Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Elke Humer Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Nutrition and Functional Plant Compounds, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, Vetmeduni Vienna, Vienna, Austria Author-Name: Leonhard Gruber Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Livestock Research, Agricultural Research and Education Centre Raumberg- Gumpenstein, Irdning, Austria Author-Name: Qendrim Zebeli Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Nutrition and Functional Plant Compounds, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, Vetmeduni Vienna, Vienna, Austria Title: Effects of meeting the requirements in energy and protein, and of systemic inflammation on the interval from parturition to conception in dairy cows Abstract: Main aim of this retrospective study was to determine the role of the level of meeting the requirements in net energy of lactation (NEL) and utilizable crude protein at the duodenum (uCP) in weeks 3-17 postpartum on the interval from parturition until conception (IUC) in dairy cows. We compared intakes and balances of NEL and uCP, body weight change, metabolic status, reticuloruminal pH, and serum amyloid A (SAA) as a systemic inflammation marker in 30 dairy cows differing in the IUC length (i.e., short (S; n = 8), medium (M; n = 11), and long (L; n = 11) IUC for cows confirmed pregnant within week 10 or between weeks 11 and 17 postpartum, or thereafter, respectively). Data showed that the level of meeting the requirements in NEL and uCP in weeks 3-10 postpartum was instrumental in shortening the IUC in the cows pertaining to S IUC group (P ≤ 0.03). As an average, during this period the S cows met 104 and 110% of their requirements in NEL and uCP, respectively. In contrast, the M and L cows met 96 and 95% of NEL as well as 104 and 101% of uCP requirements, respectively. The M cows showed higher milk and blood urea nitrogen (P = 0.04), and also lower SAA concentration (P = 0.05) compared to L cows. In conclusion, exceeding the requirements in both NEL and uCP in weeks 3-10 postpartum significantly shortened the IUC to less than 10 weeks. The shorter IUC in M vs L cows went along with improved protein status and lesser systemic inflammation in week 6 postpartum in these cows. Keywords: energy balance, cattle, early lactation, calving interval, acute phase reaction Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 201-211 Volume: 63 Issue: 6 Year: 2018 DOI: 10.17221/13/2017-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/13/2017-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201806-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:63:y:2018:i:6:id:13-2017-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Bruno Bastos Teixeira Author-Workplace-Name: Departament of Basic Sciences, Federal University of Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, Diamantina, Brazil Author-Name: Rodrigo Reis Mota Author-Workplace-Name: TERRA Teaching and Research Centre, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Gembloux, Belgium Author-Name: Raysildo Barbosa Lôbo Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Genetics, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil Author-Name: Luciano Pinheiro da Silva Author-Workplace-Name: Departament of Animal Science, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil Author-Name: Antônio Policarpo Souza Carneiro Author-Workplace-Name: Departament of Statistics, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, Brazil Author-Name: Felipe Gomes da Silva Author-Workplace-Name: Departament of Animal Science and Rural Extension, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, Brazil Author-Name: Giovani da Costa Caetano Author-Workplace-Name: Departament of Animal Science, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, Brazil Author-Name: Fabyano Fonseca e Silva Author-Workplace-Name: Departament of Animal Science, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, Brazil Title: Genetic evaluation of growth traits in Nellore cattle through multi-trait and random regression models Abstract: We aimed to evaluate different orders of fixed and random effects in random regression models (RRM) based on Legendre orthogonal polynomials as well as to verify the feasibility of these models to describe growth curves in Nellore cattle. The proposed RRM were also compared to multi-trait models (MTM). Variance components and genetic parameters estimates were performed via REML for all models. Twelve RRM were compared through Akaike (AIC) and Bayesian (BIC) information criteria. The model of order three for the fixed curve and four for all random effects (direct genetic, maternal genetic, permanent environment, and maternal permanent environment) fits best. Estimates of direct genetic, maternal genetic, maternal permanent environment, permanent environment, phenotypic and residual variances were similar between MTM