SERIDA HEADQUARTERS

Ctra. Oviedo s/n. P.O. Box.13. 33300 VillaviciosaAsturias – SpainTel: (+34) 985 890 066Fax: (+34) 985 891 854E-mail: seridavilla@serida.org

SERIDA DEVA

Centre for Animal Biotechnology

Camino de Rioseco 1225. La Olla. Deva33394 Gijón – Asturias – SpainTel: (+34) 984 50 20 10Fax: (+34) 984 50 20 12E-mail: seridadeva@serida.org

SERIDA GRADO

Finca “La Mata” P.O. Box 13. 33820 GradoAsturias – SpainTel: (+34) 985 754 725Fax: (+34) 985 754 728E-mail: seridagrado@serida.org

The Regional Agrifood Researchand Development Service

SERIDA TODAY

The Regional Agrifood Research and Development

Service (SERIDA) is a public entity of the Principality

of Asturias with legal personality, attached to the

regional ministry competent in agrifood affairs, in

accordance with its founding law (Law 5/1999 of

29 March).

Purpose

To contribute to the modernization and improvementof the capabilities of the regional food industrythrough research and technological development infarming, forestry and food, in order to diversify thesector, improve productivity and increase theprofitability of primary assets.

Design and execution of research and development projects that result inimproved competitiveness of the food industry in Asturias, adaptation ofproduction methods to ensure respect of the natural environment, andimprovement of product quality and marketing structures.

Updating the scientific, technical and environmental knowledge of educatorsand professionals.

Establishment of an Agro-Technology Development Programme within theRegional Research Plan, capable of having an impact on productivityimprovement in the primary sector of Asturias.

Promotion of relations between technological research and developmentcentres and all public and private institutions as needed to strengthenscientific development and the specific lines of research.

Services to the food industry within its competencies.

All other duties as determined by the Governing Council as part of itsobjectives, particularly in terms of improving the productivity of livestockand agricultural activity as well as training in the field of agrifood.

Functions

Organizational Structure

SERIDA is organized into the following main bodies: Governing Council,President, Vice Presidents and Managing Director.

The Governing Council is chaired by the regional minister responsible for agricultural andfood affairs, with the participation of the DGs responsible for Agribusiness, Universities andResearch, Economics and Consumption, the most representative professional organizationsand agricultural cooperatives, the managing director of SERIDA and a representative of theworkers.

SERIDA has a Regional Agribusiness Development Council, a consultative body for adviceand participation of a technical nature and support for the agriculture and food sector,consisting of representatives of agricultural, livestock and agro-industry associations, theUniversity of Oviedo, the Parliament of the Principality, the Foundation for the Promotion inAsturias of Applied Scientific Research and Technology (a collaborating institution of theGovernment of the Principality of Asturias in the management of the Science, Technologyand Innovation Plan), Agro-Food Cooperatives, SERIDA technical and trade-union staff, aswell as a number of relevant scientific figures in the field of agrifood sciences or techniques.

MANAGINGDIRECTOR

Research Department Technology & ServicesDepartment

Administration & SupportDepartment

Animal Husbandry Systems Area

Nutrition, Pastures & Forages Area

Animal Health Area

Animal Genetics &Reproduction Area

Horticultural, Fruit &Forestry Crops Area

Food Technology Area

Fruticulture Programme

Forestry Programme

Budget Control, Contracting &Human Resources

Support & Auxiliary Resources Area

Coordination Area for the GradoExperimental Station

Economics, Estatistics & IT

Library, Archive & Documentation

Transfer &Training Area

Livestock Experimentation &Demonstration Area

Agro-Forestry Experimentation &Demonstration Area

Agrifood Area

Vegetable Genetics Programme

Vegetable Pathology Programme

Animal Selection & Reproduction Area

•

VillaviciosaGijónAvilés

AS-255

AS-113

a León y Madrid

AS-12

Illano

AS-16

AS-15

Quirós

A-8

A-8

Oviedo

A-66

N-630

a Galicia

Grado

A-8

a Cantabria

SERIDA Villaviciosa

The central services of SERIDA and the Administration & Support,Research and Technology and Services departments are located inVillaviciosa.

