Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: E. Páchová Author-Workplace-Name: Research Institute of Animal Production, Prague-Uhříněves, Czech Republic Author-Name: L. Zavadilová Author-Workplace-Name: Research Institute of Animal Production, Prague-Uhříněves, Czech Republic Author-Name: J. Sölkner Author-Workplace-Name: Research Institute of Animal Production, Prague-Uhříněves, Czech Republic Title: Genetic evaluation of the length of productive life in Holstein cattle in the Czech Republic Abstract: Survival Kit V3.12 was used to analyse the length of productive life of cattle in theCzechRepublic. The data set consisted of 230 028 registeredHolstein cows. The model included the time-dependent effects parity × stage of lactation interaction, herd × year × season interaction, class of milk production within herd and year, breed within years and the time-independent effect of age at first calving and the random effect of sire. The highest risk of culling was found for cows at the beginning and at the end of the first lactation and at the end of any other lactation. The risk of culling decreased with parity. The risk of culling of cows assigned to the lowest milk production class was five times higher than that of cows assigned to the average milk production class. Risk of culling diminished with a decreasing percentage ofHolstein breed. Cows younger at first calving showed a lower risk of culling. Breeding values for sires expressed as a risk ratio of their daughters were between 0.7 and 1.45. Estimated heritability of functional longevity was 0.025 on the log scale and 0.041 on the original scale. Keywords: length of productive life, cattle, survival analysis, heritability Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 493-498 Volume: 50 Issue: 11 Year: 2005 DOI: 10.17221/4253-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/4253-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-200511-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:50:y:2005:i:11:id:4253-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: T. Ząbek Author-Workplace-Name: Immuno- and Cytogenetics Department, National Research Institute of Animal Production, Balice, Poland Author-Name: A. Radko Author-Workplace-Name: Immuno- and Cytogenetics Department, National Research Institute of Animal Production, Balice, Poland Author-Name: E. Słota Author-Workplace-Name: Immuno- and Cytogenetics Department, National Research Institute of Animal Production, Balice, Poland Title: Implications for the use of horse hair roots as a DNA source for microsatellite typing Abstract: Hair roots are a very attractive source of DNA for microsatellite-based parentage control of breeding animals. However, unlike blood samples, irregular DNA typing results have been observed in assays utilizing hair follicles. The amount of starting material and DNA preparation method are the crucial factors. In order to improve DNA typing results for horse hair roots, two quick preparation methods and additional purification steps were evaluated. PCR efficiency for each approach was expressed as percentage of samples with complete DNA profiles for 12 horse microsatellites. The lowest percentage (22%) of complete DNA profiles was obtained for samples prepared by the proteinase K digestion method. The best genotyping results (94%) were achieved after phenol-chloroform extraction of DNA from samples prepared by the proteinase K digestion method. Direct cleanup of DNA samples with an ethanol-sodium acetate mixture gave comparably good results of microsatellite genotyping (91%). DNA preparation from hair roots with proteinase K digestion followed by DNA purification with ethanol was chosen as the most efficient approach for horse DNA typing under parentage testing. Keywords: hair follicles, short tandem repeats, multiplex PCR Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 499-502 Volume: 50 Issue: 11 Year: 2005 DOI: 10.17221/4254-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/4254-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-200511-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:50:y:2005:i:11:id:4254-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: P. Doležal Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Nutrition and Forage Production, Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: J. Doležal Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Nutrition and Forage Production, Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: J. Třináctý Author-Workplace-Name: Research Institute for Cattle Breeding, Ltd., Rapotín, Pohořelice Workplace, Czech Republic Title: The effect of Saccharomyces cerevisiae on ruminal fermentation in dairy cows Abstract: This study presents the results of an experiment in which the effect of addition of a yeast culture (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Strain 47) on rumen fermentation was studied in thirty-six dairy cows of Holstein breed.The animals were divided into one control and five experimental groups. Each group involved 6 individuals. The animals received a diet consisting of good maize silage with a higher dry matter content (16 kg), clover-grass haylage (l6 kg), meadow hay (3 kg) and supplementary feed mixture (7.5 kg). The rations were fed to cows as total mixed ration (TMR).In experimental groups, the yeast culture was added into the feed mixture in amounts of 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 g per day and animal. Samples of rumen fluid were taken perorally 3-4 hours after feeding. The obtained results indicated that the addition of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae SC-47 culture in recommended doses showed a positive effect on ruminal digestion. As compared with control, the addition of all aforementioned amounts of the yeast culture into the feeding ration resulted in all cases in a statistically significant (P < 0.01) decrease in pH and fluctuated near the lower