About us

60 years of experimentation. The INRAE experimental Bourges Unit was created in 1962 on military land and is located on two sites, the Domaine de la Sapinière in Osmoy and the Domaine de Galle in Avord.

The INRAE Bourges Experimental Unit is a Small Ruminant Phenotyping Center (Pôle de Phénotypage des Petits Ruminants - P3R), studying sheep, goat, crop and foraging productions.

The unit, attached to INRAE Animal Genetics Department (GA), is dedicated to implementing multi-disciplinary experimental programs focusing on genetics, reproduction, product quality and animal welfare. P3R also conducts research projects with teams from INRAE Animal Physiology and Breeding Systems (PHASE) and Animal Health (SA) departments.

P3R research projects focus mainly on the genetic determinism of biological functions and traits of interest to livestock breeding (productive longevity, feed efficiency, natural coat shedding, parasite resistance). Some projects are aimed at studying behavior, selecting animals that are fit for reproduction, resistant to infectious and parasitic diseases and transferring original phenotypes to breeders.

P3R is involved in European programs focusing on animal robustness. It also has the tools and know-how to study feed efficiency in many forms, from gut microbiota to greenhouse gas emissions. Our center hold an advanced phenotyping hall equipped with tools for measuring feed intake capacities (concentrate, forage, water), with the capacity to handle up to 200 sheep or goats of all ages.

Our unit maintains a wide range of genetic types and divergent lines, enabling to carry out a wide range of research projects, including epigenetic and gene introgression studies.

P3R also operates a 90-hectare agroecological platform with 28 parcels, called ABY (Agroécology in Berry - Agroécologie en Berry). The scientific objective is to identify alternative models for pesticide-free agricultural production, by leveraging biological pest regulation processes.