Abstracts volume 52 (2009) 5, 451-552
Analysis of Hungarian sport horse show jumping results using different transformations and models
János Posta, Sándor Mihók, Szilárd Márkus and István Komlósi
Arch Tierz 52 (2009), 451-458 PDF
The aim of this paper is to estimate heritabilities and to compare data transformation methods and models for Hungarian Sporthorse show jumping results. The analysis is based on data collected between 1996 and 2005. The linear animal model included fixed effects of gender, breeder, rider, age, and start (coded as year of competition, type of competition and height of obstacle). Square root, cubic and fourth roots, Blom score and cotangent transformed ranks were used as measurements of performance. Difference the height of the obstacle and fault points, height of the obstacle and height of the obstacle and fault point were also used as performance traits. Variance and covariance components were estimated with VCE-5 software package. Model fit was evaluated by log-likelihood values and Akaike’s information criterion (AIC). Heritability was low for each performance trait and each model. The poorest goodness-of-fit model was the difference between height of the obstacle and fault points, whereas the best fitting genetic model based on AIC was from using the cotangent transformation.
The effect of some seasonal conditions on oestrus occurrence in cows
Bülent Bülbül and Mehmet Bozkurt Ataman
Arch Tierz 52 (2009), 459-465 PDF
In this study, the effect of climatic conditions on oestrus occurrence was investigated by using 9972 oestrus records of cows recorded between 1995 and 2003 distinct seasonal variation in the oestrus occurrence was determined. Oestrus occurrence observed in January, March, November and December was less than that in June and September (P<0.05). Annual distribution of the oestrus occurrence was positively correlated with environment temperature and insulation duration, but it was negatively correlated with rainfall (P<0.01). However, there was no relationship between oestrus occurrence and relative humidity. In addition to these, there was a slight decrease in the oestrus response when the temperature-humidity index (THI) was above 72; nevertheless, this decrease was not significant (P>0.05). The data presented in this study demonstrated that the increase in the environmental temperature up to 23°C did not cause a suppressive effect on the ovarian activity. In conclusion, annual distribution of the oestrus occurrence is positively correlated with environment temperature and insulation duration whereas it is negatively correlated with rainfall in Holstein cows, in this study.
Effect of non-protected sunflower oil supplementation on milk fatty acid profile and oxidative status in Simmental cows
Terezija Silvija Marenjak, Ivancica Delaš, Nina Poljičak-Milas and Jasna Piršljin
Arch Tierz 52 (2009), 466-475 PDF
Milk production, milk composition, milk fatty acid profiles, and antioxidant status of Simmental cows supplemented with non-protected sunflower oil were studied. Ten Simmental cows in mid-lactation were appointed for change over feeding trial with one of the diet applied: the control (WSO) diet consisted of 26% corn silage, 33% perennial ryegrass haylage, and 41% concentrate in dry matter (DM), and the experimental (SO) diet consisted of control diet supplemented with 2% of unrefined sunflower oil per cow and day. The cows were kept in indoor housing system with feeding and milking system two times daily and ad libitum water supply. The milk production and standard milk components remained unchanged during the study. The partial modification of fatty acid composition was remarked with the significantly higher linoleic and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) (cis-9, trans-11 C18:2) concentration and significantly lower palmitic acid during the SO treatment. The blood gluthathion peroxidase (GPx) activity significantly increased and the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) concentration decreased significantly in the SO treatment. The non-protected sunflower has a perceptible effect on the milk fatty acid composition in Simmental cows of our research. The lower index of lipid peroxidation and higher GPx activity in blood of cows during the SO treatment could be a consequence of the antioxidant components that are normally present in the unrefined vegetable oils. The enzyme activity reflects appropriate functioning of the antioxidant defence of cows that emphasise importance of well balanced diet during the unsaturated fatty acid supplementation.
A comparison between different selection indices for some productive traits on Egyptian buffaloes
Kawther Abel Moniem Mourad and Adel Salah Khattab
Arch Tierz 52 (2009), 476-484 PDF
A total of 2262 normal lactation records of Egyptian buffaloes kept at Mehallet Mousa Farm belonging to Animal Production Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture during the period from 1985 to 2003 were used to estimate phenotypic and genetic parameters for total milk yield (TMY, kg), lactation period (LP, day), birth weight (BW, kg) and weaning weight (WW, kg). In addition, eleven selection indices were constructed. Data were analyzed using multi trait animal model (MTAM). The model included individuals, permanent environmental and errors as random effects, month and year of calving and parity as fixed effects. Heritability estimates were 0.172, 0.134, 0.046 and 0.257 for TMY, LP, BW and WW, respectively. Genetic correlations among all traits studied are positive highly significant and ranged from 0.50 to 0.99. Permanent and temporary environmental correlations among all traits studied are similar to genetic correlations, while the correlations between WW and all traits studied are negative. Eleven selection indices were constructed, index I1 which incorporating TMY, LP, BW and WW or index I2 which incorporating TMY, LP and WW are the best (RIH=0.86), both indices are recommended to improve productive traits in Egyptian buffaloes.
