Czech Journal of Animal Science, 2009 (vol. 54), issue 9
Relationships between longevity and conformation traits in Czech Fleckvieh cows
L. Zavadilová, E. Němcová, M. Štípková, J. Bouška
Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2009, 54(9):385-394 | DOI: 10.17221/1685-CJAS 
The relationships between conformation and longevity traits were analysed in 58 493 Czech Fleckvieh cows first calved from 1994 to 2003. All cows were scored for conformation during the first lactation. Genetic correlations between longevity and conformation traits were estimated by bivariate runs using the VCE 4.0 program for variance component estimation. The values of heritability for conformation traits were in the range from 0.06 to 0.63 and for longevity traits from 0.04 to 0.05. Low or intermediate genetic relationships between recorded linear traits and longevity trait were found. The correlations were lower for functional longevity. Body measurements...
Feeding ruminally protected methionine to pre- and postpartum dairy cows: effect on milk performance, milk composition and blood parameters
V. Kudrna, J. Illek, M. Marounek, A. Nguyen Ngoc
Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2009, 54(9):395-402 | DOI: 10.17221/1684-CJAS
An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of ruminally protected methionine (Mepron®, Degussa AG, Germany) in dairy cows. Three weeks before calving 36 cows (Holstein and Czech Fleckvieh breeds) were assigned to one of the two dietary treatments (M and O), and received a total mixed ration with protected methionine at 18.2 g per head per day or without this supplement. After calving, both groups were divided into two subgroups and fed a diet for dairy cows based on ensiled feeds and concentrates for 90 days. A half of the cows received protected methionine (subgroups MM and OM), the other cows were fed the same diet without protected methionine...
Effect of mare's breed on the fatty acid composition of milk fat
R. Pietrzak-Fiećko, R. Tomczyński, A. Świstowska, Z. Borejszo, E. Kokoszko, K. Smoczyńska
Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2009, 54(9):403-407 | DOI: 10.17221/1683-CJAS
Gas chromatography and IDF Standard method (1999) were used to analyze the fatty acid composition of milk fat of mares originating from the following breeds: 10 of Wielkopolska breed, 10 Konik Polski Horses, and 9 Polish Cold-blooded Horses. Eighty-seven mare's milk samples were collected in the years 2000-2002. Unsaturated fatty acids were shown to prevail in the milk fat of mares of Wielkopolska breed (61.32%) and of Konik Polski mares (52.58%) whereas saturated acids prevailed in the milk fat of Cold Blooded mares (54.95%). The study revealed that the fatty acid composition of the investigated groups of mares was breed-specific. Of course, the impact...
SNP detection in the porcine PPARGC1A promoter region and 3'UTR, and an association analysis in a Landrace-Duroc-Yorkshire population
T. Erkens, G.A. Rohrer, A. Van Zeveren, L.J. Peelman
Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2009, 54(9):408-416 | DOI: 10.17221/12/2009-CJAS
Meat quality is of increasing economic importance to the pork industry today, which is in contrast with the more traditional focus of pig selection for lean growth. Meat quality is however determined by many factors with a complex mutual relationship. In this regard, PPARGC1A is a very interesting candidate gene because it not only plays a crucial role in energy and fat metabolism but also has an important influence on the muscle fibre type composition. However, only little is known about the regulation of expression of this gene in the pig and its usefulness in pig selection. In order to get a better understanding of the regulation of PPARGC1A...
Semen characteristics of boars receiving control diet and control diet supplemented with L-carnitine
J. Čeřovský, S. Frydrychová, A. Lustyková, J. Lipenský, M. Rozkot
Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2009, 54(9):417-425 | DOI: 10.17221/1681-CJAS
The objective of this experiment was to test a hypothesis that L-carnitine supplemented diet would improve semen characteristics in 6 adult crossbred AI boars (Hampshire × Pietrain). The control and the tested diet were identical except the tested period (8 weeks) when the diet was supplemented with 2 g of L-carnitine per boar per day. The semen was collected regularly weekly by a gloved-hand technique. Semen volume, sperm motility and concentration, proportion of alive sperm cells and aspartate aminotransferase (AspAT) activity of semen were determined immediately after the semen collection once every two weeks. Sperm survival rate, morphologically...
Covariance components by a repeatability model in Slovenian dairy sheep using test-day records
A. Komprej, G. Gorjanc, D. Kompan, M. Kovač
Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2009, 54(9):426-434 | DOI: 10.17221/1680-CJAS
The estimation of covariance components for daily milk yield, fat and protein content was performed in three Slovenian dairy sheep breeds (Bovec, Improved Bovec, and Istrian Pramenka). In the period 1994-2002, 38 983 test-day records of 3 068 ewes were collected according to ICAR regulations (method A4). All the available relationships between animals were considered. For that reason, information on 3 534 animals was included. Test-day records were analysed by a multiple-trait repeatability animal model. In its fixed part, the model contained breed and season of lambing as classes. Days after lambing, parity, and litter size were treated as covariates....