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Bovine tuberculosis was last detected in cattle and pigs in the CzechRepublicin 1995. Since March, 31, 2004(Commission Decision No. 2004/320/EC) the Czech Republichas been included amongst states free from bovine tuberculosis within the European Union. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate results of intravital and post-mortem diagnosis of mycobacterial infections in slaughtered cattle and pigs from 2000 to 2004. When bovine tuberculosis in cattle was investigated, a tuberculin skin test with bovine tuberculin was performed every year and a skin test with avian tuberculin was simultaneously conducted in the animals with a positive response. A total of 2 419 889 animals were examined with a positive response being found in 123 (0.005%) of them. After slaughter, bovine tuberculosis was not detected in any of these animals by gross and/or laboratory examinations. With avian tuberculin, 40 349 animals were tested and positive responses were detected in 43 (0.1%) of them; the incidence was similar in all the years monitored. Tuberculous lesions were detected in 209 (0.01%) of 1 967 211 slaughtered cattle. Mycobacteria were present in 40 (21.3%) of 188 animals examined by laboratory methods: 26 isolates of Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium (18 isolates of serotype 2 and 8 isolates not typeable), 11 isolates of M. a. hominissuis (1 isolate of serotype 8 and 10 isolates not typeable), and 3 isolates of atypical mycobacteria. Tuberculous lesions were detected in 49 312 (0.22%) of 22 312 580 slaughtered pigs by veterinary-meat inspection. During the 5-year-period monitored, the incidence of tuberculous lesions decreased from 0.37% in 2000 to 0.10% in 2004. The following mycobacteria were isolated from 757 (33.5%) of 2 261 animals whose organs were examined by culture: 203 isolates of M. a. avium (180 isolates of serotype 2, 3 isolates of serotype 2/8, and 20 isolates not typeable), 442 isolates of M. a. hominissuis (1 isolate of serotype 1, 262 isolates of serotype 8, 35 isolates of serotype 9, 1 isolates of mixed serotypes 8/9, and 143 isolates not typeable), and atypical mycobacteria (n = 112). In both animal species, M. avium complex members prevailed: M. a. avium was the most prevalent subspecies in cattle, M. a. hominissuis in pigs. The main sources of M. a. avium and M. a. hominissuis are free living birds and contaminated external and stable environments (i.e. drinking water, feeds, and feed supplements), respectively. During the entire period monitored, miliary or generalized tuberculosis was not detected in any of the animals. The decreased incidence of tuberculous lesions in pigs was particularly a result of preventive measures adopted to control the occurrence of atypical mycobacteria.

Two to three weeks old 3 male indigenous Korean calves weighing 35-40 kg were referred to the Animal Medical Centre,ChonbukNationalUniversitywith signs of urine scalding on the ventral perineum. Physical examination in all 3 cases revealed aplasia of the penis along with an undescended testis, bifid scrotum and ventrally incomplete sheath. In case 1, the urethra opened cranially to the bifid scrotum, whereas in case 2 and 3, the urethra opened at the ventral perineum. The diagnosis was made as hypospadias, along with penile aplasia and unilateral cryptorchidism. With an exploratory laparotomy, the abdominal testis was removed. The scrotal testis was also castrated and scrotal ablation was performed. In case 1, prescrotal urethrostomy and in case 2 and 3, perineal urethrostomy was performed. Two weeks after surgical correction, the caves appeared to be urinating normally.

Irrigation with saline waters is an agricultural practice that becomes increasingly common as competition for fresh water increases. In this study, three strawberry cultivars (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) were tested for their salt tolerance. For this purpose, five salinity levels in water with electrical conductivities (EC_i) of 1.1, 1.6, 2.1, 2.5, 2.9 dS/m and river water as control (0.5 dS/m) were used in a randomised design with four replications. Percent leaf damage at two dates and accumulation of salts in soil were determined for each cultivar. Considering the results, Maraline is the most tolerant to salinity. Severe effects of salt on Muir and Tudla growth were observed even at EC_i 1.1 dS/m. The higher the level of EC_i of irrigation water, the higher the soil EC_e produced. In general, the highest soil EC_e's were produced by Muir followed by Tudla experiment.

