Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: M. Vacek Author-Workplace-Name: Research Institute of Animal Production, Prague-Uhříněves, Czech Republic Author-Name: M. Štípková Author-Workplace-Name: Research Institute of Animal Production, Prague-Uhříněves, Czech Republic Author-Name: E. Němcová Author-Workplace-Name: Research Institute of Animal Production, Prague-Uhříněves, Czech Republic Author-Name: J. Bouška Author-Workplace-Name: Research Institute of Animal Production, Prague-Uhříněves, Czech Republic Title: Relationships between conformation traits and longevity of Holstein cows in the Czech Republic Abstract: The relationships between conformation traits and longevity traits were analyzed in 41 489 Holstein cows born in the years 1994-1999 which were culled by 30th June 2005. Pearson correlation coefficients between type traits and the herd life or productive life of cows were calculated. The effects of type trait scoring level on the length of productive life were described by means of analyses of variance. The observed correlations between herd life or productive life and type traits are in the range of -0.061 to 0.160. Negative correlations were found for rump angle, rear leg set, udder depth, and teat length. Most of the body traits had slightly positive relationships to herd life, indicating that larger cows live longer. However, body depth and chest width did not have a linear relation to longevity traits. The longest productive life was found in cows undersized in chest width and body depth (P < 0.01). A similar dependence was also found for rump width (P < 0.01). The ideal rear leg set for longevity was scored as average or below average, i.e. moderately curved or slightly straight legs (P < 0.05). Cows with well-attached fore udder, high attached rear udder, strong central ligament, close front teat placement, and with moderately long teats showed the longest functional productive life (P < 0.05-0.001). Linear relationships between longevity traits and general conformation characteristics were found as well. Keywords: Holstein cows, longevity, type traits, correlations Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 327-333 Volume: 51 Issue: 8 Year: 2006 DOI: 10.17221/3946-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/3946-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-200608-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:51:y:2006:i:8:id:3946-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: V. Christodoulou Author-Workplace-Name: Animal Research Institute, National Agricultural Research Foundation (N.AG.RE.F.), Giannitsa, Greece Author-Name: V.A. Bampidis Author-Workplace-Name: Animal Research Institute, National Agricultural Research Foundation (N.AG.RE.F.), Giannitsa, Greece Author-Name: E. Sossidou Author-Workplace-Name: Animal Research Institute, National Agricultural Research Foundation (N.AG.RE.F.), Giannitsa, Greece Author-Name: J. Ambrosiadis Author-Workplace-Name: Laboratory of Technology of Animal Origin Food, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece Author-Name: B. Hučko Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Nutrition, University of Agriculture, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: C. Iliadis Author-Workplace-Name: Fodder Crops and Pasture Institute, National Agricultural Research Foundation (N.AG.RE.F.), Larissa, Greece Author-Name: A. Kodeš Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Nutrition, University of Agriculture, Prague, Czech Republic Title: The use of extruded chickpeas in diets for growing-finishing pigs Abstract: The effect of partial and total replacement of soybean meal (SBM) with extruded chickpeas (Cicer arietinum L.) and partial replacement of SBM with raw chickpeas on pig growth and carcass characteristics was determined in a 17 week experiment. Sixty growing-finishing pigs were allocated to five dietary treatments: CKP0, ECKP100, ECKP200, ECKP300 and CKP100 of 12 animals each, and received a diet ad libitum. The diet for CKP0 treatment had no chickpeas (control), while those for treatments ECKP100, ECKP200 and ECKP300 included 100, 200 and 300 kg/t of extruded (at 120°C for 20 s) chickpeas, respectively, and for treatment CKP100 it included 100 kg/t of raw chickpeas. Body weight (BW) gain linearly increased (P < 0.05) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) linearly decreased (P < 0.05) with the inclusion of increasing levels of extruded chickpeas during the growing period. However, in both the growing and finishing period, there were no differences between extruded chickpea inclusion treatments in final BW, BW gain, daily feed consumption (DFC), FCR, and carcass yield traits. Partial replacement of SBM with raw chickpeas negatively affected (P < 0.05) BW gain and DFC during the finishing period. Extrusion offers a practical method for the heat processing of chickpeas for use in pig diets. Thus, extruded chickpeas can be used as an alternative protein source to SBM at inclusion levels up to 300 kg/t of diet. Keywords: chickpeas, extrusion, pigs, growth performance, carcass characteristics Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 334-342 Volume: 51 Issue: 8 Year: 2006 DOI: 10.17221/3947-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/3947-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-200608-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:51:y:2006:i:8:id:3947-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: R.A. Afolayan Author-Workplace-Name: National Animal Production Research Institute, Ahmadu Bello University, Shika-Zaria, Nigeria Author-Name: I.A. Adeyinka Author-Workplace-Name: National Animal Production Research Institute, Ahmadu Bello University, Shika-Zaria, Nigeria Author-Name: C.A.M. Lakpini Author-Workplace-Name: National Animal Production Research Institute, Ahmadu Bello University, Shika-Zaria, Nigeria Title: The estimation of live weight from body measurements in Yankasa sheep Abstract: Live body measurements of weight, height, length, girth, stifle- and hip-width and a measure of muscularity (ratio of stifle to hip width) were monitored on 258 Yankasa sheep stratified into age categories of 1 to over 3 years determined mostly from records and partly by dentition. These animals are from purebred Yankasa sheep kept as a part of