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Mobile laser scanning (MLS) is time-efficient technology of geospatial data collection that proved its ability to provide accurate measurements in many fields. Mobile innovation of the terrestrial laser scanning has a potential to collect forest inventory data on a tree level from large plots in a short time. Valuable data, collected using mobile mapping system (MMS), becomes very difficult to process when Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) outages become too long. A heavy forest canopy blocking the GNSS signal and limited accessibility can make mobile mapping very difficult. This paper presents processing of data collected by MMS under a heavy forest canopy. DBH was estimated from MLS point cloud using three different methods. Root mean squared error varied between 2.65 and 5.57 cm. Our research resulted in verification of the influence of MLS coverage of tree stem on the accuracy of DBH data.

Genetic relationship was analyzed between type traits and longevity measures in dual-purpose cattle. Data from 91 486 Czech Fleckvieh cows first calved between 2003 and 2009 were used. Longevity was defined as the actual number of lactations initiated per cow and also as functional longevity, which incorporated an adjustment to account for variation in voluntary culling based upon milk production. Lifetime performance was defined as cumulative milk production through the 6^th parity. All cows were scored for conformation traits during their first lactation. Genetic correlations between these traits and longevity measures were estimated by bivariate analysis using the DMU variance component program package. Type trait heritabilities ranged from 0.30 to 0.59, while heritabilities for longevity and functional longevity were 0.06 and 0.05, respectively. Heritability of lifetime performance was 0.08. Genetic correlations between type traits and longevity measures ranged from low to intermediate values. Genetic correlations of the measured body size traits to the real and functional longevity ranged from -0.06 to -0.29, for udder traits from -0.02 to 0.33, and for foot and leg traits from -0.03 to 0.17. Genetic correlations between the measured body size traits and lifetime performance ranged from -0.03 to -0.30, for udder traits from 0.05 to 0.47, for foot and leg traits from -0.07 to 0.15. Genetic correlations of composite trait scores for frame, muscularity, feet and legs, and udder with longevity traits ranged from -0.20 to 0.41 and for lifetime performance -0.14 to 0.51. The highest genetic correlations between a type trait and functional longevity were for composite udder score (0.25), feet and legs (0.26), and udder depth (0.33), suggesting that these traits could serve as indicators of functional longevity. We conclude that selection based upon easily and inexpensively measured type traits could improve functional longevity of cows as well as lifetime milk production.

Knowledge of genetic relationship is an important control mechanism for animal performance-testing schemes. Genetic relationship between and within pig herds was calculated for two dam breeds, Czech Large White (CLW) and Czech Landrace (CLA). The impacts of different field data types (production and reproduction) and various numbers of generations within the pedigrees on genetic relationship were studied. The degree of genetic relationship between analyzed herds was generally low. It ranged from 1.01% (for CLW based on reproduction data and considering three generations of ancestors within the pedigree) to 2.57% (for CLA based on production data with seven generations of ancestors in the pedigree). In contrast, relationship within herds was high and ranged from 16.62% to 44.69% (when three and seven generations within the pedigree were taken into account, respectively), both for production data of the CLA breed. When considering the type of data, an impact on the observed genetic relationship between and within herds was found. Slightly higher genetic relationship between herds was determined in both breeds when using production data (1.64%) compared to reproduction data (1.40%). In contrast, a negligible influence between herds on genetic relationship was found from the number of ancestors' generations included into the calculations. That was especially so after five or six generations. Our results show that the relationship between herds is population specific and, consequently, must be analyzed on a case-by-case basis. Knowledge of genetic relationship between and within herds should be taken into account in regard to the complexity of genetic evaluation.

The growing importance and relevance of ICT in business increases the dependence of business entities on ICTs, to which the managers of agricultural enterprises need to pay the necessary attention. The penetration of ICTs also affects the companies that do business in the area of agriculture. High quality and accessible information today has a strategic economic and social importance for the management of this sector; therefore, the use of ICTs by the company managers is becoming an essential part of their daily lives. In their work, the managers of agricultural enterprises most often use a personal computer. The intensity of the laptop use is increasing and thanks to the mobility and connectivity, smartphones are also getting ahead. The use of these devices closely involves operating and application software. The most popular operating system is Windows. In terms of applications, the managers most often use the most popular package MS Office. The research involves an analysis of the intensity of the ICT use by managers with emphasis on agricultural enterprises in the Slovak Republic. The scientific article presents the results of an implemented survey focusing on the intensity of the ICT use by managers and the verification of the hypothesis of a significant influence of a manager's job position on the intensity of the ICT use in the company.