The facilities include a 90-hectare estate to carry out R&D in theareas of: Animal Husbandry Systems, Nutrition, Pastures and Forages,Horticultural, Fruit and Forestry Crops . It has an experimental cidercellar and installations and laboratories for research in the area ofFood Technology, as well as an official analysis service for beveragesand a livestock food analysis service. It also houses phytopathologyand genetics laboratories and a tasting room for sensory evaluationof food. SERIDA Villaviciosa also houses the library, the Livestockand Agro-Forestry Experimentation & Demonstration Area as wellas the Transfer and Training Area.

To carry out its tasks, SERIDA has several experimental centres,stations and farms located in the Asturian municipalities ofVillaviciosa, Gijón, Grado, Illano and Quirós.

TERRITORIAL STRUCTURE

Experimental agricultural station of La Mata (Grado)

With an area of 20 ha, this centre complements the research programmes inanimal husbandry systems (ecological agro-husbandry with beef cattle, sheepand goats, and diversification options), nutrition, pasture and forage (evaluationof forage varieties) and horticultural and fruit crops and forestry. The forestryprogramme is carried out at this centre.

SERIDA Deva. Centre for Animal Biotechnology

This centre houses SERIDA’s Genetics and Animal Breeding, Animal Health andAnimal Selection and Reproduction areas. With an area of 12 ha, its facilitiesinclude offices, laboratories, a zoogenetic resources repository, necropsy room,aquarium, animal house, stables and stores.

Research and development are carried out in animal biotechnology, especiallyin conservation of endangered indigenous breeds, reproduction and geneticimprovement of Asturian livestock, development of new reproductive technologiesand health checks.

"El Carbayal" experimental station (Illano)

Located in western Asturias, at 1,000 metres altitude, “El Carbayal” has an areaof 250 hectares where research is carried out on the revitalisation of disadvantagedareas, land management and extensive animal husbandry systems and theirimpact on the conservation of biodiversity.

"Cueva Palacios Experimental Farm" (Quirós)

Located at 1,650 meters above sea level, this farm covers an area of 60 hectaresof natural mountain pastures and constitutes the seasonal support for studiesin animal husbandry systems in mountain pass valleys. It is located in theBiosphere Reserve of Las Ubiñas - La Mesa.

Research Department

The research department is responsible for the scientificmanagement of research programmes and coordination ofresearch actions and resources with activities running in otherdepartments of SERIDA.

Animal Husbandry Systems

Research focuses on the development of strategies for sustainableland management that integrate animal husbandry, meat qualityand plant dynamics within multidisciplinary lines of researchaimed at:

Improving the productive efficiency of beef production systemsin low-lying areas, such as organic production and study ofmeat quality in terms of the management strategy and genotypesof indigenous breeds.

Developing sustainable animal husbandry systems in mountainareas by means of different management strategies with cattle,sheep, goats and horses, while studying their effects on plantand animal biodiversity (invertebrate fauna) in the environmentand paying attention to health aspects such as control ofgastrointestinal parasites by means of bioactive plants.

The study of agro-livestock systems as an additional option forsustainability and productive diversification such as thecombination of sheep farming with cider apple production.

Research into the post-mortem evolution of meat quality, bydeveloping innovative initiatives leading to the identificationof quality biomarkers (enzymatic, proteomic), animal stress andits effect on the quality of the meat while maturing, and thedevelopment of NIRS applications for predicting, on-line andon-site, parameters indicative of quality that can be used forquality control and traceability of meat products.

The main lines of work focus on:

The characterization of animal feeds and the study of theirinfluence on milk production through feeding strategies forsustainable and competitive improvement of cow milk production,while at the same time contributing to the natural enrichment inpolyunsaturated fatty acids and other functional nutrients in milk.

The use of control methods to detect food ingredients,incorporating innovative technologies and implementationof reflectance in the near infrared (NIRS) as a tool in decisionmaking for traceability, quality and safety control in theagro-livestock sector.

Optimization of strategies for production and conservation offorage resources under conventional and organic management,

and evaluation of commercial and local maize varieties, accordingto the nutritional needs of livestock systems.

