Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Z. Vodková Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Veterinary Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Prague-Suchdol, Czech Republic Author-Name: R. Rajmon Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Veterinary Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Prague-Suchdol, Czech Republic Author-Name: J. Petr Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Science, Prague-Uhříněves, Czech Republic Author-Name: P. Klabanová Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Veterinary Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Prague-Suchdol, Czech Republic Author-Name: F. Jílek Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Veterinary Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Prague-Suchdol, Czech Republic Title: Effects of genistein and genistin on in vitro maturation of pig oocytes Abstract: The objective of the study was to verify the hypothesis that GEN (genistein - phytoestrogen and an inhibitor of tyrosine protein kinase - TPK) effects on pig oocyte maturation and cumular cell expansion under in vitro conditions are connected with its estrogenic activity. Oocytes were cultivated for 24 hours up to the stage of the first meiotic metaphase (MI). Three different doses of GEN (13, 40, 80 µg/ml of medium) and also three doses of GIN, genistin, an analogue of GEN without effects on TPK, (80, 160 and 240 µg/ml of medium) were tested. To verify the reversibility of GEN effects, the oocytes were first cultivated for 24 hours with 80 µg of GEN per 1 ml of medium and then for another 24 hours without any GEN. GEN blocked pig oocyte maturation at the stage of the germinal vesicle (GV), depending on the dose. After rinsing out the GEN the oocyte maturation recovered, but with abnormalities (32%). GIN in a concentration of 80 µg/ml of medium induced a significant blockage at the GV stage (18%). With an increase in the GIN concentration, the number of oocytes blocked at the GV stage significantly decreased, but the abnormal maturation increased (up to 31%). GEN inhibited the cumular cell expansion in proportion to its dose. GIN had a less pronounced effect. As GEN and GIN effects demonstrate similar patterns, it is probable that estrogenic activity is involved. Keywords: phytoestrogen, isoflavone, oocyte maturation, pig, estrogenic effect, tyrosine protein kinase Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 1-8 Volume: 53 Issue: 1 Year: 2008 DOI: 10.17221/2718-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/2718-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-200801-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:53:y:2008:i:1:id:2718-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: J. Šiugždaité Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Infectious Diseases, Lithuanian Veterinary Academy, Kaunas, Lithuania Author-Name: A. Jerešiúnas Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Nutrition, Lithuanian Veterinary Academy, Kaunas, Lithuania Author-Name: R. Stankevičius Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Nutrition, Lithuanian Veterinary Academy, Kaunas, Lithuania Author-Name: J. Kulpys Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Nutrition, Lithuanian Veterinary Academy, Kaunas, Lithuania Title: Efficiency of soy protein concentrate in diets of weaned piglets Abstract: The aim of this experiment was to determine the influence of "HP 300" soy protein concentrate (SPC) on the wellness, intestine microflora, growth rate and feed consumption compared with that of fish meal in weaned piglets. To create a balanced experiment on breed, gender, age and weight, two groups of 19 weaned piglets were composed. The first group was a control while the second group was experimental. The experiment was divided into two periods: the first period lasted for 27 days while the second lasted for 14 days. The duration of the experiment was 41 days in total. The composition of feed and sustenance were the same in both periods. The piglets from the second group receiving the feed without fish meal gained 69 g or 18.4% more (P > 0.05) weight on average than the piglets from the first group during the whole period. No essential differences in feed consumption per 1 kg of weight gain between the groups were identified during the whole period. While examining the amount of enterobacteria in faeces it was estimated that the amount of enterobacteria in the faeces of piglets of the second group decreased during the whole experimental period. At the end of experiment the amount of enterobacteria in the faeces of piglets of the second group gradually decreased by 12% compared with the enterobacteria amount at the start of experiment. The amount of enterobacteria in the faeces of piglets of the first group also decreased by 12%. However, the amount of enterobacteria in the faeces of piglets of the first group decreased more sharply than in piglets of the second group. Keywords: piglets, fish meal, soy concentrate HP, microflora Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 9-16 Volume: 53 Issue: 1 Year: 2008 DOI: 10.17221/2719-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/2719-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-200801-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:53:y:2008:i:1:id:2719-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: O. Hanuš Author-Workplace-Name: Research Institute for Cattle Breeding, Rapotín, Czech Republic Author-Name: J. Vegricht Author-Workplace-Name: Research Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Prague-Ruzyně, Czech Republic Author-Name: J. Frelich Author-Workplace-Name: Agricultural Faculty, South Bohemian University in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czech Republic Author-Name: A. Macek Author-Workplace-Name: Research Institute for Cattle Breeding, Rapotín, Czech Republic Author-Name: M. Bjelka Author-Workplace-Name: Research Institute for Cattle Breeding, Rapotín, Czech Republic Author-Name: F. Louda Author-Workplace-Name: Research Institute for Cattle Breeding, Rapotín, Czech Republic Author-Name: L. Janů Author-Workplace-Name: Research Institute for Cattle Breeding, Rapotín, Czech Republic Title: Analysis of raw cow milk quality according to free fatty acid contents in the Czech Republic Abstract: The concentration (c) of free fatty acids (FFAs) in milk is an indicator of dairy cow nutrition, milk straining, its bacterial contamination and storage quality. High FFA concentrations (cs) caused by lipolysis can damage the quality properties of milk products. Therefore the FFA content is introduced thanks to an increase in the efficiency of modern analytical methods as a milk quality