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The presence of masked or hidden forms of Fusarium mycotoxins (deoxynivalenol, DON, zearalenone, ZEN and fumonisins B1, B2 and B3) were studied in wheat and maize derived products. Significant amounts of these forms were found both in raw and in processed food commodities. Deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside was found in wheat products up to 30% of DON concentration. Bound forms of fumonisins often account for an equal or even higher amount in comparison with the free forms.

Twenty-seven winter wheat cultivars registered in the Czech Republic were tested by molecular markers for the presence of Lr26 and Lr37, and twenty-eight cultivars for the presence of Lr10. Gene Lr37 was determined in eleven cultivars, gene Lr10 in ten cultivars and gene Lr26 in four cultivars. Eight cultivars had combinations of two Lr genes, one cultivar possessed all the three Lr genes. The results of marker analyses were compared with multipathotype analysis which confirmed the presence of Lr26 but did not enable the verification of the presence of Lr10 and Lr37. Seedling resistance was compared with resistance of the studied cultivars in the field.

Normal hematological values need to be defined for each equine breed and age in order to increase diagnostic precision. No published data on hematology exist for Carthusian horses. This research compares the hematological characteristics of pregnant Carthusian broodmares of different ages. Forty-four pregnant Carthusian broodmares were divided into three age Groups: A (4-7 years; n = 18), B (8-12; n = 15) and C (13-17; n = 11). Jugular blood samples were taken every 14 days during pregnancy and data were pooled for each animal. The following hematological variables were determined: red blood cells (RBC), hemoglobin (HB), hematocrit (HCT), volumetric indices, white blood cells (WBC) and platelets (PLT). Furthermore, the numbers and percentages of lymphocytes (LYMP), band (BNL) and total neutrophils (NL), eosinophils (EOS), monocytes (MON), basophils (BAS) and the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (N/L) were counted on blood smears. Total serum protein concentrations (TSP) were also measured. The lower values of RBC, WBC, LYMP and PLT in the older broodmares (Group C) possibly reflected a decline in bone marrow activity. The lower RBC of these mares was compensated by an increased MCV. The higher NL values in Group C, both BNL and NL, could have represented subclinical infections, since these animals also presented the highest TSP. Likewise, the animals of Group C showed the highest EOS counts. This research demonstrated that ageing significantly influences the hematological values of Carthusian broodmares, with the most marked differences in mares older than 13 years and that these physiological variations must be taken into account in a clinical context.

Climate change will change patterns of disease through changes in host distribution and phenology, changes in plant-associated microflora and direct biological effects on rapidly evolving pathogens. Short-term forecast models coupled with weather generated from climate simulations may be a basis for projection; however, they will often fail to capture long-term trends effectively. Verification of predictions is a major difficulty; the most convincing method would be to "back-forecast" observed historical changes. Unfortunately, we lack of empirical data over long time-spans; most of what is known concerns invasions, in which climate is not the main driving factor. In one case where long-term prevalence can be deduced, climate had little to do with change. Resilience to surprises should be the most important policy aim.

The phenotypic relationships between type traits and functional traits were analyzed in 47 786 Czech Fleckvieh cows first calved from 1994 to 2003. Functional survival was defined as the number of days from first calving to culling. All the cows were scored for conformation during the first lactation. Type information consisted of phenotypic type scores for 17 objectively scored linear type traits (with 9 classes each) and of the measurements for 6 body traits (measured in cm). The impact of the chosen conformation traits on functional longevity was estimated using the Cox proportional hazards model. The statistical model included the combined time-dependent effects of lactation and stage of lactation, age of the first calving, effects of the herd of culling, effects of year-season of culling, effects of the first lactation milk yield calculated within herd-year deviation. Analysis was performed separately for each of 23 type traits. The relative culling risk was calculated for animals in each class after taking into account the previously mentioned effects. All the traits analysed showed a relationship with the functional survival. Among linear type traits, rump angle, body depth, rear legs side view and pastern, fore udder length, rear udder attachment, and teats traits exhibited an intermediate optimum. Height at the sacrum, muscularity, rump length, and rump width, hock, and hoof angle, central ligament, and udder depth tended toward a linear relationship to functional survival. Body measurement traits showed an almost linear relationship concerning longevity except for chest girth, which exhibited an intermediate optimum. Body measurement traits and body conformation traits had an impact on functional survival especially in extreme classes, e.g. extremely ascending rump. Larger, broader, muscular cows had a higher risk of being culled compared with smaller and narrower cows and, hence, a shorter length of productive live. Foot and leg traits had an important influence on functional longevity, especially rear legs side view and pastern. Among udder traits, fore udder length, rear udder attachment, and front teat placement showed a higher impact on cows' longevity than the other analyzed udder traits.

