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A five-year old female brown caiman (Caiman crocodilus fuscus) was admitted to a veterinary clinic because of anorexia and lethargy. Chronic deterioration of the patient's condition together with the formation of slushy stools coloured from brown to red was observed during the previous eight weeks. Physical examination showed significant apathy and cachexia. Radiographic examinations of chest and abdomen revealed no pathological findings. Initial blood tests revealed decreased hematocrit and low levels of haemoglobin. Despite treatment with enrofloxacin and intensive supportive therapy with amino acids, vitamins and mineral matter, the animal died 14 days after admission to the clinic. Post mortem examination revealed splenomegaly with a total destruction of inner organ structure together with multiple granulomas in liver and lungs. Ziehl-Neelsen staining of tissue samples from liver, lungs and spleen revealed numerous acid-fast bacilli consistent with Mycobacterium spp. Identification of isolates was carried out using PCR restriction analysis (PRA) of the hsp65 gene and DNA sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Two different mycobacterial isolates obtained from separate samples of liver, lungs and spleen were identified as M. chelonae and M. szulgai. This is the first report of mixed infection caused by M. chelonae and M. szulgai in a reptile.

Peach fruit fly, Bactrocera zonata (Saunders) (Diptera: Tephritidae), has been a serious pest in the last decade attacking a wide range of fruits in Egypt. The toxicity of Malathion, Diazinon, Methoxyfenozide, and Lufenuron to adult males and females of Bactrocera zonata was studied under laboratory conditions. Diazinon was the most toxic among the tested compounds followed by Malathion, Lufenuron and Methoxyfenozide to Bactrocera zonata at 24 h post treatment, the respective LC₅₀ values were 0.20 ppm, 0.48ppm, 8.97ppm, and 9.73ppm for males and 0.26 ppm, 0.91ppm, 11.26ppm, and 14.12ppm for females. At 48 h post treatment Diazinon was the most toxic followed by Malathion, Methoxyfenozide and Lufenuron to Bactrocera zonata, LC₅₀ values were 0.09ppm, 0.34ppm, 1.60ppm, and 1.88 ppm for males and 0.14 ppm, 0.44ppm, 1.68ppm and 2.17 ppm for females. At 72 h post treatment Diazinon was the most toxic followed by Malathion, Lufenuron and Methoxyfenozide to Bactrocera zonata, LC₅₀ values were 0.02 ppm, 0.13ppm, 0.22ppm and 0.51ppm for males and 0.07 ppm, 0.16ppm, 0.55 ppm and 0.62 ppm for females. It is observed that LC₅₀ values for treated adult females increased more than in the treated adult males at 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h post treatment. It means that the adult males were more susceptible to the tested insecticides than the adult females.

Compared to the large effort spent developing Brazilian bread wheat cultivars, relatively few soft wheat cultivars for cookie flour were released in this country in the recent years. The objective of this study is to propose a model to predict wheat cultivars with improved manufacturing quality for the cookie industry while maintaining production for the growers. A database was compiled originally with 1674 entries with field, milling and flour quality parameters from the year 2000 to 2008 crop seasons. The critical specifications of 14 commercial cookie flours were compared and it was determined that the variables farinograph water absorption appeared in 14 out of 41 specifications (34.1%), alveograph strength appeared in 13 out of 41 specifications (31.7%), wet gluten appeared in 11 out of 41 specifications (26.8%), alveograph tenacity appeared in two out of 41 specifications (4.9%), and alveograph dough extensibility appeared in one out of 41 specifications (2.5%). Using frequency percentages as model coefficients a Brazilian Cookie Wheat Score Model was proposed:BCWS =ABS × 0.341 + W × 0.317 + WG × 0.268 + P × 0.049 + L × 0.025. The ideal score for a wheat genotype to be classified as cookie wheat for the Brazilian market is within the optimum interval from 56.1 to 81.2. To validate this model and its proposed interval, 277 wheat entries from the 2008 crop year were tested under the following conditions: first, wheat genotypes that yielded less than the average of bread wheat genotypes were discharged; second, wheat genotypes without the full set of values for the model variables were discharged. Twenty wheat genotypes, out of 277, were within the optimum interval and were proposed as wheat genotypes to produce cookie flour. The validation results indicated that, using the BCWS Model, along with the established conditions, a wheat breeder will have 75% chance of finding a potential cultivar with acceptable cookie functionality from a set of experimental lines.

