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Genetic linkage maps representing the tobacco genome have been an important tool for breeding programs because of the elucidation of polygenic traits. We constructed a genetic linkage map of cigar tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) based on an inter-type backcross population of 213 individuals and performed a comparative analysis with other published maps of dark tobacco and flue-cured tobacco. The map consisted of 562 SSR loci distributed on 24 tentative linkage groups and spanned a total length of 1341.18 cM with an average distance of 2.39 cM between adjacent markers. The comparative analysis revealed a Spearman correlation index of 0.93 for marker order conservation with the previously published maps constructed for different tobacco types. Approximately 91% of the SSR markers common to other inter-type maps were located in the same positions as in previous maps. The three maps exhibit good synteny in terms of the shared markers, which suggests that there might be no translocation variations between the genomes of the cigar, dark and flue-cured tobaccos. These results indicate the feasibility of generating a unique genetic map of preferred traits in cigar tobacco and that such mapping may be helpful for breeding programs because plants derived from different inter-type populations can be rapidly scanned using the markers associated with useful cigar traits

In a three-year experiment, three types of soil conservation techniques were tested in the legumes cultivation systems. Our treatment types were no-till, standard tillage to the depth of 8 cm and deep tillage to 20 cm. The study evaluated winter pea (cv. Enduro), spring pea (cv. Eso), white lupine (cv. Amiga), narrow-leaved lupine (cv. Boregine) and soybean (cv. Merlin) in two autumn terms (winter pea only) and in spring term (all legume species). In no-till technology, the average yield of all legumes was 2.24 t/ha. For standard tillage (2.58 t/ha) and deep tillage (2.62 t/ha), yields were significantly higher than in no-till technology. From the monitored parameters, deep tillage appeared as the best soil treatment. Although the yield was similar to standard tillage, the soil was less stiffened, resulting in a higher content of nitrogen in the seed and a better use of the pre-crop value of the legumes. In the experiment, winter pea spring sowing term (2.93 t/ha) was better than both autumn sowings (2.68 t/ha and 2.65 t/ha).

The ripening processes of 24 apple cultivars were examined in the United Kingdom NationalFruit Collection in 2010. Basically the starch content, and additionally ground colour, water-soluble solids content and flesh firmness were studied during ripening. The degradation of the starch content was evaluated using a 0-10 scale. A starch degradation value of 50% was taken to be the optimum harvest date, with harvest beginning at a value of 40% and finishing at 60%. Depending on the cultivar, this represented a harvest window of 9 to 21 days. Later ripening cultivars matured more slowly, leading to a longer harvesting period, with the exception of cv. Feuillemorte. Pronounced differences were observed among the cultivars on the basis of the starch degradation pattern, allowing them to be divided into four groups. Separate charts were elaborated for each group that are recommended for use in practice.