This experiment was aimed at determining contents of Ca, Mg, Na, K, P, and Fe in blood serum and breast muscles of broiler chickens COBB 500 subjected to different variants of pre-slaughter handling in the summer period: no transport (N-T); transport to a distance of 100 km (T-100) and 200 km (T-200). The complete pre-slaughter handling consisted of the following stages: catching the birds, weighing, loading to containers, transport and waiting for slaughter, unloading and weighing after the transport. In the N-T group, transport and weighing after the transport were excluded from the pre-handling management. Stress factors occurring in the pre-slaughter handling evoked a detrimental effect on the bodies of both males and females and appeared to affect concentrations of Ca, Mg, Na, K, P, and Fe in blood serum and breast muscles of the broiler chickens. An upward tendency was observed in serum levels of those elements after transport to a distance of 100 km which was, however, followed by their decline. An opposite tendency was demonstrated in breast muscle. Taking into account the sex of the chickens, differences were observed in contents of macro- and microelements between males and females, both in their blood sera and breast muscles.

We assessed the survival of Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis (MAH) in artificially contaminated homemade smoked sausages prepared from pork meat according to traditional recipes, the effect of storage of such sausages at -20°C for three months on MAH viability and to compare assessment of MAH viability/presence by culture and qPCR. Three isolates of MAH were inoculated into the sausage mixture at concentrations of 10⁶ CFU per gram of meat and cold smoked at 40°C for 12 h or hot smoked at 70°C for 6 hours. MAH survived the cold smoking procedure without any significant decrease in viable MAH CFU counts; no viable MAH were detected in the hot smoked sausages. The storage of sausages at -20°C caused a decrease in viable MAH counts of about 1 to 3 log₁₀. Absolute MAH counts determined by qPCR were not significantly reduced by the storage or smoking. The presence of viable MAH in sausages after the cold smoking should be considered as a risk for immunodeficient individuals and children.

Claw horn disorders, infectious diseases of hooves and leg injuries cause lameness in dairy cows. However, such diseases as sole haemorrhages, sole ulcers or white line diseases, cause clinical lameness. Lameness reduces milk production, the fertility of cows and also causes earlier culling of cows, as well resultings in a deterioration of their welfare. In this review we focus on the impact of lameness on bovine behaviour. The time spent lying down is an important behaviour of dairy cows. As an increased locomotion score is associated with an increased percentage of cows lying down, also the position of cows within the milking parlour is associated with lameness. Lame cows are more likely to present toward the end of milking. Clinical lameness is a chronic stressor, reducing progesterone concentrations prior to oestrus, and resulting in reduced sexual behaviour; however, lame cows have the same potential period of oestrus when compared with non-lame cows. Hoof diseases, particularly those which are a source of pain, also reduce animal welfare. A high standard of cow welfare may be achieved by improving the lives of animals and the people who work with them. A lack of comfort while lying presents a significant risk for lameness. Improvements in comfort on more than 75% of farms (32 out of a total number of 53 farms) reduced the incidence of mastitis, while on 42 farms it reduced the prevalence of lameness. The keeping of cows on the straw bed of stalls does not only improve animal welfare, mainly through the greater comfort of the floor, but has also been showed to increase eating and ruminating behaviour. Cows also prefer straw to sand bedding and lay down longer on straw than on sand; however, cleanliness and hoof health have been shown to be better on sand. Apart from comfort, the main factors which promote improvements in bovine welfare and health, include good management of dairy farms, keeping cows in free stalls with accompanying regular exercise, and a long time spent at pasture. The prevalence of clinical lameness was demonstrated to be higher on farms using mattresses when compared with farms using deep-bedded stalls. No differences were found in behaviour among cows with different degrees of lameness housed in mattress stalls. Hence, measures of laying behaviour are not good indicators of lameness.

