Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: D. Řehák Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Science, Prague-Uhříněves, 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, Czech Republic Author-Name: M. Kubešová Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Science, Prague-Uhříněves, Czech Republic Author-Name: M. Štípková 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: F. Jílek Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences, Czech Republic Title: Relationships between milk urea and production and fertility traits in Holstein dairy herds in the Czech Republic Abstract: The objective of this study was to determine how the concentration of milk urea (MU) and FPCM production affect reproduction in selected Holstein dairy herds in the Czech Republic. A retrospective, observational study comprising analyses of individual cow records from monthly dairy herd improvement (DHI) milk tests including milk urea (MU) concentration was conducted in six commercial Holstein dairy herds in cows that were bred from July 2000 to August 2003. A total of 1 333 cows with available breeding date, pregnancy status, and calving to first service interval from 31 to 150 days were selected. The data were evaluated using the mixed linear model and logistic analyses. The effect of MU concentration on the probability of conception at first service was not significant (P = 0.11). The results indicated a nonlinear relationship between MU concentration and the probability of conception. A significant effect of the length of calving to first service interval (P < 0.05) and FPCM (P < 0.05) was determined. The cows with the calving to first service interval longer than 2 months had higher probability of conception (10% higher). In the group with the highest FPCM a markedly lower level of successful pregnancy was determined (38.99%), which significantly differed from the group with average FPCM production (48.53%). The probability of conception at first service in the group with the lowest FPCM is at an average level (43.55%). Keywords: dairy cow, reproduction, probability of conception Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 193-200 Volume: 54 Issue: 5 Year: 2009 DOI: 10.17221/1664-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/1664-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-200905-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:54:y:2009:i:5:id:1664-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: A. Veselý Author-Workplace-Name: Agriresearch Rapotín, Ltd., Rapotín, Czech Republic Author-Name: L. Křížová Author-Workplace-Name: Agriresearch Rapotín, Ltd., Rapotín, Czech Republic Author-Name: J. Třináctý Author-Workplace-Name: Agriresearch Rapotín, Ltd., Rapotín, Czech Republic Author-Name: S. Hadrová Author-Workplace-Name: Research Institute for Cattle Breeding, Ltd., Rapotín, Czech Republic Author-Name: M. Navrátilová Author-Workplace-Name: Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: I. Herzig Author-Workplace-Name: Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: M. Fišera Author-Workplace-Name: Thomas Bata University, Zlín, Czech Republic Title: Changes in fatty acid profile and iodine content in milk as influenced by the inclusion of extruded rapeseed cake in the diet of dairy cows Abstract: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of extruded rapeseed cake in diets of dairy cows on changes in milk fatty acid profile and iodine content in milk and on the thyroid gland status. An experiment was carried out on four lactating Holstein cows divided into 2 groups - experimental (R) fed a diet based on extruded rapeseed cake and control (S) fed a diet based on extruded full-fat soya. The experiment was divided into 4 periods of 42 days (21 days of preliminary period and 21 days of experimental period). Samples of milk and blood were taken three times a week during the experimental period. DMI was not affected by the treatment (P > 0.05). Milk yield and 4% FCM were lower in R compared to S (P < 0.05). Percentages of milk fat and protein were higher in R than in S (P < 0.05). The total content of SFA and UFA was not affected by the treatment (P > 0.05). However, the content of MUFA in R was higher (34.71 g/100 g) and the content of PUFA was lower (4.00 g/100 g) than in S (32.14 and 5.54 g/100 g, respectively (P < 0.05). The contents of C18:2 and C18:3 isomers and metabolites in R were lower than in S (P < 0.05). The content of cis-9, trans-11 CLA and trans-10, cis-12 CLA was lower in R (0.71 and 0.016 g/100 g) compared to S (0.97 and 0.022 g/100 g, respectively, P < 0.05). The index of atherogenicity and peroxidisability in R was lower than in S (P < 0.05). The index of desaturation was not affected by the treatment (P > 0.05). The mean daily intake of glucosinolates (Gls) in R was 50.14 mmol and resulted in a significant decrease in iodine concentration in milk in R (196.7 μg/l) in comparison with S (367.0 μg/l, P < 0.05) resulting in the lower daily iodine output in milk in R compared to S (4.4 and 9.2 mg/day, respectively, P < 0.05). Concentrations of T3 and T4 in blood plasma were not affected by the treatment (P > 0.05). Keywords: extruded rapeseed cake, fatty acids, iodine, thyroid hormones, milk, dairy cows Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 201-209 Volume: 54 Issue: 5 Year: 2009 DOI: 10.17221/1721-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/1721-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-200905-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:54:y:2009:i:5:id:1721-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: C. Sun Author-Workplace-Name: College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China Author-Name: L. Wang Author-Workplace-Name: College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China Author-Name: D. F. Jiang Author-Workplace-Name: College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China Author-Name: B. Zhang Author-Workplace-Name: College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China Title: Missense mutations in exon 2 of the porcine leptin receptor gene and their associations with litter size and body weight Abstract: Leptin receptor (LEPR) gene is regarded as a "candidate-gene" of production traits. The aims of this study were to detect polymorphisms of exon 2 within LEPR gene and to investigate their associations with production traits, litter size and live weight in Luchuan and Large