Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: I. Manga Author-Workplace-Name: Agriresearch Rapotín Ltd., Rapotín, Czech Republic Author-Name: J. Dvořák Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Morphology, Physiology and Genetics, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Title: TaqMan allelic discrimination assay for A1 and A2 alleles of the bovine CSN2 gene Abstract: Alleles A1 and A2 of the Bos taurus CSN2 gene are the most frequent in a number of dairy cattle breeds. In this study, a new allelic discrimination assay using TaqMan fluorogenic probes was developed to detect single nucleotide substitution characterizing the A1/A2 alleles of the CSN2 gene. The method was validated using DNA samples of known genotypes with different concentrations and the results were compared with those for the commonly used problematic ACRS-PCR. We found the TaqMan method to be more effective, 100% reliable and hundred times more sensitive for testing the CSN2 genetic marker in cattle than the ACRS-PCR. As it enabled a rapid analysis of a large number of DNA samples in uniform format without previous DNA quality assessment and without the requirement for post-amplification manipulations, it presents an effective tool for the analysis of large-scale sample sets. The method was applied for testing on a sample of 120 Czech Holstein dairy cows. The observed relative genotype and allele frequencies were as follows: A1A1-0.20, A1A2-0.51, A2A2-0.29; A1-0.45, A2-0.55. Keywords: allelic discrimination, CSN2, alleles A1 and A2, cattle Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 307-312 Volume: 55 Issue: 8 Year: 2010 DOI: 10.17221/89/2009-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/89/2009-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201008-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:55:y:2010:i:8:id:89-2009-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: R. Bečková Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Science in Prague-Uhrineves, Division of Pig Breeding in Kostelec nad Orlicí, Kostelec nad Orlicí, Czech Republic Author-Name: E. Václavková Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Science in Prague-Uhrineves, Division of Pig Breeding in Kostelec nad Orlicí, Kostelec nad Orlicí, Czech Republic Title: The effect of linseed diet on carcass value traits and fatty acid composition in muscle and fat tissue of fattening pigs Abstract: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of linseed in the diet of fattening pigs on carcass value traits and changes in the fatty acid profile in muscle and fat tissue. Thirty crossbred gilts were divided into two groups (control C and experimental L) and fed a commercial feed mixture for fattening pigs. Ground linseed was added to a feed mixture for the experimental group. The average daily gain, lean meat percentage and intramuscular fat content were not affected by the linseed diet but pH1 value and drip loss were significantly influenced by dietary treatment (P < 0.01). The inclusion of linseed increased linoleic and alpha-linolenic acid content in L group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) while arachidonic acid content was decreased in both muscle (P > 0.05) and fat tissue (P < 0.01). The content of total n-6 PUFA and n-3 PUFA and their ratio were also determined. A significant decrease in the n-6/n-3PUFA ratio was found in L group compared to C group (P < 0.01). The total SFA content in muscle tissue was not significantly affected (P > 0.05) by the linseed diet but it was decreased (P < 0.01) in backfat. The MUFA/SFA ratio was not affected by the linseed diet (P > 0.05) whereas the SFA/PUFA ratio was reduced (P < 0.01). Keywords: linseed, carcass value traits, fatty acid, pig Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 313-320 Volume: 55 Issue: 8 Year: 2010 DOI: 10.17221/197/2009-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/197/2009-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201008-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:55:y:2010:i:8:id:197-2009-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: K.W. Romański Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Biostructure and Animal Physiology, Veterinary School, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland Title: Effects of cholecystokinin-octapeptide and cerulein on small-intestinal motility in sheep Abstract: Cholecystokinin (CCK) affects the intestinal motility but in ruminants the question has not been entirely explored. The aim of this study was to examine the precise effects of CCK-octapeptide (CCK-OP)and its amphibian analogue, cerulein, on duodenal motor activity in unfasted rams in the course of chronic experiments. Five rams underwent the implantation of a strain gauge force transducer to the duodenal wall, and - additionally - the bipolar platinum electrodes to the duodenal bulb, distal duodenum, near the strain gauge force transducer, and proximal jejunum. During continuous motor recordings, 0.15M NaCl or CCK peptides were administrated intravenously. Injections of CCK-OP at doses of 20 (over 30 s), 200 (over 30 or 60 s), and 2 000 (over 30, 60, or 120 s) ng/kg of body weight and injections of cerulein at doses of 1, 10, or 100 ng/kg (given over the same periods) were each administered in the course of duodenal phase 1, 2a, or 2b of the migrating motor complex (MMC), i.e. 5 min after the onset of each phase. Injections of the smallest doses of CCK peptides exerted a slight and mostly insignificant effect on the duodenal areas under contraction (AUC). In the duodenum, the moderate doses of the hormones evoked short stimulatory effects followed by longer inhibitory biphasic effects on AUC. These effects were inversely related to the duration of the hormone injection. It is concluded that CCK evokes stimulatory and inhibitory (biphasic) physiological effects on duodenal motility in sheep. Keywords: sheep, duodenum, motor activity, cholecystokinin octapeptide, cerulein, migrating motor complex Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 321-329 Volume: 55 Issue: 8 Year: 2010 DOI: 10.17221/1692-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/1692-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201008-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:55:y:2010:i:8:id:1692-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: J. Tůma Author-Workplace-Name: University of Hradec Králové, Faculty of Education, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic Author-Name: E. Tůmová Author-Workplace-Name: Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: V. Valášek