The purpose of this prospective double blind clinical study was to evaluate the analgesic efficacy of meloxicam with/without a buprenorphine patch for pain management after ovariohysterectomy in cats. Cats were randomly divided into two groups: ten cats were treated with meloxicam s.c. after ovariohysterectomy (Group A), and eight cats were treated with s.c. meloxicam and a 20 µg/h buprenorphine transdermal patch (Group B). For patch treatment, the cat's hair was clipped on the left side in the thoracic area. Pain scores were assessed at 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 24 and 30 h post-ovariohysterectomy extubation. To evaluate postoperative pain, 4A-VET pain scale and visual analogue scale pain scores were used. In addition, blood was collected from all cats to determine the cortisol levels at -2 h and at 0.5, 4, 6 and 24 h after extubation. The 4A-VET scores for Group B were significantly lower at 1, 4, 6, 8, 24 and 30 h than the scores for Group A. The visual analogue scale pain scores for Group B were significantly lower at 4, 6, 24 and 30 h than the scores for Group A. Serum cortisol concentrations were not significantly different between Groups A and B at any of the measured intervals. There was a significant positive correlation between postoperative visual analogue scale and 4A-VET pain scores in both groups. Our results should be subject to careful interpretation as the study was limited by its small sample size and by observer subjectivity.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of cultivar, flesh colour, location, year and long-term cold storage on the total anthocyanin content (TAC) in the tubers of 12 potato cultivars with coloured flesh. TAC ranged from 17.0 to 750.1 mg cyanidin/kg fresh matter and was significantly affected by the genotype of the cultivar. The highest TAC was achieved in a three-year average in the cv. Vitelotte (371.0 mg/kg FM, 1.15-8.10 times higher than in the other cultivars). The purple or red colour of the flesh had no significant effect on the TAC. A significantly higher TAC (1.24 times) was determined in the Valečov location with a cooler climate in comparison with the Uhříněves location with a warmer climate. The TAC was significantly influenced by year, the highest values were found at both sites in the year with significant water stress. Storage (4°C, 6 months) significantly affected the TAC in seven out of eight cultivars; the TAC increased in four cultivars and decreased in three cultivars. This is probably due to different disposition of cultivars for the accumulation of sugars during cold storage.

Hisex hens, aged 24 weeks, were divided into 6 groups. Each group consisted of 4 cages with 10 hens per cage with dimensions and equipment meeting the EU directives. This 2 × 3 factorial experiment included two levels of calcium (Ca; 35 or 42 g/kg) and 3 different additions of 6-phytase OptiPhos^® (Ph; 0, 300, and 1500 phytase units (FTU)/kg) to the diet. The content of nonphytate phosphorus (NPP) in all diets was the same (1.8 g/kg). The experiment lasted 12 weeks. A significant interaction of Ph × Ca (P = 0.029) was observed in hen-day egg production. A diet with 35 g/kg Ca and the highest dose of Ph (1500 FTU/kg) resulted in a lower hen-day egg production (84.1%) than did the other treatments (91.5-88.6%). Phytase superdosing negatively influenced egg mass production (P = 0.001) and the feed conversion ratio (P = 0.018). Neither Ph nor Ca influenced eggshell ash content. Both additions of Ph into mixed feed decreased Haugh units (P < 0.001). A higher content of Ca in the diet increased shell thickness (P = 0.024) and shell breaking strength (P = 0.039), while Ph addition increased shell percentage (P = 0.004) and shell breaking strength (P = 0.009). The results of this experiment demonstrate the unsuitability of Ph superdosing in mixed feed for laying hens.

The article presents the results of experimental studies of the air heating efficiency in heliocollectors with different surface forms developed in order to justify their use in equipment for active ventilation of grain and feed raw materials.

The cells of commercial strain Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis Bb12 were encapsulated using emulsion encapsulation in a milk protein matrix. The volume based median of the microcapsules was 52.1 ± 6.2 µm. The stability of free and encapsulated cells was compared during 28 day-storage in pineapple juice and in strawberry-apple juice at 8 ± 1°C and 22 ± 1°C. Encapsulation ensured a higher number of cells compared to the free cells only at 8 ± 1°C. Strawberry-apple juice was found to be not suitable as probiotic vehicle. Both free and encapsulated cells lost their viability after 14 days at 22 ± 1°C. The number of bifidobacteria cells, pH and lactic and acetic acid content did not change in pineapple and strawberry-apple juice after 24 h cultivation at 37°C.