A four-year old, 26.5 kg, Boxer bitch was presented to the Department of Reproduction in the Clinic of Dogs and Cats with a six month history of vulvar swelling and vaginal discharge. General gynaecological examination showed an extremely swollen, oedematous and tough-elastic highly irritable vulva. A vaginal smear revealed the presence of superficial cells and red blood cells. After repeated unsuccesful administrations of HCG and GnRH the owner of the bitch agreed to surgical treatment. An ovariohysterectomy was performed and on the left ovary a grapefruit-size structure was found. Three nodular structures were found retroperitoneally and were also dissected. Histological examination showed a disgerminoma in metastasises, mitotically active with a bad prognosis. However, at a check up twenty months subsequently the patient was still alive.

In the frame of 'Baltic fruit rootstock studies' apple rootstocks B.9, B.146, B.396, B.491, P 2, P 22, P 60, M.9, M.26, Jork 9, Bulboga and Pure 1 were tested in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. More vigorous tree growth was recorded following North-South direction being the weakest in Estonia and the strongest in Lithuania. Apple rootstocks can be grouped, according to the induced tree vigour, in the following way: less vigorous than M.9: P 22, the same as M.9: Pure 1, B.396, Jork 9, P 60, B.9 and P 2, between M.9 and M.26: B.491, more vigorous than M.26: Bulboga and B.146. Rootstock effect on cumulative yield and cumulative yield efficiency index was determined by location. The highest productivity, considering cumulative yield and efficiency index, was obtained on M.9 rootstock in Lithuania, on Bulboga, B.146, M.26 and B.491 rootstocks in Estonia and on Pure 1, P 60 and B.9 rootstocks in Latvia. Rootstock effect on fruit weight was not clear and differed among locations. Interactions between rootstock and location indicate at the importance of multi-site rootstock evaluation.

: The paper describes the basic potential methods and their costs of maintenance of forest lands in protective zones under high-voltage power lines (HVPL) 400 kV and 220 kV. In the present situation and with available information and data, it was possible to accomplish the average cost calculations for the whole area of the Czech Republic. The paper analyses the following mechanical and chemical methods of maintenance of forest lands: full-area scrub clearing with power saw (PS), selective individual scattered clearing of trees with PS, full-area scrub clearing by milling, full-area scrub clearing by the application of herbicides and arboricides, selective individual scrub clearing of individual trees by cutting followed by spray treatment with arboricides. The maintenance of forest lands in zones of HVPL (scrub clearing) by milling belongs to the economically most convenient mechanical methods, for example when removing 3,000 trees.ha^-1, the cost of this option is 20,000-23,000 CZK.ha^-1ha in a period of 3-year periodic frequency, while the most expensive method is selective individual scrub clearing of scattered individual plants with PS at costs of around 84,000 CZK.ha^-1.

The article deals with financial and socio-economic impacts of nature conservation in forest and wood industries of Slovakia. The paper presents costs and losses of state budget, forest enterprises and wood-processing companies caused by restrictions related to Act No. 543/2002 on Nature and Landscape Protection. Total financial impacts were calculated at 26.98 mil. EUR and total socio-economic impacts based on revenues of the wood-processing industry at 167.81 mil. EUR, which means a loss of 2,268 jobs. These financial and socio-economic impacts were partially compensated, the sum of compensations reached 2.79 mil. EUR.