Information on the historical background of the present forest conditions is needed for proper decisions on forest management. Disturbances play a major role in the formation of forest structure and composition. This paper compares the present break-up of mountain spruce stands in the Bohemian Forest (in the Šumava Protected Landscape Area) with conditions during their initiation using dendrochronological techniques. On three selected localities we established two study plots within relatively old stands of unknown origin. Stands were recently broken up by a windstorm. The present situation was described by diameter and decay class distribution. To describe the situation at the stand initiation, we cored at least 40 stems on each plot to get the age structure and growth series of trees. Disturbances were marked by discovering synchronous releases on tree-ring series. Main population waves were initiated in association with severe disturbances during a relatively short period, leading to the establishment of relatively even-aged, homogeneously looking stands. The disturbances were synchronized between plots and accounted for by historically known windstorms or bark beetle outbreaks; notwithstanding, logging as a disturbance factor is also particularly possible.

The main aim of this article is to present a technical solution for straw and forage yield mapping when using round balers with variable chamber for harvest. The yield measurement is based on monitoring of instantaneous position of a tension roller mechanism for press chamber circular belt. Wheat straw was harvested - baled, during our trial measurements. The acreage of the trial field was 12 ha. Calibration of the measuring system showed a strong dependence of the tension roller position on the amount of pressed straw (R² = 0.99). Geostatistical evaluation confirms a spatial relationship of measured data sets with a moderate spatial dependence. Finally, yield map of straw was created

Claw lesions and lameness in sows are an important welfare concern as well as a cause of considerable economic loss. These problems are more common in group housing than in individual housing systems. Given that group housing for gestating sows will become mandatory in the EU from 2013 onwards, the aim of the present study was: (1) to determine the prevalence of lameness and claw lesions in sows housed in groups during gestation, and (2) to analyze whether the type of group housing system and sow-related factors were associated with lameness and claw lesions. Eight Belgian pig herds with group housing of gestating sows were selected. Four herds used pens with electronic sow feeders (dynamic groups), the other four herds kept their sows in free access stalls (static groups). All sows were visually examined for lameness at the end of gestation. Claw lesions were scored after parturition. Information about feed, housing conditions and culling (strategy) was collected, as well as information about parity and breed. Of all 421 assessed sows, on average 9.7% (min. 2.4%, max. 23.1%) were lame. Almost 99% of the sows had one or more claw lesion with overgrowth of heel horn (93%) and cracks in the wall (52%) as the most prevalent lesions. Neither for lameness nor claw lesions was significant differences found between the two types of group housing. Lameness decreased while the mean claw lesion score increased with ageing. These results suggest that lameness can be caused by reasons other than claw lesions, especially in older sows. Although no difference was found between the two types of group housing, a huge variation between herds was observed. Moreover, as the prevalence of lameness and claw lesions in group housing is quite high and group housing will become mandatory in 2013, further investigation on risk factors of locomotor disorders in sows is necessary.

The life cycle operation phase of John Deere 1490D energy wood harvester from the aspect of energy audit and environmentally negative influence caused by emissions were evaluated. Energy audit quantifies energy used in the form of fuels and oils as well as energy expended for manufacture, transport and distribution of these fuels and oils. Emissions produced by operation are determined according to the consumption of fuels and oils based on emission factors. We also made a comparison of the general calculation of costs based on data provided by the manufacturer with costs ascertained in real operating conditions. The costs are divided into purchase, operating and other costs. Total costs are subsequently converted into unit costs according to the assumed productivity of the machine, its estimated lifetime, and the mean real throughput of the machine. The machine throughput, and thus also its operating economics, is greatly dependent on the character of the processed material, its stem volume, moisture, way of dendromass preparation, and operator's skills. Energy use was calculated at 74.4 MJ.FU^-1 (functional unit) related to fuel consumption and 13.4 MJ.FU^-1 related to the consumption of oils. The total energy use of the life cycle operation phase of the slash bundler was determined as 87.8 MJ per each bundle produced. The real productivity of the machine in the given operating conditions was several times lower than the productivity indicated by the manufacturer.

