Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: F. Jílek Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: P. Pytloun Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Science, Prague-Uhříněves, Czech Republic Author-Name: M. Kubešová Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Science, Prague-Uhříněves, Czech Republic Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Special Livestock Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czech Republic Author-Name: M. Štípková Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Science, Prague-Uhříněves, Czech Republic Author-Name: J. Bouška Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Science, Prague-Uhříněves, Czech Republic Author-Name: J. Volek Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Science, Prague-Uhříněves, Czech Republic Author-Name: J. Frelich Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Special Livestock Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czech Republic Author-Name: R. Rajmon Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Relationships among body condition score, milk yield and reproduction in Czech Fleckvieh cows Abstract: The objective of this study was to confirm the relationship among body condition score at the time around parturition, milk yield in subsequent lactation, reproductive efficiency and BCS development in Czech Fleckvieh dairy cows. The BCS and milk yield were measured once a month and the cows were divided into groups according to their BCS before and after calving. Next, data from the database of cattle reproduction of the Czech Fleckvieh herd book were used. The dataset was analyzed by multifactorial analysis of variance using procedures COOR and GLM of the statistical program SAS. Cows with lower BCS in the 1st month after calving showed an increase in both milk yield and fat and protein corrected milk (FPCM) yield. No significant relationship was found between the BCS level before calving and subsequent milk yield. The body condition level in the last month before parturition influenced its subsequent decrease in the first phase of lactation. The group of cows with the highest BCS level before calving retained a high BCS level in the first five months of lactation. Adequately, the group of cows with the lowest BCS in the first month of lactation had the lowest BCS in the next four months. BCS before calving was not related to reproduction indicators, but the significant effect of BCS in the 1st month after calving on the length of calving to the first service interval was confirmed. The group of cows with BCS > 3.5 in the 1st month after calving had the most favourable reproduction indicators, also when the milk yield level was taken into account. Keywords: Czech Fleckvieh, body condition score, milk yield, reproduction indicators, BCS development Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 357-367 Volume: 53 Issue: 9 Year: 2008 DOI: 10.17221/335-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/335-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-200809-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:53:y:2008:i:9:id:335-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: E. Štercová Author-Workplace-Name: University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: A. Krása Author-Workplace-Name: Mikrop Čebín, Čebín, Czech Republic Author-Name: R. Lepková Author-Workplace-Name: University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: J. Šterc Author-Workplace-Name: University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic Title: The evaluation of growth and selected carcass and meat quality parameters in fattening bulls fed a diet based on concentrates or maize silage Abstract: The aim of the study was to evaluate the growth rate and selected carcass and meat quality parameters in bulls fed a high-grain diet and to compare the results with those obtained in bulls fed a diet based on preserved roughage. The trial included 18 Czech-Pied bulls fed a diet with a high proportion of concentrated feed and 18 Czech-Pied bulls fed a diet based on maize silage, used as a control group. The trial was launched after the weaning of calves. During the fattening period, live weight and average daily weight gain were monitored. The bulls were slaughtered at the live weight of 550-600 kg, the mean age at slaughter was 473 days for the high-grain diet group and 474 days for the control group. The carcasses were classified to SEUROP quality grades, and carcass gain and dressing percentage were calculated. Samples of m. longissimus pars thoracis were taken from five bulls in each group to examine selected meat quality parameters. In the period from weaning to slaughter the high-grain diet bulls and the control bulls achieved the average daily weight gain of 1.29 kg and 1.21 kg, respectively. Differences between the groups were not significant. The high-grain diet group showed higher average carcass weight and higher carcass weight gain, differences between the groups were not significant, either. As to meat quality parameters under study, a significant difference was found only in meat lightness (L*), with the mean value in the high-grain diet group being significantly (P ≤ 0.01) lower than in the control group. The other meat quality parameters did not show any significant differences between the groups. In this study, the high-grain diet gave similar performance as the maize silage-based diet in fattening bulls. The high-grain diet group and control group showed comparable average daily weight gain and selected carcass and meat quality parameters. Keywords: Czech-Pied bulls, high-grain diet, weight gain, carcass weight, m. longissimus Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 368-376 Volume: 53 Issue: 9 Year: 2008 DOI: 10.17221/334-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/334-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-200809-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:53:y:2008:i:9:id:334-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: A. Kroismayr Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Food Science and Technology, Division of Animal Food and Nutrition, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria Author-Name: J. Sehm Author-Workplace-Name: Center of Life and Food Science, Chair of Physiology, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany Author-Name: M.W. Pfaffl Author-Workplace-Name: Center of Life and Food Science, Chair of Physiology, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany Author-Name: K. Schedle Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Food Science and Technology, Division of Animal Food and Nutrition, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria Author-Name: C. Plitzner Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Food Science and Technology, Division of Animal Food and Nutrition, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria Author-Name: W. Windisch Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Food Science and Technology, Division of Animal Food and Nutrition, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria Title: Effects of avilamycin and essential oils on mRNA expression of apoptotic and inflammatory markers and gut morphology of piglets Abstract: In this study 120 piglets were allotted to 3 dietary treatments, negative control group, one group receiving a blend of essential oils (EO) derived from oregano, anise and citrus peels (40 mg/kg diet), and a positive control group treated with avilamycin as growth promoting feed additive (40 mg/kg diet). On day 22 of the experiment, 12 representative animals from each treatment