The uptake of Pb, Cd, Zn and biomass production of the plants Brassica juncea v. Opaleska, Triticale hexaploides var. Gabo and Helianthus annuus v. Maritza were observed in a field (trial) and a pot experiments during four years. The plants were grown in monoculture variants and also in crop rotation. The field experiment (plots about 1 × 1 m) was set up in heavily contaminated Haplic Fluvisol in the Litavka River alluvium. Pb, Cd, and Zn phytoextraction from the identical Haplic Fluvisol and Haplic Cambisol less contaminated mainly by atmospheric deposition was observed in the pot experiment. The application of 0.2 g EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid)/kg and 1 g citric acid/kg into the soils of field (250 kg of soil/m² plot) and pot (6 kg of soil/pot) experiments was realized. The comparison was accomplished between natural phytoextraction efficiency of B. juncea, H. annuus, and T. hexaploides. Crop rotation with and without chemical induction was tested. EDTA application had an immediate strong mobilization effect on the elements tested in both experiments and both soils. In the pot experiment, Pb, Cd, and Zn were more mobilized in Cambisol with initial lower mobile contents of elements in comparison with Fluvisol. The highest mobilization by EDTA was achieved for Pb. Strong Pb mobilization in Cambisol after EDTA addition resulted in a high Pb uptake and translocation from the roots of B. juncea into the shoots. EDTA application increased Pb phytoextraction by harvested B. juncea. Naturally grown H. annuus proved the high phytoextraction efficiency for Cd and Zn in the experiment. The assumed effect of the cultivation method, i.e. crop rotation vs. Monoculture, was not statistically proved in our experiments.

The cell survival in the digestive tract is one of the main criteria required for the probiotics. The aim of this study was to evaluate the stability of the selected lactobacilli (Lactobacillus acidophilus CCDM 151; L. casei CCDM 198; L. rhamnosus CCDM 150, and L. fermentum ST 68) in conditions simulating those in the gastrointestinal tract as compared to the commercial probiotic strain Lactobacillus casei LAFTI L-26. The growth of lactobacilli decreased both after 2 h and 4 h incubation in MRS media with increasing concentration of bile salt but all lactobacilli had the ability to adapt in the environment of bile salt. Great differences in viability were detected between the isolated cells in the stomach simulating conditions. L. casei LAFTI L-26 and L. acidophilus CCDM 151 were most stable, L. rhamnosus CCDM 150 did not survive under these conditions. Milk revealed a strong protective influence on the viability of all lactobacilli in the stomach simulating conditions. The conditions existing in the small intestine did not influence the cell viability. Differences in autoaggregation were also observed.

Water quality was examined in two parallel streams in southeastern Manitoba that enclosed a small hog and poultry operation with associated waste lagoons and manure spread fields. Nitrate-N (NN), molybdenum reactive phosphorus (MRP), dissolved organic matter index (DOMI), chloride, total alkalinity, total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS), pH, temperature, and total (TC) and fecal (FC) coliform bacterial counts were measured at weekly intervals during the ice-free season at two upstream and two downstream sites relative to the operation. Significantly higher values downstream compared to upstream were observed for MRP, TSS, TDS, chloride, and to some extent NN, indicating the escape of these materials into the adjacent streams. TC were correlated with the rainfall, water temperature, TDS, and pH at all sites. However, TC were also correlated with TSS, MRP, and DOMI only at the downstream sites, while NN was correlated more strongly downstream than upstream. FC were correlated with water temperature and NN at all sites, as well as with TSS and MRP downstream only. Downstream FC/TC ratios increased with increasing rainfall, indicating proportionately greater escape of FC compared to TC under higher runoff conditions. The results suggested that environmental loading of livestock waste adversely altered natural stream water quality dynamics, underlining the need for improved management practices, including the timing of manure spreading during drier weather conditions to minimise the large-scale escape events.