Estimation of farm economic sustainability and viability became more topical when redesigning the Common Agricultural Policy which should stabilise farm income and make agribusiness more viable and sustainable (typically in Czech areas facing natural constraints). The key question is how to calculate the income of farms or farm households not only to survive but also to grow sustainably. The article summarises and compares knowledge from 51 studies to provide a comprehensive discussion on different ways how to measure economic viability and sustainability to set income support for farms in the areas with natural constraints optimally. The authors found family farms and off-farm income as important limitations of FADN database (Farm Accountancy Data Network) for evaluation of the economic sustainability of farm household. Moreover, some financial ratios (Return on Assets - ROA and assets turnover) are not suitable viability indicators for farms with a high share of hired land (typically large legal entities). Joining family farms and legal entities, the authors recommend using modified Farm Net Value Added (MFNVA) allowing for opportunity costs of own land and non-land assets. The average wage in the economy or region is a better proxy for opportunity labour costs of unpaid work rather than average agricultural wage.

The experimental design included seven cover crop species and six kinds of soil tillage in the field cultivation of carrot. The use of cover crops had a positive impact on the yield of marketable roots of carrot in comparison with the cultivation without the cover crops. A significant increase of marketable yield was noted after phacelia, buckwheat, mustard and sunflower. The flat ploughless tillage significantly reduced the marketable yield of roots in comparison with traditional ploughing. The largest marketable yield of roots was obtained from cultivation on ridges after mixing the biomass of buckwheat or phacelia or mustard with the soil, and the smallest, after reduced spring tillage using aggregate without cover crops. The largest marketable yield in flat ploughless tillage was obtained when using grubber before winter, and the biomass of phacelia was mixed with soil. Growing carrot on the ridges had a positive influence on increasing the share of the marketable yield of roots in comparison with other variants of cultivation including the conventional tillage. The all cover crops with the exception of spring vetch significantly increased the share of marketable roots in the yield compared with cultivation without cover crops. The largest percentage of the marketable yield was noted after use of phacelia.

The paper pertains to the issue of quality assurance methods. Particular emphasis is placed upon the examination of hazards and possible product defects in food processing. At present, Polish regulations oblige any food processing entity to implement HACCP system. The system is perceived as a universal vaccine preventing the emergence of possible hazards or reducing the risk to an acceptable level. As far as defects are concerned, these are either disregarded altogether or do not occur at all. Meanwhile, the practice proves the case is not so. The research aspect of the paper revolves around an attempt to transplant solutions primarily applied in the automotive sector onto food processing industry. The practical aspect of the paper is manifested in the analysis of causes behind defects and hazards conducted on the basis of bakery industry. Potential hazards and product defects emerging from the process were identified in the course of the study. In addition, in order to eliminate these, their level was established with the application of various methods.

