e inadequate intake of iodine is still a topical problem, because it contributes to a reduction in performance through the disturbed health of adult animals and their offspring. e necessity of iodine is frequently described in association with hypothyroidal state. In our work we want to assign the hidden risk of prolonged iodine feeding in ruminants. We discuss the possible sources of iodine intoxication, the clinical signs of the intoxication, its effects on production, reproduction, and thyroid functions; animal susceptibility to intoxication; laboratory and necropsy findings; diagnostic, and therapeutic possibilities.

A serological survey for West Nile virus (WNV) infection involved 395 horses from 43 administrative districts of the Czech Republic (163 animals) and 29 districts of Slovakia (232 animals), sampled between 2008 and 2011. Using a plaque-reduction neutralization microtest, antibodies to WNV were not detected in any horse from the Czech Republic, whereas 19 nonvaccinated horses from Slovakia had specific antibodies to WNV (no cross-reactions were observed with tick-borne encephalitis and Usutu flaviviruses in those animals). The seropositivity rate of nonvaccinated horses in Slovakia was 8.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] 4.7-11.9%), and autochthonous local infection with WNV occurred at least in 11, i.e., 4.8% (95% CI 2.0-7.6%) of the animals. All seropositive horses lived in six lowland districts of southern Slovakia; overall, 15.1% (95% CI 8.8-21.4%) of 126 nonvaccinated horses were seropositive in those districts, situated relatively closely to the border with Hungary, i.e., the country where WNV disease cases have been reported in birds, horses and humans since 2003.

No abstract

The aim of our study was to describe the morphological changes in the boar testes affected with hypozincaemia that was induced by zinc-deficient feed (barley meal). Our experiment was carried out on eight (n=8) 8-month old boars of Slovak large white breed. For 100 days the animals were fed only barley meal and had free access to drinking water. Before inclusion in the experiment, all animals were examined for serum zinc level by the method of atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Zinc serum levels in boars determined before the experiment reached 20.10±1.72 μM. After 100 days of feeding barley meal the zinc level was 8.97±1.65 μM which indicated hypozincaemia. By day 20 after parenteral application of Zindep inj. (Biotika, SR), the level of zinc increased to 22.13±1.45 μM and by 60d it showed again a slight decrease to 18.46±1.056 μM. The concentration of zinc in the barley meal was 30.14 mg/kg. Deficiency of zinc caused degeneration and depletion of the seminiferous epithelium and morphological changes in Sertoli cells. Seminiferous tubules were damaged to a variable degree. Morphological changes were observed also in Leydig cells and the number of malformed spermatids was increased. Zinc deficiency was accompanied with anorexia, growth disorders, and parakeratosis. A single parenteral application of the preparation Zindep® inj. at a dose of 0.2 mgZn/kg body weight resulted in a partial restoration of spermatogenesis within 20 days and complete recovery within 60 days following treatment

Acute phase proteins are used as markers of inflammation and sub-clinical disease, and are considered potential biomarkers for animal health and welfare. The objective of this study was to analyse haptoglobin as the main positive acute phase protein in the mouflon. A total of 30 clinically healthy mouflon of different age and sex, reared in a game reserve, were used for this study. Haptoglobin was determined in blood serum by colorimetric assay with a commercially accessible kit. The mean value of haptoglobin in the herd was 0.215 ± 0.068 mg/ml. There was no significant difference between animals divided by sex: male 0.228 ± 0.073 mg/ml, female 0.202 ± 0.062 mg/ml. The mean value in young animals was higher than the mean value in the adults 0.260 ± 0.081 mg/ml and 0.201 ± 0.059 mg/ml, respectively (P < 0.05). This work was designed to identify the baseline concentration of haptoglobin in a clinically healthy population, thus allowing the comparison of welfare and general health status of the herds or different structured groups within the game reserve. This is the first similar study of haptoglobin as a biomarker in the mouflon.