The eff ect of air temperature and time of day on distribution of Czech Fleckvieh cows within the barn was studied on a dairy farm located in the south of Moravia, CR, (49°12'31.875"N, 16°23'43.146"E). The cows were loose-housed in a barn with stalls. The fl oor surface was made of separated manure. The observation was carried out in one of the four sections (100 cows) of the barn (total 400 cows). The observed section was visually divided into two parts -le L (situated centrally) and right R (situated peripherally). Video camera images (the total of 5304 images were evaluated) revealed the distribution of cows within the barn and the presence of cows in parts A or B. The air temperature was monitored by temperature sensors. At lower temperatures (up to 19.00 °C), the distribution of cows within the barn was even, at higher temperatures, the cows had a distinct tendency to crowd in L side of the barn (up to 100% of them). The cows were scattered evenly around the barn up to 10.00 in the morning and a er 19:01 in the evening. During the day between 10.00 and 19.01, the cows tended to group in L part (up to 100% of them). They never grouped in R part. It was found out that changes in distribution of cows within the barn were associated with both air temperature and time of day. The changes in mean air temperature during the day were defi ned as y = 0.000002x 4 − 0.0005x 3 + 0.0412x 2 − 0.8876x + 18.515 (where y = air temperature and x time of day in hours) with R 2 = 0.957.

This study was carried out with the aim to assess the eff ect of temperature and time of day on the values of welfare indices in Holstein dairy cows. The observation continued for one year and included 77 Holstein cows. The cows were loose-housed in one of the four sections of the barn with strawbedded stalls. The cows were milked three times a day (at 4.00, 8.00 and 17.00). The barn is situated on Mendel University farm in Žabčice (the Czech Republic: GPS 49°051.786N, 16°3614.809E). The air temperature was monitored with three sensors fi tted at the level of the animals' whithers in 15-minute intervals. The following welfare indices were evaluated: CCI (the Cow Comfort Index), CCI* (the modifi ed Cow Comfort Index which refl ects the motivation to lie down), SSI (the Stall Standing Index) and PEL (the Proportion Eligible Lying). The maximal CCI values (above 90%) and the minimal SSI values (below 10%) were found (in the barn in Zabcice) at temperatures up to 30 °C. The maximal CCI* values (above 70%) only occurred at temperatures up to 20 °C. The maximal PEL values (above 80%) were detected at temperatures up to 25 °C. The maximal CCI values (above 90%) as well as the minimal SSI values (below 10%) were found in the period between 9.00 and 12.00 (+1 to +3 hours a er milking). The maximal PEL values (above 80%) occurred in the period between 9.00 and 16.00 (+1 to +8 hours a er milking). The maximal CCI* values (above 70%) were detected between 14.00 and 15.00 (+6 to +7 hours a er milking). CCI* index appears to be more eligible for welfare assessment compared to CCI index. This study could have a practical impact on cattle husbandry because it may help the farmers secure adequate husbandry conditions for the animals and thus positively aff ect milk production.

This study analysed the preferences of perch size and position in the aviary in a group of 6 lorikeets (Loriculus galgulus). We monitored the presence of the lorikeets in four diff erent locations in the aviaryon the original perches, fl oor, wire mesh and experimental perches. The perch preferences were tested using 3 identical experimental perches, each of which consisted of 5 segments diff ering in diameter -ø 1 cm (circumference = 3.14 cm), ø 2 cm (circumference = 6.28 cm), ø 3 cm (circumference = 9.42 cm), ø 4 cm (circumference = 12.56 cm) and ø 5 cm (circumference = 15.7 cm). The distance between the 3 rd and 4 th toe was measured in all birds (it averaged in 2.4 cm) in order to assess to what extent the birds can enclose the perch with their toes. The observation continued for 35 consecutive days in a private aviary in the group of 4 males and 2 females of the same species. The images were captured in 10-minute intervals by a video-recording device. The number of images mapping the presence of the six birds totalled in 17898. Out of this number, the lories were 10453 times indoors (out of sight) and 7445 times in the outdoor fl y, which was monitored. They spent most of the time resting on the original perches (3067x) and totally ignored the fl oor (1x). They preferred perches (5102x) to wire mesh (2342x). All the diff erences were highly signifi cant. The favourite perch diameter was 2 cm (537x) and the least popular was the perch 5 cm thick (148x); the diff erence was also highly signifi cant. The analysis of the obtained data revealed that the lorikeets preferred sections A (788x) and E (600x) in the aviary, which means they spent most of the time along the walls. The diff erences among all the observed sections were highly signifi cant.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of growth rate on some beef performance characteristics in Czech Fleckvieh heifers. Growth performance characteristics included age at slaughter (months) and daily weight gain (g). The observed beef performance characteristics were carcass weight, conformation class (SEUROP) and external fat deposition. The experimental group consisted of 480 heifers. The animals were assigned into three groups (A, B, C) based on age at slaughter. Group A consisted of 68 animals with the age at slaughter 15–21 months, group B 296 animals, age 22–28 months and group C 116 animals, age 29–35 months. A greater age at slaughter was significantly associated with a greater carcass weight which grew from 250.78 kg in group A to 317.69 kg in group C. The net weight gain decreased with age from 424.06 g in group A to 346.41 g in group C, the conformation improved from 4.46 in group A to 4.17 in group C and the external fat deposition increased from 2.5 in group A to 2.78 in group C. The dataset was again split into three groups differing in the daily weight gain (I, II, III). Group I consisted of 120 heifers with the daily gain up to 599 g, group II 303 animals with the daily gain of 600–799 g and group III only 57 animals with the gain of 800 g and more. A growing weight gain was significantly associated with a greater carcass weight (from 260.40 kg in group I to 338.66 in group III), a greater net weight gain (from 306.29 g in group I to 491.45 g in group III), improved conformation (from 4.75 in group I to 3.70 in group III) and the fat deposition was greater, too (from 2.35 in group I to 2.89 in group III).