One of the most significant environmental problems in Europe is the land use change as a result of urbanization. The estimate of future agricultural land takes in the Czech Republic previously published in this journal is alarming; however, this is based on arbitrarily determined assumptions. Our contribution brings a more realistic assessment of the extent of expected land takes (example of the Hradec Králové Region). For this purpose, the data from the municipalities' Planning Analytical Materials (PAM) on buildable areas (and redevelopment areas) and data on the existing expansion of built-up areas are used. Particular attention is paid to the best quality soils included in the 1^st and 2^nd protection class of agricultural land resources (ALR), because some municipalities located in fertile agricultural areas argue about the necessity to build up good-quality land. The Pearson correlation coefficient has been used for the evaluation to what extent the share of the soils included in the 1^st and 2^nd protection classes of ALR out of the total area of the municipality is really related to the share of best quality soils in planned buildable areas. The spatial statistics method ‒ geographically weighted regression (GWR) has been used to find spatial deviations from the global relationship model. There is a clear differentiation between the municipalities as to whether they are able to rather protect the best soil or whether they are planning future construction predominantly on it. E.g. in municipalities with about 30-50% of the land included in the 1^st and 2^nd ALR protection classes, buildable and redevelopment areas are designed from 0 to 100% for these highest classes of ALR protection. However, the total strength of the association (Pearson's r) between these indicators is large, r = 0.80 (or r = 0.95 when "the point-index value of agricultural land" was used instead of ALR protection classes). The results of GWR show that higher deviations from the model value, both positive and negative ones, are not spatially clustered but located next to each other. Greater deviations occur more frequently in the more fertile western part of the region, where there is a higher pressure on good-quality land, which is either intended for development or protected on the basis of local factors (including spatial planning of individual municipalities). Estimation of future developments has revealed a substantial over-dimensionality of planned buildable areas - they will potentially be built up in more than 100 years.

The paper analyses the structure and level of international cooperation among African states in the area of agriculture and rural development. It focuses on the AU and its eight Regional Economic Communities. The international cooperation schemes between the World Bank, EU, FAO and African countries in agricultural policy are reviewed. The paper concludes that, despite numerous cross-border initiatives, governance of agricultural policies in the pan-African context remains fragmented. Policy-making and cooperation schemes need to be stepped up to address continent-wide challenges in the sector. There is an urgent need for the AU and the EU to intensify their cooperation in agricultural policies and development. The AU in collaboration with its regional bodies should establish a common agricultural policy for the continent. Such initiatives need to be Africa-driven and adapted to African needs. The EU should only provide technical know-how and institutional support if welcomed by African partners. Collective action towards rural areas via greater coordination of African agricultural policies and actions would help to develop the missing institutional framework needed for agricultural development in the continent. Fostering economic growth through agricultural development and reforms may also lead to a reduction of migration as witnessed by the EU in the sixties.

The paper deals with Czech households' subjective views on food waste. It examines households' attitudes to food waste, including the causes of food waste. The primary data were obtained via a questionnaire survey with 1 582 respondents. The analyses allowed the identification of three categories of Czech households with different attitudes to food waste and its causes. These findings provide a basis for a proper selection of corrective measures aimed at amending or even completely transforming the current behaviour.

Growth and flowering of lachenalia 'Romaud' was studied with reference to its commercial potential as pot plant and the need to obtain flowering plants at a specific time. The experiment was carried out in a heated glasshouse. Lachenalia bulbs were planted in November, December, January and February. The plants were exposed to two lighting regimes, natural lighting and natural lighting with supplemental irradiation (HPS lamps). The later the planting date was, the faster the bulbs flowered, and they produced thicker inflorescence stems with greater number of florets. Depending on the bulb planting date and light conditions, the plants flowered from February to May. The leaves obtained from the bulbs planted in November and December were longer than those produced by the bulbs planted in January and February. Compared with control, supplemental irradiation accelerated flowering by 10-13 days and positively affected plant features by promoting the growth of thicker inflorescence stems with more abundant and longer florets. The leaves of irradiated bulbs were shorter (apart from the bulbs planted in February) and were characterised by a higher content of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll a + b and carotenoids as compared with control. Plants grown under HPS light also had the higher dry weight of bulbs, leaves and stems.

A study of work accidents in forests has shown that dangerous trees play an important role in forest accidents. Despite the importance of safe working environments for forestry operations, the definition of these areas in natural forests is still unclear. Dangerous trees are considered those snagged with broken branches and a canopy or ones with dead trunks and stumps that have a hazard potential to the forest workers. This study investigates the frequency of these trees in the managed and unmanaged forests in the Caspian forests of Iran. In order to do the study, 15 circular plots with a total area of 1,000 square metres in two studied parcels were selected and the trees, according to their dangerous characteristics, were evaluated. The final results indicated that 66 and 50 trees per hectare had signs of being dangerous trees in the managed and unmanaged stand, respectively. A comparison of the average number of dangerous trees in the two studied parcels using the Mann-Whitney test indicated a significant difference so that the average number of dangerous trees in the managed parcel was more than the ummanaged parcel. Trees with broken branches had the highest frequency in the managed stand, while trees with a dead trunk or stump, a broken branch and canopy in the unmanaged forest were more than the other classes. Considering the relative frequency of the dangerous trees in the two study areas, identifying them could be one of the main attempts in logging safety. The existence of hazardous trees with different risk classes in each of the forest stands requires the development of specific safety instructions to deal with the risks of each tree.

