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Industrial wine yeasts Saccharomyces bayanus and two interspecies hybrids (S. cerevisiae × S. bayanus) were checked for their suitability for fermentation of apple musts with different L-malic acid content (4, 7 and 11 g/l). The fermentation profiles including main organic acids, acetaldehyde, diacetyl, glycerol, esters and polyphenols were presented. The results were obtained by HPLC method (organic acids, acetaldehyde, glycerol, diacetyl), GC (esters), colorimetrically (polyphenols) and enzymatically (L-malic acid, ethanol). Although the fermentation profiles of wines were characteristic for specific yeast strains, similarities in organic acid profiles of wines fermented by S. bayanus and its hybrid S-779/25 were noted. In all the tested wines L-malic, pyruvic and citric acids were dominant. Statistical analysis of all wine parameters indicates that yeast strains respond individually to different acidities of the fermentation environment. In order to choose the right yeast strain for the fermentation of acidic musts, information about fermentation profiles should be included in the collection certificate of yeast strains.

Soil samples (from Czech and German long-term field experiments) were used to estimate different soil phosphorus (P) fractions. More than 200 topsoil (0-30 cm) samples from different fertilizing treatments were taken. These were analyzed for P in soil solution (P_CaCl2) [0.01M CaCl₂ extract], exchangeable sorbed P (P_ex) [anion exchange (AE) membranes] and bioavailable P [Doppel-Lactat and Mehlich 3 (P_DL and P_M3)]. Other fractions analyzed were total inorganic (P_in), total (P_M-tot) and organic (P_org) P [fractionation after Marks], P sorbed on Fe and Al (P_FeAl) [fractionation after Schwertmann] and residual P (P_ar) [aqua regia extract]. Comparison of medians appeared to be better for evaluating extraction abilities. Phosphorus fractions were in the following order: (P_ar = 100%); P_CaCl2 (0.2%) < P_ex (9%) < P_DL (10%) < P_M3 (16%) < P_in (24%) < P_org (37%) < P_FeAl (55%) < P_M-tot (59%). Low amounts of P_in, P_org and P_M-tot did not verify the applicability of the Marks' fractionation for the set of studied soils. Close correlations at P ≤ 0.001 were found for all methods for estimating the fractions of bioavailable phosphates (P_CaCl2, P_ex, P_DL and P_M3). Statistically significant relations were observed between P_in with P_ar, P_M-tot and P_FeAl.

Casein-protease activity assessed at 50°C and with adjustment of optimum pH conditions (PA), and casein-protease activity near soil pH and at field soil temperature (LPA) were studied one vegetation period in mountain meadow soils covered with moderately mown vegetation, and over which vegetation had been abandoned for thirteen years. PA peaked in the first part of the vegetation season whereas LPA increased throughout the season; in addition, LPA was not linearly related to temperature (r = 0.127 resp. 0.312; P > 0.05). The combined effect of field soil temperature and pH decreased a casein-protease activity by > 98.4%. A management of meadows had no significant (P > 0.05) effect on PA and LPA.

Northeastern part of Anatolia is a gene center of grapevine and a wide diversity of Fox grapes grow here. Viticulture and some grapevines in the Black Sea Region (in the north of Turkey) are on the verge of extinction; several types and varieties grown in this region have never been described and did not survive till present. For the past 10 years vineyards and grapevines in the Black Sea Region have been studied. In the present study, eighteen grapevines of foxy taste grown in the Artvin and Rize provinces were described. An ampelographic description of young shoot, mature shoot, young leaf, mature leaf, berry, bunch and seed were carried out using the OIV (Office International de la Vigne et du Vin) list for grapevine cultivars and Vitis species. However, several other parameters of the cultivars were measured for evaluation.

This report describes the diagnostic evaluation in a one-week-old, female Simmental twin-calf with the anamnesis of umbilical hernia. Weakness, anaemia, tachycardia and a systolic left sided murmur were significant clinical findings. Based on echocardiography, the animal was diagnosed with pentalogy of Fallot, whereas necropsy revealed the presence of Cantrell's pentalogy with Taussig-Bing syndrome and situs inversus of the liver. Pentalogy of Cantrell is a rare condition described in humans but not yet reported in calves.