The aim of this study was to perform an analysis of genetic diversity in four endangered horse populations bred in Slovakia, describing parameters on the probability of identity by descent and gene origin. The analysed populations consisted of (reference populations in brackets) 656 (158) Hucul horses, 2052 (162) Lipizzan horses, 1951 (171) Shagya Arabian horses, and 220 (42) Slovak Sport Ponies. The equivalent complete generations ranged from 4.93 for the Slovak Sport Pony to 10.25 for the Lipizzan horses. The average value of inbreeding ranged from 2.67% for the Slovak Sport Pony to 6.26% for the Hucul. The mean average relationship coefficients varied from 3.08% for the Shagya Arabian to 9.34% for the Hucul. Individual increases in inbreeding ranged from 0.43% for the Lipizzan to 1.06% for the Hucul, while the realized effective sizes were from 117.14 to 47.67 animals. The evaluated populations were derived from 80 to 499 founders. The effective number of founders ranged from 26 to 160, while the effective number of ancestors from 7 to 32.

In this study, productivity rate and operation cost of farm tractor were evaluated in a mountainous natural forest. Data for the study came from a detailed time study in the Research and Educational Forest of Tarbiat Modares University (REFTMU) and was used to develop a multiple linear regression model to predict the skidding cycle time. The results showed that effective independent variables of skidding time were skidding distance and slope of skid trail (P = 0.01). Average productivity rate ranged from 2.43 to 2.60 m².h^-1. Total time and effective time, respectively. Total cost of the system was 10.24 USD.h^-1 whereas 4.58% of the cost of skidding resulted from personal delay. The cost and productivity resulting from this study emphasized the importance for foresters to consider a farm tractor when designing skidding operations in young stands or prescribing a combination of two machines in mature stands.

In order to improve the functional properties of soybean protein isolates (SPI), microwave-assisted phosphorylation (MAP) was applied. The result showed that after microwaving at 600 W for 3 min, the phosphorylation level of SPI reached 35.72 mg/g, emulsifying activity and stability were increased 2 times and 1.4 times, respectively, the solubility was increased by 26.0% and the apparent viscosity was decreased by 13.5%. The charge density, content of sulfhydryl groups, and surface hydrophobicity increased significantly. The infra-red spectroscopic analysis indicated PO₄^3- primary and lysine residues for phosphoric acid esterification. The change of amide bond Ι and fluorescence spectrum of variation suggested that the MAP made the secondary and tertiary structures of SPI into a compact conformation. Compared to the regular phosphorylation, the preparation time applied in MAP of SPI was much shorter. These results indicated that MAP can be used as an efficient method to improve the functional properties of SPI.

In long-term stationary experiments under different soil-climatic conditions, an influence of mineral and organic fertilization on yield of winter wheat, spring barley and potato tubers was evaluated. Statistically significantly lowest grain yields of winter wheat (4.00 t/ha) and spring barley (2.81 t/ha) were obtained in non-fertilized plots at all experimental sites. In the case of potatoes, the lowest yield of dry matter (5.71 t/ha) was recorded in the control plot, but the result was not statistically significant. The manure-fertilized plot gave the average yield of wheat higher by 30%, of barley by 22%. Application of sewage sludge resulted in wheat yield higher by 41% and barley yield higher by 26% over control. On average, application of sewage sludge and manure increased the yield of potatoes by 30% over control. The highest yield was obtained after application of mineral fertilizers; average yield increased by 59, 50 and 36% in winter wheat, spring barley and potatoes, respectively. No statistically significant differences among the plots with mineral fertilizers were observed. At different sites, the yield of studied crops varied; however, the effect of fertilization on yield increments was similar at all experimental sites except for Lukavec. It is the site with the lowest natural soil fertility, and it showed the highest effect of the applied fertilizers.

