Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Ludmila Zavadilová Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Science, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Eva Kašná Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Science, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Zuzana Krupová Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Science, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Alena Pechová Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Nutrition and Forage Production, Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Workplace-Name: Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: Petr Fleischer Author-Workplace-Name: Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: Soňa Šlosárková Author-Workplace-Name: Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic Title: Mid-infrared milk screening as a phenotyping tool for feed efficiency in dairy cattle Abstract: Feed efficiency (FE) is one of the most essential traits in dairy cattle, primarily due to the high cost of feed, which constitutes a significant portion of dairy herd expenses. Unfortunately, assessing FE in individual cows requires precise measurement of feed consumption, a labour-intensive and expensive process that is impractical for group-fed cows on production farms. Efforts have been made to predict FE or, more precisely, dry matter intake (DMI), using predictors such as a body weight (BW), milk yield (MY), and milk composition. Recently, Fourier transform mid-infrared (FT-MIR) spectroscopy has been proposed as a tool to enhance the accuracy of DMI prediction. This paper reviews the application of FT-MIR milk spectroscopy for deriving FE phenotype in dairy cattle. FT-MIR is a reliable and widely used method for routine analysis of milk components. In FE phenotyping, predictive equations often incorporate FT-MIR alongside other traits such as BW, MY, milk composition, herd, breed, days in milk, and pregnancy. The most commonly used mathematical approaches are partial least squares (PLS) regression and artificial neural networks (ANN). Prediction accuracy varies across studies, depending on the mathematical method and model employed. Predictions based solely on FT-MIR data have demonstrated moderate accuracy (coefficient of determination), ranging from 0.19 to 0.40. However, integrating all data sources including MY, milk composition, FT-MIR, and near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIR) is crucial and results in higher accuracy, with reported values ranging from 0.03 to 0.81. Keywords: feed intake, Holstein cows, milk mid-infrared spectroscopy Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 1-16 Volume: 70 Issue: 1 Year: 2025 DOI: 10.17221/165/2024-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/165/2024-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-202501-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:70:y:2025:i:1:id:165-2024-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Daniela Fulínová Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Genetics and Breeding, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Workplace-Name: Czech Moravian Breeders' Corporation, Hradistko, Czech Republic Author-Name: Jiří Bauer Author-Workplace-Name: Czech Moravian Breeders' Corporation, Hradistko, Czech Republic Author-Name: Luboš Vostrý Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Genetics and Breeding, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Validation of the evaluation of longevity by weighted analysis Abstract: We applied the Interbull validation methodology, a widely accepted method in animal breeding, to assess novel weighted and nonweighted repeatability models for the prediction of breeding values for longevity in Czech Holstein cattle. The population included in the estimation also contained 58 704 animals with genotypes. Performance records from 1 055 814 cows in the full dataset and from 831 995 cows in the trimmed dataset were used for evaluation. Both linear models included effects of herd-year-period, animal, permanent environment, and correction for milk production of individual cows in relation to herd average lactation curve, differing only in the use of weighs. The average reliability of the validation bulls increased in the full dataset from 0.85 without weight to 0.91 in the model with weight. This increase was also apparent in the trimmed dataset (from 0.42 to 0.50). Both models showed considerable inflation of genomic breeding values (GEBVs) by Interbull validation and did not manifest distinct benefits supporting their use in the routine evaluation of Czech Holstein cattle in the Czech Republic. Keywords: cattle, genomic evaluation, linear model, repeatability model Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 17-25 Volume: 70 Issue: 1 Year: 2025 DOI: 10.17221/157/2024-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/157/2024-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-202501-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:70:y:2025:i:1:id:157-2024-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Barbora Gancárová Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Breeding, Faculty of Agrobiology and Food Resources, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Slovak Republic Author-Name: Kristína Tvarožková Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Breeding, Faculty of Agrobiology and Food Resources, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Slovak Republic Author-Name: Michal Uhrinčať Author-Workplace-Name: Research Institute for AnimalProduction Nitra, National Agricultural and Food Centre, Lužianky, Slovak Republic Author-Name: Lucia Mačuhová Author-Workplace-Name: Research Institute for AnimalProduction Nitra, National Agricultural and Food Centre, Lužianky, Slovak Republic Author-Name: Juliana Mačuhová Author-Workplace-Name: Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Animal