Czech Journal of Animal Science, 2017 (vol. 62), issue 5

Effects of dietary L-carnitine and fat type on the performance, milk composition and immunoglobulin in sows, and immunological variables of sows and piglets during late gestation and lactationOriginal Paper

Meili Tian, Na Wang, Ge Su, Baoming Shi, Anshan Shan

Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2017, 62(5):185-194 | DOI: 10.17221/55/2016-CJAS  

An experiment with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments (n = 12 sows/treatment) was conducted to investigate the effect of maternal dietary supplementation with 2 different L-carnitine levels (0 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg) and 2 fat types (3.5% soybean oil and 3.5% fish oil) from day 107 of gestation until weaning (day 21) on performance, milk composition and immunoglobulin, and on the immunological variables of sows and piglets. Blood and milk samples of sows were obtained on days 0 (farrowing), 14, and 21 of lactation. One 21-day-old piglet per litter was selected for the collection of plasma. The average piglet weaning weight and the average...

Induction of accessory corpus luteum by gonadorelin in relation to the time of treatment and the follicle size in inseminated cowsOriginal Paper

Radovan Doležel, Cindy Chambert, Darja Musilová, Svatopluk Čech, Tomáš Páleník

Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2017, 62(5):195-200 | DOI: 10.17221/46/2016-CJAS  

This study evaluated the occurrence of two corpora lutea (CL) and the pregnancy rate in cows treated with gonadorelin on days 5, 6 or 7 after insemination in relation to the day of treatment and the size of the largest follicle on the ovaries at the time of treatment. Cows bearing one CL on days 5 (n = 40), 6 (n = 48), and 7 (n = 47) after insemination with defined size of the largest follicle on the ovaries (small ≤ 9 mm, n = 34; medium 10-14 mm, n = 59; large 15-20 mm, n = 42) were included in the study. Gonadorelin was administered after examination (day 0) and ultrasonographic examination...

Effects of selenium supplement forms on the diet-cow-calf transfer of selenium in Simmental cattleOriginal Paper

Barbara Niwińska, Marcin Andrzejewski

Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2017, 62(5):201-210 | DOI: 10.17221/86/2016-CJAS  

The aim of this study was to determine the efficiency of diet-cow-calf transfer of selenium (Se) depending on the forms of Se-supplement given to cows of Simmental breed during the last trimester of pregnancy and the first week of lactation. On day 195 of pregnancy the cows were randomly assigned to one of four experimental groups (n = 6), and the newborn calves belonged to the same group as their mothers (n = 6). The cows in the control group received diet without Se-supplement, while the supplemented groups received Se in equivalent doses in a powder form (Se-unprotected) or in a protected form (Se-protected) of sodium selenite...

Effects of age and nutritional status at mating on the reproductive and productive traits in Suffolk sheep kept under permanent outdoor management systemOriginal Paper

Martin Ptáček, Jaromír Ducháček, Luděk Stádník, Milena Fantová

Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2017, 62(5):211-218 | DOI: 10.17221/63/2016-CJAS  

This study examined the variability of reproductive and productive traits in Suffolk sheep (a commercial flock, n = 316 ewes) with regard to the dams' age or the nutritional status of sheep at mating under a year-round outdoor management. Data were collected across a 3-year monitoring period (totally 655 observations). The fixed effects of dam's age (dams grouped as: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 years and older), ewe's live weight (LW; ewes grouped as: < 72 kg; 72-83 kg; > 83 kg), and backfat thickness at mating (BT; ewes grouped as: < 7.9 mm; 7.9-10.5 mm; > 10.5 mm) were evaluated. The dam's age influenced reproductive and productive traits...

Evaluation of genetic diversity and population structure of five Chinese indigenous donkey breeds using microsatellite markersOriginal Paper

Ran Di, Qiu-Yue Liu, Fang Xie, Wen-Ping Hu, Xiang-Yu Wang, Xiao-Han Cao, Zhang-Yuan Pan, Guo-Hong Chen, Ming-Xing Chu

Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2017, 62(5):219-225 | DOI: 10.17221/9/2016-CJAS  

China had the largest population of raising donkeys in the world, however the number of Chinese indigenous donkey decreased dramatically due to the increase of agriculture mechanization in the last century. The species has still been important in China because of its edible and medical value, therefore the survey on its genetic diversity in China is necessary for its conservation and utilization. In this study, 15 microsatellite markers were used to evaluate genetic diversity and population structure of five Chinese indigenous donkey breeds. The mean values of expected heterozygosity, allelic richness, and total number of alleles for all the tested...