Wild cherry is one of the noble hardwood species that increase the biodiversity of our forests and at the same time it could increase the income for forest owners. The preconditions for achieving these goals are the high quality of stem and appropriate silvicultural management. This means that wild cherry should occupy the main crown layer in the stand. The height/frequency diagram depicts two groups of wild cherry trees in the stand belonging to dominant/codominant and suppressed tree classes. Height periodic increment (measured between the years 2001 and 2007) is significantly (p < 0.01) different in these two groups confirming that there is no transition chance for the trees from the suppressed group to become a part of the main crown layer and play the role of future crop tree. The same is true of the diameter/frequency diagram which also has a two-peak shape remaining also at the end of the surveyed period. Our result suggests that silvicultural care should be focused only on trees belonging to future crop trees.

Abstract: Services become an important participant of the international economic relationships during the last 20 to 30 years. Since the sector of services used formerly to be applied rather more on the national level, we speak of the internalisation of services, which become an important article of international trade. Compared to the dynamics of world trade with tangible goods, services reach higher year-to year increases and their share in the world trade turnover still increases. The explanation lies in the growing importance of services connected to the level of the economy development and in the foreign trade with services liberalisation. The value of the services export on the world level reached approx.1.5 trill. USD in 2000. The value of the world export of tangible goods was 5.5 trill. USD in the same year, so that export of services covered approximately one fifth of the total world tangible and non-tangible goods. The share of services in the world export (tangible and non-tangible) grew continually.

The paper identifies and analyses the main factors which influenced the wine demand. The average annual wine consumption per capita is the basic factor of the wine demand. The average annual wine consumption, one of the wine demand factors, grew between 2003 and 2007 from 16.3 l to 18.5 l per capita. Following this trend, we can expect the average annual wine consumption 19.0 l per capita in year 2010. A positive feature of this development is also the fact, that there grows the demand after the quality wines. At the same time, there grows also the consumption of the lower quality, cheap wines packed in boxes or PET bottles. A continuously growing tendency can be also noticed in the red-wine consumption. This change of consumer preferences has significantly influenced the growth of the share of the red varieties in the new-planted vineyards. However, there are critical factors in the development of the demand for wine demand here. Specifically, it is the daily feasible ration of alcohol in wine and other alcoholic drinks, especially beer that we can treat as the substitute of wine. The average annual beer consumption moves about 160 l per capita in the Czech Republic. The continuously growing tendency of wine consumption is reduced by the lower price of beer too, because beer is the cheapest alcoholic drink in the Czech Republic. The taste and preferences of consumers have been changing, that means, that the consumers are the ones who decide about the wine quality, and not producers. That is why this paper includes the partial results of the research oriented on the habits and behaviour of consumers in the wine market in the Czech Republic. It is concentrated on the wine sellers opinions on demand development in the wine market.

A collection of lactic acid bacteria (38 Enterococcus and 41 Lactobacillus strains) was tested for the antilisterial activity against 15 Listeria spp. strains (two L. monocytogenes, one L. ivanovii and 12 L. innocua strains) using agar spot method. Out of all 79 bacteria only six Enterococcus strains (1/3A, 3/3A, 6/4D, 6/1A, 1282 and EN3) exhibited antilisterial activity against almost all used indicator strains, when their live cells were tested. When their cell free neutralised supernatants (CFNS) were tested against four selected indicator strains (L. innocua Ln-03, Ln-06, Ln-10 and L. monocytogenes CCM5576) only two Enterococcus spp. strains were active - E. faecalis 6/1A strain from raw cow milk of minor interest due to the activity of its CFNS only against L. innocua Ln-06 and thermolability of the compound and E. mundtii 1282 strain from goat raw milk with CFNS active against 13 Listeria spp. strains including L. monocytogenes. E. mundtii 1282 strain produced probably a bacteriocin, because it completely lost the activity after treatment CFNS with proteinase K.

