Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Eva Tvrdá Author-Name: Hana Greifová Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Nitra, Slovakia Author-Name: Alica Mackovich Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Nitra, Slovakia Author-Name: Faridullah Hashim Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Nitra, Slovakia Author-Name: Norbert Lukáč Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Nitra, Slovakia Title: Curcumin offers antioxidant protection to cryopreserved bovine semen Abstract: Evidence shows that oxidative stress associated with sperm cryopreservation may lead to a significant decrease of the structural integrity and functional activity of male gametes. Curcumin (CUR) has become a substance of scientific interest for its free radical-quenching abilities, which could enhance the post-thaw quality of male gametes. This study assessed the effects of CUR on the post-thaw vitality and selected oxidative stress markers of bovine spermatozoa. Thirty ejaculates collected from 10 breeding bulls were divided into two aliquots and cryopreserved in the absence (control) or presence of CUR (50 μmol/l). Immediately before use, the control or experimental straws were thawed at 37°C for 20 s. CUR administration led to a significantly higher preservation of spermatozoa motion (P < 0.001) as well as membrane (P < 0.05) and acrosomal (P < 0.01) integrity in comparison with the control. Moreover, spermatozoa exposed to CUR exhibited a significantly higher mitochondrial activity (P < 0.001). Significantly decreased amounts of reactive oxygen species (P < 0.01) and superoxide (P < 0.001) were detected following CUR supplementation. Finally, a significant decrease of oxidative damage to proteins (P < 0.01), lipids (P < 0.001), and DNA (P < 0.05) was recorded in samples to which CUR was administered in comparison to the control. In this study, CUR proved to act as an efficient antioxidant molecule offering protection to male gametes against oxidative damage during cryopreservation. Keywords: bulls, Curcuma longa, cryopreservation, oxidative stress, spermatozoa Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 247-255 Volume: 63 Issue: 7 Year: 2018 DOI: 10.17221/33/2017-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/33/2017-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201807-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:63:y:2018:i:7:id:33-2017-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Magdalena Dusza Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Cattle Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland Author-Name: Joanna Pokorska Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Cattle Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland Author-Name: Joanna Makulska Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Cattle Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland Author-Name: Dominika Kulaj Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Cattle Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland Author-Name: Michal Cupial Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Agricultural Engineering and Informatics, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland Title: L-selectin gene polymorphism and its association with clinical mastitis, somatic cell score, and milk production in Polish Holstein-Friesian cattle Abstract: Bovine mastitis is a widespread disease of the mammary gland, highly contributing to the increase in veterinary costs in dairy industry. In the present study, the genetic polymorphism within bovine L-selectin gene was analysed and its impact on clinical mastitis occurrence, somatic cell score (SCS), and milk production traits in Polish Holstein-Friesian cows was examined. Polymorphism within L-selectin gene, molecule responsible for neutrophil attachment to endothelium, might have a potential role in immune response to bacterial infections and udder health. Two hundred and six Polish Holstein-Friesian cows were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method. Two single nucleotide polymorphisms mutations within the coding sequence of L-selectin gene were identified (c.165G>A and c.567C>T). The effect of c.165G>A and c.567C>T mutations on SCS was highly significant (P = 0.0019 and P = 0.0003, respectively). Strong associations (P ≤ 0.0001) were also observed between L-selectin polymorphism and milk production traits (milk yield, milk fat percentage, and milk protein percentage). However, the polymorphism in the analysed gene had no influence on the resistance or susceptibility of cows to clinical mastitis (only the tendency toward significance, P = 0.06 for c.567C>T mutation was found). Potential exploitation of the information on the identified associations in genetic selection needs to confirm the obtained results in further investigations. Keywords: SELL, udder, inflammation, milk production traits, cows Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 256-262 Volume: 63 Issue: 7 Year: 2018 DOI: 