Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: K. Szulc Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Pig Breeding and Production, The Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland Author-Name: E. Skrzypczak Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Pig Breeding and Production, The Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland Author-Name: J.T. Buczyński Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Pig Breeding and Production, The Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland Author-Name: D. Stanisławski Author-Workplace-Name: Computer Laboratory of the Faculty of Animal Biology and Breeding, The Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland Author-Name: A. Jankowska-Mąkosa Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Pig Breeding, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland Author-Name: D. Knecht Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Pig Breeding, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland Title: Evaluation of fattening and slaughter performance and determination of meat quality in Złotnicka Spotted pigs and their crosses with the Duroc breed Abstract: The study aimed at an evaluation of fattening and slaughter performance as well as meat quality of the native Złotnicka Spotted (ZS) pigs and its crosses with Duroc pigs. The experimental material comprised 60 fatteners, divided into three genetic groups of 20 animals (100% ZS, 75% ZS and 50% ZS). The specific character of conservative breeding results in low values of fattening and slaughter performance traits observed in ZS breed. Among the analysed groups, animals with 100% share of ZS genes in their genotype were characterised by low daily weight gains (0.59 kg), considerable backfat thickness (34.96 mm), slight muscle thickness (48.05 mm), and low leanness (41.83%). These parameters were higher in both groups of crosses. Differences between the 100% ZS group and the 50% ZS group were significant for backfat thickness and highly significant for leanness. Acidity and colour parameters analysis showed that meat from all the genetic groups analysed was characterised by a good quality. The highest pH45 values were in the 75% ZS group, and meat from this group had the darkest colour (L* = 49.73) and the highest red colour share (a* = 5.11). Statistical analyses showed that ZS breed retained its original traits through the years of breeding. It was confirmed that meat of Złotnicka Spotted breed is characterised by excellent quality. The results indicate that ZS and Duroc breeds crossing improves fattening and slaughter performance, while maintaining good meat quality in their crosses. Results of this study may also be used by breeders. They indicate that crosses of both the breeds kept in extensive breeding may be successfully used in high quality meat production. Pork from such animals may be a raw material for market niche production, such as regional products. The use of meat from crosses in meat processing may improve both quality of the processed products and efficiency of production based on the native Złotnicka Spotted breed. Keywords: native pig, slaughter and carcass traits, meat quality, correlations Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 95-107 Volume: 57 Issue: 3 Year: 2012 DOI: 10.17221/5561-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/5561-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201203-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:57:y:2012:i:3:id:5561-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: V. Zink Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Science, Prague-Uhříněves, Czech Republic Author-Name: J. Lassen Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Aarhus University, Tjele, Denmark Author-Name: M. Štípková Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Science, Prague-Uhříněves, Czech Republic Title: Genetic parameters for female fertility and milk production traits in first-parity Czech Holstein cows Abstract: The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for female fertility and production traits in first-parity Czech Holstein cows and to quantify the effect of using this information on the accuracy of a selection index in seven different scenarios. In order to estimate genetic (co)variance components, the DMU software running an AI-REML algorithm was used. The analyses were made using a series of bivariate animal models. The pedigree included 164 125 animals and it was set up using a pruned animal model design. The present study included the following female fertility traits for the first lactations: calving to the first insemination (CF), days open (DO), calving from the first to the last insemination (FL), and milk production traits: milk production (MLK), kg of fat (FAT), and kg of protein (PROT). The heritability for all the investigated fertility traits was low and close to 0. Moderate heritabilities for production traits ranging from 0.20 (MLK) to 0.23 (PROT) were estimated. The strongest unfavourable correlation was found between PROT and DO (0.49). Other estimated correlations between fertility traits and production traits were moderate, ranging from 0.26 to 0.41. The results of this study evidence that cows with the poorest genetic potential for reproductive performance are those having high genetic potential for milk production and milk components. The results also show that the number of days from calving to new pregnancy depends on the production level. Seven investigated scenarios using selection index theory show a clear trend for increasing accuracy when more fertility traits were added as well as when higher numbers of daughters with information on reproduction traits per sire were available. Keywords: dairy cattle, reproduction, production, genetic parameters Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 108-114 Volume: 57 Issue: 3 Year: 2012 DOI: 10.17221/5562-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/5562-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201203-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:57:y:2012:i:3:id:5562-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: D. Kokoszyński Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Poultry Breeding, University of Technology and Life Sciences, Bydgoszcz, Poland Author-Name: Z. Bernacki Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Poultry Breeding, University of Technology and Life Sciences, Bydgoszcz, Poland Author-Name: Ł. Duszyński Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Poultry Breeding, University of Technology and Life Sciences, Bydgoszcz, Poland Title: Body conformation, carcass composition and physicochemical and sensory properties of meat from pheasants of different origin Abstract: Mongolian × Versicolor and common pheasants were investigated. Birds were kept in a confined, environmentally controlled facility without outdoor access and fed ad libitum commercial diets for slaughter pheasants. Body weight was determined at the end of 6, 10 and 13 weeks of rearing, and body weight and body measurements were determined in 16-week-old pheasants. At 16 weeks, 20 pheasants were taken from each genetic group for slaughter. After slaughter, pH15 of muscles was determined and carcasses were dissected. Samples of breast and leg muscles