Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: J. Matras Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Nutrition and Bromatology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Lublin, Poland Author-Name: R. Klebaniuk Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Nutrition and Bromatology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Lublin, Poland Author-Name: E. Kowalczuk-Vasilev Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Nutrition and Bromatology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Lublin, Poland Title: Impact of glucogenic additive in transition dairy cow diets of varying ruminal starch degradability on yield and composition of milk and reproductive parameters Abstract: A two-factorial experiment was carried out on 6 groups (10 animals each) of Polish Black and White Holstein-Friesian cows in the transition period to determine the effect of glucogenic additive (GA) to the diets containing grains of varied ruminal starch degradation on cow performance. The animals from 3 control groups (C-groups) were fed the diets without any additive, whereas 3 other, experimental ones (A-groups) received the diets with additive of glucogenic preparation (450 g per head/day) comprising calcium propionate and loose propylene glycol (1 : 1). In the control groups as well as in the experimental ones, three analogical treatments, differing in concentrate composed of grain species of varying ruminal degradability of starch, i.e. maize (M) - low ruminal degradability, barley and wheat (BW) - high ruminal degradability and marriage of them (MBW) were conducted. Finally, the treatments were: C-M, C-BW, C-MBW, A-M, A-BW, and A-MBW. The rations of all groups based on maize silage, haylage, and meadow hay were mixed at 69 : 19 : 12 ratio (dry matter (DM) basis) and given ad libitum. Besides, all the animals received adequate concentrate rations to satisfy their nutritional requirements. The experiment started two weeks before the expected parturition and lasted till the 6th lactation week. Neither GA nor a type of grain in the diets showed significant negative influence on DM intake. A glucogenic additive has positively affected some basal nutrient digestibility, elevating significantly DM and crude protein (CP) coefficients of the apparent total tract digestibility (CATTD), by about 3 percentage points. The GA × grain interactions (P ≤ 0.05) in CATTD of CP and nitrogen-free extract (NFE) were stated, with the peak values reported in the A-BW treatment. GA increased (P ≤ 0.05) daily milk yield by nearly 5% in comparison with the control treatments. GA × grain interaction was noted with the best effect in the treatment where GA was given along with maize-barley-wheat-based concentrate. Besides, the glucogenic additive decreased (P ≤ 0.05) protein (PDI) expenditure per 1 kg of fat-corrected milk (FCM) by ca. 6% and raised (by 0.15 percentage point in week 6) protein content, while lowered the urea milk level in weeks 3 and 6 of lactation by approximately 15%. It showed beneficial effect on cow reproductive indicators reducing the time interval from calving to successful insemination and improving insemination index. Keywords: cows, transition period, glucogenic additive, propylene glycol, calcium propionate, ruminal starch degradability, milk, reproduction Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 301-311 Volume: 57 Issue: 7 Year: 2012 DOI: 10.17221/6005-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/6005-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201207-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:57:y:2012:i:7:id:6005-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: G. Pastorelli Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Veterinary Sciences and Technologies for Food Safety, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milano, Milano, Italy Author-Name: R. Rossi Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Veterinary Sciences and Technologies for Food Safety, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milano, Milano, Italy Author-Name: C. Corino Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Veterinary Sciences and Technologies for Food Safety, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milano, Milano, Italy Title: Influence of Lippia citriodora verbascoside on growth performance, antioxidant status, and serum immunoglobulins content in piglets Abstract: Phytogenic feed additives are used in animal feeding to improve livestock performance. The aim of this study was to determine whether a dietary plant extract from Lippia citriodora, standardized for verbascoside, can modify various immunological, oxidative, and biochemical serum parameters in weaned piglets. A total of 144 piglets, half female and half barrows (7.99 ± 1.40 kg BW), were allocated to three dietary treatments with six replicates per treatment (pens of 8 piglets each). Piglets were supplemented with the following levels of plant extract standardized for verbascoside: 0 (CON = control group), 5 (LV = low verbascoside group), or 10 (HV = high verbascoside group) mg/kg of diet for 56 days. Body weight (BW) and feed consumption were recorded at days 0 and 56 to determine the average daily gain and gain : feed. Twelve piglets from each treatment were randomly selected, and blood was collected by anterior vena cava puncture on days 0, 14, and 56 for glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, urea, and oxidative status, and on days 0 and 56 for IgG and IgA concentrations. The HV group grew more (P < 0.05) than the CON and LV groups. No significant differences were observed for any of the biochemical parameters between the groups; urea, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, and low density lipoprotein cholesterol increased significantly over time. Reactive oxygen metabolites (ROM) showed significant time, time × treatment, and treatment effects (P < 0.001). Both serum Igs increased (P < 0.005, P < 0.001 for IgG and IgA respectively) over time in all groups; treatment (P < 0.05), and time × treatment (P = 0.056) effects were found for serum IgA concentration. The Lippia citriodora verbascoside positively influenced antioxidant status and IgA content with a tendential effect on growth performance. Keywords: verbascoside, immunoglobulin, reactive