The study aimed at evaluating and comparing changes provoked by the water deficit on water relations and nitrogen fixation in two Vigna unguiculata cultivars, as well as at indicating which cultivar is more tolerant under water deficiency. The experimental design used was entirely randomized in factorial scheme, with 2 cultivars (Pitiuba and Pérola) and 2 water regimes (control and stress). The parameters evaluated were the leaf relative water content, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, nodule number, nodule dry matter, nitrate reductase enzyme activity, ureide concentration and leghemoglobin in nodule. The stomatal conductance of the Pitiuba and Pérola cultivars under water deficit were 0.20 and 0.01 mmol H₂O/m²/s, respectively. The nitrate reductase activity of the plants under stress was significantly reduced in both cultivars. The leghemoglobin in the Pitiuba and Pérola cultivars under water stress had the concentrations of 58 and 41 g/kg dry matter, respectively. The parameters investigated in this study suggest that the Pitiuba cultivar under water deficit suffers from smaller changes, when compared with Pérola cultivar.

The objective of the study was to examine a possibility of predicting phosphorus leaching from the top layer of agricultural soils by rainfall simulations by means of three multi-nutrient soil tests: Mehlich 3, NH₄-acetate extraction and water extraction (1:5, w/v). Another objective was to determine parameters of maximum phosphorus losses after an extreme load of rainfall on the top layer. Forty soils from different localities of the Czech Republic were used for the experiment. A leaching experiment was conducted in pedological cylinders with a soil layer of about 1 cm and with the bottom from a glass microfibre filter with pores 1.2 μm in size. Within 15 days the soils were flooded ten times with 25 mm of simulated rainfall in a minimum interval of 1 day. The closest regression between the soil test and phosphorus leaching was computed for NH₄-acetate soil test (R² = 0.8831) and Mehlich 3 test (R² = 0.8572) after the first application of 25 mm of rainfall. In water extraction it was for the mean of 10 simulated rainfalls (R² = 0.8674). As leaching proceeded, the closeness of regression diminished due to fluctuations of P concentration in leachates (increases and decreases), mainly in soils with higher P-test. The increase in P concentration could be caused by the activation of phosphorus from Fe-phosphates under anaerobic conditions in wet soils. The steepest decrease in P concentration in leachates was observed in light soils with low CEC value and higher initial P-test.

: Nutrient digestibility and parameters of nutritive value for ruminants of two winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars were evaluated by means of an in vivo balance trial performed by the regression method on two groups of heifers with an increasing proportion of grain in DM (from 6 to 46%). Sulamit and Rapsodia, chosen on the basis of the in vitro test from a set of 25 cultivars (grown in 2002-2004) reached significant differences in DM fermentability in vitro (by 43.7-78.6 ml/g DM, P < 0.05). In vivo digestibility of crude protein, nitrogen-free extract, organic matter, parameters of N retention, energy concentrations (metabolisable energy, net energy for lactation and for fattening) and parameters in the PDI system (especially PDIE) increased along with the grain proportion in the diet. At the comparable proportion of grain in the ration the positive differences were significantly higher (P < 0.05) for Sulamit than Rapsodia.

Through data analysis of 7 571 883 pig carcasses slaughtered from 2004 to 2007 the means of quality classes (QC) 2.32, lean meat percentage (LM) 55.83%, carcass weight (CW) 87.21 kg, muscle thickness (MT) 61.95 mm and fat thickness (FT) 15.95 mm were determined. The highest correlation coefficients are between QC and LM (r = -0.920), LM and FT (-0.900) as well as QC and FT (0.828), the lowest between FT and MT (r = -0.084). Quality class as the dominant indicator is influenced mainly by LM, which explains from 77% to 89% of variability in the case of linear regression. Among the eight methods of pig carcass classification the FOM apparatus was used the most frequently (46.5% carcasses) followed by the ULTRA-FOM 300 apparatus (15.6%), another apparatus (13.2%) and by the IS-D-05 unit (9.8%). In the statistical models used all effects (differences) are statistically significant because of the large size of the data set. The results from the separate evaluation of each cross-classified effect are that EV has the largest influence and year-season and methods have a smaller influence. The time trend (42 months) documents stable CW and MT, a slight increase in LM and improvement of QC. The estimated results indicate the successful introduction of pig carcass classification in the CR after accession to the EU.

