Czech Journal of Animal Science, 2013 (vol. 58), issue 9
Performance and behaviour at milking after relocation and housing change of dairy cowsOriginal Paper
J. Brouček, M. Uhrinčať, V. Tančin, A. Hanus, P. Tongeľ, Ľ. Botto, I. Bôžik
Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2013, 58(9):389-395 | DOI: 10.17221/6938-CJAS 
The hypothesis that relocation of cows with a housing change temporarily decreases their milk production and affects cows' behaviour in the milking parlour has been proved. Forty-one Holstein cows on the 1st and 2nd lactation were relocated from the tie-stall barn into the free-stall barn. Cows were milked in a 2 × 5 herringbone parlour twice a day. Individual milk yields, order, and used parlour side were recorded electronically during 50 (milk) or 22 (order and side) milking sessions. Milk yield after cows' relocation (23.76 kg) significantly decreased if compared to that reached on the day preceding relocation (30.97 kg; P...
QTL mapping for production traits in Czech Fleckvieh cattleOriginal Paper
J. Matějíčková, M. Štípková, G. Sahana, T. Kott, J. Kyseľová, A. Matějíček, B. Kottová, J. Šefrová, M. Krejčová, S. Melčová
Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2013, 58(9):396-403 | DOI: 10.17221/6939-CJAS
The objective of this study was to find QTL for milk production traits in Czech Fleckvieh cattle on chromosomes 6, 7, 11, 14, and 23 where QTL were previously identified in other dairy cattle populations. Sixteen grandsire families were genotyped for 38 microsatellite markers on the selected chromosomes. A QTL mapping model based on variance component analysis was implemented via restricted maximum likelihood (REML) to estimate QTL positions and their effects. A significant QTL affecting fat percentage was found at the beginning of chromosome 14 (0 cM), near marker ILSTS039. Suggestive QTL associated with milk production traits appeared on...
Association of insulin-like growth factor I gene polymorphisms (IGF1/TasI and IGF1/SnaBI) with the growth and subsequent milk yield of Polish Holstein-Friesian heifersOriginal Paper
M. Szewczuk, M. Bajurna, S. Zych, W. Kruszyński
Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2013, 58(9):404-411 | DOI: 10.17221/6940-CJAS
The aim of this study was to estimate potential relationships between insulin-like growth factor I gene polymorphisms (IGF1/TasI and IGF1/SnaBI) and the growth parameters of calves as well as their subsequent milk performance. The study involved a total of 191 Polish Holstein-Friesian var. Black-and-White calves. Both polymorphic sites were determined with Amplification Created Restriction Sites-Polymerase Chain Reaction (ACRS-PCR). In the case of the IGF1/SnaBI polymorphism, the genotype and allele frequencies were as follows: TT - 0.27, CT - 0.55, CC - 0.18, T...
A comparison of lutein, spray-dried Chlorella, and synthetic carotenoids effects on yolk colour, oxidative stability, and reproductive performance of laying hensOriginal Paper
M. Englmaierová, M. Skřivan, I. Bubancová
Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2013, 58(9):412-419 | DOI: 10.17221/6941-CJAS
ISA Brown hens were fed diets supplemented with the synthetic carotenoids Carophyll Red and Carophyll Yellow at 20 and 15 mg/kg, respectively, lutein at 250 mg/kg, and the algae Chlorella at 12.5 g/kg. The synthetic carotenoids, lutein, and Chlorella significantly increased egg weight (P < 0.001), shell weight (P < 0.001), and thickness (P = 0.017) and decreased the yolk/albumen ratio (P = 0.035) of the eggs. Lutein but not the Carophylls or Chlorella significantly increased the shell breaking strength (P = 0.032). Furthermore,...
Effects of GnRH agonist immunization on vaginal electrical resistance, FSH, LH, and ovaries in prepubertal female sheepOriginal Paper
S. Wei, W. Zou, T. Zhang, Y. Zhang, Z. Gong, Y. Li
Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2013, 58(9):420-428 | DOI: 10.17221/6942-CJAS
The study is aimed at the investigation of the effects of GnRH agonist (alarelin) immunization on the vaginal electrical resistance (VER) and secretion of FSH and LH in sheep. Forty-two prepubertal female sheep were assigned to six groups (n = 7). Animals in experimental groups I (EG-I), II (EG-II), and III (EG-III) were twice subcutaneously injected with 200, 300, and 400 µg of alarelin antigens, respectively. Animals in experimental groups IV (EG-IV) and V (EG-V) were four times subcutaneously injected with 200 and 300 µg of alarelin antigens, respectively. Animals in the control group (CG) were subcutaneously injected with 2.0...
Simultaneous estimation of genetic parameters for production and litter size traits in Czech Large White and Czech Landrace pigsOriginal Paper
E. Krupa, J. Wolf
Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2013, 58(9):429-436 | DOI: 10.17221/6943-CJAS
Genetic parameters for total number of piglets born per litter, number of piglets weaned per litter, lean meat content, and average daily gain from birth till the end of the field test were estimated for Czech Large White (445 589 records) and Czech Landrace (149 057 records) pigs using a four-trait animal model. The following heritabilities were estimated (first number: Large White, second number: Landrace): 0.10 ± 0.004 and 0.09 ± 0.007 for total number born; 0.09 ± 0.005 and 0.07 ± 0.008 for number weaned; 0.39 ± 0.004 and 0.36 ± 0.009 for lean meat content; 0.21 ± 0.004 and 0.18 ± 0.006 for...