The subject of our research was to verify effects of the mechanical preparation of soil in the natural regeneration of pedunculate oak in a floodplain forest. On the site of a hard-wooded floodplain forest at the confluence of the Morava and Dyje rivers (Czech Republic), several sample plots were established differing in the preparation of soil during regeneration, in weeding the plots and in the period of the implementation of soil surface scarification before and after the fall (or distribution) of acorns. On the basis of results obtained, mechanical preparation of soil on non-weed-infested plots in the heavy seed year is not necessary, however, it supports seedling emergence from acorns and eliminates weed tree emergence and weed. However, it is better to realize it only after the fall of acorns and to incorporate them into soil and thus their emergence will be increased. Soil scarification can be carried out also in the course of harvesting the parent stand through the extraction of wood and slash from the regenerating area. In weed-infested stands, however, the thorough preparation of soil before the fall of acorns appears to be a necessity.

Retailers are the strong group both in South Bohemia and in Upper Austria. The development of this sphere is one of the development programmes priorities of both regions. South Bohemia and Upper Austria, especially Muhlviertel region, are areas with a similar economic structure, which is an excellent presupposition for mutual cooperation. An advantage will be the improvement of marketing activity and information transfer. A better technical equipment and its full exploitation will be possible. The problems, however, which could arise from cooperation with foreign partners, should not be underestimated. Not only the language barrier is concerned but also different techniques, methods and expectations that might be caused by different customs and interests of the partners. An important aid to the entrepreneurs, either concerning consultant service, establishing contacts or further education, are economic chambers and other institutions concerned with retail business development.

A total of 60 random samples of fresh chicken burger, fillet, and luncheon (20 of each) were collected from markets at Tanta city. The average total yeast counts (cfu/g) in burger, fillet, and luncheon samples were 2.7 × 10⁶ ± 1.1 × 10⁶, 2.1 × 10⁵ ± 0.9 × 10⁵, and 1.4 × 10⁷ ± 0.7 × 10⁷, respectively. A total of 158 yeast isolates of 23 species were isolated and identified. Candida, Cryptococcus, Debaromyces, Issatchenkia, Pichia, Rhodotorula, Saccharomyces, Trichosporon and Yarrowia species were recovered from the examined samples of fresh chicken meat products in varying percentages ranging from 5% to 50%. The tested plant extracts of cinnamon, clove and thyme revealed a potent anti-yeast activity against C. albicans, D. hansenii and S. cerevisiae at 20% concentration, and a moderate inhibitory activity against these yeast strains at 10% concentration, while garlic extract had a lesser inhibitory effect on the yeast strains tested at the same concentration. Moreover, thyme, cinnamon and clove extracts had a complete inhibitory effect on chicken fillet inoculated with Candida albicans when incubated at 5°C and 25°C.

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a barley disease, which occurs every year in various areas of barley cultivation all over the world and the increasing incidence has been confirmed in the Czech Republic also during the last years. We aimed to emply AFLP (Amplified fragment length polymorphism) and SSR (Single sequence repeats) markers to describe diversity among breeding lines with a sufficient level of resistance towards FHB and to find marker(s) associated with the analysed traits. The number of eight accessions including five expected resistance donors and three sensitive lines were tested in the field and laboratory. The field values and the amount of deoxynivalenol were positively correlated (r = 0.92). The laboratory test and content DON manifested also a high correlation (r = 0.73). Several DH lines developed from androgenetic barley progenies of the F1 hybrids between the susceptible line PI 383933 and resistant line PEC 210 or the susceptible line PI 383933 and resistant cultivar Chevron were found resistant towards Fusarium infection in both the field and laboratory tests. Low infestation was found at line DH 37 from combination Chevron × PI 383933 and lines DH48, DH49, DH50 and DH55 from the combination PEC 210 × PI 383933. Cluster analyses based on 68 AFLP and 18 SSR markers demonstrate a genetic relationship among parental genotypes and DH lines.Some DH lines combined a sufficient degree of resistance against FHB and extract content (basic parameters malting quality). Statistically significant differences in malt-extract values were observed between groups of the DH lines possessing and not possessing the AFLP marker CAA/AGC 341bp. The markers will be further evaluated and optionally used for MAS.

