Czech Journal of Animal Science, 2018 (vol. 63), issue 4

Effect of taurine on turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) spermatozoa viability and motilityOriginal Paper

Tomáš Slanina, Michal Miškeje, Filip Tirpák, Martyna Błaszczyk, Robert Stawarz, Peter Massányi

Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2018, 63(4):127-135 | DOI: 10.17221/79/2017-CJAS  

The effect of taurine on the turkey spermatozoa motility and viability during the in vitro incubation was assessed. Experimental samples were prepared by diluting the raw semen in nine different concentrations of taurine - from 10 mg/ml to 0.078125 mg/ml. The motility parameters were evaluated by the CASA system (Computer Assisted Semen Analyser) using the program Sperm Vision^® and for spermatozoa viability assessment the eosin-nigrosin staining was performed. Selected parameters were evaluated at six time periods: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 h at 5°C and 41°C. At 5°C, a significantly lower percentage of motility and progressive motility...

Genomic response to natural selection within alpine cattle breedsOriginal Paper

Nina Moravčíková, Mojca Simčič, Gábor Mészáros, Johann Sölkner, Veronika Kukučková, Michal Vlček, Anna Trakovická, Ondrej Kadlečík, Radovan Kasarda

Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2018, 63(4):136-143 | DOI: 10.17221/62/2017-CJAS  

The aim of this study was to analyse the genomic regions that have been target of natural selection with respect to identifying the loci responsible mainly for fitness traits across six alpine cattle breeds. The genome-wide scan for selection signatures was performed using genotyping data from totally 465 animals. After applying data quality control, overall 35 873 single nucleotide polymorphisms were useable for the subsequent analysis. The detection of genomic regions affected by natural selection was carried out using the approach of principal component analysis. The analysis was based on the assumption that markers extremely related to the population...

Effect of vitrification on apoptotic changes in feline embryosOriginal Paper

Małgorzata Ochota, Wojciech Niżański

Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2018, 63(4):144-151 | DOI: 10.17221/101/2017-CJAS  

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of a vitrification-warming procedure on the viability of cat embryos and blastocysts and the incidence of apoptotic changes in blastocysts subjected to vitrification and blastocyst that developed from vitrified embryos. In the first part of the experiment, post-thaw embryo development and blastocyst viability were evaluated based on morphological appearance and the ability to develop (embryos) or re-expand (blastocyst) compared to control. In the second part, blastocysts that were viable after vitrification-warming and blastocysts that developed from vitrified-warmed embryos were stained with Annexin-V...

Study of LGB gene polymorphisms of small ruminants reared in Eastern EuropeOriginal Paper

Szilvia Kusza, Daniela Elena Ilie, Maria Sauer, Krisztina Nagy, Traian Stefan Atanasiu, Dinu Gavojdian

Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2018, 63(4):152-159 | DOI: 10.17221/93/2017-CJAS  

The objectives of the current research were: (i) to determine the allele and genotype frequencies of the LGB gene in the sheep and goat breeds reared in Eastern Europe; (ii) to implement a comparative study in order to evaluate the milk production potential and efficiency of the main sheep and goat dairy breeds reared in Romania; (iii) to test the genetic basis and feasibility of introducing the molecular-marker assisted selection for this trait into future breeding schemes designed for small ruminants. Totally 731 purebred unrelated sheep (Turcana: 111, Racka: 98, Tsigai: 79, Karakul of Botosani: 60, Transylvanian...

Rumen undegradable protein (RUP) and its intestinal digestibility after steam flaking of cereal grainsOriginal Paper

Maria Chrenkova, Zuzana Formelova, Zuzana Ceresnakova, Catalin Dragomir, Matus Rajsky, Ana Cismileanu, Martin Riis Weisbjerg

Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2018, 63(4):160-166 | DOI: 10.17221/74/2017-CJAS  

While it is known that heat treatment of cereal grains generally improves the nutritional value for ruminants, simultaneous information on rumen degradability and intestinal digestibility of the rumen by-pass is scarce, especially for non-starch constituents. The effect of steam flaking at 90°C for 30 min on protein quality of maize, wheat, and barley was studied. In addition to proximal chemical analyses, protein rumen degradability was determined in vitro and intestinal digestibility of rumen undegraded protein was determined using the mobile bag method. No significant effects of steam flaking on chemical composition of cereal grains (crude...