Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Xiaopeng An Author-Workplace-Name: College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, P.R. China Author-Name: Lijuan Bao Author-Workplace-Name: College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, P.R. China Author-Name: Jinxing Hou Author-Workplace-Name: College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, P.R. China Author-Name: Yueyu Bai Author-Workplace-Name: Animal Health Supervision Institute of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, P.R. China Author-Name: Xinyan Zhao Author-Workplace-Name: Northwest A&F University of Hospital, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, P.R. China Author-Name: Yuxuan Song Author-Workplace-Name: College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, P.R. China Author-Name: Binyun Cao Author-Workplace-Name: College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, P.R. China Title: Two single nucleotide polymorphisms in the caprine GnIH gene are associated with litter size Abstract: Gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH) can decrease luteinizing hormone and/or follicle-stimulating hormone levels in rat, mouse, sheep, and cattle by the direct suppression of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). The present study investigated polymorphisms in the GnIH genes of two dairy goat breeds and their association with litter size. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) g.1837C>G and g.3195G>A (GenBank Accession Nos. KR778885 and KR819142) were detected in the GnIH genes of Xinong Saanen and Guanzhong dairy goat breeds using DNA sequencing and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Furthermore, the g.1837C>G and g.3195G>A loci were closely linked in both breeds (r2 > 0.33). Association analysis showed that these SNPs had significant effects on the litter size of goats (P < 0.05). In both breeds, individuals with the CC/GG (g.1837C>G/g.3195G>A) genotype showed larger litter sizes in the second and average parities than individuals with the GG/AA genotype (P < 0.05). Known biochemical and physiological functions, along with our results, indicate that the CC/GG genotype may be used in marker-assisted selection to choose individuals with a larger litter size from both breeds. Keywords: PCR-RFLP, SNPs, combined genotype, candidate gene Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 269-275 Volume: 62 Issue: 7 Year: 2017 DOI: 10.17221/58/2016-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/58/2016-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201707-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:62:y:2017:i:7:id:58-2016-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Małgorzata Morek-Kopeć Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland Author-Name: Andrzej Zarnecki Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, National Research Institute of Animal Production, Balice, Poland Title: Genetic evaluation for functional longevity in Polish Simmental cattle Abstract: The Weibull proportional hazards model was applied for genetic evaluation of functional longevity in Polish Simmentals. Data consisted of production and disposal records for 12 527 Simmental cows, daughters of 294 sires, calving for the first time from 1995 to 2014 in 286 herds. Length of productive life of cows was calculated as number of days from the first calving to culling or censoring. Average length of productive life of 4462 cows with complete (uncensored) survival records was 1198 days (39.3 months); mean censoring time for the remaining 8065 cows was 1093 days (35.8 months). Functional longevity was defined as length of productive life corrected for production. The model included time-independent fixed effect of age at first calving, time-dependent fixed effects of year-season, parity-stage of lactation, annual change in herd size, relative fat yield and protein yield, and random herd-year-season and sire effects. Likelihood ratio tests showed a highly significant impact of all fixed effects on longevity, except for relative fat yield. Estimated sire variance was 0.069, resulting in the equivalent (accounting for censoring level) heritability of 0.09. Standardized relative breeding values (RBV) ranged from 71 to 139 (mean 101.4, SD 9.12). Average reliability of RBVs was 0.47. Moderate heritability supports the possibility of effective selection for functional longevity, which will be included in the total selection index for Polish Simmentals. Keywords: cattle, Polish Simmentals, productive life, Weibull proportional hazards model Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 276-286 Volume: 62 Issue: 7 Year: 2017 DOI: 10.17221/87/2016-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/87/2016-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201707-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:62:y:2017:i:7:id:87-2016-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Ewa Hanczakowska Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, National Research Institute of Animal Production, Balice, Poland Author-Name: Małgorzata Świątkiewicz Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, National Research Institute of Animal Production, Balice, Poland Author-Name: Eugeniusz Ryszard Grela Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Nutrition and Bromatology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Lublin, Poland Title: Effect of dietary supplement of herbal extract from hop (Humulus lupulus) on pig performance and meat quality Abstract: The study deals with the effect of diets supplemented with a hop extract on growing pigs. Two levels of the extract (500 or 1000 mg/kg of diet) were used. Feeds either unsupplemented or supplemented with butylated hydroxytoluene were used as negative and positive controls. Totally 96 pigs weighing ca. 60 kg were allocated