Pyrolysis is a promising technology for sewage sludge (SS) treatment providing several improvements of SS properties for soil application. However, information on the influence of pyrolytic temperature on the availability of nutrients in resulting biochar (BC) is limited. In this study, anaerobically stabilised SS was pyrolysed in a laboratory fixed-bed reactor at 220, 320, 420, 520, and 620 °C for 30 min in the N₂ atmosphere. Pyrolysis resulted in a higher total content of all studied nutrients in BCs. Aromaticity and hydrophobicity of BCs increased with increasing temperatures while solubility decreased. Relative availability (% from total content) of nutrients in BCs was in order: Ca > Mg ~ K > S > P. Pyrolysis at 220 °C produced acidic BC with a higher content of acetic acid-extractable nutrients compared to non-pyrolysed control. An increment in pH and a significant drop in the content of available Ca, Mg, K and S were found at temperature 320 °C. Pyrolysis at 320 °C increased the content of available P by 28 % compared to non-pyrolysed SS. At the temperature of 420 °C and higher, available contents of all studied nutrients were lower than in non-pyrolysed SS.

The size and shape of leaves can vary significantly between different genotypes within the same species and they implicitly influence plant growth and therefore productivity. The aim of this study was to compare the length, width, and surface area of leaf in nine medlar genotypes (Mespilus germanica L.) through image segmentation procedure using ImageJ software. The data indicate large variations for leaf surface area characteristics from one genotype to another, 2.12 fold for leaf surface area (22.95-48.8 cm²), 1.38 times for leaf length (8.8-12.18 cm) and 1.6 times for leaf width (3.5-5.60 cm). Leaf shape and leaf surface area vary between different genotypes analysed, and the method used can represent a good, non-destructive model of quick and reliable estimation of the medlar leaves surface area. The information obtained can be used in physiology studies, regardless of genetic material.

Mixed stands are currently supported as effective management options to reduce forest vulnerability to climate change. However, our issues about benefits of mixtures, mechanisms of their incidence and conditions for their effectiveness have yet been only partly clarified. We assessed the crown condition of Norway spruce (Picea abies /L./ Karst) and occurrence of symptoms caused by Armillaria spp. on spruce in a small area in the Drahanská vrchovina Highlands (Czech Republic) in differently mixed stands in 2002 and 2019. We found that although the broadleaf abundance affected the total defoliation of Norway spruce, the effect was unstable in time. The observed effect of altitudinal zones and Norway spruce abundance on the occurrence of symptoms of Armillaria root rot in spruce was also unstable. The drought during recent four years and the implemented forestry measures (salvage and intermediate felling) can be reasons for the relationship instability. We did not identify any statistically significant relationship between tree species diversity (Simpson's Index) and defoliation.

The causes of food price spikes are complex, and their impact on different countries varies depending on production levels and the varied policies in place. Countries in Central Asia and the Caucasus (CAC) region have implemented a wide range of reforms that vary in form and speed. The existing scientific literature reports about the consequences of price spikes in CAC; however, to date, a comparison of impact between those countries has not been made in terms of the entire supply chain perspective. Therefore, this study investigates the impact of the price spikes on the entire wheat supply chain for the first time in CAC and discusses the role of policies. Another contribution of this study is an evidence-based analysis of the role of policy reformation in maintaining food security under price shocks. Our results indicate a very limited effect of price interventions and trade restrictions on dampening wheat prices in all countries. We find that only trade diversification policy had a positive effect on reducing the level of price spikes, and thus it might be a suitable policy measure for maintaining food security.

Knowing the time of death of animals can be helpful for the forensic determination of death due to cruelty. We aimed to determine the time of death of companion animal carcasses, euthanised at an outpatient's department (Small Animal Clinic) of the University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Kosice. The reasons for euthanasia included age of animals, medical state or incurable disease which affected the quality of life. Animal carcasses (33 bodies) were divided into seven groups according to their weight, species and environmental conditions into which they were placed, which were chosen so as to imitate real conditions under which dead animals could be found. We continually measured body temperature until it dropped down to ambient temperature. The post-mortem cooling curve revealed dependencies related to the temperature drop, the weight of carcasses, the place where animals rested and the internal and external environment. Results from the cooling process and obtained time of death may be deduced from a nomogram in field practice.