The effect of feed additives: antibiotic (group C), probiotic (group E1) and prebiotic (group E2) on the results of fattening and selected slaughter and pork meat quality traits of two genotypes of pigs (PLW × PL) × BL and (PLW × PL) × Dur, gilts and hogs, was determined. The results obtained for the examined traits in the feeding groups under comparison were slightly differentiated. The growth rate and feed conversion differed between the genetic groups in favour of crossbred fatteners with the proportion of Dur breed (P ≤ 0.01). The mean backfat thickness from 5 measurements and loin "eye" area in fatteners derived from Dur sires as compared to hybrids coming from BL sires were significantly lower (P ≤ 0.01) while the length of carcass was higher (P ≤ 0.01). The gilts were characterized by better meatiness than boars: loin "eye" area, loin weight without backfat and skin, ham weight without backfat and skin differed on the level of P ≤ 0.05, and meatiness of carcass and meatiness of basic cuts at P ≤ 0.01. Significant (P ≤ 0.05) or highly significant (P ≤ 0.01) differences in the proportions of acids: C_18:2, C_18:3, C_20:4, C_22:4 and PUFA in the lipid fraction of MLD were found between the feeding groups. The proportion of the above-mentioned acids was lower in group E2 and higher in group E1 as compared to C. The proportion of the acid C_18:1 was significantly higher (P≤ 0.05) in group E2 as compared to E1. The demonstrated differences indicate the need of further studies in this respect. In pig fattening there is a possibility of effectively replacing feed antibiotics with other additives. The application of biostimulators - probiotic Bactocell or oligosaccharide Bio-Mos instead of the antibiotic flavomycin appeared to be favourable. From the production aspect it seems to be justified to supplement the feed rations for fatteners during the first stage of fattening with feed additives from the group of probiotics or prebiotics.

During the period of 2001 and 2003 a total of 238 isolates of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae obtained from 26 pig herds in the Czech Republic (2001 - 73 isolates, 2002 - 110 isolates, 2003 - 55 isolates) were examined for antibiotic resistance by disc diffusion method. Resistance to erythromycin (95.5% to 98.6%), streptomycin (76.4% to 82.7%) and tiamulin (72.7%) was detected most frequently over the whole monitored period. High increase in percentage of resistant isolates to tetracycline (2001 - 11.0%, 2002 - 36.4%, 2003 - 81.8%), doxycycline (2001 - 9.6%, 2002 - 34.6%, 2003 - 61.8%), nalidixic acid (2001 - 2.7%, 2002 - 14.5%, 2003 - 45.5%), and norfloxacin (2001 - 0%, 2002 - 7.3%, 2003 - 34.6%) was found, while differences in resistance to cephalotine (2001 - 1.4%, 2002 - 7.3%, 2003 - 9.1%), cotrimoxazol (2001 - 4.1%, 2002 - 10.0%, 2003 - 7.3%), amoxicillin (2001 - 12.3%, 2002 - 12.7%, 2003 - 10.9%) and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (2001 - 9.6%, 2002 - 9.1%, 2003 - 10.9%) were small. Prevalence of isolates resistant to sulfasomidine was detected decreasing (2001 - 43.8%, 2002 - 47.3% and 2003 - 29.1%).

An episode of mortality in waterbirds occurred on a sedimentation reservoir with effluents from the sugar beet processing plant at Hrusovany n.J. (South Moravia, Czech Republic) in summer 2003: tens of black-headed gulls (Larus ridibundus), several lapwings (Vanellus vanellus), one little ringed plover (Charadrius dubius), one ruff (Philomachus pugnax), one wood sandpiper (Tringa glareola), and two avocets (Recurvirostra avosetta) died. One of the two avocets and the plover, local breeders, were examined and found positive for Clostridium botulinum type C toxin by use of the toxin-neutralization test. Avocet is classified as a rare bird species according to Red Book data and is listed as critically endangered species in theCzechRepublic, and is therefore protected. Avian botulism can occasionally cause deleterious effects to waterbird fauna and its protection.