10.17221/96/2017-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/96/2017-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201807-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:63:y:2018:i:7:id:96-2017-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Joanna Bogucka Author-Workplace-Name: Laboratory of Histology, Department of Animal Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Science and Technology in Bydgoszcz, Bydgoszcz, Poland Author-Name: David Miguel Ribeiro Author-Workplace-Name: Agricultural College of Coimbra, Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal Author-Name: R.P. Roberto da Costa Author-Workplace-Name: Agricultural College of Coimbra, Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal Author-Workplace-Name: CERNAS - Research Centre for Natural Resources, Environment and Society, Coimbra, Portugal Author-Name: Marek Bednarczyk Author-Workplace-Name: Laboratory of Histology, Department of Animal Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Science and Technology in Bydgoszcz, Bydgoszcz, Poland Title: Effect of synbiotic dietary supplementation on histological and histopathological parameters of Pectoralis major muscle of broiler chickens Abstract: Bioactive substances may constitute an alternative to antibiotics. Probiotics are mixtures of microorganisms that enhance the effectiveness and yield of nutrient absorption by competing for the substrate against pathogens that may cause intestinal infections. Prebiotics are organic substances which include complex carbohydrates and have an influence on the growth and activity of desirable intestinal microflora. Synbiotics are a combination of both of them. The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of synbiotics added to commercial feed on Pectoralis major muscle microstructure in broiler chickens. Research material consisted of 240 one-day-old Ross 308 female chicks. Birds were divided into 2 groups, 12 broilers each (replicated 10 times). The control group (C) was fed a commercial diet, and the SYN group was fed the same diet with added synbiotic: 0.8% of prebiotic RFO (raffinose family oligosaccharides) extracted from lupin seeds and 1% of probiotic Lavipan®. Birds were slaughtered at day 42. Immediately after slaughter, samples of the Pectoralis major muscle for histological analysis were taken and frozen in liquid nitrogen. The staining procedures performed were: hematoxylin and eosin staining to evaluate fibre diameter and histopathological changes, oil red staining to determine intramuscular fat content, NADH-TR (tetrazolium reductase) activity to distinguish muscle fibre types and alkaline phosphatase reaction for counting the number of capillaries. The tendency to reduced muscle fibre diameter in chickens supplemented with synbiotics indicates an increase in muscle fibre density, which gives meat a more delicate structure. When assessing the occurrence of histopathological changes, significantly more fibre splitting was observed in the control group. Moreover, the positive effect of feed supplementation with synbiotics on muscle microvascularization could have an important practical meaning, because low physical activity of chickens during rearing may lead to ischemic muscles, increased changes in the structure of muscle fibres, and reduction of meat quality. Keywords: poultry, bioactive substances, muscle fibre, histopathological traits Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 263-271 Volume: 63 Issue: 7 Year: 2018 DOI: 10.17221/103/2017-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/103/2017-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201807-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:63:y:2018:i:7:id:103-2017-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Petr Homolka Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Science, Prague-Uhříněves, Czech Republic Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Microbiology, Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Marie Koukolová Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Science, Prague-Uhříněves, Czech Republic Author-Name: Veronika Koukolová Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Science, Prague-Uhříněves, Czech Republic Title: Organic matter and crude protein digestibility predicted from nitrogen and fibre fractionation of festulolium hybrids Abstract: The objectives of the experiment were to study nitrogen fractions of the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) and digestibility of organic matter (OMD) and crude protein (CPD) along with the possibilities for predicting OMD and CPD based on chemical composition and CNCPS nitrogen fractions. Thirty samples of festulolium hybrids (fescue hybrids and ryegrass hybrids) commonly used and certified in the Czech Republic were analyzed for chemical composition, brutto energy, and nitrogen fractions, these fractions being A (non-protein nitrogen), B1 (rapidly degradable protein), B2 (intermediately degradable protein), B3 (slowly degradable protein), and C (unavailable protein). OMD and CPD were determined by