The objective of the present study was to refine a previously developed method to isolate primary bovine mammary epithelial cells (pBMEC) from fresh milk. Using this method, it was tested whether the number of pBMEC and the relation of recovered pBMEC to total somatic cell count vary within the individual lactation stages. Furthermore, the expression levels of the milk protein genes during the first twenty weeks of lactation were determined by quantitative PCR method. A total number of 152 morning milk samples were obtained from twenty-four Holstein-Friesian cows during the first 20 weeks of lactation (day 8, 15, 26, 43, 57, 113, and 141 postpartum). Numbers of extracted pBMEC were consistent at all time-points (1.1 ± 0.06 to 1.4 ± 0.03 ×10³/ml) and an average value of RNA integrity number (RIN) was 6.3 ± 0.3. Percentage of pBMEC in relation to total milk cells (2.0 ± 0.2 to 6.7 ± 1.0%) correlated with milk yield. Expression patterns of the casein genes alpha (α)_S1, (α)_S2, beta (β), and kappa (κ) (CSN1S1, CSN1S2, CSN2, CSN3, respectively) and the whey protein genes α-lactalbumin (LALBA) and progestagen-associated endometrial protein (PAEP; known as β-lactoglobulin) were shown to be comparable, i.e. transcripts of all six milk protein genes were found to peak during the first two weeks of lactation and to decline continuously towards mid lactation. However, mRNA levels were different among genes with CSN3 showing the highest and LALBA the lowest abundance. We hypothesized that milk protein gene expression has a pivotal effect on milk protein composition with no influence on milk protein concentration. This paper is the first to describe milk protein gene expression during lactation in pBMEC collected in milk. Future studies will be needed to understand molecular mechanisms in pBMEC including regulation of expression and translation throughout lactation.

Thin layer drying properties of high moisture garlic sheets under semi fluidized and fluidized bed conditions with high initial moisture content (about 154.26% d.b.) were studied. Air temperatures of 50, 60, 70 and 80°C were applied to garlic samples. Among the applied models, Page model was the best to predict the thin layer drying behavior of garlic sheets. Using this model, correlation coefficient (R²) was high for all drying cases. The computed values of D_eff were between 3.38 × 10^-10 and 2.54 × 10^-9 m²/s during the falling rate drying. Values of D_eff for garlic sheets were also increased with increasing in input air temperature. Activation energy values were varied between 51.32 and 60.58 kJ/mol for 50 to 80°C, respectively. The specific energy consumption (SEC) for garlic specimens was placed in the range of 0.316 × 10⁶ and 0.979 × 10⁶ kJ/kg from 50 to 80°C, respectively. An increase in air temperature caused decrease in SEC value. Application of semi fluidized bed convective drying with temperature between 50 and 60°C was suitable to produce dried garlic.

Particular agronomic traits of six landraces of Triticum diccocum Schrank (Schuebl) were studied during three years in Prague and České Budějovice localities, Czech Republic. The analysis of tolerance to drought by using the method of ¹³C discrimination (CID) was also focused on in the research. All the tested varieties were resistant to usual wheat diseases. An inclination of particular varieties to lodging and a low harvest index rate (0.33) were negative factors having a significant effect on the yield rate. Meanwhile, all the varieties contained a high percentage of proteins in grain (17.92%) which was an important advantage in low input conditions. The landraces of emmer wheat also proved to be more tolerant to drought (CID = 25.82‰) than check varieties of bread wheat (CID = 26.70‰). Results of the research showed that some of the emmer landraces may be successfully grown and used directly in low-input farming systems or in breeding programs focused on the breeding of suitable varieties for low-input farming.

The effects of storage on the lipid composition of three redgram (TTB-7, BRG-1, and ICP-8863) and three greengram (PUSA BISAKI, KDM-1, and CHINA MOONG) varieties were studied. Environment variables such as temperature and relative humidity were recorded during storage period. Moisture content was found to increase along with the percent incidence of storage insects. The incidence of storage moulds and insects was recorded in all the samples; results showed that storage moulds belonged to Aspergillus species and the insect Callosobruchus chinensis infested the stored samples. The total fat, triglycerides, phospholipids, free fatty acids and peroxide value were evaluated in the control and in samples stored for three and six months. Results showed that storage depleted total fat (1.94-1.75 g), triglycerides (1.46-1.07 g), whereas phospholipids (0.06-0.21g), free fatty acids (0.002-0.01 g) and peroxide values (2.14-4.46 meq) increased. The fatty acid content of palmitic (26.03-23.56%), stearic (7.4-5.46%), linoleic (56.2-45.2%) and linolenic acids (6.9-4.7%) decreased, but oleic acid content increased (8.3-21.6%) in all the varieties during storage.