Measurement of the ammonia emissions by two different types of sensors (PHOTO ACOUSTICS analyzer INNOVA and SOLID STATE sensor SP-53) was carried out in laboratory with one material of litter, wood-shavings (with dry or wet material). The initial ammonia concentration and humidity of material were changed. The output data of these sensors were continually saved a processed. A small difference was found out between the output data of these sensors. The difference depends not only on ammonia concentration and humidity of material but also on the duration time from the beginning of measurement. All experiments of ammonia concentration were carried out with three initial values of humidity and ammonia concentrations within used material. The decrease of ammonia concentration (its velocity) in investigated material has been measured with laboratory device and registered for twelve or more hours during each experiment.

Activity of fungi participating in the dead wood decomposition was studied in the Velký Polom Nature Reserve, Protected Landscape Area Železné hory. Two game-proof fences of an area of 0.30 ha (570 m alt.) and 0.19 ha (620 m alt.) were used as permanent sample plots. In both the plots, activities were monitored of wood-destroying fungi in 126.82 m³ dead wood, 104.05 m³ of which were in beech. After conversion to an area, the volume amounts to 258.82 m³ per ha. In the whole reserve, almost 220 species of macromycetes were recorded in the course of a mycological survey. Wood-destroying fungi are the dominant component of mycoflora representing more than 50% identified taxa of in the period under study. The proportion of mycorrhizal fungi amounted to 14%. A series of macromycetes considered to be saprophytes is bound to products of wood decomposition. Fomes fomentarius (L.) Fr., Fomitopsis pinicola (Sowerby) P. Karst., Ustulina deusta (Fr.) Petrak, Hypoxylon fragiforme (Pers.) Kickx, Ganoderma lipsiense (Batsch) Atk. and the genus Armillaria were the predominant species of wood-decaying fungi. As for rare macro-fungi, it is possible to mention Ascotremella faginea (Peck) Seaver, Stropharia albocrenulata (Peck) Kreisel and Tricholomopsis decora (Fr.) Singer.

The influence of the date of cutting collection and cutting position in the crown on rooting quality was evaluated in cuttings taken from seven-year ortets. The evaluation of various dates of cutting collection in spring demonstrated a possibility of successful propagation by cuttings during a relatively long period from full bud dormancy to flushing onset. The relationship between the development of aboveground parts (flushing, shoot and bud formation) and rooting quality was not established. The exposure of cuttings in the crown of parent tree with respect to the cardinal points did not influence rooting percentage and quality. A somewhat higher rooting ability was observed in cuttings from lower parts of the crown in comparison with cuttings taken from the highest whorls. Differences were more perceivable in generally weak-rooting clones. The comparison of rooting quality in cuttings from seven- and eight-year mother plantations with cuttings from a sixteen-year mother plantation confirmed that not only the rooting of cuttings collected from older mother plantations is weaker but also their growth is slower and their plagiotropic growth continues for a longer time.

The article summarizes findings drawn form the research carried on within the European project "Best e-European Practices" with a focus on digital SMEs only. Case studies are used to describe good practices. Cases studies are coded structurally using a set of indicators for each success factor and thus provide for learning of the potential users. Synthesis and generalization has been done on factors explaining motivations for introducing e-practices, the results firms seek to achieve and the benefits from the adoption of digital technologies.

Recent years has seen increasing interest in the genus Hypericum because it is the source of a variety of compounds and the biological activities of the genus are mainly derived from its hypericin content. The present study was conducted to determine whether this compound may be implicated as part of an inducible plant defense response in H. perforatum and H. pruinatum. Greenhouse-grown plants were inoculated with the plant pathogens Phytophthora capsici and Diploceras hypericinum. Hypericin levels of the Hypericum species increased significantly in response to inoculation with both pathogens. While up to now little effort has been made to determine whether hypericin is inducible by pathogen/herbivore attack or if it could play a role in plant defense, the present study indicates that hypericin is a component in inducible plant defense response of H. perforatum and H. pruinatum.