The use of wooded pastures under semi-extensive and extensivemanagement for the native pig breed, the Gochu Asturcelta(Astur-Celtic Hog), for characterization of the carcass and itsproducts.

The facility also has a test laboratory, the Nutrition Laboratory(category 0), accredited by the National Accreditation Body inaccordance with the criteria of UNE EN-ISO / IEC 17025 norms.

Nutrition, Pastures and Forages

Animal Health

This activity is mainly oriented towards knowledge ofthe most important diseases of domestic livestock,several of them shared with wildlife that can betransmitted in both directions. This is achieved throughtwo lines of research, (a) epidemiological studies:distribution, frequency, determining factors andinteractions between species and (b) control measures:development of new and better diagnostic techniquesand immunological testing to obtain new vaccines.

Notable work has been done in processes such astuberculosis, paratuberculosis, leptospirosis, sarcopticmange, vector transmitted diseases (ticks), rabbithaemorrhagic disease and fish diseases. This area alsoprovides technical support to the regionaladministration in the national campaign for thedetection of viral agents in fish and in the diagnosisand control of emerging processes.

Animal Genetics andReproduction

The main objectives of this area are:

To improve reproductive performanceand the efficiency of programmes forgenetic improvement and speciesconservation, in order to reduce thenumber of animals as well as the humanand material resources needed to achievegestation.

To characterize animal populationsthrough the development and applicationof molecular and quantitative geneticsand population tools that allow bettermanagement of diversity.

To improve reproductive and productiveefficiency of farms with suckler cows.

Research activity takes place mainlythrough two programmes:

Animal Breeding Programme

This programme studies bovine embryodevelopment in vitro and in vivo toincrease gestation success rates of thedesired sex and to improve the survivaland health of animals born.

New strategies are examined to assessthe reproductive fitness of young bullsfor natural service. After semencollection by electro-ejaculation andrectal massage, morphology and spermmotility are assessed using eosin-nigrosintechniques and CASA image analysis,respectively.

Animal Genetics Programme

This programme develops and appliestechnologies to assess economicallyimportant features in livestock breedingand improve the conservation of theregional livestock genetic heritage. Thismultidisciplinary research can be usedin rural development and for improvedknowledge of human history andevolution.

Horticultural, Fruit andForestry Crops

This programme aims to contribute toimproving the potential of vegetable,fruit and forest products in thePrincipality of Asturias.

Research activities are carried outthrough the following programmes:

Plant Genetics Programme

This programme is involved in thefollowing lines of work:

- Conservation and use of plantgenetic resources for food andagriculture purposes, particularly inwheat, hazelnut, blueberry andvegetable species including thecommon bean.

- Identification, with the support ofgenomic tools, of genes involved incontrolling the expression of featuresof priority interest in geneticimprovement, with special emphasis

on the analysis of the response tobiotic and abiotic stresses related toclimate change.

- Development through classicalgenetic improvement of varieties ofbeans and blueberry to increase theyield of local crops and promotesustainable production.

Plant Pathology Programme

This deals with the study of thosepathogens that are of greatestinterest for our crops, usingmicrobiology and molecular biologytechniques. The most relevant aspectsare: to establish the aetiology of littleknown diseases, characterization ofpathogens, and epidemiologicalstudies. As regards control, efficacystudies of plant protection productshave gradually given way to work

aimed at setting up biological controlwith hypovirulent strains, in the caseof chestnut blight, or findingpotential biocontrol agents for otherpathogens. Another element to noteis the sanitation of Asturian farmbean varieties before making themavailable to the sector.

Forestry Programme

The general objective of the ForestryProgramme is the assessment offorest materials relevant to Asturias.These studies cover various aspectsfrom the field to the laboratory. Inparticular, the programme seeks toaddress three specific objectives,which are to:

Meet common challenges ofsustainability, while increasing theproduction of quality wood and themultiple use of deciduous hardwoodstands and rapid growth varietiesthat grow in the north of the Iberianpeninsula.

Evaluate our forest resources, theirability to adapt to the changingenvironment, and assess theirpotential as producers of both

traditional and new resources(bio-products).

Develop models and forestrymanagement tools of different typesand for different species.

The species under study are: Castanea

spp, Pinus pinaster, Juglans spp and

Prunus avium.

