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It is becoming increasingly common for laboratories to allow the rehoming of dogs when they are no longer needed. There is no research, however, comparing the characteristics of dogs from laboratories to dogs acquired from more traditional sources for pets. This study used the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ) to compare emotional and behavioural characteristics of 100 former laboratory Beagles who were rehomed to a convenience sample of 244 pet Beagles with no known history of laboratory use. Our results revealed that the former laboratory Beagles exhibited increased fearfulness, attention and attachment behaviours, and more abnormal behaviours than the convenience sample, yet were significantly less aggressive, and likely to chase other animals or escape. Importantly, we also found no significant differences in a majority of the everyday behaviours assessed. Our findings demonstrate dogs rehomed from laboratories form strong bonds with their caregivers, and make equally good companions as their non-laboratory counterparts. Our findings may be helpful in designing appropriate rehabilitation programmes, educating laboratory workers and potential adopters, and support the ongoing efforts to offer these dogs for adoption.

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of correct saddle seating in the Czech Republic using a thermographic camera. Eighty-five randomly selected equestrian saddles were tested and evaluated. They were observed in 129 uses. Saddles of different manufacturers were evaluated after 25 min of training. Thermal images were taken under constant conditions from a distance of 1 m. The camera emissivity was 0.95 with a reflected temperature range of 26-37 °C. The maximum contact value of the saddle panels with the horse's body was 81.34% of their surface area. In all cases of measurement, the saddle panels showed asymmetry of contact with a range of detected values from 0.32% to 30.46% (P < 0.001). In 20.16% of cases, the contact was measured in the spinal canal region (min. 0%, max. 67.5%). In 7.75% of cases, saddle bridge was detected. None of the saddles tested showed 100% fitting (P < 0.001). Saddles with contact in the spinal canal and a bridge at the same time were completely excluded from the evaluation. The saddle panel contact exceeding 70% of the area and a tolerance for asymmetry not exceeding 5% were regarded as suitable for use. In considering a combination of all these parameters, only nine out of 129 cases of use were fully compliant. No correlation between saddle age and occurrence of the observed defects was demonstrated. It was found that thermographic evaluation can be proposed as a tool to standardise the assessment of saddle suitability prior to its use for a specific horse.

The present study examined the temperament of 699 cows of the Aberdeen Angus cattle breed, reared in 14 farms in Bulgaria. It was carried out within the period 2017-2020. The animals subject to the study were between two and eight years old. The temperament was visually evaluated following a scoring system from 1 to 5. The assessment method involved the behavioural reaction of the cows upon manipulation, passing through a chute and fixation into a cattle crush. The temperament of cows reared in two different systems - intensive and semi-intensive farming was compared. The temperament of the Aberdeen Angus cows had an average rate of 2.74 ± 0.04. The cows which had frequent contact with people had a calmer temperament. The manner of rearing (P < 0.001) as well as the age group (P < 0.001) had a significant influence on the parameter examined. The young animals were calmer and got accustomed to working in a crush more easily when they were reared together with cows of different ages.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of different sources of fibre in the diets of fattening pigs on performance, feeding behaviour and intestinal physiology. A total of 60 barrows and gilts (initial body weight 28.4 ± 0.4 kg) were allotted to four dietary treatments: control (CON), lignocellulose (LC), mycelium (MYC) and corn gluten feed (CGF). Diets were calculated to provide balanced available nutrient contents. Including MYC in the diet resulted in an increased average daily gain (P < 0.05) compared to CON and CGF, and improved gain to feed ratio (P < 0.05) compared to LC. Pigs in CON (P < 0.05) ate the fewest but largest meals, whereas treatment CGF (P < 0.05) showed the opposite effect, resulting in the same daily feeder occupation time. Regarding intestinal physiology, in ileum, no differences were observed between the contents of short chain fatty acids (SCFA), lactic acid and biogenic amines. In the colon, MYC showed an increased concentration of acetic acid (P < 0.05) as well as the total content of SCFA (P < 0.05), compared to LC and CGF. Distinct fermentation profiles of ammonia were recorded in ileal and colonic digesta, although contents remained below harmful concentrations. Morphometrical measurements showed differences between the fibre sources LC and MYC, as well as LC and the CON in all investigated gut sections. These results provide evidence that the inclusion of specific dietary fibre sources/contents can positively influence the gut morphology and performance of pigs. However, further studies are needed regarding the mode of action and physico-chemical characteristics of the different fibre sources as a precondition for their successful application in pig diets.