Koch method of ornamental trees evaluation is based on interest paid on costs invested in tree-growing up to their maturity stage minus deductions for age, defects and damage. The aim of this paper is to apply the above mentioned method in the economic conditions of the Czech Republic. The paper presents essential economic data generated in accordance with the technological model of tree growing at a permanent site. We also describe the mechanism of the so-called base tree price calculation as a basis for the subtraction of deductions derived from its current condition. The calculated base tree prices are illustratively compared to prices based on the to-date applied calculating techniques and the relevant regulation. We also refer to the method of base price adjustment based on the criterion of landscape tree value. The mechanism of price calculation applied for Koch method testing included two modifications. The first relates to due consideration of growth qualities when calculating development care costs; the other introduces landscaping value indicator as the only base price adjustment to achieve the resulting price, corresponding with the current tree condition.

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of endothelin-1(ET-1) on pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) and pulmonary hypertension syndrome (PHS, ascites) morbidity in broilers. Two hundred and seventy of one-day-old Arbor Acre commercial broiler chickens were randomly allocated into two experiments. In Experiment 1, 40 broilers (28 days of age) were intravenously with five different dose groups of ET-1, and the PAP was measured from time 0 to 30 min. The results indicated that the PAP increased from time 0.5 to 5 min after the broilers were injected with ET-1 at concentrations of 24 ng/kg (Group T1), 120 ng/kg (Group T2), and 240 ng/kg (Group T3). When the broilers were injected with ET-1 at a concentration of 360 ng/kg (Group T4), the PAP decreased immediately from time 0 to 0.5 min but increased from time 0.5 to 10 min. The change from baseline (at time 0, before the injection) of PAP values from the four treatment groups were statistically compared with that from the control group (Group C). The statistical analysis has demonstrated that there is no significant difference of the changes from the baseline between Group T1 or Group T2 and control group (Group C). However, there are significant differences in the changes between Group T3 or Group T4 and control group (Group C). In Experiment 2, 230 broilers were divided into four groups: a control group (Group C, n = 50) and three treatment groups (Groups A, B, and D). The chickens in the two treatment groups (Groups A and B, nn = 60 each) were intravenously injected with ET-1 at 240 ng/kg and 360 ng/kg, respectively. Those in Group D (n = 60) were exposed to cool temperatures (10°C to 14°C). The PHS morbidity, right/total ventricular weight (RV/TV) ratio, PCV, plasma nitric oxide (NO), and PAP were recorded and statistically compared. The results showed that PHS mortality did not occur in Group C, and trends toward increases in PHS mortality in Groups A, B and D were not significant. The RV/TV ratio and PAP were higher in groups A, B and D than in group C. The values for PCV and plasma nitric oxide (NO) followed the same tendencies as the RV/TV ratio. The results suggest that ET-1 at higher doses (240 ng/kg to 360 ng/kg) can initiate pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular hypertrophy, leading to PHS in broilers.

The spruce-fir-beech dominated forest stands in Litschau in the Austrian part of the Bohemian Massif were converted by former forest management practices into pure Norway spruce stands and are now discussed to be reconverted into the potential natural vegetation type. The targeted potential natural vegetation type is usually defined by experts in vegetation sciences. Because meanwhile individual-tree growth simulators are a well acknowledged tool for predicting future forest stand development, in this study we investigate if PROGNAUS can also be used to predict the redevelopment of managed forest ecosystems into natural forest ecosystems regarding species composition. The development of 23 stands in Litschau has been simulated over 1,000 years under the "no-management" option. Generally, the simulated species distribution agrees quite well with the expectations of the potential natural vegetation type. However, the predicted amounts of silver fir and maple species are lower than expected, which probably is due to browsing and management effects represented in the parameterization data for PROGNAUS.