The results of three-year trials (1999 to 2001) conducted with six winter wheat varieties in which was investigated the effect of sites, years and varieties on the final grain yield and technological quality showed statistically significant differences (LSD, 95%) among sites in grain yield and these parameters of quality: test volume mass, wet gluten content, sedimentation test, protein content, falling number and flour water absorption capacity. As to the quality, the Žatec site showed itself as generally most suitable, and the Jaroměřice site as the least suitable one. Climate conditions showed a statistically significant effect (LSD, 95%) on grain yield and all quality parameters, beside the percentage of complete grains and swelling capacity of gluten and falling number, which were insignificant. The most favourable weather conditions, a lot of precipitation and high temperature in the course of ripening from three years were proved in the year 2000. Among the varieties were statistically significant differences (LSD, 95%) in grain yield and these parameters of quality: test volume mass, thousand grain weight, ash content, percentage of complete grains, sedimentation test, protein content, reologic properties of dough and baking tests. From the six varieties the best profits were shown from variety Sulamit (loaf volume 595 ml/100 g of flour), the worst was Semper (loaf volume 543 ml/100 g of flour) and Vlasta (loaf volume 532 ml/100 g of flour). The best grain yield was in 2001 (average of sites 8.84 t/ha) and the variety Semper had the highest grain yield of 9.17 t/ha, that is higher at 13.41% compared with Sulamit (7.94 t/ha).

Wild spawners of common bream, Abramis brama, were caught in the Kortowskie Lake (north Poland) and transported to a hatchery for artificial spawning. Fish were hormonally induced using GnRH analogue combined with metoclopramide (ovopel). The results of bream reproduction in captivity were compared with fish treated with the combination of hCG and CPE and with control group injected saline. Males from treated groups produced significantly more milt (over 4.3 ml/kg vs. 2.1) of better qualities: spermatozoon concentration (over 9.3 × 10⁹ vs. 6.8) and motility (over 85% vs. 62). Females from the control group did not spawn whereas those from hormonally induced groups ovulated: 62% after CPE treatment and 100% after GnRHa treatment. Generally, the fish after ovopel stimulation showed the best hatchery parameters.

Measurements were done of some lysosomal proteolytic enzyme activities involved in skeletal muscle proteolysis of the masculus longissimus lumborum et thoracis muscle (MLLT) of bulls. Samples from the same region between the 11th and 13th vertebra were taken after slaughter from Limousin (n = 10), Hereford (n = 10), Charolais (n = 10), Angus (n = 11) and Simmental (n = 11) bulls about 15 months old fed complete diet ad libitum. The activity of cathepsin D was determined as pepstatin (cathepsin D inhibitor) sensitive activity (PSCatD) towards 1% haemoglobin. Pepstatin-insensitive acid (PIA) and leupeptin-insensitive (thiol proteinases inhibitor) acid (LIA) autolytic activities were measured in the presence of 1mM Mg⁺⁺. MLLT was also analysed for RNA, DNA and protein variables. The data were processed by analysis of variance. The highest activities in PSCatD (P ≤ 0.05), AAA (P ≤ 0.01) and LIA (P ≤ 0.05) as well as percentage of inhibition by pepstatin in cathepsin D (P ≤ 0.01) were estimated in Angus bulls, and the lowest in Limousin ones. These breeds differed in the above-mentioned activities by 20.3, 21.1, 31.1 and 13.1%, respectively. RNA/g of tissue was highest in Hereford and lowest in Limousin bulls (by about 15.3%, P ≤ 0.01). Similar differences (14.3%) were between Charolais and Limousin (P ≤ 0.01). CPS (10³ RNA/protein) was higher by 18.3% (P ≤ 0.01) in Charolais compared to the value in Simmental bulls; similar differences were between Hereford and Simmental (16.4%, P ≤ 0.01). The DNA concentration was highest in Hereford (by about 30%) compared to Charolais bulls. Protein/10³DNA ratio (mg/mg) - FCS - was higher by 33.4% in Charolais compared toHereford; RNA/DNA ratio was higher by 40.2% in Charolais compared toLimousin bulls. These results indicate the fast turnover of proteins in the groups of examined bulls and it can be concluded that in hypertrophic MLLT of bulls an anabolic decrease in degradation occurred.