This work aimed to evaluate the quantity and the quality of flushed embryos based on the metabolic status of dairy cows, lactation number, and size of the ovaries. Fifty-nine Holstein cows on 1^st to 5^th lactation were enrolled in the experiment. Monitoring took place during the period from October to November and from March to June. Cows with corpus luteum were included for the hormonal treatment - superovulation and timed insemination. The cow was inseminated, resp. re-inseminated, during the induced heat with insemination doses from one bull from the same batch. Embryo flushing was performed on the 7^th day after the first insemination. We isolated individual embryos after flushing, and morphologically evaluated them under a stereo microscope. The metabolic status of tested cows was determined based on the ratio between fat and protein in milk around the period of embryo flushing (< 1.1; 1.1-1.3; > 1.3). Data about fat and protein content were taken from milking parlour records. Data were evaluated in SAS v9.4 with GLM procedure. The results of our study showed that there is a significant relationship between the fat/protein ratio and the total number of flushed embryos, resp. the number of transferable embryos. The highest number of flushed and transferable embryos were collected from the group of cows with fat/protein ratio between 1.1-1.3. The fat/protein ratio within these values represents cows in an optimal metabolic state. We also observed a significant positive relationship between the size of the ovaries and the number of flushed and transferable embryos. Lactation number did not significantly affect monitored parameters. The assessment of the fat/protein ratio might become a useful tool for the evaluation of cows selected for embryo transfer. Our findings could be used to improve the efficacy of the superovulation system, with the aim to extract the maximum number of transferable embryos.

The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of feed restriction and sex on the physical, chemical and histochemical parameters of meat quality in chickens, rabbits and nutrias. Feed restriction was applied at a rate of 70% ad libitum from 14 to 21 days of age in chickens, 70% ad libitum from 42 to 49 days of age in rabbits, and 70% ad libitum from 12 to 15 weeks of age in nutrias. Animals were fed ad libitum prior to and following restriction. The results showed stronger effects of feed restriction, sex, and their interaction on the meat quality of broiler chickens than in rabbits and nutrias. The effect of feed restriction, sex and their interaction were mainly observed in the nutritional value of meat, while physical measurements of meat were negligibly affected. The interaction between feed restriction and sex affected the cross-sectional area of muscle fibre only in rabbits and nutrias. The data indicated the relationships between compensatory growth, muscle fibre distribution, and nutritional value of meat.

This study investigated the effects of bacitracin zinc, potassium diformate and lauric acid on duodenal digestive functions, intestinal morphology and caecal microflora of broilers. A total of 240 male broilers were randomly allotted to four treatments consisting of five replicates with 12 birds per replicate. The dietary treatments were CON group (basal diet), ANT group (basal diet + 40 mg/kg bacitracin zinc), KDF group (basal diet + 1 000 mg/kg potassium diformate), and LA group (basal diet + 500 mg/kg lauric acid). The results showed that the chymotrypsin activity was significantly enhanced on days 21 and 42 in KDF group compared with CON group (P < 0.05), but there were no effects on the activities of trypsin and amylase (P > 0.05). No differences in digestive enzyme activities were found between ANT and LA groups (P > 0.05). Compared with CON group, the villus length and the villus-to-crypt ratio were significantly increased on days 21 and 42, and the crypt depth was significantly decreased in ANT, KDF and LA groups (P < 0.05). Compared with CON group, the supplementation of LA increased the relative abundance of Faecalibacterium on day 21 and the relative abundance of Bacillus on day 42 in caecum, while the supplementation of KDF increased the relative abundance of Faecalibacterium and decreased the relative abundance of Dorea on day 42 in caecum (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the supplementation of KDF enhanced the chymotrypsin activity. Dietary KDF and LA maintained the intestinal morphology by improving the villus length and the villus-to-crypt ratio and decreasing the crypt depth, and regulated the caecal microflora.