the open nucleus-breeding scheme of the National Animal Production Research Institute, Shika, Zaria, Nigeria. The effect of sex, type of birth and age group of lambs on live measurements and muscularity were analyzed by least-squares procedures. All variables examined, except sex, had significant (P < 0.001) effects on all body measurements. At birth, male and single-born lambs were significantly heavier than female and twin-born lambs. At early age, most factors significantly (P < 0.01) influenced the body weight, body dimensions and muscularity traits with single-born lambs being 31% heavier, 10% taller and 11% bigger in girth; more highly muscled than the twin-born lambs. This advantage of male over female born lambs (except in hip-width and girth) for growth and developmental traits was maintained reasonably well to the advanced ages. All phenotypic correlations between body measurements were positive and significant (P < 0.001). The highest correlation coefficient was found between chest girth and body weight. The polynomial equation using chest girth as an independent variable predicted body weight more accurately as compared to the linear equation. Keywords: sheep, body measurements, live weight Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 343-348 Volume: 51 Issue: 8 Year: 2006 DOI: 10.17221/3948-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/3948-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-200608-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:51:y:2006:i:8:id:3948-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: G. Yildiz Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Nutrition, Ankara University, Veterinary Medicine, Diskapi, Ankara, Turkey Author-Name: P. Sacakli Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Nutrition, Ankara University, Veterinary Medicine, Diskapi, Ankara, Turkey Author-Name: T. Gungor Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Nutrition, Kirikkale University, Veterinary Medicine, Kirikkale, Turkey Title: The effect of dietary Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) on performance, egg quality characteristics and egg cholesterol content in laying hens Abstract: This research was carried out to determine the effect of Jerusalem artichoke (JA) with or without 5, 10% vetch (V) supplementation on performance, egg quality characteristics and egg cholesterol content. In the study, seventy-five 25 weeks-old commercial white laying hens were randomly divided into one control and 4 treatment groups each containing 15 hens. Control group was fed basal diet without JA or V. Treatment group 1, 2, 3 and 4 were fed diets containing 5% V, 5% JA, 5% JA + 5% V and 10% JA + 10% V, respectively. The feeding period lasted 16 weeks. In the study, it was determined that dried-ground JA contained dry matter, crude protein, ether extract, crude fibre, crude ash, inulin and metabolizable energy (ME) at the level of 93.30, 10.02, 0.36, 5.64, 9.05, 15.80% and 3 060 kcal/kg, respectively. At the end of the study, live weight was lower by 4.36-10.09% in the treatment group 10% JA + 10% V compared with the other groups, but feed efficiency was improved in this group. There were statistically significant differences between the groups in egg quality characteristics (P < 0.05, P < 0.001). Egg production was not affected by supplementation of 5, 10% JA with or without 5, 10% V supplementation. Egg yolk cholesterol and total cholesterol content were not different in the groups (P > 0.05). As a result, the addition of JA with or without V has no adverse effect on performance and egg quality in hens. Keywords: Jerusalem artichoke, laying hen, egg production, egg quality characteristics Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 349-354 Volume: 51 Issue: 8 Year: 2006 DOI: 10.17221/3950-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/3950-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-200608-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:51:y:2006:i:8:id:3950-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Z. Tarasewicz Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Poultry Breeding, Agricultural University of Szczecin, Poland Author-Name: D. Szczerbinska Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Poultry Breeding, Agricultural University of Szczecin, Poland Author-Name: D. Majewska Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Poultry Breeding, Agricultural University of Szczecin, Poland Author-Name: A. Danczak Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Poultry Breeding, Agricultural University of Szczecin, Poland Author-Name: M. Ligocki Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Poultry Breeding, Agricultural University of Szczecin, Poland Author-Name: A. Wolska Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Poultry Breeding, Agricultural University of Szczecin, Poland Title: The effect of magnetic field on hatchability of Japanese quail eggs Abstract: The effect of environmental conditions on hatching indices of poultry eggs is sufficiently important that new methods for their improvement are sought, among others through exposing the eggs during hatching to an artificially generated magnetic field of variable frequency. Hatching eggs in this study came from Pharaoh quail in the 4th month of laying. The flock was kept under optimum microclimate conditions and fed a complete feed mix containing 21% total protein and 11.7 MJ ME. The eggs (n = 150), after weighing, were divided into 3 groups equal in respect of numbers: control (I) and two experimental (II and III). The eggs of group II and III were exposed to the action of variable magnetic field of the same intensity but different times of application. The highest percentage of dead embryos during incubation in relation to fertilised eggs was found in control group (11.36%), while the smallest was from group II (4.17%). The highest value of hatching indices calculated in relation to fertilised eggs was found in group II (91.6%), while the smallest was in group III (83.7%) with 86.3% in control group. The results point to the possibility of increasing egg hatchability indices through the use of additional variable magnetic field. The chicks hatched from eggs exposed to the action of this experimental agent had similar body weight. The average weight