: The circulus arteriosus cerebri of the porcupine was investigated in this study. Five porcupines were used. Coloured latex was given from the left ventricles of three and from the communis carotid artery of two porcupines. The circulus arteriosus cerebri was examined after dissection was done. The basilar artery was formed by a merge of the right and left vertebral artery. The caudal communicans artery which was the caudal part of circulus arteriosus cerebri was formed by the basilar artery on crus cerebri. From caudal to cranial, the branches originating from the basilar artery and circulus arteriosus cerebri to cerebrum and cerebellum were as follows: caudal cerebelli artery, media cerebelli artery, rostral cerebelli artery, caudal choroidea artery, artery which extended to the mesencephalon, caudal cerebral artery, internal ophthalmic artery, rostral choroidea artery, media cerebral artery, rami striati and rostral cerebral artery. The rostral cerebral artery dexter and sinister joined to each other by the rostral communicans artery, forming the circulus arteriosus cerebri. It was determined that the internal carotid artery did not participate in the formation of circulus arteriosus cerebri and the arterial blood to the circulus arteriosus cerebri of porcupine is provided via the basilar artery only.

The present study was designed to determine the effects of dietary heavy metal intake on malondialdehyde levels (MDA, product of cellular lipid peroxidation) in the tissues of gastrointestinal tract, kidneys and liver of sheep. The experiment was carried out on twelve female sheep of mixed breed, weighing from 30 to 35 kg, one year old. The first group of sheep was bred in the conditions of laboratory farm. They had free access to hay and 300 g of barley per sheep was added daily. The second group grazed on a natural pasture in the environs of a factory processing copper ore. The second group of sheep had significantly higher concentrations of copper and cadmium in the tissues of rumen wall, duodenum, colon wall, liver and kidneys. The concentration of lead was significantly higher in the rumen wall, colon, liver and kidneys, but no differences were found in duodenum. The concentration of mercury was significantly higher only in the kidney tissue, but no differences were found in rumen wall, duodenum, colon wall and liver. The concentration of malondialdehyde was found significantly higher in reticulum epithelium, omasum, duodenum and colon. The significantly higher concentration of MDA was measured in colon wall and kidney medulla. The highest concentration of MDA was found in liver. Our results confirm that lipid peroxidation is one of the molecular mechanisms of cell injury in chronic heavy metal poisoning. The epithelium of the gastrointestinal tract of sheep is more sensitive to the oxidative damage induced by dietary heavy metal intake.

The red turpentine beetle, Dendroctonus valens LeConte (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), was found for the first time in China in Yangcheng and Xinshui counties, Shanxi province in 1998, and in Hebei province in 1999. The beetle mostly attacks the oil pine Pinus tabulaeformis Carriére. By 2003 the beetle was found in 85 counties of three provinces in north China and the area of infested pine forests covered more than 700,000 ha. The elevation above sea level of forests infested is more than 800 m. The beetles most frequently attack trees on hilltops and at the forest edge, fewer attacks occur in the centre of the stand. This correlates with the damage done to the trees by wind or man. Weak and dying trees are more vulnerable to attack than healthy ones. The most attractive breeding sites are fresh stumps. The population density of the beetles is higher in the forests on northern slopes than on southern slopes. Most of the bores in the trunk are less than 0.5 m above ground; the galleries are found also on roots.

The incorporation of Czech agrarian sector in the Common Agricultural Policy of the EU means also the application of so called "European Model of Agriculture" which reacts to a basic requirement of socially balanced and sustainable agriculture which contributes to maintenance and an improvement of the European agricultural cultural landscape. In connection with it, a new strategy of agrarian policy was set according to which the orientation of Czech agrarian sector changes in a principal way, which was focused up to now only on the production function and also its other functions become more important, above all in the environmental and social, so non-production area. One of the aspects of multifunctional agriculture is an organic agriculture, a system which fulfills visions of sustainable agriculture.