There are still concerns over sperm quality when plant-based diluents are used instead of animal-based semen extenders. Therefore, in our study we compared the effects of one soybean lecithin-based (AndroMed^®) and two egg yolk-based (BullXcell^® and Optidyl^®) commercially available extenders on post-thaw in vitro sperm quality. Fifty ejaculates collected from ten bulls were aliquoted into three parts and diluted with the above-mentioned extenders. Post-thaw sperm viability, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), plasma membrane integrity, and acrosome status were analysed immediately after thawing (0 h) and at an hourly interval during 2-h incubation at 38 °C. Sperm functionality variables were assessed by simultaneous quadruple staining using flow cytometry. Semen stored in Optidyl^® had a greater viability, plasma membrane and acrosome integrity than that stored in AndroMed^® and BullXcell^® (P < 0.05). With the use of BullXcell^® there was a higher percentage of sperm with high MMP (P < 0.05) when compared with the other extenders. The incubation affected the development of sperm quality parameters differently as the variables related to the plasma membrane showed an increase, while MMP and acrosome integrity showed a decline. Although the semen from all bulls responded to treatments in a similar manner, significant intra- and inter-male differences were found. In conclusion, the results clearly displayed the beneficial effects of egg yolk over soybean lecithin supplementation on in vitro sperm quality.

Identification of the associations of cow feeding behaviour with milk yield (MY) is important for supporting recommendations of strategies that optimize MY. The objective of this study was to identify associations between measures of rumination time (RT) and MY using data collated from 2 777 dairy cows on nine commercial dairy farms during the years 2017 to 2019. A database contained behaviour and daily MY data. Cows averaged (mean ± standard deviation) 2.7 ± 1.6 lactations, 153 ± 81 days in milk, and 23.2 ± 7.5 kg/day of MY during the observation period. Behavioural data included RT (504 ± 93 min/day), feeding time (FT) (479 ± 110 min/day), resting time (360 ± 94 min/day), and activity time (96 ± 45 min/day). The coefficient of variation for RT (min/day) was 18.5%. The behavioural differences observed in this study provide a new insight into the effects of RT and FT on MY. MY was positively associated with RT in early and mid-lactation dairy cows with correlation coefficients of 0.24 (P < 0.001) and 0.25 (P < 0.001), respectively. The mean level of rumination time (MRT) was shown to be correlated with total MY produced over the whole lactation (305 days). The differences in MY between the highest and lowest MRT groups of cows were 1 735 kg, 2 617 kg and 1 941 kg in the first, second and third lactation, respectively. High-yielding dairy cows in early (≥ 23 kg/day) and mid (≥ 30 kg/day) lactation achieved the highest RT (522 ± 3.54 min/day and 507 ± 3.17 min/day, P < 0.05) and the highest FT (457 ± 4.69 min/day and 496 ± 4.00 min/day, P < 0.05), respectively. Cows in the highest MY groups also had the lowest activity and resting times during the most productive (early and mid) phases of lactation (P < 0.05), which is in agreement with our finding that more productive cows spend a greater proportion of their time feeding and ruminating.

Neonatal calves are prone to gastrointestinal infections and microbial dysbiosis that lead to high morbidity and mortality. Prebiotics can be used to mitigate the adverse effects of gut diseases and microbial dysbiosis. Forty male Holstein-Friesian calves (2 ± 1 day old) were divided into four dietary treatments: control (milk without prebiotics), YCW-2, YCW-4 (milk containing 2 or 4 g/day/calf of yeast cell wall, respectively), and cMOS (milk containing commercial mannan-oligosaccharides 4 g/day/calf). Milk intake, feed intake, and health scores were recorded daily, whereas body weight, dry matter intake (DMI), and body measurements were recorded weekly. Feed efficiency (FE) was determined at the end of the trial (eight weeks). Cell-mediated immunity (CMI) was assessed by the topical application of dinitrochlorobenzene. Blood samples were collected fortnightly to determine glucose, non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and beta-hydroxybutyric acid (βHBA). Cell wall supplemented calves had significantly higher (P < 0.05) final body weights, DMI, and body measurements along with improved (P < 0.05) faecal scores. Feed intake was higher (P < 0.05) in both the YCW-supplemented calves. Glucose was lower (P < 0.001), whereas BUN and βHBA were significantly higher in the YCW-2 animals. No differences were observed in FE, CMI, and NEFA between all the experimental animals. The yeast cell wall (2 g) may have the potential to improve the growth performance and health status of neonatal calves.