The determination of a range of boron concentration in the soil solution, evaluation of the effect of physico-chemical soil properties on boron concentration in the soil solution as well verification whether boron quantity in the soil solution is sufficient for nutritional needs of selected plants cultivated in Poland were comprised. Average boron concentration in the soil solution of Poland's cultivated soils ranges from 0.59 to 5.07 µmol/L and is differentiated by physico-chemical properties of soil. Taking into account decreasing effects of soil properties on the increase of boron concentration in the soil solution, the soil properties can be arranged as follows: organic C >soil abundance in available boron > soil texture > soil pH. The minimum boron quantity observed in the soil solution of Poland's cultivated soils was not sufficient to fulfil nutritional needs of the plants. The maximum boron quantity observed secured nutritional needs of cereals and potatoes but not those of rape plants and sugar beets. Based on the study it can be concluded that the measurement of the concentration of boron in the soil solution can be used in the diagnosis of deficiency of this element for crops.

In this experiment, the response of winter oilseed rape cv. SY Alister F1 to diverse foliar fertilization was evaluated. Foliar fertilization with the preparation Insol 5 was applied at the following dates: control (without a foliar fertilizer); autumn; autumn + spring; autumn + twice spring; spring and twice spring. Each variant in which autumn foliar fertilization was carried out contributed to a significant increase in plant density before harvest. In turn, each variant with spring foliar fertilization significantly increased the number of pods per plant compared to the control. Variants with autumn + spring, autumn + twice-spring, and twice-spring foliar fertilization influenced the increase in the soil-plant analysis development index (SPAD), thousand seed weight and protein and fat yield. The leaf area index was the highest after foliar fertilization applied in autumn + in spring or autumn + twice in spring. Foliar fertilization affected a significant increase in seed yield compared to the control. The content of protein and magnesium in seeds was the highest after the fertilizer application in autumn + twice in spring or twice in spring.

The measures of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and Regional (Cohesion) Policy are aimed at achieving cohesion, i.e. reducing the economic (sectoral), social and territorial disparities at European Union level. The issue of rural areas has become an important part of the CAP measures in Pillar 2. Since the CAP does not have a primarily territorial orientation, it does not contribute to territorial cohesion of rural areas. In a similar vein, regional policy, which is primarily oriented towards territorial development, also failed to give rise to complete, balanced development. Using qualitative analysis, this article summarises references selected on the basis of the authors' experience in policy issues. The types of discourse included on the subject of coherence of common policies are the role of agricultural, rural and regional policy in cohesion and the conflict of cohesion and competitiveness objectives. Modern political and economic efforts of converging competitiveness into the macro concept with spatial implication result in planning and implementation of inappropriate measures and instruments intended to encourage the balanced territorial development of the EU. From this arises a conflict of cohesion and competitiveness, coupled with long-term consequences for the most vulnerable areas.

The antioxidant properties of cool-climate Regent wines from Podkarpacie region, Poland were investigated. Total polyphenols, total flavonoids, total monomeric anthocyanins, trans-resveratrol concentration, radical scavenging ability using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) and total antioxidant capacity with TEAC and FRAP methods were measured. The average contents of the compounds determined for Regent wines were comparable to the respective data available in literature found for warm-climate wines. Correspondence Analysis of the data revealed the relation of total polyphenols content and antioxidant capacity and radical scavenging ability of studied wines, and in lesser extent correlation with total flavonoids content. The total monomeric anthocyanins content and resveratrol concentration were poorly related to the total polyphenols content and antioxidant capacity.