of one-day-old chicks ranged from 7.82 g (group II) to 8.05 g (group III). In the last week of rearing, mean body weight in both sexes was similar and ranged from 168 (group I) to 172 g (group III) in males, and from 186 g (group I) to 199 g (group III) in females; these differences were not statistically significant. The females of group III reached sexual maturity at 41 days, this being one and three days (non-significantly) earlier than birds in group I and II. Keywords: Japanese quail, egg, hatchability, magnetic field Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 355-360 Volume: 51 Issue: 8 Year: 2006 DOI: 10.17221/3951-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/3951-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-200608-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:51:y:2006:i:8:id:3951-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: J. Mlček Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Food Technology, Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: K. Šustová Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Food Technology, Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: J. Simeonovová Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Food Technology, Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry, Brno, Czech Republic Title: Application of FT NIR spectroscopy in the determination of basic chemical composition of pork and beef Abstract: The objective of this paper was to determine basic components of pork and beef (fat, protein, water content) using FT NIR spectroscopy. The samples were analysed on an FT NIR Nicolet Antaris device in a reflec-tance regimen. Reference results from classical analyses were used for the calibration of the device. Calibration models were created using PLS algorithm (method of partial least squares) and verified by cross-validation. High correlation coefficients (R) of calibration were calculated (fat 0.998; protein 0.976; water 0.994), and subsequently of validation as well (fat 0.997; protein 0.970; water 0.993) and very low standard deviations of the calibration and validation (SEC, SEP). No statistically significant differences between the reference and predicted values of determination were detected in Z-test. According to the published results, the NIRS method has a high potential to replace an expensive and time demanding chemical analysis of meat composition. Keywords: pork and beef, NIR spectroscopy, fat, protein, water, discriminant analysis Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 361-368 Volume: 51 Issue: 8 Year: 2006 DOI: 10.17221/3952-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/3952-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-200608-0006.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:51:y:2006:i:8:id:3952-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: S. Bogosavljević-Bosković Author-Workplace-Name: Department for Animal Husbandry, Faculty of Agronomy, Cacak, Serbia and Montenegro Author-Name: V. Kurćubić Author-Workplace-Name: Department for Animal Husbandry, Faculty of Agronomy, Cacak, Serbia and Montenegro Author-Name: M. Petrović Author-Workplace-Name: Department for Animal Husbandry, Faculty of Agronomy, Cacak, Serbia and Montenegro Author-Name: V. Dosković Author-Workplace-Name: Department for Animal Husbandry, Faculty of Agronomy, Cacak, Serbia and Montenegro Title: The effects of season and rearing systems on meat quality traits Abstract: With the aim to examine the effect of season and rearing system on major broiler meat quality traits appropriate experimental investigations were conducted. Trial material included a total of 800 one-day-old broilers of the Hybro line hybrid. The experiment was organized in two replications, as trial I (conducted in the spring season) and trial II (conducted in the summer season). Two broiler fattening methods were employed, the intensive and semi-intensive one (using free-range rearing). The experimental chicks were slaughtered after seven weeks of fattening. Following the fattening period, 60 broilers (30 broilers from each experimental group) were chosen at random and slaughtered, with the aim of examining major broiler meat quality traits. At the slaughter line, determination of meat quantitative traits was done accompanied by sampling for chemical analyses. The rearing systems (intensive and semi-intensive system) affected significantly (P < 0.05) the proportion of class I meat in the broilers reared under the semi-intensive system, whereas in the class II and III meat proportions the rearing system did not exert any statistically significant effect (P > 0.05). The broilers reared under the semi-intensive system had a 1.44% higher proportion of muscular tissue on average than the intensively reared ones (P < 0.01). The bone and skin proportion was 0.82 and 0.67% lower in the broilers reared by the semi-intensive method (P < 0.05). The differences between the results of two trials organised at different seasons were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The broilers reared semi-intensively had a statistically highly significantly higher protein proportion (P < 0.01) in breasts, drumsticks and thighs compared to the intensively reared broilers. The broilers reared in the summer season had higher breast and drumstick proportions (P < 0.01) as well as a higher thigh proportion (P < 0.05). The effect of both the season and the rearing system on the lipid content in the breasts, thighs and drumsticks was statistically highly significant (P < 0.01). The lipid content in the breasts, thighs and drumsticks was higher in the broilers during the summer season as well as in the intensively reared chicken. Finally, having thoroughly examined the research results, or more precisely, considering the established advantages in terms of the meat quality, the use of the free-range broiler rearing system can be deemed scientifically and professionally justifiable. Keywords: broilers, season, rearing system, meat quality Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 369-374 Volume: 51 Issue: 8 Year: 2006 DOI: 10.17221/3953-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/3953-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-200608-0007.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:51:y:2006:i:8:id:3953-CJAS