The fine root biomass represents 3,372 kg/ha in the intermediate stage of the beech virgin forest with different admixture of goat willow, where the vast majority of this biomass is located in the uppermost mineral soil layer 0-10 cm. The variability of the fine root biomass calculated from 35 sample points represents approximately 90% of the mean value and reaches the highest value within the humus layer. The total fine root length investigated in 10 cm thick soil layers decreases with increasing soil depth. A significant linear relationship between the fine root length (calculated per 1 cm thick soil layer and 1 m² of stand area) and the soil depth was confirmed, although the correlation is rather weak. The number of root tips decreases with increasing soil depth faster than the root length. As the number of tips per 1 cm of root length remains in the finest diameter class without significant changes, the reason is above all a decreased proportion of the finest root class (diameter up to 0.5 mm) from the total fine root length within the particular soil layer.

The article deals with the analysis of food market on the level of consumer prices structure, through the identification of margins in the selected food verticals and through the analysis of consumer behaviour associated with changes in prices and income of population. The article also discusses the factors which may affect the current growing trend in prices of food in the SR and worldwide and subsequently, the reduction of gap between the Slovak and the EU prices.

The changes were studied in microbiological, chemical, and sensory properties of Pacific oysters stored at 10°C, 5°C, and 0°C. Pseudomonas (22%) and Vibrionaceae (20%) species were dominant in raw oysters. The dominant bacteria found in the spoiled samples were Pseudomonas regardless of the storage temperature. During storage, rapid increases in aerobic plate count (APC) values of the samples stored at 10°C and 5°C were observed, while no obvious lag phases were detected. With the samples stored at 0°C, a decrease in APC value during the first 4 days and a lag phase of about 6 days were observed. The APC values of the samples stored at 10°C, 5°C, and 0°C reached the level of 10⁷ CFU/g on day 6, 10, and 18, respectively. All the tested samples stored at different temperatures revealed a slight decrease in pH and a significant increase of total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) during storage. The average TVB-N concentration of about 22.0 mg N/100 g was observed at the end of the shelf-life as determined by APC. Combined with the sensory assessments, the shelf-life of 6-7, 10-11, and 17-18 days for oysters stored at 10°C, 5°C, and 0°C, respectively, was determined.

The problems of soil hygiene and contents of the following heavy metals: cadmium, cobalt and nickel in the productive parts of plants in the location of Agricultural Cooperative Štrba in Poprad County were discussed in the presented work. Above-mentioned location is found in the neighbourhood with a chemical factory Chemosvit Svit. The achieved results show that the soil hygiene in this region is mainly affected by the activity of this chemical factory. This factory is producing many risky substances and their results can be seen in the condition of soil hygiene and in the quality of farmed plants. The results of monitored heavy metals (Cd, Co, Ni) prove that the content of cadmium and nickel is the main polluting factor of soil in this region. The increased contents of these elements in soil produce a high risk of the uptake to plants. This further affects the technological quality along with the quality of hygiene of farmed products and finally the food itself as well. A higher attention needs to be paid to cobalt too, because it proved quite high cumulation ability in soil.

The investigation was carried out in 2005, on 30 plots chosen in the Central-Eastern part of the Emilia Romagna region, and cultivated with pear, grapevine and vegetable crops under the organic management system. For each crop, 5 plots with a level of calcium carbonate > 10% and 5 plots with a level of calcium carbonate < 3% were selected. For pear and vine, soil analyses were performed at the depths of 0-20 cm and 20-50 cm, for vegetable at the depth of 0-50 cm. Organic matter content was higher in pear-cultivated plots, followed by grapevine and vegetable crops. Copper application rate, from 1998 to 2004, was higher in pear and grapevine than in vegetable plots. Soil total and DTPA-extractable Cu were higher in pear and grapevine than in vegetable-cultivated plots. Soil DTPA-extractable Cu concentration was higher in the upper horizon than at 20-50 cm soil depth. The increase of total Cu in pear and vine-cultivated plots was combined with the increase of soil inactive Cu.