Relationship between carbon dioxide production and performance in cattle and pigs
Werner Jentsch, Bernhard Piatkowski and Michael Derno
Arch Tierz 52 (2009), 485-496 PDF
An extensive number of metabolic experiments have been carried out at the former Oskar-Kellner-Institute, now the ›Oskar Kellner‹ Research Unit of Nutritional Physiology at the Research Institute for the Biology of Farm Animals (FBN), Dummerstorf, on cattle, pigs and humans. Their expired amounts of CO2 having been compiled and stratified with regard to various performance and nutrition levels. The annual CO2 emission of a 700 kg cow with an annual milk yield of 10000 kg has been estimated to be 4.7 t. With increasing food intake and performance, a concomitant increase of CO2 production per time unit has been observed. However, with increasing performance, we have determined a strong decrease of CO2 output per mass unit of animal-derived food (i.e. meat and milk). This decrease amounts to 40% when comparing cows with 4000 kg and 8000 kg annual milk yields. The CO2 emission per kg dry matter (DM) intake amounts to 0.55 kg and is relatively constant, irrespective of live weight and performance. According to this, the world cattle livestock of 1.3 thousand million (UK)/billion (US) individuals produce 6% of the total yearly CO2 emission of 30 thousand million (UK)/billion (US) t. Similarly, in pigs, increasing daily weight gains of an additional 200 g result in a reduction of 10-15% of CO2 emissions. Sows produce 1.5-1.7 kg CO2 daily; fattening pigs and humans each produce 1 kg CO2.
Performance traits of purebred Ossimi and Rahmani lambs and their crosses with Finnsheep born under two accelerated mating systems
Ibrahim Fayez Mahmoud Marai, Ahmed Hassan Daader and Layla Bekir Bahgat
Arch Tierz 52 (2009), 497-511 PDF
The aim of the study was to carry out crossing of the local breeds with a known prolific breed with the hope to be a beginning to develop improved synthetic lines under the sub-tropical conditions. In the present study, the data represented 4 genotypes: 2 pure Egyptian local fat-tailed breeds [Ossimi (O) and Rahmani (R)], one back-cross [1/4 Finnish Landrace (F) 3/4 O] and one 3-breed-cross [1/4 F 1/4 O 1/2 R]. The lambs resulted from two accelerated systems: 3 lambings/2 years and 2 lambings/1 year. The results showed that in 3 lambings/2 years and 2 lambings/1 year systems, the crossbred lambs were significantly (P<0.01 or 0.05) higher in most of the growth traits, carcass characteristics and weight of ewe lambs at first mating, and were significantly (P<0.01) lower in percentages of the tail and bone and age of ewe lambs at first mating than in their maternal (local) breeds. Spring born lambs were significantly (P<0.01 or 0.05) higher than those born in the other seasons of the year in body weights at 16 and 24 weeks of age and daily gain weight during 0-<8 weeks in 3 lambings/2 years system, and in daily gain weight during the period 8-<16 weeks of age in 2 lambings/1 year system. When using some indices based on combining a number of economic traits of the study (including slaughter weight, feed efficiency, dressing percentage, percentage of lean in the carcass, conception rate, lambing rate and average litter size) to compare the crossbreds with the local ones, the obtained values were not in favour of the crossbreds, which may throw some shadows on feasibility of applying crossing of the Egyptian local sheep with the Finn sheep. Comparison between the two mating systems showed that the 3 matings/2 years surpassed the 2 matings/1 year system in all the indices developed. When calculating the productive efficiency per one year by combining the traits: survivals ratio – that equals: 1−(mortality rate at 8 weeks) – and frequency of lambing per one year, the values were 15.0 and 13.2% in the two systems, respectively, confirming the previous results.
