Czech Journal of Animal Science, 2008 (vol. 53), issue 11
Relationships among body condition score, milk yield and sires' breeding value for beef production efficiency in Czech Fleckvieh cattle
J. Bouška, M. Štípková, P. Pytloun, J. Pytloun, M. Kubešová
Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2008, 53(11):453-461 | DOI: 10.17221/339-CJAS 
The objective of this study was to analyze the relationships among cows' body condition score before calving, subsequent BCS changes, milk yield, lactation characteristics and their sires' relative breeding value for net daily gain. Increasing the relative breeding value of net daily gain in the sires was associated with increased BCS in their daughters. The differences ranged between 0.02 and 0.18 points in the particular lactation periods, but they were not statistically significant. The group of cows with the highest BCS before calving showed the highest BCS decrease (-0.25 points) after calving (P < 0.01); the BCS loss lasted for 3 months....
Evaluation of serum homocysteine and oxidative stress during lactation in ewes
G. Piccione, S. Casella, A. Assenza, F. Fazio, G. Caola
Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2008, 53(11):462-465 | DOI: 10.17221/344-CJAS
The aim of the present work was to measure and evaluate the effect of the stage of lactation on serum homocysteine and oxidative stress in ewes. For our study ten Comisana ewes, 3 years old, clinically healthy, with the same level of production and during the same milking period were used and antioxidant barrier (Oxy-adsorbent), reactive oxygen species (dROMs), thiol antioxidant barrier (SHp) and homocysteine (sHcy) were investigated. One-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by Bonferroni's test, showed statistical differences (P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant). The statistically significant variations...
Effects of differences in the initial body weight of groups on laying performance and egg quality parameters of Lohmann laying hens
E. Lacin, A. Yildiz, N. Esenbuga, M. Macit
Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2008, 53(11):466-471 | DOI: 10.17221/341-CJAS
This study was carried out to investigate the effect of different body weight groups (light (L) = 1 400-1 500; medium (M) = 1 500-1 600 and heavy (H) = 1 600 < g) on performance and egg quality traits of Lohmann hens, 24 weeks of age, in different laying periods. A total of 288 Lohmann White layers were allocated randomly to three groups with respect to live weight, each consisting of 24 replicated cages as subgroups, comprising four hens. The study period lasting for 60 weeks was investigated as four different age periods (first period = 24-40 weeks; second period = 40-54 weeks; third period = 54-68 weeks; fourth period = 68-84 weeks). Differences...
The effect of humic acid on mercury accumulation in chicken organs and muscle tissues
Z. Zralý, B. Písaříková, M. Navrátilová
Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2008, 53(11):472-478 | DOI: 10.17221/342-CJAS
Forty female chickens were allocated to four groups of ten birds each. The control group (K) was fed a basal diet without supplementation. The second control group received a basal diet with humic acid (HA) at a dose of 0.5 g per chicken/day. The first experimental group was fed the basal diet with methyl-mercury (MeHg) at a dose of 0.02 mg per chicken/day and the group of chickens MeHg + HA received 0.5 g HA per chicken/day. After slaughter, mercury levels were assessed in liver, kidney, brain and muscle tissue samples. After 10-day treatment of the chickens with MeHg, significantly increased (P < 0.001) Hg concentrations were detected in...
Feeding ecology of invasive Perccottus glenii (Perciformes, Odontobutidae) in Slovakia
J. Koščo, P. Manko, D. Miklisová, L. Košuthová
Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2008, 53(11):479-486 | DOI: 10.17221/340-CJAS
Stomach contents of 331 specimens of Perccottus glenii (Perciformes: Odontobutidae) were analysed. Chironomids and ephemeropterans dominated the diet of all size classes of fish; however, the frequency of crustaceans was also high. Micro-crustaceans (ostracods, copepods and cladocerans) dominated in lower size classes (20-39 mm); macro-crustaceans (Isopoda, Amphipoda) dominated in higher size classes (up to 79 mm). The proportion of crustaceans decreased from the size class 80-89 mm. With the increasing size of fish the frequency of molluscs (Gastropoda) increased, the maximum was in size class 70-79 mm. Cannibalism occurred from...
Nutritive effect of protein composition and other grain properties of doubled haploid wheat lines with/without translocation 1B/1R in a model feeding test
V. Dvořáček, A. Kodeš, Z. Stehno, B. Hučko, Z. Mudřík
Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2008, 53(11):487-498 | DOI: 10.17221/343-CJAS
The frequent presence of rye translocation 1B/1R in common wheat is well known as well as its unfavourable effect on bread-making quality. These translocated materials make up more than one tenth of all wheat varieties registered in the Czech Republic and due to their lower technological value they are predominately used for livestock feeding in spite of the lack of information about their desirability for monogastric animals. Our study was aimed at a general effect of 1B/1R translocation, including other grain characteristics in model feeding tests with laboratory rats. Triennial evaluation of selected chemical and technological characteristics of...