The aim of the study was to assess the effect of the partial or complete dietary replacement of crude protein (CP) from soybean meal (SBM) with CP from the meal of whole (trial 1) or dehulled (trial 2) white lupine (WL) seeds on the blood plasma biochemical indicators in broilers. Chickens of the control (C) group were fed diets containing the SBM as the main protein source in the feed. It results from the findings that the complete and also partial replacement of CP from the SBM by CP from the meal of whole WL seeds in diets led to a decrease in the plasma cholesterol and triacylglycerides (TAG) levels (P < 0.001). Concerning the dietary administration of dehulled WL seeds, only the complete replacement of CP resulted in a decrease in the plasma glucose and TAG levels in 35-day-old broilers (P < 0.05). In addition, when including the dehulled WL seeds into the diet, an increase in the plasma aspartate aminotransferase activity was found in both the E1 and E2 groups (P < 0.01). Based on the results found, it can be stated that the use of meal from whole WL seeds seems to be a promising protein feed component which has beneficial effects on the health of broilers.

Contents of eight biogenic amines (putrescine, cadaverine, spermidine, spermine, histamine, tyramine, tryptamine and phenylethylamine) were determined in vacuum-packed fillets of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Fish flesh was treated using a solution of chitosan (2%, w/v) or monoacylglycerols (monocaprylin C8, monocaprin C10, 5%, w/v). The control and treated packs were stored at 3.5 °C for up to 25 days. Samples of good quality did not contain more than 30 mg kg-1 of either putrescine or cadaverine. Exceeding this limit was usually followed by a worsening of the sensory properties of samples. Chitosan was found to be the most potent additive, prolonging the storage time of fillets by approximately four times, compared to control samples. Histamine was not found in any sample treated with chitosan. of the monoacylglycerols, C8 was more efficient compared to C10. All additives are easily applicable to the surface of fish flesh.

Secondary fertilisers are becoming an important alternative to conventional mined fertilisers. For the first time, the struvite "relative" hazenite (KNaMg₂(PO₄)₂∙14 H₂O) has been artificially synthesised. A pot trial assessed whether hazenite-fertilised ryegrass had comparable potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), or phosphorus (P) uptake and shoot yields with treatments receiving conventional K (muriate of potash), Mg (kieserite) or P (triple superphosphate, TSP) fertilisers. Ryegrass shoot biomass production and K/Mg uptake in replicates receiving hazenite were as good as or superior to those amended with conventional fertilisers. Phosphorus uptake of plants whose P source was TSP was significantly higher than that of the hazenite-amended replicates without significantly higher shoot biomass, indicating luxury P uptake. Hazenite's constituent sodium (Na) makes it a potentially useful soil amendment for forage grasses or natrophilic crops such as sugar beet. Its component Mg would also be desirable in forage grasses to pre-empt ruminant hypomagnesemia or in crops with a relatively high Mg demand, for example, maize. Furthermore, hazenite represents a good alternative to KCl for chlorophobic crops such as potatoes. However, given its unusual ratio of Mg, P, and K, the ideal application of hazenite would probably be in combination with other fertilisers.

The aim of this study carried out in 2017-2018 was to determine the effect of white cabbage (Brassica oleracea L.), which is known to have an allelopathic effect on the germination of some weed and cultural crops seeds. In addition to weeds, Amaranthus retroflexus L., Chenopodium album L. and Solanum nigrum L., cultural plants such as Zea mays L., Beta vulgaris L., were used in this study. It has been shown that the seed germination rate was decreased by the increased concentration of white cabbage post-harvest leaves extractions, which were made with different concentrations of aqueous and methanol extracts (30, 40, and 50%). The methanol extract was found to be more effective in germination. According to these results, S. nigrum and Z. mays seeds were less affected than A. retroflexus, C. album and B. vulgaris seeds. In the light of these data, it is observed that extracts obtained from white cabbage can be effective on some weeds; however, it was concluded that in order to reach more definite conclusions, studies on the subject should be increased, and similar studies should be continued under greenhouse or field conditions.