Fresh and frozen seafood products (fish, shellfish, crustaceans, molluscs) in wide use in Croatia and typical of the Mediterranean diet, were examined for the presence of microbiological contamination through the winter and summer seasons. Total bacterial counts of aerobic mesophilic bacteria (AB), aerobic psychrophilic bacteria (AP), Salmonella spp., Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, sulphite-reducing clostridia (SRC), Listeria monocytogenes, Vibrio cholerae and V. parahaemolyticus were measured. The microbiological quality of individual samples varied widely between animal species and also between winter/summer seasons regarding total counts of aerobic mesophilic and psychrophilic bacteria. The poorest quality was for (both summer and winter) fish samples, where 66.6 % of fresh and frozen fish were found unacceptable by Croatian standards. The overall prevalence of V. parahaemolyticus was 5%. Its recovery rate was higher in fresh/frozen shellfish in both seasons than in other specimens or other storage/season conditions. Fresh crustaceans sampled in winter demonstrated significantly higher aerobic mesophilic counts than frozen ones. Unacceptable Enterobacteriaceae levels were obtained in 40% of the fresh fish summer samples. The results of this survey constitute an indicator of bacteriological contamination of a variety of seafood. The findings could serve as a basis for future testing of seafood, and possibly as a template for developing a regional/Mediterranean testing scheme on the microbial contamination of seafood in order to establish data with comparative epidemiological and statistical values.

The research presented in the paper was aimed at analyzing the economic performance of organic farms in the Czech Republic and at evaluating their operation in variants (i.e. including or excluding subsidies). The research was targeted solely at legal entities due to a limited data base. The performance of organic farms (individual kinds of legal entities) was compared by regions with the agricultural enterprises farming conventionally. The organic farms economic profit was as well assessed in relation to their field of activity. Based on the analysis made, the economic situation is more favourable for the organically farming enterprises. Their economic results are actively influenced by subsidies without which an absolute majority of enterprises would be operating at a loss. (When including subsidies in the yields, 84.9% farms of the sample were profitable. On the other hand, while excluding subsidies, 95.7% of the enterprises were loss-making.) Economic success of the farms is influenced - together with subsidies - by the natural and climatic conditions as well as and by their field of activities. The enterprises farming permanent grassland (solely or in combination with a different culture) prevail. A lower intensity of this farming is reflected in the more favourable economic results.

The sera from 690 slaughtered fattening pigs from 15 farrow-to-finish swine herds (12 herds of unknown Salmonella status, 3 herds known as latently infected) in the Czech Republic were examined for Salmonella antibodies in a cross sectional study using an ELISA test. Salmonella seroprevalence ranging from 0% to 20% was found in 14 herds. Seroprevalence of 73.9 was found in 1 herd with previously unknown Salmonella status. A longitudinal study of the three previously identified latently infected herds found seroprevalence ranging from 23.9% to 83.4% in sows after farrowing. Salmonella findings from faeces in the farrowing sections ranged between 1.8 and 24.5, and in the environmental samples between 0 and 25. In weaned piglets, Salmonella findings from faeces ranged from 6.3 to 48.0, and in environmental samples from 0 to 90%. The most prevalent serotypes were S. Derby (56.8) and S. Typhimurium, phage type DT104 (18.5). The seroprevalence comparison in sows and slaughtered fattening pigs revealed variations in the course of Salmonella infection in swine herds.

Influence of growth regulators chlormequat chloride, ethephon, trinexapac-ethyl, and a combination of chlormequat chloride and ethephon on decreasing sunflower height was examined in the years 2006-2009. Height was reduced by as much as 63 cm by double application of chlormequat chloride (915 g/ha) + ethephon (465 g/ha) at early and later growth stage (BBCH 32 and 50). Trinexapac-ethyl (375 g/ha) did not affect the height. One-time application of chlormequat chloride (1440-2160 g/ha), chlormequat chloride (458 g/ha) + ethephon (233 g/ha) (BBCH 30 or 50), or ethephon (480 g/ha) (BBCH 30) was sufficient for a ca 30 cm reduction during flowering, but this effect did not last until harvest. With double application (BBCH 30 and 50), reduction lasted until harvest. For ethephon (480 g/ha), application at BBCH 50 reduced height by as much as 35 cm and lasted until harvest. Combining a lower rate of ethephon with ammonium sulfate was effectively equivalent to using a full rate. Flower head diameter at maturity showed no significant negative influence compared to the control. In 2008 and 2009, a delay in flowering onset was observed after applying growth regulators.

