Czech Journal of Animal Science - In Press
Isolation of Tropical Antifungal Lactic Acid Bacteria and Their Role in Fermentation, Aerobic Stability, and Ruminal Digestibility of Sorghum SilageOriginal Paper
An Nisaa Tiana, Wulanningtyas Wulanningtyas, Dimas Hand Vidya Paradhipta, Ali Agus, Asih Kurniawati, Moh. Sofiul An’am, Wulandari Wulandari, Sam Churl Kim
In this study, native lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with antifungal activity were isolated, and their effects on the sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) silage’s chemical composition, fermentation quality, aerobic stability, as well as in vitro ruminal digestibility were assessed. In the first experiment, LAB were separated from sorghum silage and chosen according to their capacity to inhibit Fusarium graminearum. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing, four isolates (AF-2, AF-24, AF-25, and AF-34) with the greatest antifungal activity were chosen and identified as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (≥99.6% similarity). In experiment 2, sorghum forage (28.7% dry matter) was ensiled for 60 days without inoculant (CON) or with each isolate (INO1–INO4; 1 × 10⁵ colony-forming units (CFU)/g fresh weight). A total of five silos per treatment served as experimental replicates. The results showed that inoculation of silages did not affect chemical composition. Whereas CON silage had more acetic acid (AA) (P < 0.05), INO2 silage had more lactic acid (LA). Mould counts were reduced in all inoculated silages compared to CON (P < 0.05), while yeast populations declined in INO1 and INO4. In vitro ruminal digestibility was not impacted by inoculation, however INO1 and INO2 silages had stronger aerobic stability than CON (P < 0.05). Lactiplantibacillus plantarum AF-2 and AF-24 improved silage quality by inhibiting mould, and enhanced aerobic stability without any negative effects on ruminal digestibility. This fidings indicated that antifungal compounds from indigenous inoculants could improve silage preservation and aerobic stability, offering a practical method to enhance ruminant feed quality.
Heat stress assessed using the temperature–humidity index and semen quality in Holstein-Friesian bulls: A reviewReview
Veronika Kovářová, Filipp Georgijevič Savvulidi, Luděk Stádník, Jaromír Ducháček, Martin Ptáček
Heat stress is an environmental factor affecting the reproductive performance of breeding bulls. In Holstein-Friesian cattle, which is the dominant dairy breed in intensive herds, elevated ambient temperature and humidity can negatively affects semen quality, production of freezable semen and fertility. To objectively assess heat stress, the temperature-humidity index (THI) is used in practice, which combines the effects of ambient temperature and relative humidity. This review article summarizes current knowledge on the effect of high THI on the semen quality of Holstein-Friesian bulls, focusing on the physiological, cellular, and molecular mechanisms of the response to heat stress. An analysis of available studies shows that THI values ≥ 72 are associated with a decrease in sperm motility, viability, membrane integrity, and cryotolerance, as well as an increase in DNA fragmentation. Because spermatogenesis is continuous, high-THI events may affect germ cells at heat-sensitive developmental stages at the time of exposure. Their consequences may become evident in ejaculates collected during the following weeks, particularly approximately 30–60 days later, whereas the effect of thermal conditions on the day of collection is typically weaker but may still be detectable. Seasonal increases in THI result in a deterioration of post-thaw semen parameters. At the cellular level, thermal stress exerts its effects through oxidative stress, proteostasis disorders, disruption of the blood-testis barrier, and changes in the epigenetic programming of sperm. The article further discusses the influence of bull age, breed differences, and individual variability in sensitivity to heat stress.
Inbreeding and its effects on racing performance in Thoroughbred horses: A review of global evidence with insights from the Hungarian populationReview
Negar Khoei, István Nagy, Árpád Bokor
The Thoroughbred horse represents one of the most intensively selected domestic animal populations, developed through centuries of breeding focused on maximising racing performance. Originating from a limited number of founder animals and maintained as a closed studbook population since the late eighteenth century, the breed has experienced progressive increases in relatedness and inbreeding. This review examines the development of pedigree structure in Thoroughbred horses and evaluates the potential consequences of inbreeding for racing performance, with particular emphasis on studies assessing performance through race earnings and related indicators. Historical and genetic evidence describing the narrow genetic base of the breed and the subsequent formation of influential sire lines are summarised to provide context for understanding current levels of genetic diversity. The genetic principles underlying inbreeding and inbreeding depression are discussed, including the increase in homozygosity and the potential expression of deleterious recessive alleles affecting fitness and athletic ability. The review then synthesises findings from international studies, with particular emphasiswhile focusing on research conducted in Hungary, that investigate the relationship between pedigree-based inbreeding coefficients and racing performance traits. Empirical results from the literature show varying magnitudesdegrees of association between inbreeding and earnings-based performance measures, with several studies reporting negative relationships consistent with inbreeding depression. Differences among populations, analytical methods, and performance indicators are also taken into account. Overall, the reviewed evidence underscores the importance of monitoring inbreeding levels and maintaining genetic diversity in Thoroughbred breeding programmes to sustain both racing performance and long-term population health.