White pig breeds. For this purpose, the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of exon 2 within LEPR were detected using the PCR-SSCP procedure and their association with litter size and live weight was also analysed in Luchuan (n = 446) and Large White pigs (n = 405). The results showed that the C155T mutation was found in exon 2 of porcine LEPR gene in analyzed populations, which caused a missense mutation (Met to Thr). The different genotypes of this locus had the effects on total number of piglets born, born alive of the first (1st) and the first to the fourth (1st-4th) litters. The individuals with allele A had a higher number of total piglets born and a higher number of born alive piglets in the first litter (P < 0.05) while the differences in birth weight, weaning weight and average daily gain were not significant among different genotypes of this locus in analyzed populations. It implies that the exon 2 (Thr/Met) mutation of LEPR gene is a potential gene marker of pig reproduction. Therefore, it can be used in the marker-assisted selection (MAS) of pig breeding work. Keywords: LEPR, SNPs, pigs, litter size, live weight Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 210-216 Volume: 54 Issue: 5 Year: 2009 DOI: 10.17221/1663-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/1663-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-200905-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:54:y:2009:i:5:id:1663-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: J. Kvapilík Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Science, Prague-Uhříněves, Czech Republic Author-Name: J. Přibyl Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Science, Prague-Uhříněves, Czech Republic Author-Name: Z. Růžička Author-Workplace-Name: Czech-Moravian Breeders' Corporation, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: D. Řehák Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Science, Prague-Uhříněves, Czech Republic Title: Results of pig carcass classification according to SEUROP in the Czech Republic Abstract: Through data analysis of 7 571 883 pig carcasses slaughtered from 2004 to 2007 the means of quality classes (QC) 2.32, lean meat percentage (LM) 55.83%, carcass weight (CW) 87.21 kg, muscle thickness (MT) 61.95 mm and fat thickness (FT) 15.95 mm were determined. The highest correlation coefficients are between QC and LM (r = -0.920), LM and FT (-0.900) as well as QC and FT (0.828), the lowest between FT and MT (r = -0.084). Quality class as the dominant indicator is influenced mainly by LM, which explains from 77% to 89% of variability in the case of linear regression. Among the eight methods of pig carcass classification the FOM apparatus was used the most frequently (46.5% carcasses) followed by the ULTRA-FOM 300 apparatus (15.6%), another apparatus (13.2%) and by the IS-D-05 unit (9.8%). In the statistical models used all effects (differences) are statistically significant because of the large size of the data set. The results from the separate evaluation of each cross-classified effect are that EV has the largest influence and year-season and methods have a smaller influence. The time trend (42 months) documents stable CW and MT, a slight increase in LM and improvement of QC. The estimated results indicate the successful introduction of pig carcass classification in the CR after accession to the EU. Keywords: pig, carcass classification, accuracy, weight, quality class, lean meat, fat Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 217-228 Volume: 54 Issue: 5 Year: 2009 DOI: 10.17221/1662-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/1662-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-200905-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:54:y:2009:i:5:id:1662-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: D. Jalč Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Physiology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Košice, Slovak Republic Author-Name: M. Čertík Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Bratislava, Slovak Republic Author-Name: K. Kundríková Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Bratislava, Slovak Republic Author-Name: P. Kubelková Author-Workplace-Name: Research Institute of Animal Science, Prague-Uhříněves, Czech Republic Title: Effect of microbial oil and fish oil on rumen fermentation and metabolism of fatty acids in artificial rumen Abstract: The objective of this study was to examine the effect of microbial oil (MO, n-6 fatty acids) and fish oil (FO, n-3fatty acids) used in their blends as supplements (5% wt/wt) to the diet containing 80% of hay and 20% of barley on rumen fermentation and lipid metabolism in artificial rumen. Overall, three different ratios of n-6 and n-3 fatty acids (1:1, 3:1, and 5:1) as the blends of MO and FO were used. Two similar consecutive experiments were carried out within 2 months. Each experiment lasted for 12 days with 6 days of stabilization period. The addition of all three oil blends did not affect the parameters of fermentation such as degradation of dry matter (DM), detergent fibre, total gas production, but increased the degradation of cellulose and hemicellulose in the diets. The supplementation of oil blends to the diet insignificantly (NS) decreased the methane production (mostly the n-6/n-3 ratio 1:1, about 23.5%), increased (P < 0.01) mol% of propionate (mostly the n-6/n-3 ratio 1:1, about 24.1%) and decreased (P < 0.05) mol% of acetate (mostly the n-6/n-3 ratio, 1:1, about 7.7%). The lipid metabolism in artificial rumen was also affected, when the oil blends increased (P < 0.001) the concentration of total fatty acids (FA) and long-chain FA (LCFA) in effluent. The concentration (mg/g rumen fluid DM) of trans (trans 11 C18:1, TVA-vaccenic acid), cis C18:1 isomers and CLA-conjugated linoleic acid (cis 9, trans 11 C18:2) was also increased (P < 0.001) by the oil blends. Finally, the oil blends caused the incomplete FA biohydrogenation by an increase in TVA concentration and TVA/C18:0 ratio in effluent in artificial rumen. Keywords: microbial oil, fish oil, rumen fermentation, lipid metabolism Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 229-237 Volume: 54 Issue: 5 Year: 2009 DOI: 10.17221/1765-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/1765-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-200905-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:54:y:2009:i:5:id:1765-CJAS