UCVMRESEARCH
WEEKLY

University of Calgary · Veterinary Medicine

This week in research.

11 May – 18 May 2026 From the archive

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03Publications
03UCVM authors
03Journals & venues

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Research highlights

Automated summary
Erratum to: Hall, L. P., & Hecker, K. G. (2026). Building validity evidence for performance-based assessments: A review and reconceptualization of response processes validity of raters in veterinary medicine. Imagining SoTL, 6(1), 29-40. 2026-05-15. Cohort author: Kent G. Hecker. - Reconciles and clarifies the validity framework for performance-based assessments in veterinary medicine, with a reconceptualization of response-process validity of raters; published as an erratum in Imagining SoTL. - Emphasizes methodological refinements to how response processes of raters contribute to validity evidence; situates the correction within SoTL discourse. - Cohort author highlighted: Kent G. Hecker. Population structure and reproductive ecology of wild pigs at the northern edge of the North American invasive range. Scientific Reports. 2026-05-13. Cohort author: Mathieu Pruvot. - Alberta wild pigs show high reproductive potential, with 68% of reproductively active females and a median litter size of 5 (IQR 4–8). - Age estimates suggest low first-year survival, potentially moderating population growth and aiding ongoing control efforts. - Cohort author highlighted: Mathieu Pruvot. Distribution of microbial carrageenan foraging pathways reveals a widespread latent trait within the ruminant intestinal microbiome. Nature Communications. 2026-05-12. Cohort author: Douglas P. Whiteside. - Carrageenan-active CarPULs and GH16 subfamily 17 carrageenases were identified, linking specific enzymatic pathways to carrageenan digestion in ruminant microbiomes. - Carrageenan catabolism is widespread across geographically and taxonomically distinct ruminants, suggesting a latent trait shared across Artiodactyla. - Pathways are structurally distinct from marine bacteria, indicating an ancient, evolutionarily deep history of CarPULs in ruminant-associated microbiomes. By the numbers - Journals represented: Imagining SoTL (1), Scientific Reports (1), Nature Communications (1); Total works in window: 3.

A closer look

Publications this week

3
Scientific Reports

Population structure and reproductive ecology of wild pigs at the northern edge of the North American invasive range · doi/link

UCVM authors Mathieu Pruvot

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Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) have been expanding their range in Canada during recent decades. While high reproductive output is typically reported in wild pigs, reproductive performance at the northern edge of the North American invasive range is not well characterized. In this study, we describe the population structure and reproductive parameters of wild pigs in Alberta, Canada, estimate age of juvenile and sub-adults based on a Gompertz growth model fitted on wild pigs of known age from Texas, and test hypotheses regarding their reproductive ecology in this northern context. With a high proportion of reproductively active females (68%), and litter sizes comparable to other regions (median 5, IQR [4-8]), wild pigs in Alberta maintained a high reproductive potential. However, age estimates suggested low survival within the first year which may limit population growth in this region, potentially working in favor of on-going control program. Continued monitoring of wild pig population structure and reproductive parameters is essential to understanding population dynamics and planning control efforts in relation to changing environmental conditions.
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Nature Communications

Distribution of microbial carrageenan foraging pathways reveals a widespread latent trait within the ruminant intestinal microbiome · doi/link

UCVM authors Douglas P. Whiteside

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Seaweeds represent a promising source of sustainable, alternative feeds for livestock. Despite their increasing popularity in agriculture, the dietary fate of seaweed polysaccharides, such as carrageenan, is unknown. Here, we apply functional microbiome analyses of ruminant gastrointestinal tract microbiomes to discover catabolic enzymes specific for carrageenan digestion from the red seaweed Mazzaella japonica. M. japonica preferentially increased Bacteroides abundance within the feces over the rumen, and bacterial isolates have the capacity to use carrageenans as a sole carbon source. We identify carrageenan-active polysaccharide utilization loci (CarPULs) and characterize recombinant GH16 subfamily 17 carrageenases, informing previously uncharacterized substrate specificities for the subfamily, and providing insights into pathway specialization of divergent CarPULs. Selective enrichment and metagenomic mining reveals that carrageenan catabolism is widespread among geographically and taxonomically distinct ruminants, suggesting it is a latent trait widely distributed in the Order Artiodactyla and carried within their microbiomes as part of the microbial "dark matter". These pathways are structurally distinct from those found in marine bacteria, highlighting a complex and ancient evolutionary history of CarPULs in ruminant microbiomes.
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