Survival and health status of Pangasianodon hypophthalmus treated with Cosmos caudatus and infected with Aeromonas hydrophilaOriginal Paper
Windarti Windarti, Ronal Kurniawan, Irwan Effendi, Asmika Harnalin Simarmata, Efawani Efawani
This study aimed to assess the efficiency of the high antioxidant content in Cosmos caudatus in improving the health of cultured Pangasianodon hypophthalmus infected with Aeromonas hydrophila. Treatments applied were PC (without C. caudatus, infected with A. hydrophila), NC (without C. caudatus, without infection), and 1kg of feed mixed with 10g (T1), 15g (T2), and 20g (T3) of C. caudatus powder. Furthermore, P. hypophthalmus fingerlings were reared in 100L plastic tanks, 30 fish/unit, fed 3 times/day, at satiation. On day 61, the fish were intramuscularly injected with A. hydrophila (0.1 mL, 108 cells/mL) and reared for the next 14 days. The hematological condition of the fish was checked 3 times, while pre-treatment was conducted on days 60 and 75. The gill, liver, and kidney were taken for histological study on day 75. Clinical signs and survival were monitored on a daily basis. The results showed that the PC fish developed severe ulcers, with the lowest survival percentage of 40.00±3.00a (PC), 89.67±5.77b (NC), 92.00±1.73b (T1), 86.67±3.51b (T2), and 83.33±3.51b (T3) on day 14. C. caudatus-treated fish reported better performance, and the wound started curing on day 5 post-infection. Most fish were fully recovered on day 14, and the tissues of PC showed severe abnormalities such as necrosis, hemorrhage, and damaged cells. On days 60 and 75, the C. caudatus-treated fish reported higher total erythrocyte and haemoglobin content and phagocytic index (27.00±1.00% in T1). The CP fish had the worst haematological condition with the lowest total leucocyte (1.33±0.57) and phagocytic index (9.33±1.15).
Artificial insemination success despite reduced post-thaw motility of cryopreserved semen in local rabbit breeds: Short communicationOriginal Paper
Jakub Vozaf, Andrej Baláži, Jaromír Vašíček, Éva Kissné Váradi, Barbara Végi, Peter Chrenek
Cryopreservation of rabbit semen represents an important tool for the conservation of genetic resources; however, reduced post-thaw sperm motility may limit its practical application in artificial insemination (AI) programs. The present study evaluated fertility outcomes following AI using cryopreserved semen from six local rabbit breeds selected to reflect biological variability under practical gene bank conditions. A total of 59 females were inseminated with heterospermic fresh or frozen–thawed doses standardized to approximately 0.2 × 10⁹ spermatozoa per mL. Ovulation was hormonally induced prior to insemination. Cryopreservation resulted in a substantial reduction in sperm motility, with progressive motility decreasing from 52.6% in fresh semen to 23.7% after thawing and total motility from 75.2% to 42.7%. Despite this decline, conception rates remained high (85.3% in thawed semen vs. 92.9% in fresh semen), and litter size was only slightly reduced (8.62 vs. 9.25 kits). These findings indicate that cryopreserved rabbit semen exhibiting lower-moderate post-thaw motility can achieve high fertility under practical conditions and support its usability in genetic resource conservation programs.