Heavy metal (Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb and Fe) concentrations in salt marsh sediments of the Karnafully River coast were investigated in this study. Sediment samples of four different sites were analysed for selected heavy metals by AAS (atomic absorption spectrophotometry). The mean values of heavy metals were 45.79 µg/g for Cu, 105.0 µg/g for Zn, 0.43 µg/g for Cd, 26.70 µg/g for Pb and 3297.38 µg/g for Fe in this study. It is observed that Pb and Cu have positive correlations (r = 0.370, P < 0.05) and Fe and Zn have negative correlations (r = -0.729, P < 0.05) in the correlation matrix. Except Fe, all the metals were found at contamination levels which may indicate a recent and continuous contamination from domestic and industrial discharges. The results of sediment samples showed that the Karnafully River coast is facing heavy metal pollution.

The preponderance of susceptible sour orange (Citrus aurantium L.) rootstock has facilitated the spread of Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) in Trinidad and Tobago. CTV is transmitted by the brown citrus aphid Toxoptera citricida (Kirkaldy), which establishes large colonies on new flushes of citrus plants. As the colonies become highly populated, winged (alate) aphids are produced which can migrate to uninfected neighbouring citrus trees and hence transmit CTV. In the present study different concentrations of the entomopathogenic fungus Verticillium lecanii (Zimm) Viegas in water-based formulations were applied to T. citricida and the pathogenic effects were analysed. Bioassays were also conducted on the major parasitoid Lysiphlebus testaceipes Cresson to test the pathogenic effects of V. lecanii on mortality and the percent emergence from mummies. The LC₅₀ values for T. citricida and L. testaceipes were 2.26 × 10¹⁰ spores/ml and 1.09 × 10⁹ spores/ml, respectively. Statistical analyses indicated that there was no significant difference between the two LC₅₀ values. At the highest concentration (1.49 × 10⁹ spores/ml) percent mortality peaked at 78.9% after 12 days and 1.95 × 10⁹ spores/ml, mortality of L. testaceipes reached 95.1% after 6 days. Emergence of L. testaceipes at the highest concentration of 1.95 × 10⁹ spores/ml was 57.8%.

Linguatula serrata is a zoonotic parasite causing visceral and nasopharyngeal linguatulosis in humans. Dog and other canines are the main definitive hosts while most herbivores, including ruminants serve as intermediate hosts for linguatulosis. Human rarely become infected as both final and intermediate hosts. This survey aimed to assess the L. serrata infection rate of dogs and domestic ruminants in North West of Iran. The upper respiratory tract of 97 dogs including 45 females and 52 males and the mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs) of 396 goats (203 females and 193 males), 406 buffaloes (166 females and 240 males), 421 cattle (209 females and 212 males) and 438 sheep (223 females and 215 males) were examined for L. serrata. Animals were categorized into four age groups, including under six months, six to 24 months, two to four years and more than four years. Results showed that 27.83% of dogs were infected with L .serrata. The infection rate for goats, buffaloes, cattle and sheep was 50.75%, 26.6%, 36.62% and 42.69%, respectively. The prevalence rate in all animals was significantly associated with age and sex (P ≤ 0.05). In ruminants, the highest infection rate was found in goats (P ≤ 0.05). The results from this study indicate a high rate of infection in dogs and domestic ruminants, suggesting a potential high risk of zoonotic infection in man in the investigated area.

Our study focuses on the phosphorus (P) balance in two long-term fertilization experiments which were carried out in characteristic soils of Hungary with four fertilization treatments and four main crops. The objectives of this study are: (1) to quantify the P accumulation rate in the upper soil layers and (2) to calibrate and validate the P-balance module of the 4M crop model. The concentration of ammonium-lactate soluble P (AL-P) increased with time in both soils. The mean AL-P accumulation rates in the 0-20, 20-40 and 40-60 cm soil layers were 3.7, 0.7, 0.1 and 3.7, 4.3, 0.6 mg/kg/year in the chernozem and the sandy soil, respectively. The P accumulation rates in the top layers (0-20 cm) changed significantly in time as these gradually decreased from around 6.5 mg/kg/year to zero in about 26 years in both soils. The model results of the phosphorus content in different soil layers, as well as the plant phosphorus uptake were in good agreement with the observed values.