were collected to determine water holding capacity, colour, and sensory properties of meat. Compared to common pheasants, Mongolian × Versicolor hybrids were characterized by similar body weight and body measurements except for length of trunk with neck in females. The carcasses of Mongolian × Versicolor pheasants of both sexes contained more breast muscles, leg muscles, skin with subcutaneous fat and abdominal fat. Differences in the values of these traits were not significant. Significant differences in the composition of carcasses from the groups under comparison were only found for the content of skin with subcutaneous fat and abdominal fat content in females, which were significantly higher (P ≤ 0.05) in Mongolian × Versicolor females. The leg muscles had significantly higher pH15 in Mongolian × Versicolor females and significantly lower (P ≤ 0.05) redness (a*) in males. Compared to the common pheasants, the breast muscles of Mongolian × Versicolor pheasants received lower scores for aroma and tenderness and higher scores for taste, whereas leg muscles had higher scores for intensity of aroma and taste, and lower scores for taste and tenderness. Keywords: pheasant, origin, body measurements, dissection, meat quality Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 115-124 Volume: 57 Issue: 3 Year: 2012 DOI: 10.17221/5564-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/5564-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201203-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:57:y:2012:i:3:id:5564-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: L. Zavadilová 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 Title: Genetic correlations between longevity and conformation traits in the Czech Holstein population Abstract: Genetic correlations between longevity and conformation traits were estimated using data on Czech Holstein cows first calved in the years 1993-2008. Longevity traits considered were length of productive life and number of lactations initiated and their functional equivalents (i.e. the longevity traits corrected for milk production). Conformation traits were twenty one linear descriptive type traits, six composite traits and height at sacrum measured in cm. A possible nonlinear relationship between conformation and longevity traits was also investigated. The heritabilities ranged from 0.05 to 0.43 for conformation traits and from 0.03 to 0.05 for longevity traits. Low to moderate genetic relationships between conformation and longevity traits were found. The genetic correlations were higher for functional longevity than for direct longevity traits. Negative genetic correlations with all longevity traits were found for height at the sacrum, stature, dairy form, body conformation, and capacity. Final score showed weak genetic correlation with all analyzed longevity traits. Positive genetic correlations occurred between feet and legs and direct longevity and functional longevity (0.19, 0.14) and between udder and direct longevity (0.10). Body condition score and angularity showed strong genetic correlations with functional longevity (body condition score 0.30, angularity -0.31). Foot and leg traits showed weak genetic correlations with longevity traits except rear legs set (side view) (-0.24) and hock quality (0.19). The udder traits showed inconsistent and rather weak genetic correlations with longevity traits, with the exception of a stronger genetic correlation between rear udder width and functional longevity (-0.22) and between central ligament and number of lactations (-0.18, -0.19). The teat traits showed always negative genetic correlations with longevity traits. The strongest correlations were found for rear teat position (-0.28) and the weakest for teat length (-0.03). Some conformation traits showed markedly stronger genetic correlations with functional longevity than with direct longevity (rear udder width and rear udder height, dairy form, body condition score, angularity, rear legs set (side view), rear legs rear view). A quadratic relationship between conformation and longevity traits did exist. Even if the linear relationship generally prevailed, the quadratic relationship should be taken into account. Keywords: cows, Holstein breed, longevity, conformation traits, genetic correlation, nonlinearity Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 125-136 Volume: 57 Issue: 3 Year: 2012 DOI: 10.17221/5566-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/5566-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201203-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:57:y:2012:i:3:id:5566-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: H. Musikasang Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Industrial Biotechnology, Faculty of Agro-Industry, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand Author-Name: N. Sohsomboon Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Industrial Biotechnology, Faculty of Agro-Industry, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand Author-Name: A. Tani Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama University, Japan Author-Name: S. Maneerat Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Industrial Biotechnology, Faculty of Agro-Industry, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand Title: Bacteriocin-producing lactic acid bacteria as a probiotic potential from Thai indigenous chickens Abstract: Bacteriocin-producing lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated and screened from the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of Thai indigenous chickens. The bacteriocinogenic activities and the primary probiotic properties were determined. The bacteriocins produced by 14 strains of selected LAB displayed inhibitory activity against indicator strains after the supernatants were neutralized with NaOH in the following species: Lactobacillus sakei subsp. sakei JCM1157, Enterococcus faecalis VanB, Bacillus sp., and Listeria monocytogenes. The antagonistic acti-vity of selected LAB was inactivated or decreased after being treated with proteolytic enzymes (α-chymotrypsin and trypsin). CR5-1 strain exhibited the highest level of activity (5120 AU/ml) in the stationary phase against L. sakei subsp. sakei JCM1157 in MRS broth at 37°C. The nine isolates of selected LAB were investigated for primary probiotic properties. The survival of the nine isolates was found to decrease approximately by 3 log CFU/ml after passing through the gastrointestinal conditions. All isolates exhibited protein digestion on agar plates but no isolates showed the ability to digest starch and lipid. Most of them showed high susceptibilities to some antibiotics (penicillin G, tetracycline and erythromycin). Thirteen LAB strains producing bacteriocin with strongly inhibitory activity were identified as Lactobacillus salivarius and only one strain was identified by 16S rDNA sequence analysis as Lactobacillus agilis. Keywords: poultry, gastrointestinal tract, probiotic, antibiotic susceptibility Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 137-149 Volume: 57 Issue: 3 Year: 2012 DOI: 10.17221/5568-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/5568-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201203-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:57:y:2012:i:3:id:5568-CJAS