The insecticidal efficacy of aqueous extracts of five Nigerian spices (Piper guineense Schum and Thonn., Aframomum melegueta (Roscoe), Xylopia aethiopica (Dunal) A. Rich., Zingiber officinale L. and Capsicum annuum L.) was tested in a field study for the control of two important post-flowering insect pests, Maruca vitrata Fab. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and Clavigralla tomentosicollis Stal. (Hemiptera: Coreidae) of cowpea. The extracts were applied at 10% (w/v) and sprayed every week for 4 weeks. P. guineense, followed by A. melegueta, significantly reduced (P < 0.01) abundance of the pests and decreased the damage to cowpea pods. Grain yields were significantly higher in plots treated with P. guineense and A. melegueta extracts compared to plots treated with other extracts. This technology is cheap, safe, environmentally friendly and easy to adopt by limited resource farmers in third world countries.

An in sacco technique was used to measure NDF degradability and release of Mg, Ca, Zn, Cu, Fe from six forages - lucerne hay from the 1^st cut (LH₁), from the 2^nd cut (LH₂), orchard grass (G), grass silage (GS), red clover silage treated with Feedtech (CS_FT) and/or with Kofasil (CS_KO). The forages differed in the content of NDF and minerals. There were large differences (P < 0.01) in element release in the rumen between experimental forages and the particular elements. The rate of release of elements was higher from LH_1, LH_2, CS_FT,CS_KO than from G and GS. The release of individual elements and NDF over all incubation times is very well expressed by cubic polynomials (R²> 0.9). Overall, across forages the release of mineral elements ranked as follows: Mg > Fe > Cu > Ca > Zn. The minimum and maximum disappeared portions of individual minerals from forages are as follows: Mg 74.7% from G and > 91.5% from LH₁, Fe 29.7% from G and 99.9% from LH₁ and LH_2, Cu 64.3% from G and 99.8% from LH₁ and LH₂, Ca 28.4% from G and 75.4% from CS_FT, Zn 12.0% from G and 38.2% from LH₁, respectively. Calcium and zinc need a longer time for their maximum release. It can be concluded from the results of multiple regression analyses that only the Mg and Ca release is associated depending on NDF and time of observations, with a highly significant influence of forage on Zn and Cu.

During a five year period (2000-2004), the incidence of bovine and human tuberculosis in cattle and other animals from six Central European countries was evaluated: Croatia (HRV), the Czech Republic (CZE), Hungary (HUN), Poland (POL), Slovakia (SVK), and Slovenia (SVN). These countries, lying between the Baltic and the Adriatic seas, cover an area of 610 402 km² and had more than 68 million inhabitants and 9 330 264 cattle in 2003. Successful national control programmes against bovine tuberculosis in cattle were carried out up until 1980: HRV (1953-1966), CZE (1959-1968), HUN (1962-1980), POL (1959-1975) SVK (1959-1968), and SVN (1962-1973). During the entire monitored period skin testing with bovine tuberculin in all cattle older than two years was carried out regularly either once a year or every second year. Five of these countries (CZE, HUN, POL, SVK, and SVN) joined the EC on May 1^st, 2004. CZE and SVK were officially declared free of bovine tuberculosis in cattle on March 31^st, 2004 (Commission Decision No. 2004/320/EC) and March 4^th, 2005 (Commission Decision No. 2005/179/EC), respectively. Bovine tuberculosis was diagnosed in a total of 188 cattle herds in the study area: 145 (77.1%) outbreaks in small herds (< 10 cows) and 43 (22.9%) outbreaks in large herds (≥ 10 cows). The last cases of bovine tuberculosis in cattle in SVK and in the CZE were diagnosed in 1993 and 1995, respectively. During the monitored period, bovine tuberculosis was diagnosed in animal species other than cattle found in zoological gardens: in two Bactrian camels (Camelus ferus) in the CZK, in one Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris f. altaica) in HUN, in one bison (Bison bison) and one eland (Taurotragus oryx) in POL, and in one dromedary camel (Camelus dromedarius) and two bison in SVN. In wild animals, bovine tuberculosis was diagnosed in wild boar (Sus scrofa) in HUN (n = 14) and HRV (n = 1), in six red deer (Cervus elaphus) in HUN, in 14 European bison (Bison bonasus f. bonasus) and two roe deer (Capreolus capreolus f. capreolus) in POL. Infections caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis were also diagnosed in four cattle and two pigs in POL, in one cattle in SVN, in one dog (Canis lupus f. familiaris) in the CZE and in one dog in HUN. M. africanum was diagnosed in one hyrax (Procaria habessinica) in a zoological garden in HRV.