Genomic insights into population structure, local ancestry and within-breed relationships in the Norik of Muran horseOriginal Paper
Karolína Pálešová, Nina Moravčíková, Adrián Halvoník, Eva Mixtajová, Gábor Mészáros, Luboš Vostrý, Radovan Kasarda
The Norik of Muran is a local Slovak draught horse with historical connections to Central European heavy horses. This study aimed to characterise the genomic structure of the Norik of Muran breed in relation to related but separately recognised Noriker breeds and other reference horse breeds through analyses of local ancestry, haplotype sharing patterns and recent family structure within the breed. The comparative dataset included Norik of Muran, Austrian Noriker, Silesian Noriker, Belgian Draught, Haflinger, Hucul and Norwegian Fjord, while Shagya Arabian and Quarter Horse were included as outgroups. Across these breeds, genotype data from 664 individuals were used, with 37 875 autosomal markers retained after quality control. For the main population structure analyses, a balanced dataset of 180 individuals was selected, with 20 individuals per breed and reduced genomic relatedness within breeds. Genomic relationships between the Norik of Muran and the remaining breeds were evaluated using allele frequency, local ancestry and haplotype-based analyses. Pairwise Wright’s fixation index was lowest between Norik of Muran and Silesian Noriker (0.01), followed by Norik of Muran and Austrian Noriker (0.02). Local ancestry inference assigned the largest proportions of the Norik of Muran genome to Silesian Noriker (40.61%) and Austrian Noriker (39.61%) reference populations, with a smaller proportion assigned to Belgian Draught (9.23%). Haplotype sharing analysis showed the highest between-breed sharing with Silesian Noriker and Austrian Noriker, from which Norik of Muran copied, on average, 108.38 and 108.14 haplotype chunks, respectively. Genomic reconstruction of recent family structure using 125 Norik of Muran individuals identified 76 parent-offspring relationships, nine paternal half-sibling groups and 10 maternal half-sibling groups, with the largest paternal half-sibling group including eight offspring. Obtained results indicate that the Norik of Muran has a genomic profile characterised by close relationships with Silesian Noriker and Austrian Noriker, a heterogeneous local ancestry profile relative to the analysed reference populations, and clearly detectable recent family structure. This information may support mating decisions within conservation breeding programmes, particularly those aimed at limiting repeated use of closely related animals, balancing sire contributions and preserving diversity at family level.
Current knowledge regarding slow-growing broiler chickens’ behaviour and welfare and their comparison with fast-growing broiler chickensReview
Vladimir Zmrhal, Nikola Kovarova, Daniela Priesolova, Martina Lichovnikova
Growing consumer interest in slow-growing broiler (SGB) chickens is primarily motivated by heightened animal welfare standards and superior sensory meat characteristics compared to conventional fast-growing broilers (FGB). This review provides a comprehensive overview of current knowledge about SGB hybrids compared with conventional FGB. Utilizing a systematic review of contemporary scientific literature, this review evaluates the comparative advantages and limitations of SGB production systems. Key findings indicate that SGB hybrids demonstrate significant benefits in welfare parameters, including a higher propensity for natural behaviours and a reduced incidence of metabolic disorders. Furthermore, these strains exhibit enhanced resistance to specific bacterial and parasitic pathogens and produce meat with distinct quality profiles. Conversely, the primary drawbacks of SGB production include poorer feed conversion ratios and diminished growth potential, culminating in substantially higher production costs. From a sustainability perspective, life cycle analyses suggest that SGB systems impose a greater environmental footprint per kilogram of meat produced due to extended fattening periods. Ultimately, the market viability and wider adoption of slow-growing hybrids remain contingent upon consumer willingness to subsidize these economic and environmental trade-offs through premium pricing.
Influence of L-selenomethionine on Pigeon Breeder’s Reproductive Performance and Squab’s Growth and Pectoral Muscle DevelopmentOriginal Paper
Haopeng Lu, Yunyan Huang, Jiashui Liang, Shihong Wu, Guolong Zhang, Anjie Chen, Xiaoyu Zhou, Xinting Lai, Lvying Yang, Yuxi Liang, Xuekang Xia, Shuo Zhou, Yayan Liang
This study evaluated the impact of L-selenomethionine supplementation on breeding pigeons and their squabs. 48 pigeon pairs were divided into 2 groups: a control group receiving a basal diet and an experimental group receiving the same diet supplemented with selenium as L-selenomethionine at a concentration of 0.1 mg/kg. Both groups were fed for 45 days following a '2+4' pattern. During brooding, experimental males exhibited a significant decrease in body weight, whereas females showed a decreasing trend toward weight loss. Squabs from the experimental group had greater nest weights at 14 days and higher weight gains between 8–14 days and 15–21 days. They also had significantly higher individual weights at 14 days. The breast and leg muscle fibre area and diameter in experimental squabs were significantly reduced, indicating potential improvements in meat tenderness. L-selenomethionine increased plasma total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activity in breeding pigeons and reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) content in squab leg muscle. It also upregulated glutathione peroxidase-1 (GPX1) expression in breast muscle and glutathione peroxidase-2 (GPX2) expression in leg muscle mRNA. In conclusion, 0.1 mg/kg of L-selenomethionine supplementation enhanced antioxidant capacity, promoted early squab growth and improved meat quality without adverse effects on breeding performance.