Summary In mammals, between‐species correlation between mature size and maturing rate is high. The within‐species relationship is not so clear. An experiment with 167 mice of small RoC57BL/6 and large RoNMRI lines was set up, to study the influence of animal mature size on maturing rate. The body mass of animals was measured every 3 days, between the ages 12 and 120 days. Individual ages at half the adulthood and at adulthood were determined on the basis of logistic growth curves. Three linear statistical models based on an allometric equation were used to test between‐line, between‐sex‐line, and between‐family maturing rates. Growth rate and maturing rate are within the species significantly affected by mature size. At mature size, the smaller RoC57BL/6 mice were older than the larger RoNMRI mice. In the model with the significant effects line, sex and family included, the same allometric coefficient was positive. The model which includes an allometric equation within line and sex was no better fitting than the previous model. Not all the estimates of allometric coefficients were within expected ranges, but standard errors were relatively high. Because significant effects are partly of genetic origin and standard errors are high, the selection for higher maturing rate might be possible without changes in mature size. No method for determining degree of maturity during growth has been found so far, therefore the selection would be relatively slow, due to the extension of generation interval. Zusammenfassung Adulte Größe und Wachstumsrate von RoC57BL/6 und RoNMRI Mäusen In Säugern ist die korrelazion zwischen adulter Größe und Wachstumstrate hoch, aber innerartlich ist diese Beziehung nicht so klar. In einem Versuch mit 167 Mäusen der kleinen RoC57BL/6 und der großen RoNMRI Linien wurde der Einfluß adulter Größe auf Wachstumstrate untersucht. Körpermasse wurde zwischen Altern von 12 und 120 Tagen alle 3 Tage erhoben. Alter bei halber und voller adulter große wurde mittels logistischer Wachstumskurven geschätzt. Drei lineare statistische Modelle auf der Basis logistischer kurven wurden verwendet zur Schätzung von Wachstumsraten für Linien, Geschlects‐Linien Gruppen und von Familien. Wachstums und Reifungsraten innerhalb Arten werden signifikant von adulter Größe beeinflußt. Die Mäusen der kleineren Linie waren bei Erreichen des adulten Gewichtes älter als jene der größeren. In Modellen mit den signifikanten Wirkungen von Linien, Geschlecht und Familien war derselbe Allometriekoeffizient positiv, aber im Modell mit Linien‐ und Geschlechtsspezifischen Allometriegliechungen war die Anpassung nicht besser. Nicht alle Schätzwerte der Allometriekoeffizienten waren innerhalb des Erwartdsungbereiches, doch waren die Standardfehler hoch. Da die Einflußfaktoren zum Teil genetischen Ursprungs sind Standardfehler hoch, sollte Selektion auf Wachstumstrate ohne Änderung der adulten Größe möglich sein. Allerdings ist keine Methode zur Schätzung der Reife währen des Wachstums bekannt, sodaß solche Selektion aufgrund verlängerter G...

In order to determine breed differences in the fascicle structure of skeletal muscles, longissimus dorsi muscles (LD) and semimembranous muscles (SM), Duroc (D), Large White (LW), German Landrace (GL) and Swedish Landrace (SL) boars were analyzed. Fibre type delineation was based on the method of myofibrillar ATPase staining. The fibres in a fascicle were divided into layers according to their relation to the perimysium. In each layer, the proportions of fibre types I, IIA and IIB were determined and normalized according to the fibre type proportion in the whole fascicle. Generally, a high proportion of IIB fibres on the periphery, a prevalence of type I and IIA in the layer below, and altered proportions of type I, IIA and IIB in layer 3 were found to be the main characteristics of the distribution of fibres in a porcine fascicle. Breed dissimilarity was established in the arrangement of fibre types, particularly in the first and third layer. The breeds that showed the highest proportions of type I and IIB fibres in LD and SM muscles were GL and SL boars.

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Medžimurje horse population in SloveniaIn the nineteenth and early twentieth century the Medžimurje horse played an important role as a draft and working horse in the river Mura region. Nowadays, this area is split between Hungary, Austria, Slovenia and Croatia. In the frame of the project "Management of traditional transboundary breeds on example of a nearly forgotten breed the Murinsulaner", we collected data for cold blooded horses similar to the Medžimurje horse. Horses of this type do not exist in Austria anymore, in Croatia they were registered as an authothonous breed »Medjimurje horse«, and in Slovenia and Hungary this horse has a special section in the stud book for cold blooded horses as a Medžimurje type of horse. The Slovenian part of the population of the Medžimurje horse is quite heterogeneous regarding body measures. With respect to the scoring system used in the above mentioned project, the majority of scored animals were classified as »desired« or »satisfactory«. In order to further develop or to preserve this type of horse or to form a consolidated breed we would have to make a breeding program which would prevent mating among related animals and to cooperate with neighbouring countries in the field of breeding and selection. The only hope to preserve this type of horse on the long term in the region is by using it as a tourist attraction for carriage riding and/or as a draft horse in agriculture in marginal regions.Key words: horses / breeds / Medžimurje horse / history / scoring / genetic diversity / conservation Populacija medžimurskega konja v SlovenijiMedžimurski konj je imel pomembno vlogo pri transportu in delu v devetnajstem in v začetku dvajsetega stoletja na področju ob Muri. Danes je to področje razdeljeno med Madžarsko, Avstrijo, Slovenijo in Hrvaško. V okviru projekta "Upravljanje tradicionalnih čezmejnih pasem na primeru skoraj pozabljene pasme, medžimurski konj", smo zbrali podatke o hladnokrvnih konjih, ki so v tipu medžimurskega konja. V Avstriji takih konj ni več, na Hrvaškem so konje tega tipa registrirali kot avtohtono pasmo medjimurski konj, na Madžarskem in v Sloveniji pa se ti konji vodijo kot poseben oddelek (medži-murski tip) rodovniške knjige za hladnokrvne konje. Slovenski del populacije v tipu medžimurskega konja je glede na telesne mere precej neizenačen. Upoštevaje sistem ocenjevanja, ki je bil razvit v okviru omenjenega projekta, večina ocenjenih živali sodi v t.i. razred zaželeno oz. zadovoljivo. Za razvoj in ohranitev tega tipa konja oz. formiranje pasme, bo potrebno izdelati rejski program, ki bo zagotavljal preprečevanje parjenja v sorodstvu in razviti sodelovanje s sosednjimi državami na področju reje in selekcije tega tipa konj. Ne nazadnje je dolgoročen obstoj tega tipa konja mogoče zagotoviti le z njegovo uporabo za delo v kmetijstvu in v turizmu.Ključne besede: konji / pasme / medžimurski konj / zgodovina / ocenjevanje / genetska pestrost / ohranjanje Acta agriculturae Slovenica, 98/2 -2011 112 K. POTOČNIK et al.