For the period 2007-2013 LEADER became the fourth axis of rural development policy. One of the main characteristics of LEADER is that it adopts a bottom-up approach. Local Action Groups (LAGs) have to define and implement area-based local development strategies (LDSs). In this paper, we examine the relationship between variety in the LDSs implemented by LAGs and employment safeguarding over the programming period 2007-2013 in Andalusia, the most populated region of Spain. Firstly, we construct several indicators to capture differences in the number of projects carried out, the grants awarded, the investments made and the safeguarded employment. Secondly, we carry out an exploratory factor analysis. We use cluster analysis to classify LAGs applying similar LDSs. The results obtained show that there is no ideal strategy for employment safeguarding and that spending high amounts of money in a few numbers of projects does not guarantee success. Thus, most LAGs do not show any clear specialisation pattern but obtain moderate results in terms of employment safeguarding. This supports the idea that LAGs need to have sufficient flexibility to find a balance among the different objectives of the rural development policy and to translate this balance into the funding of projects.

The aim of this work was to study the effect of milking fraction and mammary gland health status on the electrical conductivity (EC) of milk from Manchega ewes, considering also the lactation number. To this end, we also studied the relationship of EC with milk macrocomposition, and the relation existing between EC and somatic cell count (SCC). Finally, the use of EC thresholds as a mastitis detection method (sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV)) was assessed in each of the three fractions: first streams (F1), machine milk (F2) and stripping milk (F3). Milking fraction, mammary gland health status and lactation number had a significant effect on EC and SCC. In the case of EC, the milking fraction caused a more pronounced effect than health status of the glands or number of lactation (F = 19.95, 15.88 and 6.55, respectively; P < 0.5). In SCC, the gland health status caused the most pronounced effect followed by milking fraction and lactation number (F = 112.02, 6.89, and 5.28, respectively; P < 0.05). Changes in the milk composition, especially fat and lactose contents, explained the EC variation to a great extent. For the same EC threshold, specificity and sensitivity varied slightly depending on the milking fraction. NPV above 80% was obtained in the three milking fractions and at all EC thresholds tested, but PPV was only higher than 20% as of the threshold of 4.5, 4.4, and 4.2 mS/cm in F1, F2 and F3, respectively. From the results obtained, we concluded that the algorithm design for mastitis detection in sheep should include those factors affecting the composition and which therefore cause variations in EC, such as milking fraction, individual differences, lactation stage or lactation number.

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.

A number of variables influences potatoes growing, including natural conditions, used growing technologies and market conditions. The most important parameters for the production of potatoes crops are yield, farmer's price, subsidies and costs. All these parameters can change over time. This means that managers of farms must constantly assess the key parameters affecting the economic outturn and analyse the degree of risk of their achievement. This article analyses the economic risks of potatoes cultivation based on statistical data obtained over the last 10 years. The Monte Carlo stochastic simulation method was used to analyse the risk of gross profits. The results of the calculations confirmed the considerable variability and risk of growing potatoes in the climate conditions of the Czech Republic in general, and especially regarding the first early potatoes and potatoes for starch production.

Research in southern Italy assessed the effects of biodegradable mulch on fruit yield and quality of two greenhouse tomato cultivars, 'Coronel F₁' and 'Kero F₁'. Three mulching types (two MaterBi biodegradable black films, MB N2/12 amnd MB N8; black polyethylene film, low-density polyethylene (LDPE)) and not mulched control were compared. 'Coronel F₁' showed higher values of fruit yield, total crop biomass and leaf area index (LAI). MB N8 and LDPE films led to the highest fruit yield and growth indexes, whereas not mulched control to the lowest. Fruit dry residue and soluble solids were highest under MB N2/12 and MB N8, titratable acidity was highest under MB N8. Fruits grown under MB N8 and LDPE mulches attained the highest levels of colour components "L" and "b" respectively, and MB N8 the highest fruit firmness. MB N2/12 and MB N8 showed the highest levels of antioxidants and antioxidant activity. Biodegradable polymers improved root growth conditions and fruit quality, showing suitable features for sustainable vegetable production.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the amount of nitrogen taken up from air, mineral fertilizers and soil by yellow lupine (Lupinus luteus L.) and spring triticale (Triticosecale Wittm. ex A. Camus) in their intercropping cultivation. The factor examined in the experiment was percentage of yellow lupine seeds and spring triticale grain in sown mixtures: 100/0, 75/25, 50/50, 25/75 and 0/100, respectively. Yellow lupine yield was reduced by spring triticale when intercropped. In the yield of both plants the percentage share of spring triticale grain was larger and that of yellow lupine seed was smaller than in the sown mixture. Land equivalent ratio informs that yield advantage under intercropping of lupine and triticale was minor. The total protein yield was the highest in lupine cultivation when sown pure, and decreased with increasing share of triticale in their intercropping. The mean percentage nitrogen share from N₂ fixation, fertilizer and soil reserves in yellow lupine mass was: 65.2, 8.8 and 26.0%, respectively, while in the mass of spring triticale it was 10.1, 23.5 and 68.8%, respectively.