indicator and as an indicator for its price as well. The goal of this paper was to analyse the FFA relations to the other milk quality indicators. The data set (n = 11 586) was evaluated by regression methods. In November and December the respective FFA means were 0.614 ± 0.458 and 0.835 ± 0.491 mmol/100 g with a relatively high variability of 74.6 and 58.8%. The frequency of unsatisfactory FFA values (> 1.3) was 7.51 and 13.93%. Casein content (r = -0.17; P < 0.01) and crude protein content (r = -0.12; P < 0.01) were related more closely with FFA c. The FFAs can increase by 0.066 mmol/100 g with casein decrease by 0.10%. The FFAs in milk fat can slightly increase by the supply of energy to dairy cows (protein and casein decrease) and rise with the deteriorating health state of mammary gland (lactose, r = -0.14; P < 0.01) as well. The somatic cell count correlated with FFAs more weakly (r = 0.07; P < 0.05), similarly like the total mesophilic bacteria count (r = 0.11; P < 0.01), relatively more closely the psychrotrophic bacteria count (r = 0.27; P < 0.05). The deterioration of almost all hygienic indicators signified an FFA c increase. The urea content correlated with FFAs weakly (r = -0.08; P < 0.05) and the fat content imperceptibly as a component of similar substance like FFAs. The mechanical milk stress led to FFA liberation from fat esters proportionally to the intervention intensity (P < 0.001). Even a relatively small mechanical stress caused by mixing comparable to the current milking technology, milk transport and storage increased the FFA c of milk fat from 1.11 ± 0.19 to 1.80 ± 0.40 mmol/100 g (P < 0.05). The highest experimental stress up to 6.88 ± 0.55 mmol/100 g (P < 0.001). Keywords: cow, raw milk, bulk milk sample, mammary gland, fat, free fatty acids, crude protein, casein, lactose, somatic cell count, total mesophilic bacteria count, psychrotrophic bacteria count, urea, mechanical stress, lipolysis Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 17-30 Volume: 53 Issue: 1 Year: 2008 DOI: 10.17221/2717-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/2717-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-200801-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:53:y:2008:i:1:id:2717-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: P. Suchý Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: E. Straková Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: F. Vitula Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Czech Republic Title: The effect of a diet supplemented with L-carnitine on egg production in pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) Abstract: The main aim of the study was to assess the effect of a diet supplemented with L-carnitine on egg weight and laying rate in hens of pheasant (Phasianus colchicus). The experiment lasted 14 weeks and was performed with 210 experimental and 210 control laying hens. The birds were kept in cages; one cock and seven hens per cage. Both control and experimental hens were administered the complete feed mixture, with the only difference that the feed mixture administered to experimental hens was supplemented with L-carnitine at a level of 0.01%. During the experimental period, eggs were collected and weight of individual eggs was determined. Control and experimental groups provided 8 039 and 8 499 eggs, respectively. The results showed that L-carnitine increased egg weight (P < 0.01) and laying rate. The effect of L-carnitine on egg weight and laying rate manifested itself until weeks 11 and 13, respectively. The average weight of eggs laid during the experimental period was (mean ± SD) 32.22 ± 3.03 g in the control group and 32.51 ± 2.83 g in the experimental group, with the overall laying rate being 44.29% in the control group and 47.30% in the experimental group. Keywords: common pheasant, egg production, L-carnitine Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 31-35 Volume: 53 Issue: 1 Year: 2008 DOI: 10.17221/2720-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/2720-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-200801-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:53:y:2008:i:1:id:2720-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: P. Szczerbik Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Ichthyobiology and Fisheries, University of Agriculture, Kraków, Poland Author-Name: T. Mikołajczyk Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Ichthyobiology and Fisheries, University of Agriculture, Kraków, Poland Author-Name: M. Sokołowska-Mikołajczyk Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Ichthyobiology and Fisheries, University of Agriculture, Kraków, Poland Author-Name: M. Socha Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Ichthyobiology and Fisheries, University of Agriculture, Kraków, Poland Author-Name: J. Chyb Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Ichthyobiology and Fisheries, University of Agriculture, Kraków, Poland Author-Name: P. Epler Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Ichthyobiology and Fisheries, University of Agriculture, Kraków, Poland Title: The influence of cadmium on Prussian carp oocyte maturation, development of eggs and hatching Abstract: The influence of cadmium (Cd) on the last stage of Prussian carp (Carassius auratus gibelio B.) oocyte maturation and embryonic development was investigated. The (postvitellogenic) oocytes were incubated with carp pituitary homogenate (Chh), 17α,20β-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (17α,20βOH-P) and Cd at the concentrations of 20, 100 and 200μM. Cd was found to stimulate spontaneous oocyte maturation, however it inhibited Chh-stimulated maturation. Cd had no influence on the effects of 17α,20βOH-P (MIS - maturation inducing steroid). It seems that the action of Cd on the last stage of oocyte maturation takes place before the MIS production. In an in vivo study Prussian carp eggs were incubated in the water containing Cd at the concentrations of 0, 0.01, 0.1, 1 or 10 mg/l. There were no differences between the final numbers of hatched larvae in the respective groups, however Cd at the highest concentration accelerated hatching and increased the number of deformed larvae. These results suggest that Prussian carp eggs are very resistant to waterborne Cd. Keywords: heavy metals, oocyte maturation, steroid hormones, embryonic development, hatching enzyme Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 36-44 Volume: 53 Issue: 1 Year: 2008 DOI: 10.17221/2721-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/2721-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-200801-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:53:y:2008:i:1:id:2721-CJAS