In this study a new method of locating culverts is presented with the composition of achieved discharge from hydrological analysis and simulated forest roads in RoadEng 3D simulator to improve drainage condition. Locating culverts was performed on a small scale (1:20 000, using GIS) and large scale (1:2 000, road geometric design simulator). The small-scale study regarding the achieved discharge from streams shows that the installation of some culverts is not necessary. The large-scale study also showed that the geometric design of forest road has a significant effect on locating culverts and its accuracy. To improve drainage conditions 6 culverts and 2 waterfronts taking into account the geometric design of forest road, hydrological conditions and appropriate intervals (155 m) have been proposed. No installation or lack of accuracy to find the best location of culverts may result in the occurrence of creep and landslide, so the cost of destruction would be several times higher than the cost of technical buildings construction.

The study aimed at the evaluation of the accumulation and vertical distribution of different forms of phosphorus (P) in reference to phosphorus sorption properties subject to mineral (NPK), mineral-organic (NPK + M), and organic (M) fertilisation. It was carried out in a long-term experimental field in Skierniewice (Central Poland) conducted since 1923 under rye monoculture. Total P content in the M and NPK soil profile was similar and lower than in the NPK + M soil. The content of organic P in A_p and E_et horizons of both manured soils was similar and higher than in the NPK soil. The Langmuir P sorption maximum (S_max) in the studied soils ranged from 39.7 to 90 mg P/kg, while the Freundlich P sorption coefficient a_F ranged from 6.9 to 41.9 mg P/kg. Higher variability of parameters related to the binding energy from the Lanqmuir (k) and Freundlich (a_F) equations was determined between soil horizons than between the fertilisation systems. Nonetheless, in M and NPK + M soils, sorption parameters a_F and S_max and binding energy (k, b_F) were considerably lower than in the NPK soil. The content of water extracted P in manured soils was higher than in the NPK soil.

The traditional management applied by the Native Community of Chambira (NCCh) is based on agroforestry plots with diverse species and areas with rotation of legumes, cassava and maize. The objective was to evaluate behaviour of the physicochemical indicators of soil quality with traditional crop management in the NCCh. A completely randomised design was applied, where the treatments were traditional mixed fruit management (MF), crop rotation (CR) and native forest (NF) as reference. Physical indicators of the surface layer did not show differences, the apparent density (AD) and the resistance to penetrability (RP) increased with depth; chemical indicators differed in the MF and CR had higher results compared to NF. The AD and RP had a significant negative correlation with soil organic carbon (SOC) and positive correlation between SOC, P, Ca, Mg, K available and cation exchange capacity. The MF and CR managements developed in the NCCh are techniques with great potential for soil conservation.

According to the data of the Central Statistical Office, there has been an increase in forest cover in Poland from 27.8% to 29.6% over the last 25 years. This increase contributed to an increase in the possibility of wood obtaining and processing for energy purposes. The aim of the study was to analyse the efficiency of a chipping machine manufactured by the American Company Bandit Industries (Bandit 990XP chipper) based on the working day chronometer. The study was carried out in specific conditions related to the place of the chipper application because the machine was used to process the material obtained from standing trees in the framework of park maintenance. As it was shown during the analysed working day, the effective capacity W1 in the work cycle of the Bandit 990XP machine was 9.2 m³∙h^-1 chips. Specific working conditions made it impossible to organize the work smoothly. Ongoing obtaining of the material for chipping from standing trees resulted in low productivity during the exploitation time of the shift W08 on the level of 1.3 m³∙h^-1 chips.

The aim of the study was to assess soybean response to sowing material inoculation with HiStick® Soy preparation, containing Bradyrhizobium japonicum. Based on the obtained results, it was found that the inoculation significantly increased the number and dry weight of nodules on soybean roots compared to control. The bacterial preparation significantly increased the number of pods per plant. As a result, a significant increase in seed yield (0.58 t/ha) was obtained compared to control. HiStick® Soy increased total protein content in seeds. Protein and fat yield was higher after seed inoculation by 318 kg/ha and 101 kg/ha, respectively, compared to control.