group were sacrificed and tissue samples were collected for quantitative real time-PCR analysis and gut tissue morphology. EO and avilamycin decreased the gene expression of the transcriptional factor NFκB and the apoptotic marker TNFα significantly in the ileum and jejunum, respectively. The expression of the proliferation marker Cyclin D1 was also significantly decreased by both substances in the colon, mesenteric lymph nodes and spleen. The colonic crypt depth was reduced by avilamycin, and also numerically by the essential oils. These changes correlated with the up-regulation of the apoptosis factor Caspase 3. Histomorphometry revealed a smaller size of ileal Peyer's patches through the use of both feed additives, which correlated significantly with lower expression rates of NFκB. In conclusion, the results suggest that EO and avilamycin relieved weaning piglets from an immune defence stress in a similar way. Keywords: piglets, essential oils, avilamycin, gene expression, gut morphology Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 377-387 Volume: 53 Issue: 9 Year: 2008 DOI: 10.17221/338-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/338-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-200809-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:53:y:2008:i:9:id:338-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: S. Roychoudhury Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Nitra, Slovak Republic Author-Name: J. Bulla Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Nitra, Slovak Republic Author-Name: J. Čurlej Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Nitra, Slovak Republic Author-Workplace-Name: Slovak Agricultural Research Centre, Nitra, Slovak Republic Author-Name: P. Chrenek Author-Workplace-Name: Slovak Agricultural Research Centre, Nitra, Slovak Republic Title: Hypodiploidy as a prominent attributor to chromosomal aneuploidy in transgenic rabbit embryos Abstract: Transgenic animals play a vital role in basic research, agriculture and pharmaceutical industries. Rabbits have the advantage of other large laboratory species in that they have a short gestation period and yield large numbers of embryos. Production of transgenic rabbits has been directed towards using the rabbit as a model for large domestic animals or as a basic biological model for studying the mammalian gene regulation. In connection with their use, developmental and health disorders have also been reported in genetically modified animals. Random integration of a transgene can disrupt the function or regulation of an endogenous gene, resulting in insertion mutations or chromosomal aneuploidy. Chromosomal abnormalities affect the developmental potential of early embryos and serve as potential predictors of developmental outcome. This study was aimed at analyzing the cytogenetic profile of transgenic rabbit embryos, which is necessary for selecting optimal lines for dissemination in order to eliminate animals with chromosomal aberrations. Conventional Giemsa stained c-metaphase spreads obtained from blastomeres of intact as well as microinjected transgenic (EGFP and hFVIII) and non-transgenic embryos revealed a significantly higher (P < 0.01) rate of aneuploid cells in transgenic rabbits compared to non-transgenic animals. However, microinjection did not seem to influence the rate of aneuploidy, as the incidence of aneuploidy in non-transgenic blastomeres was significantly lower (P < 0.01) in comparison with intact ones (14.3 vs. 73.33%). The findings suggest hypodiploidy as the prominent attributor to the occurrence of aneuploidy. This is the first report of 100% chromosomal aneuploidy in the embryos of both EGFP and hFVIII transgenic rabbits. Keywords: chromosomal aneuploidy, EGFP, embryo, hFVIII, rabbit, transgenic Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 388-397 Volume: 53 Issue: 9 Year: 2008 DOI: 10.17221/336-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/336-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-200809-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:53:y:2008:i:9:id:336-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: J. Chyb Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Ichthyobiology and Fisheries, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland Author-Name: T. Mikolajczyk Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Ichthyobiology and Fisheries, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland Author-Name: M. Sokolowska-Mikolajczyk Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Ichthyobiology and Fisheries, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland Author-Name: M. Socha Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Ichthyobiology and Fisheries, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland Author-Name: P. Szczerbik Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Ichthyobiology and Fisheries, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland Author-Name: D. Biedroń Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Ichthyobiology and Fisheries, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland Author-Name: M. Dębowska Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Ichthyobiology and Fisheries, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland Author-Name: M. Kasiuk Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Ichthyobiology and Fisheries, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland Author-Name: J. Madej Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Ichthyobiology and Fisheries, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland Author-Name: E. Podczerwińska Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Ichthyobiology and Fisheries, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland Author-Name: M. Adamek Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Ichthyobiology and Fisheries, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland Author-Name: P. Epler Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Ichthyobiology and Fisheries, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland Title: Effects of non-steroidal gonadal factors on LH secretion in female common carp during the reproductive cycle Abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of recombinant human inhibin A, recombinant human activin A and desteroidized ovarian extract on LH secretion in vitro and in vivo in female common carp during different stages of reproductive cycle. Inhibin stimulated spontaneous as well as GnRH-stimulated LH release in vivo in fish during gonadal recrudescence. This hormone did not have an influence on spontaneous LH secretion in the periovulatory period, but had a slightly inhibitory effect on GnRH-stimulated LH release in this stage of gonad maturity. Activin decreased spontaneous LH secretion during gonadal recrudescence and increased LH secretion before ovulation, having no effects on GnRH-stimulated LH release during both stages of gonad maturity. The desteroidized ovarian extract failed to modify spontaneous LH secretion, but decreased GnRH-stimulated LH release during recrudescence and especially before ovulation. It is to conclude that these data suggest the differential role of inhibin/activin as substances in the regulation of LH secretion in common carp females. Keywords: inhibin, activin, ovarian extract, LH, common carp, aquaculture Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 398-403 Volume: 53 Issue: 9 Year: 2008 DOI: 10.17221/337-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/337-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-200809-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:53:y:2008:i:9:id:337-CJAS