and RRM. Heritability estimates were higher via RRM. We presented perspectives for the use of RRM for genetic evaluation of growth traits in Brazilian Nellore cattle. In general, moderate heritability estimates were obtained for the majority of studied traits when using RRM. Additionally, the precision of these estimates was higher when using RRM instead of MTM. However, concerns about the variance components estimates in advanced ages via Legendre polynomial must be taken into account in future studies. Keywords: body weight, genetic parameters, growth curves Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 212-221 Volume: 63 Issue: 6 Year: 2018 DOI: 10.17221/21/2017-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/21/2017-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201806-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:63:y:2018:i:6:id:21-2017-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Miloš Skřivan Author-Name: Milan Marounek Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Nutrition Physiology and Animal Product Quality, Institute of Animal Science, Prague-Uhříněves, Czech Republic Author-Name: Michaela Englmaierová Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Nutrition Physiology and Animal Product Quality, Institute of Animal Science, Prague-Uhříněves, Czech Republic Author-Name: Eva Skřivanová Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Nutrition Physiology and Animal Product Quality, Institute of Animal Science, Prague-Uhříněves, Czech Republic Author-Name: Kateřina Růnová Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Nutrition Physiology and Animal Product Quality, Institute of Animal Science, Prague-Uhříněves, Czech Republic Title: Effect of freeze-dried pasture herbage on ileal digestibility of amino acids and fatty acids in chickens Abstract: The ileal digestibility of amino acids and fatty acids in young chickens fed control diet or experimental diets supplemented with freeze-dried pasture herbage at 20 or 40 g/kg was studied. Control diet contained wheat, maize, and soybean meal. Predominant species in the pasture herbage harvested in May were Lolium perenne, Festuca pratensis, and Trifolium pratense. Freeze-dried pasture herbage contained less protein (169 g/kg) and fat (24 g/kg) and more neutral detergent and acid detergent fibre (340 and 210 g/kg) and tannins (12.38 g/kg) than control diet. Concentrations of amino acids, except phenylalanine and threonine, were lower in pasture herbage than in control feed. In both the control feed and freeze-dried pasture herbage, unsaturated fatty acids occurred in higher proportions than saturated fatty acids. In freeze-dried pasture herbage linolenic acid was the main fatty acid. In chickens fed freeze-dried pasture herbage the ileal digestibility of amino acids and fatty acids decreased in a dose-dependent manner. Freeze-dried pasture herbage at 4% in diet had negative effect (P < 0.05) on the digestibility of amino acids and fatty acids in comparison with control diet. But there was no significant effect of 2% freeze-dried pasture herbage in diet on amino acids digestibility. This suggests that pasture herbage contains anti-nutritional factors that inhibit proteolysis and lipolysis. The effect of pasture herbage on digestibility was variable. In chickens fed diets containing 4% freeze-dried pasture herbage, apparent ileal digestibility of amino acids varied from 0.39 (cysteine) to 0.91 (methionine). Variability in the ileal digestibility of fatty acids was less pronounced (from 0.65 to 0.89). Keywords: lyophilized pasture, broilers, digestibility, fat, protein, anti-nutritional factors Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 222-229 Volume: 63 Issue: 6 Year: 2018 DOI: 10.17221/114/2017-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/114/2017-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201806-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:63:y:2018:i:6:id:114-2017-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jaqueline O. Rosa Author-Workplace-Name: São Paulo State University, Jaboticabal, Brazil Author-Name: Guilherme Costa Venturini Author-Workplace-Name: University of Uberaba, Uberaba, Brazil Author-Name: Tatiane Cristina Seleguim Chud Author-Workplace-Name: São Paulo State University, Jaboticabal, Brazil Author-Name: Bruno Carlos Pires Author-Workplace-Name: São Paulo State University, Jaboticabal, Brazil Author-Name: Marcos Eli Buzanskas Author-Workplace-Name: Federal University of Paraíba, Areia, Brazil Author-Name: Nedenia Bonvino Stafuzza Author-Workplace-Name: São Paulo State University, Jaboticabal, Brazil Author-Name: Gabriel Rezende Furquim Author-Workplace-Name: University of Uberaba, Uberaba, Brazil Author-Name: Valdecy Aparecida Rocha da Cruz Author-Workplace-Name: São Paulo State University, Jaboticabal, Brazil Author-Name: Gilberto Silber Schmidt Author-Workplace-Name: Embrapa Suínos e Aves, Concórdia, Brazil