oxygen metabolite, piglet Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 312-322 Volume: 57 Issue: 7 Year: 2012 DOI: 10.17221/6006-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/6006-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201207-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:57:y:2012:i:7:id:6006-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: A. Hejtmánková Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: V. Pivec Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: E. Trnková Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: H. Dragounová Author-Workplace-Name: Dairy Research Institute Ltd., Prague, Czech Republic Title: Differences in the composition of total and whey proteins in goat and ewe milk and their changes throughout the lactation period Abstract: This study was conducted to evaluate changes in composition of whey proteins of Czech White Short-haired goat and East Friesian ewe milk and their comparison throughout lactation. Some differences in composition between ewe and goat milk were found. The results showed that the mean total protein (%), whey protein (g/100 g), and β-lactoglobulin (β-Lg, g/100 g) contents of goat milk were 2.75, 0.433, and 0.119 respectively and of ewe milk 6.36, 1.11, and 0.732 respectively. The contents of total protein as well as acid whey proteins in goat milk were nearly constant throughout the lactation period and fluctuated around the mean value while the contents of total protein as well as acid whey proteins in ovine milk were dependent on the period of lactation. The total protein content in ovine milk continuously increased during the lactation period. A higher content of ovine acid whey proteins was noticed at the beginning and in the final period of lactation. The average ratio of whey to total protein was 15.8 ± 2.61% in goat milk and 17.4 ± 2.68% in ewe milk and ranged from 13.0 to 20.4% in goat and from 14.0 to 20.8% in ewe milk . The total contents of two major whey proteins. α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin (α-La + β-Lg = AG), averaged 87% of total whey protein, 92% in ovine milk. The main component of acid whey proteins in goat milk was α-La while in ovine milk the main component of acid whey proteins was β-Lg, however, at the end of the lactation period the content of β-Lg for both kinds of milk increased steeply, and the β-Lg/α-La ratio reached a maximum value of 1.94 in goat milk and of 9.74 in ewe milk. In addition, goat milk contains a similar amino acid profile to ewe milk but the amino acid pattern in whey proteins differs from that in milk. Total essential amino acids were approximately 40% of the total amino acids in goat and ewe milk as well as in goat and ewe whey. Keywords: total proteins, whey proteins, β, -lactoglobulin, α, -lactalbumin, amino acids, goat, ewe Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 323-331 Volume: 57 Issue: 7 Year: 2012 DOI: 10.17221/6007-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/6007-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201207-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:57:y:2012:i:7:id:6007-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: I. Taranu Author-Workplace-Name: INCDBNA, National Development Institute for Biology and Animal Nutrition, Balotesti, Romania Author-Name: D.E. Marin Author-Workplace-Name: INCDBNA, National Development Institute for Biology and Animal Nutrition, Balotesti, Romania Author-Name: A. Untea Author-Workplace-Name: INCDBNA, National Development Institute for Biology and Animal Nutrition, Balotesti, Romania Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania Author-Name: P. Janczyk Author-Workplace-Name: Leibnitz Institute for Farm Animal Biology and Unit Genetics & Biometry, Dummerstorf, Germany Author-Workplace-Name: Chair for Nutrition Physiology and Animal Nutrition, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany Author-Name: M. Motiu Author-Workplace-Name: INCDBNA, National Development Institute for Biology and Animal Nutrition, Balotesti, Romania Author-Name: R.D. Criste Author-Workplace-Name: INCDBNA, National Development Institute for Biology and Animal Nutrition, Balotesti, Romania Author-Name: W.B. Souffrant Author-Workplace-Name: Leibnitz Institute for Farm Animal Biology and Unit Genetics & Biometry, Dummerstorf, Germany Author-Workplace-Name: Chair for Nutrition Physiology and Animal Nutrition, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany Title: Effect of dietary natural supplements on immune response and mineral bioavailability in piglets after weaning Abstract: Plants and plant extracts (PPEs) have gained increasing interest as feed additives and possible replacing antibiotics for pig productions. The effects of dietary Chlorella vulgaris (1%), sodium alginate (0.1%), inulin (1.5%), and a mixture of essential oils (0.04%) supplements on immune response, and bioavailability of some micronutrients (iron - Fe, copper - Cu, manganese - Mn, and zinc - Zn) were investigated in weaned piglets in this study. The results showed that the concentration of IgG was increased in the plasma of pigs fed the PPEs supplemented diets being significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the case of dietary sodium alginate supplementation in comparison to the control (6.00 vs. 4.03 mg/ml). In liver, PPEs, especially inulin and essential oils, were able to modulate the level of cytokine production and mineral retention, resulting in higher liver concentration of IL-1β (125.4 and 88.9%), IL-8 (136.9 and 61.3%), TNF-a (296.6 and 121.6%), and IFN-γ (51.2 and 107.28%), Cu (71.31 ppm), and Fe (192.56 ppm) in comparison to the control. The results of this experiment indicate that natural supplements investigated herein, especially inulin, essential oils, and sodium alginate had the ability to potentiate both the immune function and mineral retention during the initial post weaning period. Keywords: pig, natural supplements, minerals, immune response Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 332-343 Volume: 57 Issue: 7 Year: 2012 DOI: 10.17221/6008-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/6008-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201207-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:57:y:2012:i:7:id:6008-CJAS