To evaluate the impact of micelle silymarin (MS) on fattening pig growth, nutrient digestibility, toxic gas emissions and meat quality, 140 crossed fattening pigs were allocated to four treatments with seven repetition pens [(two barrows and three gilts)/pen] per treatment from the initial body weight of 51.0 kg (_SD 2.86). The pigs were fed the basal diet containing 0%, 0.05%, 0.1%, and 0.2% MS for 10 weeks. The results showed a linear improvement in the average daily gain (ADG) of pigs during 5 to 10 weeks as the dietary MS dose increased (P = 0.041). The apparent total tract digestibility of nitrogen (N) was enhancive linearly (P = 0.017 and 0.031, respectively) in week 5 and week 10 as the dietary MS dose increased. The Lactobacillus populations in the faeces of pigs fed MS diets were linearly increased (P = 0.048) during week 5. The dietary supplement of MS decreased faecal H₂S concentrations in week 5 and NH₃ concentrations in week 10 (quadratic, P = 0.022 and 0.007, respectively). Moreover, dietary MS linearly diminished cooking loss (P = 0.010) and yellowness value at 45 min postmortem (P = 0.029), whereas the redness value linearly increased (P = 0.028 and 0.002, respectively) after 45 min and 24 h postmortem. Finally, the linear decrease (P < 0.001) of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) concentration and protein carbonyl in pigs fed MS diets was found, but a quadratic improvement (P < 0.031) of total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) concentration was observed in the meat samples from MS-treated pigs. Taken together, supplementation of the graded level of MS to the basal diet exhibited dose-independent responses on ADG, N digestibility, toxic gas emissions and meat quality. Among the tested doses, 0.2% MS supplementation in the diet is found to be the most effective dose.

The present study investigated the effect of different dietary levels (0%, 0.25%, 0.5%, 1%, 2%) of Sophora alopecuroides (S. alopecuroides) on intramuscular fat (IMF) content in Ningxia Tan sheep. Candidate genes affecting IMF deposition were screened by comparing the RNA-Seq profiles of test (2% S. alopecuroides) and control (no S. alopecuroides) groups. The results showed that the intramuscular fat content of the diet supplemented with S. alopecuroides was significantly lower than that of the control group, and the intramuscular fat content decreased significantly with the increase of the dietary content of S. alopecuroides (P < 0.05). The highest IMF content of the control group (group A) was 4.21%, which was significantly higher than that of the other four experimental groups (B, C, D, E) (P < 0.05). Moreover, 66 genes were significantly upregulated and 202 genes were significantly downregulated in the test group compared to the control. Gene Ontology functional annotation revealed that the differentially expressed genes were closely related to plasma lipoprotein particle assembly, plasma lipoprotein particle organization, protein-lipid complex subunit organization, and other biological processes. KEGG pathway analysis showed that the differentially expressed genes belonged to 147 metabolic pathways. Finally, four differential genes which may be related to IMF deposition were screened out in PPAR signalling pathway, fatty acid biosynthesis, fatty acid degradation, and fatty acid metabolism. The quantitative analysis of four differential genes including ACSL3, PLIN2, ABCA1 and ANGPTL4 was carried out by RT-qPCR method, and the results were basically consistent with those of RNA-seq. Among them, the quantitative results of PLIN2 gene were slightly different from the sequencing results, but the difference was not significant, and they may be false positive. This study lays the foundation for understanding the molecular mechanism regulating mutton quality, and provides a theoretical basis for the study of S. alopecuroides as a feed additive to improve mutton meat quality and impact the gene function.

We investigated the effects of sweet potato vine silage (SPVS) supplementation on the growth performance, apparent digestibility and gut health of finishing pigs. 180 Bali Black pigs (Berkshire × Licha Black, with body weight of 74.54 ± 3.32 kg) were assigned to three groups: basal diet (Ctrl), Ctrl supplemented with 2.5% SPVS (Lspvs) and 5.0% SPVS (Hspvs). Animals were slaughtered after nine weeks of feeding. The results indicated that dietary SPVS supplementation improved average daily food intake and average daily gain. However, SPVS treatment decreased the apparent digestibility. Activities of antioxidant enzymes including total superoxide dismutase, total antioxidant capacity, glutathione peroxidase and catalase in the intestines of the Lspvs group were markedly upregulated. Concentrations of IL-1β and IL-6 were decreased and secretory immunoglobulin A was increased in Lspvs group. A significant increase (P < 0.05) of ileum diamine oxidase in Lspvs group was observed. The ileum villus height/crypt depth in the Hspvs group was significantly reduced. The ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes in the caecum contents of pigs was reduced, and the abundance of Lactobacillus was significantly increased. Specifically, Hspvs treatment markedly reduced the abundances of Proteobacteria. Collectively, these results suggest that dietary supplementation with SPVS is capable of improving growth performance, immune function and intestinal health by promoting the balance of the intestinal microbiota.