Microarray analysis is a cultivation-independent, high-throughput technology that can be used for direct and simultaneous identification of microorganisms in complex environmental samples. This review summarizes current methodologies for oligonucleotide microarrays used in microbial ecology. It deals with probe design, microarray manufacturing, sample preparation and labeling, and data handling, as well as with the key features of microarray analysis such as specificity, sensitivity and quantification potential. Microarray analysis has been validated as an effective approach to describe the composition and dynamics of taxonomic and functional microbial communities, in environments including soil, compost, sediment, air or humans. It is now part of the technical arsenal available to address key issues in microbial community ecology, ranging from biogeography to ecosystem functioning.

In this study genetic diversity, population structure and genetic relationships of Tsigai populations in Slovakia were investigated using microsatellite markers. Altogether 195 animals from 12 populations were genotyped for 16 microsatellites. 212 alleles were detected on the loci. The number of identified alleles per locus ranged from 11 to 35. In the majority of the populations heterozygosity deficiency and potential risks of inbreeding could be determined. High values of F_ST (0.133) across all the loci revealed a substantial degree of population differentiation. The estimation of genetic distance value showed that the Slovak Vojin population was the most different from the other populations. The 12 examined populations were able to group into 4 clusters. With this result our aim is to help the Slovak sheep breeders to establish their own mating system, to avoid genetic loss and to prevent diversity of Tsigai breed in Slovakia.

Force and deformation curves of agricultural materials must be provided for the proper design of harvesting and processing machineries. In this research, the fracture resistance of barley grain was measured in terms of the grain rupture force and energy. In this study, 8 treatments were performed as a randomised complete block design with 10 replications. The barley grains were quasi-statically loaded in horizontal and vertical orientations with the moisture content at four levels: 7.34, 12.11, 16.82, and 21.58% dry basis, and loading rates at two levels: 5 and 10 mm/min. Based on the results obtained, the force required for initiating the grain rupture decreased from 161.97 to 93.94 N, and from 75.37 to 50.16 N, and the energy absorbed at the grain rupture increased from 36.42 to 74.70 mJ and from 27.34 to 62.65 mJ, for horizontal and vertical orientations, respectively, with the increase in the moisture content from 7.34 to 21.58% dry basis. This showed that seeds are more flexible in the horizontal orientation.

In the years 2005, 2006, and 2007 the described pomological characteristics were evaluated and both heritability and correlation coefficients of the determined characteristics of parents and progeny were estimated for the Minaret × Betinka apricot hybrid population. Estimated heritability of fruit weight, over colour and flesh consistency was approximately 0.9. Heritability of flesh colour, fruit attractiveness and fruit flavour ranged from 0.6 to 0.9. The correlations show a strong dependence of the following characteristics of parent varieties and progeny: over colour and fruit attractiveness. Medium strong dependence was determined in the following characteristics: fruit colour and fruit flavour. Weak dependence was found in the case of fruit size.

Unit hydrograph is a basic method to show changes in runoff in the watershed. The investigation of runoff changes was carried out in the U Dvou louček watershed situated at the summit part of the Orlické hory Mts., East Bohemia. The waveform ordinates of recession limbs of unit hydrographs obtained using a common approach had to be approximated by the least-squares method. Final hydrographs reflected both drainage treatment and forest stand growth influencing the runoff from the watershed. Both factors increase culmination in synergy and reduce runoff on the recession limb of the hydrograph. We confirmed increased maximum runoff taking up 25-30% of the total runoff time when waterlogged sites were drained. The culmination increased by 0.2-0.8 mm/hour indicates the runoff increased by 2-8 m³/ha/hr.