The present study brings current information on providing market pigs and sows with the required iodine level up to date. The results were obtained by the determination of the iodine content in leg muscles and by the relationship between those concentrations and the iodine intake by the human population. The iodine content was assessed by the Sandell-Kolthoff method in 108 samples of leg muscles (m. gracilis) of market pigs from 18 herds in 10 districts of the Czech Republic collected during the period April 2004 to August 2004. Average iodine content in leg muscles of market pigs was 25.6 ± 15.54 μg I/kg fresh matter, median 20.2 and coefficient of variation 60.6%. Significantly higher (P < 0.05 to P < 0.001) iodine levels were recorded in the leg muscles was of herds LI2, ZU, BR, FU, BU, ST and some others. Iodine level variations in the samples from respective farms were expressed in the levels range of 8.5 to 66.2 μg I/kg. The detected variations might have been caused by different iodine saturation of the pigs from different herds, their physiological requirement, manifestation of physiological ability of respective animals to utilize the iodine source, potential effect of goitrogens and environmental conditions. It is necessary to consider the iodine content in pork in the balance of the iodine supply in the shopping basket of consumers. Provided that the average annual consumption of pork is 40.9 kg with iodine content of 25.6 μg/kg(8.5 to 66.2 μg/kg), the average annual iodine intake is 1047 μg, which represents 1.4 to 2.4% of the required intake per person per year.

In Pakistan citrus groves in general are facing a serious problem of decline that is attributed to different causes. The major cause, however, is the prevalence of citrus virus and virus-like diseases; Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) is of utmost concern. Although CTV has been identified and characterized on the basis of serological and physical properties, no information is available on the strains of CTV in Pakistan. The identification of CTV strains will be helpful in developing strategies to control the decline of citrus trees to a great extent. Many citrus growing countries have successfully used the technique of cross protection to minimize the drastic effect of severe CTV strains. By pre-immunization of the citrus tree with mild strains, the decline can be controlled to increase the life span of the citrus tree. In this study we focus on the possibility of establishing a cross protection technique in Pakistan against the CTV strains.

We evaluated the growth of Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) seedlings on peat and bark substrates, on their mixes and on their mixes with agroperlite. We examined the basic quantitative traits (seedling diameters and heights), the number of produced seedlings per unit area, main root lengths, number of axial shoots and dry weight of shoots and roots. Besides the study of substrate influence on the biometrical characteristics of seedlings applied standard fertilisation an experiment was established as the second variant where the effect of biostimulants was tested; they were supplied by the Jaminex Company. The experiment was established with three replications by standard technologies used in forest operations. A conclusion can be drawn that in our experiments peat was found to be the most suitable substrate for production of Norway spruce seedlings. Positive effects of biostimulants were highly significant on almost all tested substrate mixes.

Alder decline along watercourses is one of the marked manifestations of tree decline in the Czech Republic. Local decline of alder trees is documented in the Czech Republic for about 15 years. The aim of this paper is to evaluate causes of alder decline and assess health conditions of other species of riparian stands at 2 localities on the medium reach of the Lužnice River. Effects were studied of abiotic and biotic stressors on the health condition of tree species. No fungal pathogen was found in tissues of declining alders which would be present in all trees and which could be considered to be the main causal agent of the decline. Even an occurrence of the causal agent of alder decline named alder-Phytophthora has not been proved. Tree-ring analyses demonstrated decreasing trends of an increment in alders; however, an abiotic or biotic factor showing direct effects on the fluctuation of tree ring dimensions has not been positively determined. A marked role in the alder decline is demonstrated particularly by abiotic factors accompanied by the secondary activation of some pathogens. Generally, the phenomenon can be named as polyetiologic decline.