Czech Journal of Animal Science, 2014 (vol. 59), issue 4

Effects of feed supplementation with manganese from its different sources on performance and egg parameters of laying hensOriginal Paper

K. Venglovská, Ľ. Grešáková, I. Plachá, M. Ryzner, K. Čobanová

Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2014, 59(4):147-155 | DOI: 10.17221/7338-CJAS  

The objective of this study was to compare the effects of feed supplementation of laying hens with manganese from its inorganic and organic sources on performance and some parameters of egg quality. Ninety-six hens at 20 weeks of age were randomly allocated to 4 dietary treatments, each consisting of 6 replicates (4 birds per replicate). The control group was fed unsupplemented basal diet (BD) with only natural background Mn level of 46.4 mg/kg feed. For the three experimental treatments, the BD was supplemented with 120 mg Mn/kg either from Mn-sulphate or Mn-chelate of protein hydrolysate (Mn-Pro) or Mn-chelate of glycine hydrate (Mn-Gly). After 8...

Effects of chitosan supplementation on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and digestive enzyme activity in weaned pigsOriginal Paper

Y. Xu, B. Shi, S. Yan, J. Li, T. Li, Y. Guo, X. Guo

Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2014, 59(4):156-163 | DOI: 10.17221/7339-CJAS  

The present experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of dietary chitosan on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and digestive enzyme activities in weaned pigs. A total of 180 weaned pigs (35 days of age, 11.56 ± 1.61 kg of body weight (BW)) were selected and assigned randomly to 5 treatments containing 0, 100, 500, 1000, and 2000 mg chitosan per kg feed, respectively. Each treatment involved six replicate pens and six pigs per pen. On days 14 and 28, all pigs were weighed and six from each treatment (one from each replicate pen) were killed, and the contents of the stomach, jejunum, and rectum were collected and used for...

Apparent ileal amino acids digestibility of diets with graded levels of corn DDGS and determination of DDGS amino acids digestibility by difference and regression methods in broilersOriginal Paper

M. Foltyn, M. Lichovníková, V. Rada, A. Musilová

Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2014, 59(4):164-169 | DOI: 10.17221/7340-CJAS  

This study was conducted to determine apparent ileal amino acids digestibility (AIAAD) of diets with different levels of corn distiller's dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and to determine AIAAD of corn DDGS by difference and regression methods in broiler chickens. One hundred and fifty 30-day-old male broiler chickens were used in the experiment. The corn DDGS were incorporated into basal diets at graded levels (0, 4, 8, 12, and 16%). All birds were killed at the age of 35 days and the contents of the lower half of the ileum were collected. AIAAD was calculated using chromic oxide as the indigestible marker. For AIAAD of DDGS determination, difference...

Characterization of blood redox status of early and mid-late lactating dairy cowsOriginal Paper

L. Cigliano, M. Strazzullo, C. Rossetti, G. Grazioli, G. Auriemma, F. Sarubbi, C. Iannuzzi, L. Iannuzzi, M.S. Spagnuolo

Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2014, 59(4):170-181 | DOI: 10.17221/7341-CJAS  

The effect of the stage of lactation on blood redox homeostasis of bovine and buffalo cows was evaluated. The investigation was carried out on early lactating and mid-late lactating cows, reared in a farm located in Campania (southern Italy). Plasma concentration of α-tocopherol and ascorbate, the total antioxidant capacity (TAC), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and superoxide dismutase activities were higher (P < 0.01) in mid-late lactating cows, thus suggesting a higher consumption of antioxidants during early lactation. Plasma concentration of protein-bound carbonyls (PC) and nitrotyrosine (N-Tyr), and the level of lipid hydroperoxides...

Estimation of additive and dominance variance for litter size components in rabbitsOriginal Paper

I. Nagy, J. Farkas, I. Curik, G. Gorjanc, P. Gyovai, Zs. Szendrő

Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2014, 59(4):182-189 | DOI: 10.17221/7342-CJAS  

Additive, dominance, and permanent environmental variance components were estimated for the number of kits born alive, number of kits born dead, and total number of kits born of a synthetic rabbit line (called Pannon Ka). The data file consisted of 11 582 kindling records of 2620 does collected between the years 1996-2013. The total number of animals in the pedigree files was 4012. The examined traits were evaluated using single-trait and two-trait (number of kits born alive-dead) animal models containing all or part of the following effects: additive genetic effects, permanent environmental effects, dominance effects. Heritability estimates calculated...

Effect of housing system and genotype on rabbit meat qualityOriginal Paper

D. Chodová, E. Tůmová, M. Martinec, Z. Bízková, V. Skřivanová, Z. Volek, L. Zita

Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2014, 59(4):190-199 | DOI: 10.17221/7343-CJAS  

The effect of the housing system on the carcass characteristics, physical parameters of meat quality, fatty acid composition, and muscle fibre characteristics was studied in some Czech breeds. Ninety-six rabbits from seven different breeds of Czech genetic resources (Moravian Blue, Czech White, Czech Solver, Czech Spotted, Moravian White of Brown Eye, Czech Gold, and Czech Black Guard Hair) and one rabbit commercial hybrid (Hyplus), kept in two housing systems: intensive system (wire-net cages) or alternative (straw-bedded pen), were slaughtered at the age of 91 days. Alternatively housed rabbits had lower weight at slaughter, lower weight of loin,...