CeMedForVEt standardizes the DNA analysis of the predatory animal and the genetic confirmation of the species

The Amnvi today published an article on the standardization activities of the methods and coordination responsibilities of the National Reference Center of Forensic Veterinary Medicine, at Grosseto section of the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana, based on what the Ministry of Health wrote in a note from the Directorate-General for Animal Health and Veterinary Medicines, Office 6 Protection of animal welfare, animal husbandry and veterinary urban hygiene.

The National Reference Center for Forensic Medicine (CeMedForVet), will harmonize the methods and laboratory protocols to give a univocal reading to the assessments related to predation phenomena on livestock and to the loss of the genetic identity of the wolf.

In particular, it is a matter of identifying the predator, by analyzing the DNA extracted from the saliva left on the intra-vitam bite lesions on the preyed livestock, and of ascertaining, in the case of finding specimens of live or dead canids phenotypically similar to the wolf, if it is a wolf, a dog or a half-wolf x dog.

Regions, the Istituti Zooprofilattici and Local Health Companies will be able to refer to CeMedForVet to monitor these phenomena that are causing the laboratory test requests to rise and that are causing "a considerable alarm" - writes the Ministry of Health - among the administrators of the territory, the breeders, in the scientific world and in the public opinion.

CeMedForVet will start a process of sharing, harmonizing and standardising the results that are able to cover the needs of the entire national territory. In this way, the network of Istituti Zooprofilattici Sperimentali will be ready, in a short time, to provide to the competent administrations and breeders, through the local veterinary services, a high-level of diagnostic service.

The collection of this information will make it possible to identify the most appropriate management choices to mitigate these critical phenomena.

The situation. In recent years there has been a constant increase in the population of wolf (Canis lupus) on the national territory and its most recent distribution has affected areas in which it had previously disappeared and where, consequently, in recent decades it has been selected a type of sheep and cattle breeding particularly vulnerable and subjected to continuous predatory attacks.

To this problem is also added that of the coupling of wolf specimens with domestic cane specimens (Canis lupus familiaris) free to roam, which is endangering the genetic identity of the wolf, a species protected by national and international laws.

The offspring, resulting from these mating, produce half-breed fertile wolf x dog, capable of transferring domestic genes to the wild wolf population, with consequent loss of its genetic identity.

NOTA_DNA_ANIMALI_PREDATORI.pdf482.51 KB

Source AmnviOggi