near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy. Nitrogen fractions showed similar mean values for both analyzed groups of festulolium hybrids. Mean rapidly, intermediately, and slowly soluble fractions (B1, B2, and B3, respectively) were 29.2, 30.7, and 33.7 g/kg of dry matter (DM) for fescue hybrids and 21.7, 33.5, and 31.9 g/kg of DM for ryegrass hybrids. There was a trend for fraction B2 to decrease with advancing maturity in relation to neutral detergent insoluble protein value. The mean content of bound fraction C was 10.4 g/kg of DM for fescue hybrids and 7.3 g/kg of DM for ryegrass hybrids. Three groups of hybrids were evaluated statistically: fescue (I), ryegrass (II), and combined fescue/ryegrass (III). Better regression equations were found for fescue/ryegrass hybrids. High degrees of CPD determination were identified with predictors of individual nitrogen fractions (R2 = 0.975; P > 0.0001). OMD was described in regressions only using nitrogen fractions A and B1 (R2 = 0.500; P > 0.0001). Keywords: nitrogen fractions, Cornell system, nutritive value, ruminant Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 272-279 Volume: 63 Issue: 7 Year: 2018 DOI: 10.17221/10/2018-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/10/2018-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201807-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:63:y:2018:i:7:id:10-2018-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Martin Prchal Author-Workplace-Name: South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Vodňany, Czech Republic Author-Name: Marc Vandeputte Author-Workplace-Name: GABI, INRA, AgroParisTech, University of Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France Author-Workplace-Name: Ifremer, Palavas-les-Flots, France Author-Name: David Gela Author-Workplace-Name: South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Vodňany, Czech Republic Author-Name: Marek Doležal Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Food Chemistry and Analysis, Institute of Chemical Technology in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Hana Buchtová Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Meat Hygiene and Technology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: Marek Rodina Author-Workplace-Name: South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Vodňany, Czech Republic Author-Name: Martin Flajšhans Author-Workplace-Name: South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Vodňany, Czech Republic Author-Name: Martin Kocour Author-Workplace-Name: South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Vodňany, Czech Republic Title: Estimation of genetic parameters of fatty acids composition in flesh of market size common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) and their relation to performance traits revealed that selective breeding can indirectly affect flesh quality Abstract: Fish are a rich source of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) and thus, they should be an integral part of human diet at least twice a week. As a result, high attention has been devoted to the improvement of fatty acids (FA) content in the flesh of farmed fish through nutrition. Conversely, there are very few data on the potential of selective breeding to improve FA composition in fish. We estimated genetic parameters of fillet fatty acid content and performance traits in market size common carp cultured under semi-intensive pond conditions. The experimental stock arose through factorial mating of 7 dams and 36 sires. All families were reared communally. Pedigree was reconstructed with microsatellite markers, and 158 individuals were dressed out and selected for flesh FA composition analysis. Heritability estimates of total muscle fat, FA composition in total fat (TF) (n-3 PUFA-TF, PUFA-TF, EPA-TF - eicosapentaenoic acid, n-6/n-3 - omega6/omega3 PUFA ratio), and most performance traits were moderately heritable (h2 = 0.23-0.41), and body weight was highly heritable (h2 = 0.62 ± 0.20). Genetic correlations show that selection for faster growth would indirectly lead to fillet yield improvement (rg = 0.50-0.62) while having little impact on muscle fat (rg = 0.21). However, lipid quality in flesh would be affected: n-3 PUFA-TF would decrease and the n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio would increase. A likely interpretation is that faster growing genotypes consume more supplemental feed, which was poor in the beneficial FAs. For sustainable selective breeding, supplemental feed composition should be modified, so that faster growing carps would maintain an appropriate flesh quality. Keywords: genetic correlations, genetic improvement, growth, heritability, slaughtering traits, supplemental feeding Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 280-291 Volume: 63 Issue: 7 Year: 2018 DOI: 10.17221/30/2018-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/30/2018-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201807-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:63:y:2018:i:7:id:30-2018-CJAS