The study analyses the correlations among different economies of selected EU-12 member states based on comparison of agricultural economics variances, namely the output value of the agricultural industry, productivity of input, agricultural gross value added, subsidies on production, agricultural labour input and agricultural income per annual working unit in the period of 2010-2016, based on the Special Program for Social Sciences, as statistical methods. The EU-12 achieved a higher increase in productivity of input, output value of agricultural industry, agricultural gross valued added, as well as agricultural income per agricultural annual working unit compared to the average results of EU-28 for 2010-2016. The output value of agricultural industry and agricultural gross value added per intermediate consumption decreased by 1.35% and by 3.3%, but the factor income - net value added at factor cost - per annual working unit increased by 21%, because of the subsidies on production increased by 3.4% for 2010-2016. In EU-28, the factor income per annual working unit increased, but most of this income was for developing agricultural production technology.

The characteristic features of traditional cottage sausage were analysed. In addition, the extent to which manufacturers create product diversity on the market was investigated, along with potential health risks of the product to consumers. The samples had high overall sensory scores. The average level of fat slightly exceeded 28%, cholesterol content was in the range of 435.4-1220.3 mg/kg and salt content was 1.53-2.77%. Some manufacturers do not cure their product, but about 20% of them apply nitrites above the level of 150 mg/kg. Due to their relatively high pH level (5.76-6.60) and water activity (0.95-0.98), Polish cottage sausage can be a medium which encourages the growth of microorganisms; however, pathogenic bacteria were not found. Histamine was detected in only 42% of the samples, at the low level of 2.6 to 34.2 mg/kg. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was applied and the dominant variables were specified for particular PCs.

In Catalonia, agroecological cooperativism is part of a set of alternatives that appeared as a response to the current hegemonic food consumption model, controlled by large commercial establishments. It is defined by its promotion of short food supply chains (SFSCs), operates under the values of the social and solidarity economy (SSE) and holds a strong political commitment. This article, on the one hand, studies the setup of agroecological cooperativism understood as the outcome of a network of producers, intermediaries and consumers and, on the other hand, examines the impact of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the development of this consumption model. The data has been obtained through on-site interviews and online research on the 56 consumer groups and cooperatives present in Barcelona. Descriptive statistics and correlation analysis have been used to study them. The results prove the salient role that ICT has as a facilitator in the relational network established between the agents that take part in it, thus becoming a key characteristic element of the new agroecological consumer cooperativism.

The objective of this study was to compare the effects of calf starters of different starch and fibre content on the growth, blood and rumen parameters of Holstein female calves during the pre-weaning period. A total of 60 calves were divided into two groups. Group A/B was fed according to a two-phase calf nutrition system: the calves received calf starter "A" (28.5% starch content, 16% neutral detergent fibre (NDF), 9.2% acid detergent fibre (ADF)) in days 7-45 and then calf starter "B" (14.2% starch content, 32.4% NDF, 14.3% ADF) in days 46-70. Calves of group B received calf starter "B" throughout the experimental period. The calves were weaned between 52 and 61 days of life. The data on body weight, weight gain, starter feed intake, blood metabolites and rumen fermentation parameters were collected individually. In the first phase of experiment, the starter feed consumption of A/B group was higher than that of B group (P < 0.05), but it did not manifest in differences in body weight at weaning time. At some of the sampling times, the different composition of starter diets significantly (P < 0.05) influenced the plasma urea, albumin, glucose and triglyceride concentrations. The consumption of diet with different starch and NDF content had no significant effect either on the composition of the rumen microbiota or on the ruminal concentration of volatile fatty acids (VFA) and ammonia. In some cases significant correlations (-0.83 and -0.93; 0.82 and 0.90) were found between the composition of rumen microbiota and ruminal VFA concentration. Feeding a diet of higher starch content (28.5 vs 14.2%) in the first 45 days of life did not affect rumen fermentation, rumen microbiota and the most important blood metabolites, apart from a few exceptions. The production parameters of calves, including total feed intake and body weight gain, were similar in the experiment.

