Czech Journal of Animal Science, 2009 (vol. 54), issue 4

Expression and localization of nitric oxide synthase isoforms during porcine oocyte growth and acquisition of meiotic competence

E. Chmelíková, M. Sedmíková, J. Petr, T. Kott, V. Lánská, L. Tůmová, H. Tichovská, M. Ješeta

Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2009, 54(4):137-149 | DOI: 10.17221/1742-CJAS  

Reproduction biotechnologies depend on the use of fully meiotically competent oocytes. Growing oocytes without full meiotic competence are an interesting potential source due to their quantity, but the mechanisms regulating the processes of acquisition of meiotic competence have not been clarified to date. Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and its product, nitric oxide (NO), may possibly play a role. Understanding the precise NO regulatory mechanism is therefore important for the development of in vitro growth methods. The objective of this work was to detect changes in the expression of NOS isoforms and their mRNA expression and changes in the intracellular...

Chemical composition and dry matter digestion of some native and cultivated grasses in Mexico

R.G. Ramírez, H. González-Rodríguez, R. Morales-Rodríguez, A. Cerrillo-Soto, A. Juárez-Reyes, G.J. García-Dessommes, M. Guerrero-Cervantes

Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2009, 54(4):150-162 | DOI: 10.17221/1741-CJAS  

The objective of the study was to quantify differences in nutritive value, over four seasons, of native grasses such as Bouteloua curtipendula, Bouteloua trifida, Brachiaria fasciculata, Chloris ciliata, Digitaria insularis, Leptochloa filiformis, Panicum hallii, Panicum obtusum, Paspalum unispicatum, Setaria grisebachii, Setaria macrostachya, Tridens eragrostoides, Tridens muticus and naturalized chrus ciliaris and Rhynchelytrum repens that are used as forages for grazing beef cattle. Cenchrus ciliaris was included as a reference grass of good nutritional quality. Plants were collected in autumn 2001 and in winter, spring...

Effect of microbial phytase and diet fermentation on ileal and total tract digestibility of nutrients and energy in growing pigs

S. Nitrayová, P. Patráš, M. Brestenský, J. Zelenka, J. Brož, J. Heger

Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2009, 54(4):163-174 | DOI: 10.17221/1743-CJAS  

A digestibility experiment using six ileally cannulated growing gilts (initial BW 31.6 kg) was carried out to study the effect of microbial phytase and diet form on apparent ileal and total tract digestibilities of dry matter (DM), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca) and energy and on apparent ileal digestibility of amino acids. The basal P-deficient diet was fed either dry or mixed with water (feed:water ratio 1:2.5) and fermented in a laboratory setup. The enzyme was added to the dry diet at four levels (0, 1 000, 1 500 and 3 000 U/kg) and to the liquid fermented diet at two levels (0 and 1 000 U/kg) using a 6 × 6 Latin square design. The...

Contents of macro- and microelements in blood serum and breast muscle of broiler chickens subjected to different variants of pre-slaughter handling

A. Wojcik, T. Mituniewicz, K. Iwanczuk-Czernik, J. Sowinska, D. Witkowska, L. Chorazy

Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2009, 54(4):175-181 | DOI: 10.17221/1744-CJAS  

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...

Effects of indole-3-carbinol on metabolic parameters and on lipogenesis and lipolysis in adipocytes 182

M. Okulicz, I. Hertig, J. Chichłowska

Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2009, 54(4):182-189 | DOI: 10.17221/1745-CJAS  

: Indole-3-carbinol (I3C) was found to have possible anticarcinogenic, antioxidant and anti-atherogenic effects on the organism. So far, its influence on metabolic pathways has been unknown. This work was the first attempt to determine the carbohydrate and lipid metabolism changes in vivo after administration of 150 mg/kg b.wt./day I3C to male rats. Additionally, the aim of this trial was to evaluate the direct effect of I3C on basal and hormone-induced lipogenesis and lipolysis in isolated rat adipocytes at concentrations 1, 10, 100 μM in vitro. We can corroborate that adipocytes are susceptible to the direct action of I3C. The incubation...