The present study was conducted in order to determine the effects of supplementation of a growing-finishing pig diet with 0.5% conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on production characteristics and slaughter traits. Ninety-seven female Swedish Landrace pigs were used. The control group of animals was fed a regular diet (n = 49), while the experimental group of animals (n = 48) received a diet where part of the soybean oil was substituted with commercially enriched CLA oil (containing at least 56% of CLA isomers, 28% cis-9, trans-11 and 28% trans-10, cis-12). The experiment lasted 44 days; porkers were fed from an initial weight of 66.0 up until a final weight of 103.5 kg. Feed conversion ratio, carcass and ham weight, percentage of lean meat and subcutaneous fat tissue as well as intramuscular fat were recorded. The fatty acid content of ham intramuscular fat tissue was determined by HPLC. No statistically significant influence of CLA was observed, either on carcass and ham weight, or on fat percentage in subcutaneous and intramuscular tissue. Dietary CLA enrichment proved to increase the content of stearinic acid in intramuscular fat tissue, 17.29 ± 13.26 % in experimental and 15.87 ± 33.71 % in control group of pigs (P < 0.01). The obtained production results show no statistically significant changes in main production traits between the two groups of animals. The observed difference in the content of stearinic acid (P < 0.01) implies firmer fat tissue, which has a practical value in pig bacon fattening.

Bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) high-quality and yield implies the management of N nutrition. Field and pot experiments with bell pepper and Italian ryegrass were carried out during 2009 and 2010. The experimental design included three N delaying fertilizers (Sulfammo Meta 46-5-0, controlled-release fertilizer; Nitrophoska Gold 15-9-15, slow-release fertilizer; Entec 26 26-0-0, stabilized fertilizer), two conventional N fertilizers, urea and calcium nitrate and one N-unfertilized control. The fertilizer's rate was 150 kg N/ha. A pot experiment with bell pepper followed by ryegrass with the same fertilizers treatments was carried out in 2009. Dry matter (DM) yield, plant N concentration, plant N recovery and fruit mineral concentration were measured. Calcium nitrate and urea produced statistically higher DM in both field and pots. Sulfammo Meta produced always lower yields. In the field plants recovered a minimum of 18% and a maximum of 82% of the N applied, respectively, in Sulfammo Meta and calcium nitrate. In the pot experiment, bell pepper + ryegrass recovered only 32.5% of N applied with Sulfammo Meta and nearly 100% of N applied in the other fertilized pots. None of the slow-release N materials provided clear advantages over conventional fertilizers to be used in this crop.

The work is focused on description of tractor individual axels and wheels loading during ploughing. A combination of tractor inclination with force and momentum effects need not always result in marked differences in the load of driving wheels. This paper documents the relationship existing between forces working in the upper drawbar F_h of the three-point linkage and the momentum M_Tx. It was also demonstrated that with the increasing value of M_Tx the difference between loads of both rear wheels reduces. The described algorithm enables to evaluate output parameters of ploughing aggregates for different variants of forces changing in the tractor three-point linkage due to various ways of suspension and adjustment of individual plough types. When using data recorded in the course of ploughing operations it is possible to demonstrate the effect of plough adjustment/attachment on the efficiency of the whole ploughing aggregate.