limit of the reference values. As compared with control, the yeast culture supplementation showed a positive effect (P < 0.01) on production of volatile fatty acids (VFA) (127.6 vs. 84.0 mmol/l). The utilisation of ammonia was higher (P < 0.01) in experimental groups (8.12, resp. 8.68 mmol/l) than in controls (9.06 mmol/l). The difference in protozoa numbers in rumens of dairy cows in the control and experimental groups was statistically highly significantly (P < 0.01) different. There was a close relationship between the dose of yeast culture on the one hand and the VFA content and protozoa numbers on the other. The regression analysis of dependence of dependent variable (i.e. pH of rumen fluid) on the independent one (i.e. the dose of yeast culture) revealed only a slight degree of dependence (r = 0.671). Keywords: dairy cows, Saccharomyces cerevisiae culture, rumen fluid, Infusoria, rumen fermentation Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 503-510 Volume: 50 Issue: 11 Year: 2005 DOI: 10.17221/4255-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/4255-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-200511-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:50:y:2005:i:11:id:4255-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: B. Niwińska Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Nutrition, Research Institute of Animal Production, Balice, Poland Author-Name: J.A. Strzetelski Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Nutrition, Research Institute of Animal Production, Balice, Poland Author-Name: J. Kowalczyk Author-Workplace-Name: The Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, Polish Academy of Sciences, Jabłonna, Poland Author-Name: F. Borowiec Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Nutrition, Cracow Agricultural University, Kraków, Poland Author-Name: P. Domański Author-Workplace-Name: Research Centre for Cultivars Testing, Słupia Wielka, Poland Title: The effect of phenological stage and season on nutritive value, chemical composition and nutrient digestibility of lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) green forage in the alimentary tract of cattle Abstract: Green forage of fourteen lucerne varieties grown at four Experimental Stations of the Research Centre for Cultivar Testing in Słupia Wielka was harvested in these stages: the first growth in the budding stage (cut I), re-growths in the pre-bloom stage of maturity (cut II) 35 days after the first cut, and the next cut, 42 days later (cut III). Three bulls equipped with rumen and duodenal cannulas were used to study rumen degradability by the nylon bag technique and intestinal digestibility by the mobile bag method. The nutritive value of lucerne green forage was estimated according to IZ-INRA (2001) feed evaluation system. The composition of the lucerne cuts differed in DM content (P < 0.01); the highest was found in cut III (226.9 g/kg), the lowest in cut II (182.0 g/kg).The crude protein content (CP) in DM of cuts I and II was similar (P > 0.05) but lower in cut III (P < 0.05). Cut II contained the highest (P < 0.05) levels of crude fibre, neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF), cellulose (CE), and acid detergent lignin (ADL), and the lowest of non-structural carbohydrates (NFC) and soluble in neutral detergent cell content (CC), (P < 0.01). The differences between cut I and III in the contents of these components were not significant (P > 0.05). The highest DM digestibility in the total alimentary tract was found for cut I (P < 0.05). The DM of cuts II and III was digested at a similar rate (P > 0.05). There were no significant differences between the cuts in effective degradability, digestibility in the small intestine of the fraction not digested in the forestomachs and total digestibility of CP, CF, NDF, ADF, hemicellulose and cellulose (P > 0.05). The digestion of rumen undegraded CP in the post-rumen part of the alimentary tract was lower compared with the digestion of essential amino acids (81% and 98%; respectively). The first cut harvested in the spring in the budding stage contained about 5% more PDIA and PDIN, but 7% less LFU compared with both cuts of regrowth (cuts II and III) which contained on average: 58 g PDIA; 123 g PDIN and 0.93 kg LFU. All the cuts contained similar levels of PDIE, UFL per kg of DM (106 and 0.76 g, respectively). Keywords: lucerne, phenological stage, season, nutrients, rumen degradability, intestinal sugestibility Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 511-518 Volume: 50 Issue: 11 Year: 2005 DOI: 10.17221/4256-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/4256-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-200511-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:50:y:2005:i:11:id:4256-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: R. Dvořák Author-Workplace-Name: University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: A. Pechová Author-Workplace-Name: University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: L. Pavlata Author-Workplace-Name: University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: J. Filípek Author-Workplace-Name: University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: J. Dostálová Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Chemical Technology, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Z. Réblová Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Chemical Technology, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: B. Klejdus Author-Workplace-Name: Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: K. Kovařčík Author-Workplace-Name: Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: J. Poul Author-Workplace-Name: Agricultural and Commercial Cooperative Society Žichlínek, Žichlínek, Czech Republic Title: Reduction in the content of antinutritional substances in pea seeds (Pisum sativum L.) by different treatments Abstract: The goal of