Milk production determines health status and optimal growth of suckling neonates. Recent studies revealed that the secretion of leucine into sow milk from the mammary gland is significantly lower than the amount taken up by the mammary gland from the blood, suggesting the potential and fundamental role in udder metabolism. However, little is known about the underlying mechanism. In this study, porcine mammary epithelial cells (PMECs) were employed to investigate the effects of leucine on protein synthesis and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling. Results showed that leucine supplementation significantly increased the proliferation of PMECs in a dose-dependent manner from 0 to 1 mmol/l. Secretions of four casein subunits were significantly increased by addition of leucine. The phosphorylation of proteins related to mTOR signalling, including mTOR, eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E-binding protein, and p70 ribosomal protein S6 kinase, were accordingly upregulated by leucine supplementation. Casein secretion was not affected by leucine treatment when mTOR signalling was inhibited by rapamycin. This suggests that leucine stimulates protein synthesis through the mTOR signalling pathway. These findings facilitate the utilization of dietary leucine supplementation to improve milk production in lactating sows.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) were identified as noncoding RNAs with covalently closed structures differing from other types of RNA molecules. It was thought that circRNAs were implicated in the development of secondary hair follicles (SHFs) of cashmere goats. In this investigation, a total of 21 novel circRNAs were identified from the skin tissue of cashmere goats. Of them, nine circRNAs were found to be significantly higher in expression at anagen skin tissue than those at telogen of cashmere goats. Based on bioinformatics analysis, a complicated regulatory relationship was revealed among the nine upregulated circRNAs at anagen with related signalling pathways, such as Wnt signalling pathway, TGF-beta signalling pathway, mTOR signalling pathway, MAPK signalling pathway, and axon guidance. Further, the expression pattern analysis of the nine upregulated circRNAs at anagen along with their host genes in SHFs suggested their potential functional roles in the regeneration and growth of anagen SHFs of cashmere goats. Our results provided novel significant information for elucidating the molecular regulatory mechanisms understanding the regeneration and growth of SHFs in cashmere goats, which will be essential for artificially regulating the growth of cashmere to increase cashmere yield.

In recent years, environmental experts and stakeholders have paid increased attention to the pollution of micro plastics in the soil. As persistent pollutants, micro plastics have a significant impact on the soil ecology, agricultural production, and the overall health of the ecological environment. Micro plastics can influence soil bio-physicochemical properties and the mobility of other contaminants in soil, with potentially significant implications on soil ecosystem functionality. Thus, functions including litter decomposition, soil aggregation or those related to nutrient cycling can be altered. Furthermore, micro plastics can influence soil biota at different trophic levels, and even threaten human health through food chains. Despite this potential negative interaction, there is limited research on micro plastics in the soil environment. The primary goals of this review are to summarise the sources, distribution characteristics, migration and degradation laws of micro plastics in the soil ecosystem, to summarise the combined effects of micro plastics and other pollutants in the soil ecosystem, to analyse the effects of micro plastics on soil physical and chemical properties, animals, plants, and microorganisms, and to reveal the effects of micro plastics on soil ecosystem and to according to the distribution characteristics of soil micro plastics, degradation, migration and ecological effects, propose pollution control measures. This current review will provide a comprehensive understanding of soil pollution by micro plastic and offer a scientific basis for the formulation of novel management practices that will protect and improve soils, and contribute to the sustainable development of the ecological environment and highlight important areas for future research.

Catharanthus roseus seedling was treated with different concentrations (1.5, 3.16, 15, and 30 mmol) and forms (K₂SO₄ and KNO₃) of potassium (K⁺) via Hoagland's nutrient solution. Ascorbic acid (AsA) was sprayed twice (plant days 68 and 78) with different concentrations (750 and 1 500 mg/L) on the leaves. Vinblastine, vincristine, tryptophan contents, D4H and DAT genes expression, peroxidase activity, and H₂O₂ content of leaves were measured. Potassium in KNO₃ form increased vinblastine (60%) and vincristine (50%), compared to 30% and 20% using K₂SO₄. Vinblastine and vincristine inhibit microtubule assembly and ultimately metaphase-arrested caused by the polymerisation. The genes expression was higher 3 times in KNO₃ and 2.5 times in K₂SO₄ in excess of K⁺. Foliar application of 750 mg/L AsA led to an increase in vinblastine (20%) and vincristine (16%). Both concentrations of AsA had the same additional effect on the expression of D4H and DAT about 30% and 60%, respectively, compared to the control plant. Tryptophan decreased 2.5 times in excess of K⁺ and 35% due to the exterior of AsA. H₂O₂ decreased while peroxidase activity increased along with AsA treatment. A positive interaction existed between the K⁺ and AsA on the amount of vinblastine, vincristine, tryptophan, and gene expression.

