Czech Journal of Animal Science, 2019 (vol. 64), issue 11
Expression analysis of BMPR1B, BMP15, and GDF9 in prolific and non-prolific sheep breeds during the follicular phaseOriginal Paper
Ji-Shun Tang, Wen-Ping Hu, Ran Di, Xiang-Yu Wang, Xiao-Sheng Zhang, Jin-Long Zhang, Qiu-Yue Liu, Ming-Xing Chu
Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2019, 64(11):439-447 | DOI: 10.17221/101/2018-CJAS 
To elucidate how expression characteristics of BMPR1B, BMP15, and GDF9 are associated with sheep reproduction, tissue-specific mRNA expression of these genes in Small Tail Han (STH) ewes (a polytocous breed) and Sunite (SNT) ewes (a monotocous breed) in the follicular phase were investigated using transcription profiling and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Expression levels of the three genes were all highest in ovaries of the two sheep breeds, and BMPR1B and GDF9 expression in the ovarian tissue was significantly higher in STH sheep compared with SNT sheep (P < 0.01), whereas BMP15 expression...
Effect of dietary inclusion of a commercial polyherbal formulation on some physiological and immune parameters in healthy and stressed hensOriginal Paper
Stefano Cecchini, Michele Rossetti, Anna Rocchina Caputo, Alfonso Bavoso
Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2019, 64(11):448-458 | DOI: 10.17221/189/2019-CJAS
The effects of the dietary inclusion of a polyherbal formulation based on three powdered herbs (W. somnifera, T. cordifolia, O. sanctum) on some physiological and immune parameters were studied in healthy and stressed laying hens. The effects of the dietary polyherbal formulation were also compared with those of dietary ascorbic acid (AA) supplement, nowadays considered one of the most potent immunostimulant substances widely used as a food supplement.Experimental data did not show any positive effects, or very low ones, on the assessed parameters in healthy hens as a consequence of the two dietary supplementations. On the...
Fertility parameters in German dairy herds: Associations with milk yield and herd sizeOriginal Paper
Jörn Rethmeier, Michael Wenzlau, Martin Wagner, Steffi Wiedemann, Lisa Bachmann
Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2019, 64(11):459-464 | DOI: 10.17221/206/2019-CJAS
Fertility in dairy cows has decreased over the last fifty years while milk production per cow has increased. Furthermore, dairy herds become larger resulting in fewer employees per cow, which might also influence reproductive performance. To elucidate the situation in Germany, selected parameters (conception rate, service rate, pregnancy rate, days to first insemination and days open) were studied using data on 148 herds. For statistical analysis the herds were categorized concerning milk yield: (1) < 30 kg, (2) 30‒35 kg, and (3) > 35 kg/cow/day as well as concerning herd size: (1) < 200, (2) 200‒400, (3) 400‒1000 and...
Effect of tetramethylpyrazine on growth performance, Campylobacter jejuni carriage and endogenous antimicrobial peptides in rabbitsOriginal Paper
Ke Ding, Qingrong Jiang, Jianping Wang, Ning Liu, Feike Zhang
Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2019, 64(11):465-471 | DOI: 10.17221/138/2019-CJAS
The present study aimed to investigate the effect of tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) supplementation on growth performance, Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) carriage and antimicrobial peptides in the epithelial tissue of caecum and skin in rabbits. Five treatments included control and C. jejuni challenge with the addition of TMP at 0, 50, 100 or 150 mg/kg of diet. The trial lasted for 35 days and C. jejuni challenge occurred on first day of feeding trial. The results showed that C. jejuni challenge worsened (P < 0.05) feed intake, body weight gain and feed efficiency, whereas TMP supplementation partially...