The paper deals with the analysis of the proposals of the European Union Common Agricultural Policy reform (the EU CAP) after 2013 and modelling forecast of its impacts on Slovak agriculture. The behaviour of business entities in agriculture is significantly influenced by the current support scheme and the level of support within the EU CAP but also by market conditions. The impacts of the particular scenarios on the changes of production indicate that Slovak agriculture will approach just slowly the 2008 production level. This will be decisively influenced by the price development. Despite of this, it is evident that the most favourable result can be achieved under the Flat Rate Scenario while the absolute abolition of direct payments (Liberal Scenario) will bring very unfavourable economic consequences with impacts on agricultural production in Slovakia.

The paper deals with the possibilities of homogenization of the kerf width by proper choice of the respective feed rate and abrasive mass flow for particular models of cutting. The introductory part is devoted to reasons for the kerf width variability in dependence on the models of cutting, as well as to the methods of determining the kerf width in cutting of solid wood by abrasive water jet. In the conclusion are presented the results concerning the development of kerf width in the range of commonly used feed rates and abrasive mass flows.

The numerical mathematical theory provides a few ways of numerical integration with different errors. It is necessary to make use of the most exact method with respect to the computing power for a majority of microprocessors, because errors are integrated within them due to the algorithm. In our contribution, trapezoidal rule and Romberg's method of numerical integration are compared in the velocity calculation algorithm of the strapdown inertial navigation. The sample frequency of acceleration and angular velocity measurement was 816.6599 Hz. Inertial navigation velocity was compared with precise incremental encoder data. Trapezoidal method velocity error in this example was 1.23 × 10^-3 m/s in the fifteenth-second measurement. Romberg's method velocity error was 0.16 × 10^-3 m/s for the same input data. The numerical mathematical theory provides a few ways of numerical integration with different errors. It is necessary to make use of the most exact method with respect to the computing power for a majority of microprocessors, because errors are integrated within them due to the algorithm. In our contribution, trapezoidal rule and Romberg's method of numerical integration are compared in the velocity calculation algorithm of the strapdown inertial navigation. The sample frequency of acceleration and angular velocity measurement was 816.6599 Hz. Inertial navigation velocity was compared with precise incremental encoder data. Trapezoidal method velocity error in this example was 1.23 × 10^-3 m/s in the fifteenth-second measurement. Romberg's method velocity error was 0.16 × 10^-3 m/s for the same input data.

This study was performed to make a surgical model of osteoarthritis (OA) in the dog. Experimental medial patellar luxation (MPL) was surgically produced in the left stifle (index) of 24 skeletally mature mixed small breed dogs (age two to six years and weight 2.8 to 9 kg). The animals were randomly allocated in 2 groups; sham group (n = 12), where the right stifle was sham operated and control group (n = 12) with intact right stifle. Physical and radiographic examinations of both stifles were performed at 1.5 months intervals over a one-year experimental period. One dog was euthanatized every three months, and both stifles were explored, gross examination was performed and tissue samples from the articular cartilage, cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) and synovium were collected for histomorphology. The clinical signs of OA were obvious in the experimental dogs by 12 weeks of surgical induction of MPL, which was also evidenced in the histopathology of the joint tissues and electron microscopy of the articular cartilage. The radiographic changes of OA were not obvious until remarkable degenerative changes became abvious six months postoperatively. Surgically induced MPL can be a successful tool for experimental induction of OA in dogs.