Fruit-growing Programme

The main lines of work are:

Conservation, characterization and analysisof the genetic diversity of the apple treeand other fruit species.

Evaluation, selection and geneticimprovement of varieties of apple tree.Improvement of resistance, productiveregularity and quality of fruit. Studies onthe host - parasite relationship.

Development of ecological productionsystems in apple and other fruit trees adaptedto local conditions. Interaction soil-tree,plant defence, pollination and regulation ofproduction.

Survey of local varieties and support forrecovery and revival of traditional fruit crops(table apple, pear, walnut, cherry, ...) withina framework of commitment todiversification.

Food Technology

Activity focuses on process design andcharacterization of products derived fromapple and grape. Fields of action include thedevelopment of new products, upgradingand adding value to by-products of the ciderindustry, characterization of indigenousmicroorganisms of interest for agri-food,and clonal selection to obtain a certifiedwine-growing stock.

The Cider and Derivatives Laboratory coversa wide range of physical and chemicalanalyses of accredited drinks (ENAC430/LE930), and forms part of the Networkof Agrifood Laboratories for the officialcontrol of food products. In turn, it isrecognized by the European Union toperform analyses in the winegrowing sector.Finally the department also offers technicaladvice aimed at both private individuals andprofessionals in this sector.

Technology and ServicesDepartment

The key role of the Technology & Services Department is todisseminate and channel to the food industry the technologyderived from activity in the various research projects, byproviding to technicians, farmers and society in general theknowledge and proven techniques most applicable and whichresult in improved productivity and working conditions forfarms and companies. The department works in close connectionwith the Research Department.

LivestockExperimentation andDemonstration

Work is done on improving technicalskills on farms and in companiesbelonging to the meat and milkproducing sector and on productionpotential for fodder and itsnutritional quality, in order to raiseawareness, in a practical way, of theknowledge gained in efficient herdhandling from the economic andenvironmental point of view.

The department is also concernedwith launching pilot farms showingoptions for diversification, therevitalisation of abandoned orunderused areas and consequentlythe enhancement of biodiversity inthese areas, while taking into accountthe socio-economic aspects of ruraldevelopment.

This activity aims to contribute to the revitalization ofhorticultural, fruit and forestry production in Asturias, by:

The consolidation and modernization of traditional productiveactivities, by providing the sector with innovative technologiesand new plant materials resulting from SERIDA researchprogrammes.

Obtaining technical and economic references for improvingthe efficiency of existing operations and planning andcommissioning of new farms.

Encouraging diversification and the use of cultivation techniquesthat ensure sustainable use of natural resources.

The department operates through a network of demonstrationand experimental plots on working farms throughout theterritory of Asturias, in collaboration with industry associations,local and financial institutions, cooperatives, companies and,in general, all stakeholders or institutions involved in thedevelopment of rural areas.

Agroforestry Experimentation andDemonstration

Selection andReproduction

This area is responsible for providingtechnical support to the livestocksector in terms of genetic andreproductive services. To do this, it isengaged in:

The development of geneticimprovement programmes for bovinelivestock in collaboration with ASCOL,ASEAVA and ASEAMO:

production and quality control ofsemen doses, cryopreservation andembryo transfer.

The use of new reproductivetechnologies: Ovum Pick-Up (OPU).

The establishment of the ZoogeneticResources Bank of endangered nativedomestic breeds of the Principality ofAsturias: cryopreservation of semen

and embryos of the Asturian Mountaincattle, the Asturcón horse, the Bermeyagoat, Xalda sheep and Astur-Celtic Hog.

Conducting various tests of spermquality in different species, using newtechnologies (CASA and flowcytometry).

Transfer and Training

The mission of this area is to disseminatethe research work performed at the centreand deliver technical and scientificinformation to society in general and thefood industry in particular.

The main objectives are to facilitatecommunication between the scientificcommunity and the food industry, transferthe results obtained and stimulate interestin research and technology in the fieldof food and agriculture.

The activities in this area include:organization of workshops andconferences, open days, seminars, visits,publications, audiovisual productions,website content management, corporateimage, dissemination of news andscientific and technological information,and participation in fairs and other eventswhere the research work of Serida is madepublic.