Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Tsukasa Yoshidomi Author-Workplace-Name: School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan Author-Name: Kensuke Hirose Author-Workplace-Name: Central Research Institute for Feed and Livestock, ZEN-NOH, Kato-gun, Hokkaido, Japan Author-Name: Takeshi Kuge Author-Workplace-Name: ZEN-NOH Livestock Co., Ltd., Iwate-gun, Iwate-ken, Japan Author-Name: Yukio Okada Author-Workplace-Name: Basic Research Department, PRIMA Meat Packers Ltd., Tsuchiura, Ibaraki, Japan Author-Name: Yaetsu Kurosawa Author-Workplace-Name: Tokyo University of Agriculture, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan Author-Name: Tatsuya Takizawa Author-Workplace-Name: School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan Author-Name: Kazuaki Tanaka Author-Workplace-Name: School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan Title: Detection of copy number variation of alpha amylase genes in domestic pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus) and wild boars (Sus scrofa) Abstract: Copy numbers of alpha amylase genes (AMY), which encode starch-digesting enzymes, are markedly increased in modern humans and domesticated dogs as an adaptive evolutionary mechanism in response to increased consumption of starch-rich foods acquired either by farming or domestication. In this study, we surveyed total AMY gene copy numbers in 150 domestic pigs (50 pigs of Berkshire breed, 50 of Landrace breed, and 50 of Large White breed) and 51 wild boars (30 Sus scrofa leucomystax and 21 S. s. riukiuanus) to identify whether the gene copy number has changed during the domestication of pigs. The relative copy number of AMY genes was measured using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and it varied from 2.7 to 10.8 per haploid genome among individuals. However, in the four remaining populations, excluding S. s. riukiuanus, the average copy number was approximately six, and no significant differences were observed between the three selected pig breeds and S. s. leucomystax wild boar. Conversely, S. s. riukiuanus had an average of 7.2 copies. The results indicating six AMY copies per haploid genome were consistent with the porcine genome reference sequence (Sscrofa11.1). These results suggest that there has been no significant increase in the AMY gene copy number during the domestication process of pigs. Keywords: AMY locus, domestication, porcine CNV, qPCR Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 73-77 Volume: 66 Issue: 3 Year: 2021 DOI: 10.17221/61/2020-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/61/2020-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-202103-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:66:y:2021:i:3:id:61-2020-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Ján Tomka Author-Workplace-Name: Institute for Animal Husbandry Systems, Breeding and Product Quality, Research Institute for Animal Production Nitra, National Agricultural and Food Centre, Lužianky, Slovak Republic Author-Name: Peter Demo Author-Workplace-Name: Institute for Animal Husbandry Systems, Breeding and Product Quality, Research Institute for Animal Production Nitra, National Agricultural and Food Centre, Lužianky, Slovak Republic Author-Name: Martina Gondeková Author-Workplace-Name: Institute for Animal Husbandry Systems, Breeding and Product Quality, Research Institute for Animal Production Nitra, National Agricultural and Food Centre, Lužianky, Slovak Republic Author-Name: Zuzana Salagová Author-Workplace-Name: Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Slovak Republic, Bratislava, Slovak Republic Title: The analysis of pig carcass classification in Slovakia Abstract: In the last decade, the pig sector in Slovakia has been changing continuously, especially in regard to the proportion of pigs coming from foreign breeding programs. These changes lead to changes in carcass characteristics and to a change in the distribution of carcasses within the classes of the Union scale for the classification of pig carcasses. Therefore, this study was undertaken to analyse the actual state of pig carcass classification in the Slovak Republic and to investigate the needs of updating the equations for the classification methods and possible steps to improve the quality of pork produced within the country. Results showed that an increased number of pig carcasses originated from Danish breeding program, and also from the Czech Republic and Poland. When compared to carcasses in 2009, these changes resulted in lower backfat thickness and higher muscle thickness of the longissimus dorsi muscle and thus higher lean meat content of carcasses. This results in a higher number of carcasses classified in the S and E classes. Slight differences between two instrumental classification methods were calculated. The study showed the need for updating the equations for classification methods, and also suggested possible further steps in order to improve the quality of pork. Keywords: carcass quality, SEUROP, grading, lean meat content, backfat thickness, muscle thickness Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 78-86 Volume: 66 Issue: 3 Year: 2021 DOI: 10.17221/231/2020-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/231/2020-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-202103-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:66:y:2021:i:3:id:231-2020-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Shaoyu