An intracardiac communication between the left ventricle and the right atrium (Geborde defect) was diagnosed in a 9-year Yorkshire Terrier with a history of chronic exercise intolerance. The history, clinical examination, and diagnostic imaging confirmed the diagnosis and did not reveal evidence of trauma or endocarditis which could lead to this special type of left-to-right shunting. A Gerbode defect is a very rare finding in human beings and animals. In the veterinary literature all reports about this condition were related to thoracic trauma or valvular infection. According to the authors, this would be the first clinical case of congenital Geborde defect in a dog.

Smart Specialization in this research is addressed to the use of collaboration as a tool for increasing efficiency of investment in entrepreneurship, research and innovation in a service-driven post-industrial economic system. This study provides evidence that collaboration potential is used only partly during the implementation of Smart Specialization strategy. The research illustrates given thesis by the evaluation of collaboration in Lithuanian biogas sector, which is listed among the priorities of Lithuania's Smart Specialization strategy till 2020, using structured interviews. The main aim of this empirical research is to assess the will to collaborate in order to enhance the development of Smart Specialization and identify unused collaboration potential among all Quadruple Helix model counterparts in the biogas sector. Empirical findings show that collaboration in the Smart Specialization development has a big potential. However, this potential is used only partly because of lack of knowledge and available business infrastructure for this task and the passive role in collaboration processes of government institutions. Research findings suggest that current situation should be changed by supporting measures for business and NGOs with the aim to encourage collaborative initiatives for Smart Specialization. Research findings might serve as guidelines for policy makers, entrepreneurs, university and NGO managers.

Dormant bud cryopreservation is a valuable tool for the germplasm of temperate trees preservation. Freezable water content, as an important cryopreservation characteristic, was analysed by DSC. Scions of modern apple tree varieties (Malus domestica) were collected during the winter season from orchards, freeze-dehydrated to 26-32% of water content at -5°C and cryopreserved by the two-step procedure. Samples were rehydrated in moist peat after 4 months of cryopreservation and grafted on rootstocks in a field. Regeneration by sprouting buds on rootstocks was evaluated. The varieties were divided into three groups according to their water content and percentage of crystallized water. The regeneration in the three groups decreased with decreasing bud water content. Regeneration was higher than 80% in most of the varieties and reached 100% in almost 1/3 of the tested varieties. In only one variety, was regeneration lower than 40%, which is still a high regeneration rate for considering apple genotypes as successfully cryopreserved. According to this study, the two-step cryoprotocol was successfully optimized for Central European conditions.

A new food and feed self-sufficiency model for the Czech Republic (RESTEP) was applied for the evaluation of possible adverse climate impacts uniformly reducing crop production by 5, 10, 20, and 30%. The situation was simulated for the whole country and four different agriculturally important regions. Biomass production modeling confirmed that for the whole country, the food self-sufficiency is secured up to 20% of yield decline for most crops, but even 5% yield decline of silage maize would lead to its shortage in animal feeding. On the other hand, regional results vary significantly. Regions Jižní Morava and Střední Čechy shown oversupply of feedstuff allowing them to cover the demands of cattle and pigs up to 20% or 30% decline of yield, respectively. The opposite model represents the Vysočina (VY) region which is not able to cover the demands from own sources even at the baseline scenario. The acreage extension of maize is not possible due to erosion risk restrictions at 25% of arable land at VY. The possible solution consists of extension acreage of alfalfa and clover or finding other plants sufficient for feeding as well for biogas facilities in regions rich in biomass energy consumers.