Husbandry, Freising, Germany Author-Name: Vladimír Tančin Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Animal Breeding, Faculty of Agrobiology and Food Resources, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Slovak Republic Author-Workplace-Name: Research Institute for AnimalProduction Nitra, National Agricultural and Food Centre, Lužianky, Slovak Republic Title: Somatic cells and bacteriological examination of milk samples of goats Abstract: Mastitis, mainly caused by contagious bacteria, is an important disease in dairy goat production, especially subclinical mastitis. The aim of the research was to study the relationship between somatic cell count (SCC) and presence of mastitis pathogens in goat milk during the period 2022-2024. A total of 987 udder-half milk samples were obtained from 5 goat farms in Slovakia. The presence of pathogens was determined by bacterial cultivation and grown colonies were identified by MALDI-TOF MS at the species level. Fossomatic 7 was used to determine SCC. To evaluate the frequency distribution of the samples, the following groups of SCC were considered: SCC1 < 500 × 103 cells/ml, SCC2 ≥ 500 < 1 000 × 103 cells/ml, SCC3 ≥ 1 000 < 2 000 × 103 cells/ml, SCC4 ≥ 2 000 × 103 cells/ml. The individual milk sample were 42.2% in SCC1, 17.0% in SCC2, 16.7% and 24.0% in SCC3 and SCC4, respectively. Of the total number of samples, 23.0% were bacteriologically positive. The most frequently identified pathogens were Staphylococcus spp., especially non-aureus staphylococci and mammaliicocci (NASM). Among the NASM, Staphylococcus epidermidis (40.3%), Staphylococcus caprae (27.5%) and Staphylococcus simulans (10.4%) were the most prevalent species. Only 2 samples were positive for Staphylococcus aureus. A higher occurrence of pathogens was identified in SCC ≥ 1 000 × 103 cells/ml (SCC3 and SCC4) compared to SCC < 1 000 × 103 cells/ml (SCC1 and SCC2). However, approximately 34.8% of uninfected half udders with no bacteriological findings had SCC ≥ 1 000 × 103 cells/ml. In conclusion, NASM were the most common bacterial causative agents of subclinical mastitis in goats and it is not easy to set a specific SCC for subclinical mastitis diagnosis as it is in dairy cows. Keywords: goat', s milk, health, mastitis, pathogens, udder Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 26-32 Volume: 70 Issue: 1 Year: 2025 DOI: 10.17221/163/2024-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/163/2024-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-202501-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:70:y:2025:i:1:id:163-2024-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Anna Migdał Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Genetics, Animal Breeding and Ethology, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland Author-Name: Sylwia Ewa Pałka Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Genetics, Animal Breeding and Ethology, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland Author-Name: Michał Kmiecik Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Genetics, Animal Breeding and Ethology, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland Author-Name: Olga Jarnecka Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Genetics, Animal Breeding and Ethology, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland Author-Name: Ewelina Semik-Gurgul Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Molecular Biology, National Research Institute of Animal Production, Balice, Poland Author-Name: Łukasz Migdał Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Genetics, Animal Breeding and Ethology, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland Title: Association between polymorphism within rabbit IGF1 gene and slaughter weight in Termond White rabbits Abstract: Growth traits belong to the most important economic traits in livestock. One of the genes involved in vertebrate growth and development is insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1). Therefore, in our study we hypothesised that within the sequence of rabbit IGF1 gene it is possible to identify a polymorphism that may influence growth, carcass or meat traits in rabbits. We identified 6 polymorphisms (g.89259430T>C; g.89259338C>G; g.89259328T>C; 89210029A>G; 89210349C>G and g.89194199C>T) within introns of the IGF1 gene. One polymorphism, g.89194199C>T, was analysed using polymerase chain reaction high-resolution melting (PCR-HRM). We performed the association analysis on 370 animals (males to females 1 : 1) of different breeds: New Zealand White × Flemish Giant crossbreds (NZW × FG), Termond White (TW) and Flemish Giant (FG). Results showed that for growth and slaughter traits in TW populations a significant association (P = 0.003) was found for slaughter weight (SW) when CT genotypes showed significantly higher values compared to CC genotypes (2 878.0 g ± 107.0 and 2 678.0 g ± 34.0, respectively). For TW rabbits we found a significant association (P = 0.009) for dissected bone weight in hind leg (HB) when CT genotypes (127.0 g ± 5.8) had significantly higher values compared to CC genotypes (112.0 g ± 2.4). For carcass traits and physical characteristics of meat we found for musculus longissimus lumborum in TW rabbits that the b* parameter value 45 min after slaughter was significantly higher (P = 0.001) for CT genotypes (1.88 ± 0.05) compared to CC genotypes (0.05 ± 0.02). We conclude that the use of identified SNP in breeding may be limited to some breeds. Keywords: association analysis, growth traits, insulin like growth factor 1, meat traits oryctolagus cuniculus, SNP Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 33-41 Volume: 70 Issue: 1 Year: 2025 DOI: 10.17221/59/2024-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/59/2024-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-202501-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:70:y:2025:i:1:id:59-2024-CJAS