the trial was to reduce the content of antinutritional substances in pea (Pisum sativum L.) seeds in order to enhance its use in livestock nutrition. A variety of field pea (Pisum sativum L.) with a high content of antinutritional substances and favourable production traits (Gotik) was chosen. Native and heat-treated pea seeds were used to collect representative samples (n = 6) for analytical purposes. The technology (V-0 technology, Czech patent No. 285745) was further modified by adjusting the reactor temperature, the duration of exposure to that temperature, and the duration of ageing of the material treated in this way (V-I and V-II technologies). The methodology of treatment is based on exposing pea seeds to vapour, organic acids and selected oxides.The monitored parameters included antinutritional substances. As far as the antinutritional substances were concerned, the content of trypsin inhibitors in native pea seeds (P) was around 15.4 ± 0.5 TIU. After treatment with technologies V-0, V-I, and V-II its activity dropped by 83.8, 80.5 and 83.8%, respectively. The pre-treatment titre of lectins (P) was 717 ± 376. It dropped by 70.3, 35.7 and 73.2% after treatment with technologies V-0, V-I and V-II, respectively. The content of tannins measured by the amount of gallic acid in native pea seeds was 49.1 ± 2.7 mg per kg. It dropped by 41.4, 32.0 and 46.2% after the application of the above-mentioned technologies. The content of indigestible oligosaccharides causing flatulence was less affected by the treatments. The pre-treatment content of raffinose was 9.5 ± 0.5 g/kg. The drop associated with the treatment was 9.5, 6.3 and 10.5%, respectively. The pre-treatment content of stachyose was 21.4 ± 0.8 g/kg and after treatment with technologies V-0 and V-II it dropped by 7.0% and by 16.4%, respectively. The application of technology V-I did not result in a drop in the content of stachyose. The content of verbascose in native pea seeds was 16.1 g/kgand the treatment with technologies V-0; V-I and V-II resulted in a drop by 7.5, 5.6 and 20.5%, respectively. As for the detected phenolic acids, with the exception of caffeic acid, not a drop, but an increase in their content was recorded. Isoflavone oestrogens such as daidzein and genistein also recorded a small increase in their content. The results of the trial lead us to conclude that the above-described methods of pea seed treatment, especially the V-II variant, proved to be useful and can be recommended for practical use. Keywords: pea (Pisum sativum L.) seeds, trypsin inhibitors, lectins, tannins, raffinose, stachyose, verbascose, daidzein, tenistčin Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 519-527 Volume: 50 Issue: 11 Year: 2005 DOI: 10.17221/4257-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/4257-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-200511-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:50:y:2005:i:11:id:4257-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: V. Žlábek Author-Workplace-Name: University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Research Institute of Fish Culture and Hydrobiology, Vodňany, Czech Republic Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Agriculture, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic Author-Name: Z. Svobodová Author-Workplace-Name: University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Research Institute of Fish Culture and Hydrobiology, Vodňany, Czech Republic Author-Workplace-Name: University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: T. Randák Author-Workplace-Name: University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Research Institute of Fish Culture and Hydrobiology, Vodňany, Czech Republic Author-Name: O. Valentová Author-Workplace-Name: University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Research Institute of Fish Culture and Hydrobiology, Vodňany, Czech Republic Title: Mercury content in the muscle of fish from the Elbe River and its tributaries Abstract: The main aim of the present study was to assess the mercury contamination of the Elbe River and its tributary the Vltava River. Mercury concentrations in fresh fish muscles were used for the contamination assessment. The samples were collected in 1999, 2002 and 2003 at 7, 2 and 1 collection sites from the Elbe River, Vltava River and Blanice River (tributary of the Vltava River), respectively. Samples of bream (Abramis brama L.), perch (Perca fluviatilis L.) and chub (Leuciscus cephalus L.) muscle were collected at the monitored sites. A single-purpose mercury analyser AMA 254 was used to determine the total mercury content in the muscle tissue of fish. Average concentrations of mercury in the muscle of bream, perch and chub were in the range 0.172-0.852 mg/kg, 0.077-1.07 mg/kgand 0.141-1.631 mg/kg,respectively. The highest values of total mercury content were found in fish from the localities Obříství and Lysá nad Labem (P < 0.05; P < 0.01, respectively) in the river section from 120th to 160th river kilometre. The highest value of total mercury content (2.56 mg/kg) in the fresh muscle of chub was in the Obříství vicinity. It poses a high risk for consumers, considering the average consumption of 10 kg fish per capita/year (hazard index 3.0). On the other hand, total mercury contamination decreased in the localities Děčín and Hřensko (15th-5th r. km) in the period 1999-2003. The findings in 2003 indicated that the disastrous floods in 2002 did not significantly influence the mercury contamination of fish. Keywords: Vltava River, Abramis brama L., Perca fluviatilis L., Leuciscus cephalus L Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 528-534 Volume: 50 Issue: 11 Year: 2005 DOI: 10.17221/4258-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/4258-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-200511-0006.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:50:y:2005:i:11:id:4258-CJAS