The history of a site includes not only preserved historical buildings, but also areas with an assortment of plants, which have been preserved for many years. Rural settlements make up 80% of all the municipalities in the Czech Republic, with greenery covering 50-70% of their area. There are dominant trees and shrubs and an herb layer. The herb layer has high species diversity and species typical of the area, but at the same time, its long-term survival is in jeopardy. The continuity of rural settlements has been disturbed since the second half of the 20th century. Rural spaces often become uniform and impersonal, without links to the surrounding countryside, traditions, and history. This study included a total of 124 perennial families within three studied regions.

This article analyses the competitiveness of dairy farms in Poland in relation to selected EU countries. The competitive advantage of dairy farms was evaluated and compared based on remuneration for family labour. Two variants of the above indicator were calculated: (1) Remuneration for family labour (FL1) as the relationship between farm net income and the farmer's unpaid labour input, and (2) Remuneration for family labour (FL2) as the relationship between farm net income minus the opportunity costs of own land and capital to the farmer's unpaid labour input. The calculations were performed based on EU FADN (European Union Farm Accountancy Data Network) data for an average dairy farm in 2005, 2010 and 2016. The study revealed the highest average remuneration for family labour (FL1) in Irish and German dairy farms. The value of the second indicator (FL2) was also highest in Germany, followed by France. The analysis produced interesting results regarding dairy farms in Denmark and the Netherlands which were characterised by the highest scale of production in the evaluated period (high net value added), but very low farm incomes and remuneration for family labour. The study revealed that Polish dairy farms were characterised by average competitiveness relative.

The designation of traditional varieties of grapevine is usually based on verbal information or very dated records. Old rare cultivars found in the Czech Republic were identified by Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) analysis, a generally accepted method for cultivar identification. These cultivars are primarily maintained in a national collection of genetic resources. Finally a total of 102 candidate genotypes was selected where 49 traditional varieties were identified on the base of nine SSR loci compared with the European Vitis Database. Thirty-six items were registered under the correct designation. The remaining genotypes included four clones, and two genotypes could be described as synonyms. Seven genotypes were found to be incorrectly marked. For three of them, the correct name was found in the database under their SSR profile and four items were considered to be unique as no identical profile was found.

Effects of land use changes on chemical soil properties were studied in a southern alpine valley of Ticino, Switzerland by analysing three different land cover-topography units: (i) natural forested slopes (NFS); (ii) deforested, cultivated terraces (DCT), and (iii) reforested, abandoned terraces (RAT). Whereas NFS represents the natural reference state with negligible anthropogenic influence, DCT corresponds to intense agricultural utilization, and RAT refers to a post-cultural natural evolution after terrace cultivation. Land use-induced changes in vegetation cover and topography (i.e., terracing) had a clear influence on chemical soil properties. The presence or absence of the European chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.), one of the main soil acidifying agents in the study area, clearly affected soil acidity, soil organic matter (SOM), and nutrient status. Compared to the vegetation change, terracing has a less obvious effect on soil chemistry. A greater effective rooting depth and a flat microtopography on terraces lead to a rapidly increased SOM accumulation due to better growing conditions for trees. Thus, the reforested, abandoned terraces develop peculiar soil chemistry conditions after 36 to 46 years of abandonment only.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the applicability of B-mode, Doppler, acoustic radiation force impulse elastography and contrast-enhanced ultrasound exams in the differentiation of neoplastic and non-neoplastic benign mammary lesions in bitches. This research was conducted as a prospective secondary observational cohort (2014-2016) study, which included 36 mammary lesions, evaluated physically and by ultrasound (B-mode, Doppler, contrast-enhanced ultrasound and acoustic radiation force impulse) exams prior to mastectomy and histopathological classification as neoplastic or non-neoplastic lesions. All ultrasonographic parameters studied were compared between histopathological classifications using Fisher's or Student's tests and differences were considered significant when P < 0.05. Out of 36 benign mammary lesions evaluated, 25 were classified as neoplastic and 11 as non-neoplastic. The qualitative and quantitative parameters evaluated using the different ultrasound methods were not effective (P > 0.05) in differentiating between neoplastic and non-neoplastic mammary masses in bitches. Nevertheless, some B-mode variables, such as longitudinal length (P = 0.0292), width/length ratio (P = 0.0001) and width/height ratio (P = 0.0001) showed limited efficacy in the differentiation of mammary lesions types. In conclusion, ultrasonographic evaluation of benign canine mammary lesions did not allow differentiation between neoplastic and non-neoplastic tissues and only a few B-mode variables may aid in the prediction of specific tumour types.