Author-Workplace-Name: University of Hradec Králové, Faculty of Education, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic Title: The effect of season and parity order on fertility of rabbit does and kit growth Abstract: The effect of season and parity order on doe fertility and rabbit growth was evaluated. Two hundred and fifty Hyplus® does were divided into five groups according to kindling, each in a given season of the year (September, December, February, April and June). Another five groups were separated by parity order (from the first to the fifth kindling). After weaning, each group of rabbits was fed until 77 days of age. The season of the year significantly affected service number of pregnancy, litter size, litter weight at birth, litter weight at 21 days, litter size at weaning as well as live weight at 77 days. Parity order affected service number of pregnancy and litter weight at 21 days in a more limited way. Significant interactions of season and parity order were determined in service number of pregnancy, with the highest values occurring in December (2.2, P ≤ 0.010) and February (1.9, P ≤ 0.010) at the second kindling. Litter size was the largest in December and at the fifth kindling. Significant interactions (P ≤ 0.015) were also found in litter weight at 21 days, whereby litter weight had increased by the third kindling. However, the highest litter weight was reported after the fourth kindling in December. Keywords: rabbit doe, season, parity order, fertility, rabbit growth Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 330-336 Volume: 55 Issue: 8 Year: 2010 DOI: 10.17221/317/2009-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/317/2009-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201008-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:55:y:2010:i:8:id:317-2009-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: M. Knížatová Author-Workplace-Name: Animal Production Research Centre in Nitra, Nitra, Slovak Republic Author-Name: Š. Mihina Author-Workplace-Name: Animal Production Research Centre in Nitra, Nitra, Slovak Republic Author-Workplace-Name: Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Nitra, Slovak Republic Author-Name: J. Brouček Author-Workplace-Name: Animal Production Research Centre in Nitra, Nitra, Slovak Republic Author-Name: I. Karandušovská Author-Workplace-Name: Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Nitra, Slovak Republic Author-Name: J. Mačuhová Author-Workplace-Name: Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Animal Husbandry, Poing, Germany Title: The influence of litter age, litter temperature and ventilation rate on ammonia emissions from a broiler rearing facility Abstract: The research reported in this article attempts to address the ammonia problem by quantifying the effect of several variables on ammonia concentrations and emissions. These variables include litter temperature, litter age and ventilation rate. Data was collected in a commercial tunnel-ventilated grow-out facility with deep litter, designed for 25 000 broilers, during 6 consecutive flocks. Birds were housed from hatching to approximately 40 days of age. Litter temperature and litter age were positively correlated (P < 0.0001) with the production of ammonia gas. The amount of ammonia emissions increased with the litter age (P < 0.0001) as a consequence of both the increased ammonia concentration and the ventilation rate (P < 0.0001). The lowest concentrations of NH3 were observed in a "summer" period, although ammonia emissions tended to be higher just in summer months because of a higher ventilation rate. The elevated levels of ammonia in winter were attributed to the lower ventilation rate during cold weather. After the evaluation of ammonia emissions it can be concluded that during the grow-out period of broilers kept on renewed litter there is an average loss of 6.18 g ammonia per bird and/or 0.043 kg of ammonia per bird yearly. The increase in litter temperature during grow-out periods is a process which could be controlled to prevent excessive ammonia volatilization from housing facilities. Keywords: ammonia, litter, broiler chickens, grow-out period, ventilation rate Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 337-345 Volume: 55 Issue: 8 Year: 2010 DOI: 10.17221/176/2009-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/176/2009-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201008-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:55:y:2010:i:8:id:176-2009-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: J. Dostál Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Liběchov, Czech Republic Author-Name: P. Horák Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Liběchov, Czech Republic Author-Name: A. Hrdlicová Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Liběchov, Czech Republic Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Breeding and Ethology, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: A. Stratil Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Liběchov, Czech Republic Title: Simplified PCR analysis of a mutation in the NHEJ1 gene causing collie eye anomaly in some dog breeds Abstract: Collie eye anomaly (CEA) is an inherited eye disease affecting development of the choroids and sclera segregating in several, mostly herding breeds of dog. Phenotypic development of the disease varies greatly in the affected animals. Genetic control of its clinical variation is unknown so far. Affected dogs share a 7.8 kb deletion in intron 4 of the NHEJ1 gene. We report here population studies of 379 dogs (Australian Shepherd, Border Collie, Rough Collie, Smooth Collie, Shetland Sheep Dog, and Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever) from breeders in the Czech Republic. A simple PCR method using a PikoTM Thermal Cycler and unclotted blood samples was employed for the analysis of the NHEJ1 gene. No isolation of DNA from blood samples before PCR was needed. The method is time-saving and gives excellent results. Frequencies of the disease allele in each breed were calculated (0.045, 0.194, 0.797, 0.367, 0.429 and 0.244, respectively). An improvement of genetic health of the breeds on the basis of allele frequencies is discussed. Keywords: CEA, polymorphism, indel, PikoTM Thermal Cycler, allele frequencies Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 346-350 Volume: 55 Issue: 8 Year: 2010 DOI: 10.17221/259/2009-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/259/2009-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201008-0006.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:55:y:2010:i:8:id:259-2009-CJAS