Effect of roasted cereals and soybean in feed mixtures on fattening and slaughter traits as well as blood composition in fattening lambs
Zvonko Antunović, Matija Domaćinović, Marcela Šperanda, Branko Liker, Boro Mioč, Vatroslav Šerić and Tomislav Šperanda
Arch Tierz 52 (2009), 512-526 PDF
The study examined the effect of raw and roasted cereals (corn, oat and barley) and soybean in diet on growth performance and blood parameters of lambs fattening. Totally 60 lambs after ablactation at average of 50 days, were tested and equally divided into three groups: an experimental I (E I), experimental II (E II) and a control (C) group. The fattening period lasted 56 days. Lambs of the C group were fed on mixture with crude forages, those from the E I on mixture with roasted cereals and lambs of the E II on mixture with both roasted cereals and soybean. The lambs from E I and E II groups grew faster (by 13.62 and 19.40%), gained higher final body weight (by 6.72 and 8.08%) and spent less food per kg of daily gain weights (by 14.03 and 13.24%) although feed consumption in E I was lower (by 2.33%) but in E II higher (3.49%) in comparison with the C group. The blood serum concentrations of cholesterol-total and cholesterol-HDL were lower for lambs EI groups compared with lambs C and E II groups. ALP activity was higher for lambs EI and EII groups compared with C group. Urea concentrations were significantly (P<0.05) lower, and that of albumin higher in E II group compared to C group. There were no differences among groups for the serum minerals content, other biochemical indicators and enzymes. Obtained differences in slaughter properties of lambs (carcass weight and dressing) indicate their better productive effects. Concerning the gained production results may be concluded that the use of roasted cereals and soybean in feed mixture in lambs fattening is justified.
Characteristic of meat colour of different duck populations
Gabriela Haraf, Juliusz Książkiewicz, Janina Wołoszyn and Andrzej Okruszek
Arch Tierz 52 (2009), 527-537 PDF
Out of 6 conservative flocks (Khaki Campbell – Kh1, Orpington – O1, Miniducks – K2, Polish Pekin – P33, Pekin originated from Danish – P8 and cross-breeds in Pekin type – SB) 60 female ducks were used for comparison (10 ducks in each group). Birds were slaughtered at 7 week of age. The investigation of breast muscles covers: determination of the colour parameters L* (lightness), a* (redness), b* (yellowness), C (saturation), ho (hue) and DE (colour difference), total haem pigments’ content (THP) including myoglobin (Mb), oxymyoglobin (MbO2) and metmyoglobin (MMb) content. Sensory evaluation of raw muscles’ colour intensity in 10 point scale and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of all measured parameters were also performed. Low THP and MbO2 were shown by Kh1 and P33 (THP: 3.79 and 3.74 mg/g, MbO2: 2.32 and 2.46 mg/g respectively). They were also characterized by the highest L* value of the all flocks (45.27 and 44.25 respectively) (P≤0.01, P≤0.05). The Kh1 was evaluated by the sensory panel as the lightest (5.01 conventional units [CU]) (P≤0.01). However P8 and K2 were assessed as darker than Kh1 and P33 (6.12 and 6.22 CU vs. 5.01 and 5.71 CU) (P≤0.01, P≤0.05) and also had significantly higher pigments content (4.48 and 4.57 mg/g respectively) (P≤0.01). Additionally K2 was characterized by the highest MMb content (0.48 mg/g) (P≤0.01), but this value is below the level that makes the colour undesirable. The DE values between flocks were in the 1.02-2.86 range. With just few exceptions, flocks with DE value higher than 2, differed significantly in pigments content, L* parameter, and sensory panel scores. As regards the obtained results Kh1 and P33 appeared significantly lighter than P8 and K2. Kh1 and P33 had lower pigments content, higher L* value and were assessed by a sensory panel as having lower colour intensity than P8 and K2. PCA analysis confirmed ANOVA results and also indicated large total colour variation of the samples within breeds except of O1 muscles.
Relationships between breast muscle thickness measured by ultrasonography and meatiness and fatness in broiler chickens
Katarzyna Kleczek, Kazimierz Wawro, Elzbieta Wilkiewicz-Wawro, Wlodzimierz Makowski and Daniel Konstantynowicz
Arch Tierz 52 (2009), 538-545PDF
The objective of this study was to determine relationships between breast muscle thickness measured by ultrasonography and meatiness and fatness characteristics in broiler chickens. The experiment was conducted on 80 Ross 308 chickens aged 42 days. Breast muscle thickness was determined before and after slaughter, using an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus (Dramiński Animal Scanner with an abdominal, sector mechanical probe). The chickens were weighed and carcasses were subjected to detailed dissection. In males breast muscle thickness measured before slaughter was found to be statistically correlated with the weight of a carcass, meat and breast muscles as well as with the percentage content of breast muscles in the carcass. The same measurement taken after slaughter showed a high correlation with all analyzed traits except for the percentage content of fat with skin in the carcass. The coefficients of correlation between the analyzed traits, characterizing meatiness in females, were in most cases slightly higher than in males.
Effect of three single-nucleotide polymorphisms in CAPN1 gene on beef tenderness (Brief Report)
Liliana A Soria, Pablo M Corva, Andrea Brandia Sica, Alejandro Schor, Lilia M Melucci, Edgardo L Villarreal, Carlos A Mezzadra, Rodolfo J C Cantet and María C Miquel
Arch Tierz 52 (2009), 546-549 PDF
Genetic variants in the repeat region of MHC class I for miniature pig (Brief Report)
Hoyoung Chung and Jaeyoung Kim
Arch Tierz 52 (2009), 550-552 PDF