Research on the pig microbiome has been increasing over the years and providing exciting results that enable us to move forward as a global industry. As such a complex and multidisciplinary subject, the pig microbiome has been studied by nutritionists, veterinarians, microbiologists, among other professionals, each field adding new layers to that discussion. How about the geneticists? In today’s episode, I have a great talk with Dr. Francesco Tiezzi, an animal breeding and genetics specialist. Dr. Tiezzi shares his perspective on what the microbiome means as well as the relationships between the microbiome and genetics. He also shares his recent findings on using microbiome information in selection.
“We see that the genome of the microbiome – the whole of the microbes that inhabit the intestine of pigs – can somehow be considered an extension of the genome of pigs.” – Dr. Francesco Tiezzi