Author-Name: Elsio Antônio Pereira de Figueiredo Author-Workplace-Name: Embrapa Suínos e Aves, Concórdia, Brazil Author-Name: Vera Fernanda Martins Hossepian de Lima Author-Workplace-Name: São Paulo State University, Jaboticabal, Brazil Author-Name: Mônica Corrêa Ledur Author-Workplace-Name: Embrapa Suínos e Aves, Concórdia, Brazil Author-Name: Danísio Prado Munari Author-Workplace-Name: São Paulo State University, Jaboticabal, Brazil Title: Bayesian inference of genetic parameters for reproductive and performance traits in White Leghorn hens Abstract: This study estimated the genetic parameters for reproductive and performance traits and determined which ones can be used as selection criteria for egg production in laying hens using the Bayesian inference. The data of 1894 animals from three generations of White Leghorn laying hens were analyzed for fertility (FERT), hatchability (HATC), and birth rate measurements at 60 weeks of age (BIRTH), body weight at 16 and 60 weeks of age (BW16 and BW60), age at sexual maturity (ASM), egg height/width ratio, weight, and density at 28, 36, and 40 weeks of age (RHW28, RHW36, RHW40, WEGG28, WEGG36, WEGG40, DENS28, DENS36, and DENS40, respectively) traits. The genetic parameters were estimated by the Bayesian inference method of multi-trait animal model. The model included the additive and residual genetic random effects and the fixed effects of generation. The a posteriori mean distributions of the heritability estimates for reproductive traits ranged from 0.14 ± 0.003 (HATC) to 0.22 ± 0.005 (FERT) and performance from 0.07 ± 0.001 (RHW28) to 0.42 ± 0.001 (WEGG40). The a posteriori mean distributions of the genetic correlation between reproductive traits ranged from 0.18 ± 0.026 (FERT and HACT) to 0.79 ± 0.007 (FERT and BIRTH) and those related to performance ranged from -0.49 ± 0.001 (WEGG36 and DENS36) to 0.75 ± 0.003 (DENS28 and DENS36). Reproductive and performance traits showed enough additive genetic variability to respond to selection, except for RHW28. This trait alone would have little impact on the genetic gain because environmental factors would have a higher impact compared to those from the additive genetic factors. Based on the results of this study, the selection applied on the BIRTH trait can be indicated to improve FERT and HATC of eggs. Furthermore, the use of the WEGG40 could improve egg quality in this population. Keywords: egg production, fertility, genetic correlation, hatchability, heritability Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 230-236 Volume: 63 Issue: 6 Year: 2018 DOI: 10.17221/116/2017-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/116/2017-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201806-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:63:y:2018:i:6:id:116-2017-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Enikő Somogyvári Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Breeding, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary Author-Name: János Posta Author-Name: Sándor Mihók Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Breeding, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary Title: Genetic analysis of the Hungarian population of endangered Hucul horses Abstract: The population genetic evaluation of the Hungarian Hucul horse population was performed based on pedigree records. Herd book data of registered Hucul horses available up to 2016 were analysed using ENDOG (Gutierrez and Goyache 2005) and POPREP (Groeneveld et al. 2009) on the whole population (WP) as well as on the reference stock (RS) (breeding stock registered in 2016). Inbreeding coefficients were 5.57% (WP) and 7.18% (RS). Average relatedness was 10.39% in WP and higher in RS (12.67%). Effective population size was 52.32. Generation interval was 13.01 years for WP and 10.99 years for RS. The values for equivalent complete generations were 6.07 and 8.75, for the maximum number of generations 14.11 and 19.16, and for the number of full generations traced 3.77 and 5.50 for WP and RS, respectively. The effective number of founders (fe) was 23 both for WP and RS. The effective number of ancestors (fa) was 20 in WP and lower in RS (16). The fa/fe ratio was 0.869 in WP and 0.696 in RS. Founder genome equivalent (fg) was 9.618 in WP and 5.790 in RS. The fg/fe ratio was 0.481 in WP and 0.361 in RS. The study revealed that both the inbreeding coefficient and the average relatedness were high. The above mentioned ratios indicated loss of genetic diversity in the Hungarian Hucul population. Keywords: genetic diversity, pedigree analysis, genetic protection, endangered breed Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 237-246 Volume: 63 Issue: 6 Year: 2018 DOI: 10.17221/54/2017-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/54/2017-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201806-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:63:y:2018:i:6:id:54-2017-CJAS