Czech Journal of Animal Science, 2008 (vol. 53), issue 3
Factors affecting the functional length of productive life in Slovak Pinzgau cows
G. Mészáros, J. Wolf, O. Kadlečík
Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2008, 53(3):91-97 | DOI: 10.17221/2712-CJAS 
A proportional hazard model was used to analyze the impact of the most important factors on the length of productive life in 44 796 Slovak Pinzgau cows. The calculations were carried out with Survival Kit 3.12. The milk production level within a herd was the most important factor. The relation between the milk production level and the culling risk was strongly non-linear. Cows with extremely low milk production (less than 1.5 standard deviations below average) had a 4.8 times higher culling risk than average cows. The culling risk for the highest yielding cows was about one half of the risk of average cows. In the first lactation the culling risk was...
Optimal slaughter weight of pigs assessed by means of the asymmetric S-curve
G. Kusec, G. Kralik, I. Djurkin, U. Baulain, E. Kallweit
Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2008, 53(3):98-105 | DOI: 10.17221/328-CJAS
The present study was carried out on 68 barrows equally distributed into two different feeding groups (intensive and restricted). MR tomography was used to obtain data needed for the calculation of optimal slaughter weight. Growth analyses and predictions were performed using an asymmetric S-function. The differences between the predicted and real time needed to achieve 100 kg live weight calculated for the two feeding groups of pigs were not statistically significant. The prediction was fairly accurate in 88% of the cases for the intensive group and 79% of the cases for the restrictively fed pigs. The point of muscle growth saturation (tC...
Effect of shearing on some haematochemical parameters in ewes
G. Piccione, S. Casella, F. Fazio, P. Pennisi
Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2008, 53(3):106-111 | DOI: 10.17221/2713-CJAS
The aim of the present paper was to study the effect of shearing on some haematochemical parameters in ewes. Forty Valle del Belice ewes, clinically healthy and well-fed, were divided into two groups of twenty subjects each. Twenty ewes were let unshorn as a control group (Group A) and twenty ewes were shorn (Group B). After the blood collection by means of jugular venipuncture, some haematochemical parameters were assessed for each subject in the following experimental conditions: before shearing, 1st, 15th, 30th, 45th, 60 and 75th day after shearing. We studied the course of the following haematochemical...
Vacuum level for opening the teat sphincter and the change in the teat end wall thickness in response to the machine milking of indigenous Greek goats
B. Skapetas, J. Katanos, V. Laga, Ε. Sinapis, I. Hatziminaoglou
Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2008, 53(3):112-118 | DOI: 10.17221/2714-CJAS
The aim of this paper was to study some of the teat characteristics involved in the milking ability of indigenous Greek goats such as the vacuum level of the milking machine that is required for the opening of the teat canal sphincter and the changes in the teat end wall thickness induced by milking. Thirty-six dams (12 of the first, 12 of the second and 12 of the third and subsequent lactations) were used after weaning (60 ± 5 days). Dams were milked twice a day (8:00 and 18:00 h) for 12 weeks in a milking parlour 1 × 12 side by side of Casse type with 6 milking units and a low milk line and air pipeline. The main functional characteristics...
Changes in egg quality traits associated with long-term selection for lower yolk cholesterol content in Japanese quail
J. Baumgartner, Z. Končeková, J. Benková, D. Peškovičová, J. Simenovová, J. Csuka
Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2008, 53(3):119-127 | DOI: 10.17221/2715-CJAS
In the present paper we describe the basic results of long-term selection for low yolk cholesterol content in Japanese quail and its influence on development and relationship with other egg quality traits during nineteen selected generations. The changes in a selected low cholesterol line were compared with changes in an unselected control line to obtain the real selection response to estimated traits. There was a significant decrease in yolk cholesterol content from 1 815 mg/100 g of fresh yolk (P generation) to 1 522 mg/100 g yolk (S19 generation). According to the value of regression coefficient b the decrease per one generation was 15.71...
Determination of indigestible neutral detergent fibre contents of grasses and its prediction from chemical composition
F. Jančík, P. Homolka, B. Čermák, F. Lád
Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2008, 53(3):128-135 | DOI: 10.17221/2716-CJAS
Five grass species (Dactylis glomerata L., Phleum pratense L., Lolium perenne L., Festuca arundinacea L.) and the hybrid Felina (Lolium multiflorum L. × Festuca arundinacea L.), commonly used in roughages for ruminants, were harvested at different maturities of primary growth (n = 60) and evaluated for contents of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), ash, crude fat, neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF), acid detergent lignin (ADL), indigestible neutral detergent fibre (INDF) and digestible neutral detergent fibre (DNDF). INDF and DNDF contents were determined by in sacco...