to 4 groups. They were fed individually with restricted feed amounts. Water was available ad libitum. Body weight gain, apparent digestibility of nutrients, carcass and meat quality were estimated and biochemical indices in the blood were analyzed. The herbal extract decreased digestibility of fat and its higher dose also lowered protein deposition and mean body weight gains. Both doses of the extract lowered liver and kidney weight. The extract also improved meat oxidative and colour stability, decreased its cholesterol content, and positively affected the fatty acids pattern. A higher dose of the extract resulted in a worse smell and taste of meat. Keywords: hop extract, fattening pigs, carcass quality, oxidative stability Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 287-295 Volume: 62 Issue: 7 Year: 2017 DOI: 10.17221/49/2016-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/49/2016-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201707-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:62:y:2017:i:7:id:49-2016-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Yan Cui Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, P.R. China Author-Name: Xingfu Zhang Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Nutrition, Inner Mongolia Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences, Hohhot, P.R. China Author-Name: Chunli Guo Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, P.R. China Author-Name: Ruiping Du Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Nutrition, Inner Mongolia Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences, Hohhot, P.R. China Author-Name: Gaowa Ailun Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, P.R. China Author-Name: Changjin Ao Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, P.R. China Author-Name: Min Gao Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Nutrition, Inner Mongolia Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences, Hohhot, P.R. China Title: Identification and characterization of bovine mammary peptide transporters in response to tripeptide and lactogenic hormone treatment Abstract: Oligopeptide transportation is mediated by the peptide transporter (PepT), which consists of two isoforms, PepT1 and PepT2. Because PepT play essential roles in amino acid metabolism and cell growth, the aim of the present study was to identify these transporters in bovine mammary glands and to analyze the potential functions of these transporters in mammary epithelial cells. Abundance of PepT1 and PepT2 mRNA was successfully measured in both mammary glands and cultured mammary epithelial cells. In addition, the two proteins were examined using immunohistochemistry, immunocytochemistry, and Western blots. The response of mammary epithelial cells to tripeptide and lactogenic hormone treatment was assayed. The PepT mRNA abundance of cultured epithelial cells and secreted protein in the culture medium were increased after tri-peptide substitution and addition of hormones such as insulin, hydrocortisone, and prolactin. The response of mammary epithelial cells to tripeptide and hormone treatments suggests that PepT affects the mammary gland function and increases bovine milk production. Keywords: bovine mammary gland, PepT1, RT-PCR, lactogen Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 296-305 Volume: 62 Issue: 7 Year: 2017 DOI: 10.17221/93/2015-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/93/2015-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201707-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:62:y:2017:i:7:id:93-2015-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Yvona Tyrolová Author-Name: Luděk Bartoň Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Science, Prague-Uhříněves, Czech Republic Author-Name: Radko Loučka Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Science, Prague-Uhříněves, Czech Republic Title: Effects of biological and chemical additives on fermentation progress in maize silage Abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of bacterial and chemical additives on the number of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and on fermentation indicators in whole maize silage at 1, 3, 5, 10, and 90 days of fermentation. Maize forage was harvested at approximately 34% dry matter (DM) and treated with (1) no additive (control; C); (2) bacterial inoculant (2 g/t of forage; B) containing the homofermentative LAB Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus paracasei, and Pediococcus pentosaceus (1.5 × 1011 cfu/g of inoculant); and (3) chemical additive (4 l/t of forage; CH) containing formic acid, propionic acid, ammonium formate, and benzoic acid. Both treatments decreased pH of silage at day 1 of ensiling (P < 0.05), and the lowest value of 4.34 was observed in the CH-treated silage. All silages were well fermented and had pH < 4.0 by day 10 of fermentation. The concentration of lactic acid and the lactic acid : acetic acid ratio increased over time in all treatment groups, and the highest values were 87.5 and 3.62 g/kg of DM, respectively, observed for group B at day 90 (P < 0.05). The concentrations of water-soluble carbohydrates were higher (P < 0.05) for CH compared to C and B at days 3, 5, 10, and 90 of fermentation. The CH silage had fewer LAB (P < 0.05) than did either C or B silages regardless of the days of fermentation. Both additives used in the present study improved fermentation dynamics of the whole crop maize silage. Keywords: forage conservation, lactic acid bacteria, formic acid, fermentation dynamics Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 306-312 Volume: 62 Issue: 7 Year: 2017 DOI: 10.17221/67/2016-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/67/2016-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201707-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:62:y:2017:i:7:id:67-2016-CJAS