This paper deals with the sources of total factor productivity (TFP), namely technical efficiency, scale efficiency, and technological change, considering the size of agricultural producers and using balanced panel data in the period 2014-2018 drawn from the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) database for three sectors of Czech agriculture - cereals, milk, and beef. The investigation is based on the stochastic frontier (SF) modelling of an input distance function (IDF) with four error components (heterogeneity, statistical noise, persistent and transient inefficiency). The sector-specific models are estimated by a four-step estimating procedure with a system generalised method of moments (GMM) estimator to address the endogeneity problem. The results reveal inter- and intra-sectoral differences in productivity drivers. In particular, the smallest producers lag considerably behind the largest ones due to the scale effect (SEC). While large farms should focus on technological change, improvements in scale and technical efficiency have been identified as the main sources of coping with productivity losses for small farmers.

This paper uses the global trade analysis project (GTAP) to evaluate the impact of grain export restrictions on world food security during the COVID-19 epidemic. The study found that export restrictions distort world market prices, which in turn distort consumption and production, harm the interests of consumers and farmers in some countries, and threaten food security. In this regard, maintaining the convenience of the food trade is the wise choice of all countries. It is necessary to tighten the World Trade Organization (WTO) disciplines related to export restrictions, strengthen global food security governance and jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind.

Currently, technological development is driven by the search for solutions to prevent climate change and environmental degradation, increase energy efficiency, and meet societal needs in relation to avoiding conflict while navigating the implementation of current and future needs. Many of the solutions come from the rapid development of the bioeconomy. The aim of this article is to determine the impact of bioeconomy variables on economic growth in 27 EU countries. The research goal of the paper is based on the estimation of dynamic panel models using the generalized method of moments (GMM). The following set of variables used in the dynamic panel model had a positive impact on economic growth in the EU-27 countries: greenhouse gases by sector: agriculture, circular material use rate, recycling rate of packaging waste by type of packaging - plastic packaging, recycling rate of packaging waste by type of packaging - wooden packaging. Three variables were shown to have a negative impact on economic growth, namely: recycling rate of municipal waste, recycling rate of e-waste, trade-in recyclable raw materials - exports extra-EU.

Using the logistic model, this article investigates the influence of financial factors on gaining profits for new firms in the Spanish food industry. Specifically, the firms founded separately during the crisis period and during the postcrisis period are observed for their first three years. The findings suggest that indebtedness (for both periods), previous profitability (for the postcrisis period) and accounts payable (for the crisis period) were most frequently statistically significant in the logistic model. Hence, for new firms, controlling debt burden, accumulating internally generated funds and using payables to establish business relationships can help to gain profits. Firm size and asset rotation were significant in the first year (especially during the postcrisis period), with a positive relationship to profits. Given that the food industry is highly competitive, enlarging firm size to reach efficiencies of scale and using a low-price strategy with high asset rotation to obtain market share are effective marketing strategies for new firms. This article contributes to the empirical studies about the financial effects on new firms' profits in the food industry; it can also help potential entrepreneurs make better decisions about starting new businesses and help to manage new firms better in different macroeconomic environments.

Groundwater in Saudi Arabia contains high concentrations of nitrates. Nitrates are respected as the main groundwater pollutant causing dangerous health and environmental influences. The removal of nitrate from groundwater in Al-Qurayyat, Saudi Arabia, was investigated in this work using palm wastes. Palm fibers (PFI) and palm fronds (PFR) were initially employed as feedstock for the manufacturing of adsorbents, which were activated by heating to 300 °C. The activation of PFI and PFR resulted in an increase in surface area. Batch tests were used to determine the best environment for nitrate adsorption on PFI and PFR. The best factors for nitrate removal were as follows: the contact time was 20 min, the initial concentration of NO₃^- was 20 mg/L, the dose was 2 g/L and the pH was 6. The adsorption capacity of the PFI and PFR was 72% to 77%. In terms of nitrate removal effectiveness under local optimal circumstances, comparisons with commercial activated carbon (CAC) and anion exchange resin (Purolite A 520E) revealed that PFI and PFR are inferior to CAC and Purolite A 520E. However, the PFI and PFR were able to remove nitrate economically even under the most basic operating parameters.