The rheological behaviour of enzyme clarified Lime (Citrus aurontifolia L.) juice was studied as a function of the total soluble solid (TSS) content (7.3-55.7°Brix), corresponding water activity (a_w) (0.985-0.831) at different temperatures (20-80^oC) using co-axial controlled stress rheometer. The rheological parameter shear stress was measured up to the shear rate of 600 s^-1. The investigation showed that the enzyme clarified lime juice and its concentrate behaved like a Newtonian fluid with the viscosity (η) being in the range 3.964 to 50.290 mPa s depending upon the concentration and temperature used. The temperature dependency on the viscosity of lime juice was described by Arrhenius equation (r > 0.99) and the activation energy (E_a) of viscous flow was in the range 4.151 to 26.050 kJ/mol depending upon the total soluble solids content. The effect of total soluble solid content on the flow activation energy was described by exponential type equation (r > 0.98) and that of water activity was described by both the power law and exponential equations (r > 0.99). The effect of total soluble solid content on the viscosity of lime juice followed the second order exponential equation (r > 0.99) at the temperature used. The effect of water activity on the viscosity was described by both the power law and exponential type relationship (r > 0.97). The equations relating to the combined effect of temperature and total soluble solids content/water activity on the viscosity of enzyme clarified lime juice were established.

The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for female fertility and production traits in first-parity Czech Holstein cows and to quantify the effect of using this information on the accuracy of a selection index in seven different scenarios. In order to estimate genetic (co)variance components, the DMU software running an AI-REML algorithm was used. The analyses were made using a series of bivariate animal models. The pedigree included 164 125 animals and it was set up using a pruned animal model design. The present study included the following female fertility traits for the first lactations: calving to the first insemination (CF), days open (DO), calving from the first to the last insemination (FL), and milk production traits: milk production (MLK), kg of fat (FAT), and kg of protein (PROT). The heritability for all the investigated fertility traits was low and close to 0. Moderate heritabilities for production traits ranging from 0.20 (MLK) to 0.23 (PROT) were estimated. The strongest unfavourable correlation was found between PROT and DO (0.49). Other estimated correlations between fertility traits and production traits were moderate, ranging from 0.26 to 0.41. The results of this study evidence that cows with the poorest genetic potential for reproductive performance are those having high genetic potential for milk production and milk components. The results also show that the number of days from calving to new pregnancy depends on the production level. Seven investigated scenarios using selection index theory show a clear trend for increasing accuracy when more fertility traits were added as well as when higher numbers of daughters with information on reproduction traits per sire were available.

A chromatographic method is described for assaying fourteen quinolones and fluoroquinolones (pipemidic acid, marbofloxacin, norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, danofloxacin, lomefloxacin, enrofloxacin, sarafloxacin, difloxacin, oxolinic acid, nalidixic acid, flumequine, and pyromidic acid) in fish samples. The samples were extracted with m-phosphoric acid/acetonitrile mixture (75:25, v/v), purified, and preconcentrated on ENV + Isolute cartridges. The determination was achieved by liquid chromatography using C₁₈ analytical column. A mobile phase composed of mixtures of methanol-acetonitrile-10mM citrate buffer at pH 4.5, delivered under optimum gradient program, at a flow rate of 1.5 ml/min, allows accomplishing the chromatographic separation in 26 minutes. For the detection were used serial UV-visible diode-array at 280 nm and 254 nm and fluorescence detection at excitation wavelength/emission wavelength: 280/450, 280/495, and 280/405 nm. The detection and quantification limits were between 0.2-9.5and 0.7-32 µg/kg, respectively. The procedure was applied to the analysis of spiked salmon samples at two different concentration levels (50 µg/k and 100 µg/kg). Mean recoveries of fluoroquinolones from the salmon samples ranged from 50% to 102%, depending on the analyte.

The trials were carried out in the Estonian University of Life Sciences (58°23'N, 26°44'E), and studied to what extent green manure crops bind nutrients and the effect and stability of biologically fixed nitrogen (N). Our research covered more species than most of the earlier studies in the Nordic countries. Compared with biomass from unfertilized barley, legume undersowing, straws plus roots added up to 4 times more N, 2.8 times more phosphorus (P) and 2.5 times more potassium (K) returning to the soil. Red clover, hybrid lucerne and white melilot as pure sows produced the highest biomass, amounts of N, P, and K being up to 206, 24 and 144 kg/ha, respectively. The effect of additional N in soil was measured by weighing successive grain yields. In the first test year, 1 kg of N from green manure had the effect of producing 8.6 kg grain and this relation did not change even for higher N amounts. Green manure had a significant effect even in the third year after the green manure was ploughed into soil.