Wang Author-Workplace-Name: College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, P.R. China Author-Name: Kui Li Author-Workplace-Name: Zhejiang Animal Husbandry Techniques Extension Station, Hangzhou, P.R. China Author-Name: Hui Gao Author-Workplace-Name: Zhejiang Animal Husbandry Techniques Extension Station, Hangzhou, P.R. China Author-Name: Zepeng Liu Author-Workplace-Name: College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, P.R. China Author-Name: Shuang Shi Author-Workplace-Name: College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, P.R. China Author-Name: Qiang Tan Author-Workplace-Name: College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, P.R. China Author-Name: Zhengguang Wang Author-Workplace-Name: College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, P.R. China Author-Workplace-Name: Huzhou Southern Taihu Lake Modern Agricultural Technology Center, Zhejiang University, P.R. China Title: Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 8 regulates proliferation and early differentiation of sheep skeletal muscle satellite cells Abstract: Ubiquitin-specific protease 8 (USP8), a member of the ubiquitin-specific protease (USP) family, was originally identified as playing a role in the regulation of growth and cell cycle. However, its functional role in myogenesis is unknown. In this study, we investigated the role of USP8 in proliferation and differentiation of sheep skeletal muscle satellite cells. The results showed that the expression level of USP8 was significantly increased on days 2 and 3 following the induction of the differentiation process. Furthermore, knocking down USP8 resulted in a significant increase in myogenin-positive cells, and promoted early differentiation of satellite cells by regulating the expression level of paired box 7 (PAX7). Additionally, knocking down USP8 suppressed muscle satellite cell proliferation, possibly explaining that the relative mRNA level of USP8 was linearly related to muscle fibre density of Hu sheep. Overall, our research demonstrates that USP8 plays a role in proliferation and early differentiation of skeletal muscle satellite cells. Keywords: myogenesis, myogenin, desmin, myosin heavy chain 3, PAX7 Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 87-96 Volume: 66 Issue: 3 Year: 2021 DOI: 10.17221/105/2020-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/105/2020-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-202103-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:66:y:2021:i:3:id:105-2020-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Darina Chodová Author-Name: Eva Tůmová Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Mohamed Ketta Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Title: The response of fast-, medium- and slow-growing chickens to a low protein diet Abstract: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of two dietary protein levels on performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality parameters in fast- (Ross 308), medium- (JA757), and slow-growing (ISA Dual) chickens to assess the interaction of the two factors. Each genotype was divided into a control group fed a commercial type of feed mixture and an experimental group fed a low-protein diet (LP). The trial was terminated after a common period of fattening of each genotype, and 20 chickens per group (sex ratio 1 : 1) were selected for the carcass and meat analysis. The results indicated that the LP diet decreased growth (P < 0.001) and increased feed consumption (P < 0.001) more in the fast-growing than in the slow-growing genotypes; however, reduced mortality was detected in fast-growing chickens. The LP diet had a negative effect on the European performance efficiency factor (P < 0.001) in fast- (-10%) and medium-growing (-6%) but not in slow-growing chickens. The main effect of the genotype on the carcass characteristics included the highest (P < 0.001) dressing out and breast percentage in fast-growing chickens and the highest (P < 0.001) percentage of thigh and abdominal fat in the slow-growing genotype. The LP diet had only a minor effect on the carcass traits. Regarding meat quality characteristics, slow-growing chickens were characterized by higher contents of dry matter (P < 0.001) and crude protein (P < 0.001) and lower contents of ether extract (P < 0.001) and cholesterol (P < 0.001) compared to medium- and fast-growing chickens. The individual effects of the genotypes were manifested by the largest cross-sectional area of the muscle fibres of pectoralis major in fast-growing chickens (P < 0.001). The results of the present study indicate a significant interaction of the dietary protein levels and genotypes in growth performance and a negligible effect on the carcass composition and physical and chemical quality of meat Keywords: poultry, nutrition, performance, carcass yield, meat quality Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 97-105 Volume: 66 Issue: 3 Year: 2021 DOI: 10.17221/260/2020-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/260/2020-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-202103-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:66:y:2021:i:3:id:260-2020-CJAS