immunofluorescences (collagen type I and II), biomechanical (compression) and biochemical analyses (glycosaminoglycans, GAGs, and DNA content). SEM analyses revealed that the T0 meniscus is a bulgy structure that during growth tends to flatten, firstly in the inner zone (T10) and then even in the outer zone (T30), until the achievement of the completely smooth adult final shape. These results were further supported by the histochemistry analyses in which the deposition of GAGs started from T30, and the presence of type I birefringent collagen fibers was observed from T0 to T30, while poorly refringent type III collagen fibers were observed in the adult dogs. Double immunofluorescence analyses also evidenced that the neonatal meniscus contains mainly type I collagen fibers, as well as the T10 meniscus, and demonstrated a more evident regionalization and crimping in the T30 and adult meniscus. Young's elastic modulus of the meniscus in T0 and T10 animals was lower than the T30 animals, and this last group was also lower than adult ones (T0-T10 vs T30 vs adult). Biochemical analysis confirmed that cellularity decreases over time from neonatal to adult (p < 0.01). The same decreasing trend was observed in GAGs deposition. These results may suggest that the postnatal development of canine meniscus may be related to the progressive functional locomotory development: after birth, the meniscus acquires its functionality over time, through movement, load, and growth itself.