Long-term single tillage causes serious deterioration of land quality and reduction of crop yield. Tillage rotation can alleviate the problems caused by long-term single tillage. However, the effects of different tillage rotations are still very limited. A tillage rotation experiment was conducted in the North China Plain to evaluate the impacts of tillage rotation on soil organic carbon (SOC), soil total nitrogen (STN) and crop yield. There were eight treatments with two main factors: tillage practice (four types: rotary tillage (R, 2002-2017), subsoiling tillage (S, 2002-2017), rotary to subsoiling tillage (RS, 2015-2017) and subsoiling to rotary tillage (SR, 2015-2017)) and straw management (two types: straw return (F) and straw removal (0)). RSF treatment yielded the highest SOC, at 12.53 g/kg. RSF significantly increased SOC by 41.4% compared to RF, while SRF significantly reduced SOC by 11.1% compared to SF. In addition, RSF significantly increased STN content by 21.7% compared with that under RF. Compared with SF, SRF promoted the uniform distribution of soil nitrogen in the 0-20 cm soil layer. Among the treatments, the RSF treatment yielded the highest SOC stock (SOC_S) and STN stock (STN_S), which were 67.68 t/ha and 6.63 t/ha, respectively. Compared with RF treatment, RSF treatment greatly increased SOC_S, by 31.7%. Both tillage rotation treatments increased STN_S by 13.3% under RSF compared to RF, and by 2.3% under SRF compared to SF. In 2016, the annual yield was highest under RSF treatment at 19.80 t/ha. In 2017, the annual yield was highest under SF treatment at 21.37 t/ha, and next highest under RSF at 20.94 t/ha. In summary, long-term rotary tillage followed by subsoiling tillage combined with straw return (RSF) can significantly increase SOC, STN and crop yield. The rotation of rotary tillage to subsoiling tillage combined with the straw return is an effective measure for improving soil quality and increasing crop yields in the North China Plain.

Biochar exhibits a profound impact on soil organic carbon (SOC) turnover and dynamics, but the underlying mechanism under field conditions is still unclear. A three-year field experiment was performed to evaluate the impact of peanut shell biochar applied at rates of 0, 33.75, 67.5, and 101.25 t/ha (referred to as B0, B1, B2, and B3, respectively) on SOC content and chemical composition in a saline-sodic paddy field using stable carbon isotope composition and ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance technology. With increasing rates of biochar, SOC and aromatic carbon contents and alkyl carbon/oxygen-alkyl carbon and hydrophobic carbon/hydrophilic carbon ratios increased, while alkyl carbon and oxygen-alkyl carbon contents and aliphatic carbon/aromatic carbon ratio decreased. The new carbon from biochar and rice residues accounted for 26.5% of SOC under B0 and increased to above 80.0% under B2 and B3. The decay rate of old carbon was faster in biochar-amended than in unamended soil. SOC content was positively correlated with alkyl carbon/oxygen-alkyl carbon and hydrophobic carbon/hydrophilic carbon ratios but negatively correlated with aliphatic carbon/aromatic carbon ratio. The results suggest that biochar can increase SOC content by increasing its humification, aromaticity, and hydrophobicity. However, negative priming is not the main mechanism for SOC accumulation during the short-term period.

The volatility of food prices still raises concerns among agricultural market players, increasing interest in the futures markets, thus calling for a better understanding of the connection between the futures and the Italian spot prices. This study uses symmetric and asymmetric vector error correction models to investigate the relationship between futures and spot prices for the Italian agricultural markets of soybean, corn, and milling wheat. The results confirm the leading role of the futures contract prices for all the considered commodities. Moreover, the non-linear cointegration analysis results suggest price transmission's asymmetries for all the agricultural commodity prices. This research provides critical insight into the shape of the futures-spot price transmission.

The aim of this paper is to outline the relationship between income and assets when taking into account selected models of farms' functioning. The following farm models are examined: traditional, industrial, sustainable, and organic. Panel models were used that were based on the results of individual unpublished data for farms in Poland that undertook agricultural accounting according to the Farm Accounting Data Network (FADN) principles from 2004 to 2019. It was found that industrial farms had the clearest income-assets relationship, while traditional farms had the least clear relationship. The value of land, as a component of assets, was found to weaken the income-assets relationship. In consequence, the value of assets increased faster than income. Thus, the farmers are becoming wealthier in terms of the value of their assets, but this is not reflected in their income.

