Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: M. Trckova Author-Workplace-Name: Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: Z. Zraly Author-Workplace-Name: Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: L. Matlova Author-Workplace-Name: Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: V. Beran Author-Workplace-Name: Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: M. Moravkova Author-Workplace-Name: Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: J. Svobodova Author-Workplace-Name: Regional Institute of Public Health, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: I. Pavlik Author-Workplace-Name: Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic Title: Effects of peat feeding on the performance and health status of fattening pigs and environmentally derived mycobacteria Abstract: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of feeding peat as a supplement in the period after weaning on the performance and health status of pigs. Also to assess the risk of the development of tuberculous lesions in the lymph nodes and parenchymatous organs, caused by conditionally pathogenic mycobacteria present in peat. Twenty Large White × Landrace pigs in equal numbers of barrows and gilts (mean live weight 18.0 ± 1.7 kg) were used in the experiment. The experimental group was fed a diet containing commercial underground peat in the dose of 80 g peat/kg dry matter for 30 days. Subsequently, they were fed an identical diet with the control group without peat for 60 days. A short-time feeding peat did not significantly affect the growth and performance of pigs. From day 21, a statistically highly significant (P < 0.01) increase in the consumption of the experimental diet was recorded, however, without a positive effect on the growth of experimental animals. The conversion of the peat containing diet was comparable to the conversion of the control diet. It follows from the results of biochemical analysis of blood that peat feeding for 30 days did not adversely affect the metabolic profile and health status of experimental animals. No tuberculous or tuberculoid lesions in lymph nodes or parenchymatous organs were detected in any of 20 slaughtered animals. Despite that, mycobacteria were isolated from 10 (25.0%) tissues of 5 (50.0%) pigs from the experimental group. One isolate was identified as Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis (IS901- and IS1245+). Seven of nine isolates were determined as conditionally pathogenic atypical mycobacteria: M. fortuitum (n = 2) and M. xenopi (n = 5). It follows from the present results that feeding of a peat supplemented diet to pigs may be considered as economically non-effective and due to the findings of mycobacteria as risky. Keywords: humate, humic substances, performance, feed conversion, health status, tuberculosis, Mycobacterium avium complex, food safety Journal: Veterinární medicína Pages: 533-543 Volume: 51 Issue: 12 Year: 2006 DOI: 10.17221/5587-VETMED File-URL: http://vetmed.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/5587-VETMED.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/vet-200612-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlvet:v:51:y:2006:i:12:id:5587-VETMED Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: M. Trckova Author-Workplace-Name: Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: Z. Zraly Author-Workplace-Name: Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: P. Bejcek Author-Workplace-Name: Bohemia Vitae, Jindrichuv Hradec, Czech Republic Author-Name: L. Matlova Author-Workplace-Name: Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: V. Beran Author-Workplace-Name: Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: A. Horvathova Author-Workplace-Name: Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: M. Faldyna Author-Workplace-Name: Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: M. Moravkova Author-Workplace-Name: Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: J.E. Shitaye Author-Workplace-Name: Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Workplace-Name: University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: J. Svobodová Author-Workplace-Name: Regional Institute of Public Health, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: I. Pavlik Author-Workplace-Name: Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic Title: Effect of feeding treated peat as a supplement to newborn piglets on the growth, health status and occurrence of conditionally pathogenic mycobacteria Abstract: The first purpose of this experiment was to investigate the effect of ad libitum feeding of peat as a supplement to piglets from the age of five days up 23 days of age on their growth performance and health status. The second purpose was to assess the risk of the occurrence of conditionally pathogenic mycobacteria (CPM) in peat treated with ionizing radiation (Group PI) or per acetic acid (Group PP) and fed as a supplement to piglets. In respective experimental periods (at the age of 4, 23, 41 and 67 days), no significant differences in the average body weight between control group (C) and experimental Groups PI and PP were detected. Levels of selected biochemical (total protein, albumin, glucose, cholesterol, Ca, P, Fe and I) and haematological (erythrocytes, leukocytes and immunoglobulin - Ig) parameters of the health status of the piglets from all three Groups C, PI and PP were comparable at the age of 41 and 67 days. Mycobacteria were detected by culture in one diet sample (Mycobacterium intracellulare), in all 10 peat samples (7 M. a. hominissuis isolates, 2 M. intracellulare isolates and 1 M. xenopi isolate) and in 4 samples of biofilm from the drinking water pipeline system in the stables (M. xenopi, M. a. hominissuis, M. gordonae and Mycobacterium sp., one isolate in each). In 15 slaughtered pigs (at 67 days of age), no gross lesions that would give evidence of tuberculosis were found either in lymph nodes or parenchymatous organs. In Group C, mycobacteria were detected in tissues from two piglets (Mycobacterium sp. and M. a. hominissuis), Group PI in four piglets (M. a. hominissuis) and in Group PP in all five piglets (Mycobacterium sp., M. a. hominissuis, M. terrae and M. intracellulare). High positivity for CPM in both types of treated peat caused disseminated infection of the digestive tract of piglets from Groups PI and PP. Based on these results, feeding peat treated with ionisation or per acetic acid may be viewed as risky. Keywords: pig, humate, body weight gain, blood biochemistry, tuberculosis, Mycobacterium avium complex, zoonosis, food safety, mycobacteria distribution Journal: Veterinární medicína Pages: 544-554 Volume: 51 Issue: 12 Year: 2006 DOI: 10.17221/5589-VETMED File-URL: http://vetmed.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/5589-VETMED.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/vet-200612-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlvet:v:51:y:2006:i:12:id:5589-VETMED Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: K. Sedlak Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Virology and Serology, State Veterinary Institute, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: E. Bartova Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Biology and Wildlife Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic Title: The prevalence of Toxoplasma gondiiIgM and IgG antibodies in dogs and cats from the Czech Republic Abstract: Sera of 413 dogs and 286 cats from the CzechRepublicwere tested for antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii by the indirect fluorescent antibody test. The IgM antibodies to T. gondii were found in 10 (2.4%) dogs and 8 (2.8%) cats; IgG antibodies were found in 107 (25.9%) dogs and 126 (44.1%) cats. Of the dogs, the most exposed group were pet dogs, followed by police dogs; no antibodies were found in laboratory dogs. No statistically significant differences in prevalence were observed between clinically healthy (n = 115) and diseased pet dogs (n = 80); compare 0.87% and 1.25% for IgM, and 33.9% and 33.75% for IgG, respectively. Although T. gondii is a common parasite in domestic cats and dogs, the clinical importance is low. Keywords: toxoplasmosis, seroprevalence, IFAT, dog, cat Journal: Veterinární medicína Pages: 555-558 Volume: 51 Issue: 12 Year: 2006 DOI: 10.17221/5590-VETMED File-URL: http://vetmed.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/5590-VETMED.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/vet-200612-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlvet:v:51:y:2006:i:12:id:5590-VETMED