In an Island of the Netherlands, Pine (Pinus nigra) was planted to stabilize the dunes and to protect the arable lands from the blowing sand. This research was conducted to understand the most important environmental factors responsible for a vegetation change in the Pine plantation and effect of this change on the rare orchid population: Goodyera repens and Listera cordata. Vegetation sampling was carried out according to the Braun-Blanquet phytosociologic method within the three sites of this Island. Twinspan analysis confirmed the definition of three site types and redundancy analysis showed a significant difference between the pure Pine stands and the plots with regeneration. The results revealed that the most significant explanatory variables were litter cover, broadleaved tree cover, and shrub cover indicating the vegetation change under the Pine plantation. The abundance of Goodyera repens is strongly associated with the Pine forest and negatively related to broadleaved cover. Listera cordata could apparently cope with vegetation change. Controlling the herbaceous layer in the Pine plantation can promote the orchid population but on the contrary, promoting the natural regeneration of broadleaved species might endanger them.

The study compares the role of agricultural green subsidies in rural development of the Czech Republic before and after joining the European Union (EU) in 2004. We use the perspective of multifunctional agriculture and contribute to the research on the contemporary trends in Czech agriculture by using the data collected through surveys in 2000 and 2006, as well as 2008 comparative statistical support, to ask if there have been significant changes and improvements in farmers' evaluations of these programs. The empirical case study results show some positive changes connected with the participation in the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP). In spite of improvements, farmers continue to cite two primary weaknesses and constraints - administrative procedures and shifting program guidelines - that were evident prior to joining the EU. It can be assumed that the environmental subsidies in the Horizontal Rural Development Plan 2004-2006 have had an effect on the stabilization of the livelihoods of rural inhabitants. In general, there is a positive shift of valuation of the CAP among farmers in the Czech Republic.

This study is focused on substitute European larch stands in the Krušné hory Mts. (northern part of the Czech Republic). Research was conducted within larch thinning experiment Kalek (780 m a.s.l. in the category Piceeto-Fagetum oligo-mesotrophicum - Calamagrostis villosa). Results showed that the aboveground biomass of the investigated substitute unthinned larch stand represented approximately 102 thousand kg of dry matter per ha at the age of 20 years. Stemwood (ca 59%) is the most important part of the aboveground biomass. Needles, live and dead branches accounted approximately for 6%, 17% and 11%, respectively, and stem bark only for 7%. At the age of20 years, the investigated substitute unthinned larch stand accumulated: nitrogen - 307 kg, phosphorus - 21 kg, potassium - 136 kg, calcium - 122 kg, magnesium - 53 kg per hectare. Thinning with consequent removal of aboveground biomass may result in nutrient losses. Especially, the removal of whole tree biomass by thinning for chipping in areas previously degraded by acid deposition may result in calcium and magnesium deficiency because of their low content in forest soil. On the other hand, thinning supported faster growth of trees left after thinning and consequently faster biomass and nutrient accumulation. Our results supported the recommendation that the use of biomass from thinning for chipping should be limited to stemwood only and the remaining aboveground biomass (mainly needles and branches) should be left in the forest ecosystem for decomposition in conditions of the historically disturbed area of the Krušné hory Mts.

The contribution presents the modelling solution of the potential scenarios impact of the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union after 2013 in the selected sectors of the Slovak Republic national economy. The solution is accomplished using the Computable General Equilibrium model with the emphasis on the productive and less favourable agricultural areas and the theoretical rents for agricultural land. If we take into consideration both pillars of the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union, according to the modelling calculations in Slovak conditions the most favoured is the Conservative scenario, the Reference and the Flat Rate scenario are neutral and the least favourable is the Liberalisation scenario.

This work is aimed at the evaluation of the operating parameters and emission of two tractors: Hürlimann H-488 DT and Hürlimann XB Max 100. The measurements were done on a test bench in the laboratory of the Agroscope Reckenholz-Tänikon Research Station ART, Ettenhausen, Switzerland during February 2010. The goal of this paper was to evaluate the operating parameters of the two models of tractors by using classical diesel oil and biofuel, as well as to evaluate the emission (greenhouse gases, dangerous exhaust gases and carcinogens), to make statistical analysis of the results and the conclusion about the samples used and the impact on engine parameters, environment and human health. From the results achieved, it is possible to state the following facts. In each way, the emissions of rape seed methylester (RME) and diesel are equivalent. The values of CO and HC and also particles are lower for RME. But NO_x values are lower for diesel oil. It is liquid that the newer engine of Hürlimann XB Max 100 decreases emission of CO, HC and NO_x significantly.