The paper responds to the ongoing trends in meat consumption in developed countries and fills the gap in empirical studies on consumer segmentation by preferences in the purchase of meat and meat products in the Czech Republic. The paper aims to assess the differences between the consumer segments according to their preferences in purchasing meat and meat products. The data source was a quantitative questionnaire survey conducted among a representative sample of 992 respondents. An exploratory latent class analysis segmented consumers according to the decision-making criteria when buying meat and meat products. The results complete the picture of the meat and meat products market in terms of consumer behaviour and contribute to a better understanding of meat consumption. The segmentation of consumers according to their preferences resulted in three different categories of consumers, which differ in their purchase decision criteria and socio-demographic characteristics. The segments do not differ significantly in terms of occupation status, region, community size or income level of the respondents. The differences between the generations are much more critical, which were evident in the respondents' average age and household composition. Producers and retailers should better target their marketing activities and communication to different segments.

The effect of different sources of nutrients on the growth of Aquilaria crassna seedlings was assessed by raising seedlings in polybags treated with inorganic fertilizer (IF), organic fertilizer (OF) and biofertilizer (BF) either alone or in combinations. The pots were established following a completely randomized block design with eight treatments: (T1) soil without IF, OF or BF ‒ control; (T2) soil + IF; (T3) soil + OF; (T4) soil + BF; (T5) soil + IF + OF; (T6) soil + IF + BF; (T7) soil + OF + BF; (T8) soil + IF + OF + BF each replicated five times. Plant height, stem diameter, dry weight of shoots and roots, leaf area and chlorophyll index were measured six months after planting. Soil pH (H₂O) and available soil P content were measured as soil parameters. The best growth performances (54.30 cm, 6.48 mm, 7.10 and 5.92 g.plant^-1, 435.33 cm² and 58 for plant height, stem diameter, shoot and root dry weight, leaf area and chlorophyll index, respectively) were recorded in T8, which also resulted in the highest available P content (18.96 mg.kg^-1 soil). The lowest soil pH (H₂O) value (6.02) was recorded in T7 followed by T6 (6.17). The application of IF, OF and BF as a combination could be recommended to promote the growth of Aquilaria seedlings.

The sessile oak is a broadleaved tree species of great ecological and silvicultural importance. Oaks are the second most widespread deciduous tree species in the Czech Republic, and ongoing climate change negatively affects the abundant and often monocultural Norway spruce. Therefore, a proportional increase of more resilient tree species such as sessile oak has emerged. This study aimed to depict population genetic diversity when analysing 272 individuals from 10 subpopulations selected across the Czech Republic. Targeted populations were chosen based on the minimal expected human impact on the stand (presumably autochthonous stands). All individuals were genotyped using 18 polymorphic microsatellite markers (SSRs) assembled into two amplification multiplexes. The high discriminatory power of SSR markers was tested and confirmed by the probability of identity analysis. The genetic differentiation of the subpopulations was low yet significant, quantified by Wright's F-statistics within the range from 0.012 to 0.029. Based on discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC), we detected two populations with geographic genetic correlation (the 15^th meridian east being a north-south boundary line) and one with a distinct genetic pattern. We assume that the population might previously be established from seed sources outside the Czech Republic. Moreover, to some extent, our findings advocate the legitimacy of the legislative rules for forest reproductive material (FRM) transfer.

The Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) plantations in central Europe are currently damaged by a large-scale infestation by bark beetles (Scolytinae). Ips acuminatus and Ips sexdentatus are among the most aggressive species causing infestations of pine trees that are currently simultaneously attacked by Ips typographus. In pine plantations prone to damage, it is therefore necessary to carry out the bark beetle monitoring. One of the used methods is the pheromone bark beetle trapping using synthetic lures. The efficacy of synthetic lures differs. We tested the efficacy of commercially available lures used in the protection of pine trees. In total, we deployed 10 trap series, each consisting of traps with eight different lures and two unbaited traps (controls). Ips acuminatus and I. sexdentatus were most abundantly captured in Pheagr-IAC- and Sexowit-baited traps. Interestingly, the spruce species I. typographus was also captured and most often found in traps with Pheagr-IAC and Erosowit Tube lures. The number of captured beetles was consistent with the gradation phase of bark beetles. Our results suggest the suitability of pheromone traps for bark beetle monitoring. The use of Sexowit can be recommended especially in southwestern Moravia, where I. sexdentatus occurs in high numbers in the long run. In other parts of the Czech Republic, Pheagr-IAC alone can be used with sufficient efficacy. The use of the Erosowit Tube lure is also suitable for I. typographus and I. sexdentatus monitoring.