Early identification of mastitis is a serious challenge for dairy farmers and veterinarians in ensuring the health of an animal and the hygienic quality of the produced milk. The purpose of this study was to detect the occurrence and aetiology of mastitis in a dairy herd of 153 milked cows localised in a farm in west Slovakia. During the complex investigation, 606 quarter milk samples were examined (6 quarters were discarded) and classified based on the clinical status, the presence of abnormal udder secretions, the result of the California mastitis test (CMT), the somatic cell count (SCC) and the bacteriological identification of the pathogens causing the intramammary infection (IMI). The study was augmented by the detection of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the milk and the measurements of the blood enzymatic activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) as potential biomarkers for the udder health screening. A positive CMT score was recorded in 19.5% (118) of the examined quarters and 12.5% (76) of the quarters were infected with bacterial pathogens causing latent mastitis (LM; 1.3%), subclinical mastitis (SM; 8.3%), and clinical mastitis (CM; 2.9%). The most commonly isolated bacteria from the infected quarters were coagulase-negative staphylococci (55.2%), Staphylococcus aureus (11.8%) and streptococci (10.5%). The concentration of MDA and SCC were significantly higher from both the SM and CM cases than in the milk samples from the healthy cows, while the blood activities of SOD and GPx were lower in the cows with CM compared to the healthy cows. The higher MDA concentrations in the SM and CM milk observed in this study showed the presence of an oxidative stress in the infected milk, accompanied by a decrease in the antioxidative enzymatic activity in the blood of the cows. Therefore, the measurement of the milk MDA concentration and the activity of the blood SOD and GPx may prove insightful for the better screening of the udder health in the early diagnosis of mastitis.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of udder measurements for prediction of milk yield, milk components and somatic cell count in non-dairy Wallachian sheep. The study was performed on 38 ewes in the Beskids Mountains kept under extensive management on pasture. Milk production (MILK) as well as samples for milk component and somatic cell count determination were collected during two separate control days (42^nd day and 100^th day of lactation on average). Rear udder depth (RUD, cm), udder width (UW, cm), and teat length (TL, mm) were measured at each control day as well. Linear regressions of udder measurement characteristics showed a predictive character ability for MILK only. An increasing of 70 g MILK corresponded with a 1 cm increase of RUD (P < 0.01) or 1 cm increase of UW (P < 0.001). These positive linear relationships were supported by the positive partial correlation analysis between MILK and RUD (r = 0.503; P < 0.001) or MILK and UW (r = 0.627; P < 0.001). An increase of 1 mm TL was associated with a 10 g (P < 0.01) increase of MILK; however, correlations between these traits were not significant. Results of this study demonstrate an alternative way of MILK ability in non-dairy Wallachian sheep population in general. Correlation and regression analysis further estimated this expected potential in detail using udder measurement characteristics. Measurement of RUD and UW could serve as a tool for breeding and flock management in order to maintain and improve milk production; however, there was no obvious evidence for the prediction of milk composition characteristics and somatic cell count.