Data of toxicological analyses for baits carried out in the Laboratory of Toxicology of the Department of Veterinary Clinics (University of Pisa) over a 10-year period are summarized. The 508 lures have been grouped according to their preparation features. This classification has generated six classes: (1) baits prepared with discarded or out-of-date food; (2) laborious and original/particular baits; (3) baits containing more than one toxic substance; (4) baits containing non-toxic material; (5) baits prepared with non-food material and (6) in vivo baits. The most commonly detected toxic substances in baits were organophosphorus and carbamate pesticides (48%), anticoagulant rodenticides (18%), zinc phosphide (12%), strychnine (9%), metaldehyde (8%) and others (5%). This survey shows that in Italy, the deliberate misuse or abuse of toxic substances intended to kill domestic animals, is very common and still far from being eradicated. Elaboration of a complex strategy, involving authorities as well as veterinarians and citizens, is the first step to defeat this harmful practice.

Food quality and safety belong to the most important factors of building the image of the product, brand, or country of origin at the local, regional or global markets. The main aim of the paper is to compare the food products quality perception in the selected countries of Central Europe: Poland, the Slovak Republic and the Czech Republic. Different aspects of the food products quality perception were considered during our research as food hygiene, product safety, taste, brand, quality mark and safety processes in food manufacturing. The methodical approaches of the paper are based on the questionnaire survey, and, consequently, the cluster analysis defining the consumer's perception typology. The computations were processed by using the statistical program SAS. The research results point at the food hygiene as the most important qualitative factor for the respondents in all three countries. On the other hand, the packing as a factor is considered as of either a less importance or an irrelevant one in terms of the product quality perception.

The proteolytic system on the body surface of the honey bee has been insufficiently researched. In this study the body surface proteolytic activity was examined in queens at various developmental stages (eggs, larvae, pupae and imagines) in different seasons (spring, summer, autumn, winter). Extracts of the body surface material with water and detergent were used for an in vitro analysis of the proteolytic activity and protease inhibitor level assaying, as well as for an electrophoretic separation of the extracts in polyacrylamide gels. The following methods were used: protein content testing by the Lowry method (modified by Schacterle-Pollack), protease activity testing by the Anson method and protease inhibitor activity testing by the Lee and Lin method. Our studies revealed a high protease activity in an acidic environment (pH = 2.4; the material rinsed with detergent), as well as in neutral (pH = 7) and alkaline (pH = 11.2) environments (the material rinsed with water in both cases). The highest protein concentration values were observed in the imagines from summer. The lowest activities of the proteases and protease inhibitors were determined in the eggs from summer. The highest activities of the acidic, neutral and alkaline proteases were observed in the pupae from spring. The highest number of protease activity bands in PAGE zymography was obtained for the neutral and alkaline activities in the queens for all the seasons. In the queens all the catalytic protease types were present: asparagine and cysteine proteases at pH = 2.4; cysteine proteases and metalloproteases at pH = 7 and serine proteases at pH = 11.2. These results were crucial for the analysis of immunity mechanisms on the body surface of the honey bee.

The objective of research was, on the basis of the exactly predefined input parameters of upper soil horizons of selected forest soils, to perform accurate measurements of the impact of soil loading by tested forestry machinery using the dynamic penetration test. The measurements by the dynamic penetration test in conditions changed by the wheel traffic of forestry mechanization were performed at three localities of the Křtiny Training Forest Enterprise, Masaryk Forest, a special-purpose facility of Mendel University in Brno. The dynamic penetration test was performed with a lightweight dynamic penetrometer. The methodology of the research is based on assessing the ability of soils to resist dynamic penetration of a rod with a cone, in relation to their lithological composition and physicomechanical properties; the measurement itself is defined by the ISO 22476-2 (2005) standard. Penetrometer measurements were repeated in the period after a harvesting operation and again 6 months later, i.e. in October 2007, April 2008 and October 2008. The results of the field dynamic penetration test and the results of laboratory testing of main soil physical parameters are presented in figures and tables. Besides the naturally variable soil compaction on geologically different substrates, the obtained original results document differences in the impact of particular forestry machines. In conditions of the identical geological substrate, the results indicate that the universal wheeled tractor had a more negative influence on the compaction of surface soil horizons compared to the multi-axle harvester and the forwarder.