During the years 2006 and 2007 the phytoextraction ability of maize (Zea mays), willow-tree (Salix smithiana) and poplar (Populus nigra × P. maximowiczii) to accumulate cadmium, copper, mercury and zinc was investigated. Small scale field experiment was carried out on soil contaminated with chemicals from the waste incineration plant in Hradec Kralové (Czech Republic). Screening of this allotment showed very different contamination of all observed risk elements on places where the material intended to be burnt without safety of leakage into soil. Grown plants showed the different accumulation of observed elements in plant tissues as well as the influence of total content of the risk elements in soil. The highest Cd (1.5-1.73 mg/kg) and Zn (242-268 mg/kg) concentrations were found in willow-tree biomass mainly in the leaves. Cu and Hg were mostly accumulated by maize roots (14.6-15.8 mg Cu/kg and 1.3-7.4 mg Hg/kg) and lower amount was found out in willow-tree leaves again. In reference to total production of each plant the maximum Cd and Zn uptake by aboveground biomass was found in poplars (201 mg Cd/m² and 38 200 mg Zn/m²) and maize, which showed high Zn uptake. The biggest amount of copper (2563 mg Cu/m²) was accumulated by aboveground maize biomass on the collection point with the highest Cu concentration in soil and by poplar (2394 mg Cu/m²) on the other collection point. The highest Hg uptake differs in reference to total Hg content in soil; willow-tree has the highest uptake on the place with lower Hg content in soil (44.6 mg Hg/m²) and maize has the highest uptake on the place with higher Hg content in soil (92 mg Hg/m²).

Data on 75 567 ejaculates from 1 417 boars of the breeds Czech Large White and Czech Landrace collected in 23 AI centres between 2000 and 2007 were analyzed. Fixed effects were estimated from a four-trait animal model for semen volume, sperm concentration, motility and percentage of abnormal spermatozoa and from single-trait animal models for the total number of spermatozoa and the number of functional spermatozoa. Both the total number of spermatozoa and the number of functional spermatozoa were highest in winter and lowest in summer. Boar's age had a strong influence on semen volume, the total number and the functional number of spermatozoa; these traits increased especially in the first phase. The percentage of abnormal spermatozoa also increased with age. An interval between successive collections of 7 to 10 days yielded the best values for all semen traits. As semen traits are of direct economic importance for AI centres, it can be expected that the estimation of breeding value for semen traits will become important and that AI centres will choose among top boars for production and female reproduction traits the boars with better semen production.

Fog and rime water samples were collected at the meteorological observatory Milešovka in February and June 2006. In the samples, the soluble and insoluble pollutant concentrations were evaluated separately and the differences between the fog and rime water samples were studied. The comparison of the fog and rime water samples indicates that the mean soluble component concentrations in the air appear to be higher during the rime events than during the fog events at Milešovka. We recorded a larger mean particle size of the insoluble compounds in the fog water samples than in those of rime water. Some elements contained in the insoluble particles like Ca, Cl, C, Cu, Ag, were present largely in fog whole others, like Fe, Al, Si, Ti, prevailed in rime. In addition to the overall evaluation, the backward air trajectories were determined for each fog/rime event and the concentrations are presented as depending on the direction of the air particle transfer.

Three hundred Hyplus rabbits reared on a commercial farm were weaned at the age of 25 days and 300 rabbits were weaned at the age of 35 days. Early-weaned and conventionally weaned rabbits were assigned to three groups and fed diets supplemented with protected palm fat (PPF), coconut oil (CO) and an oil containing triacylglycerols (TAG) of caprylic and capric acid (Akomed R) at 10 g/kg. The principal fatty acids in these supplements were palmitic, lauric and caprylic acid, respectively. Diets were fed until slaughter at 77 days of age. Mortality of early-weaned rabbits fed the diet supplemented with oil containing TAG of caprylic and capric acid (23%) was significantly lower than that of rabbits fed PPF (45%), and non-significantly lower than mortality of rabbits fed CO (37%). Corresponding mortality rates in rabbits weaned at 35 days of age were 6, 14 and 16%. In all groups, the highest mortality occurred in the 2^nd and the 3^rd week after weaning. The final body weights of surviving early-weaned rabbits were not significantly different. In conventionally weaned rabbits, however, final body weight was significantly lower in rabbits fed PPF. It can be concluded that under practical field conditions early weaning represents a risk for animal health and leads to a high mortality of young rabbits. The negative effect of early weaning can be alleviated by commercially available TAG of caprylic and capric acid.