This study investigated bovine TRL4 gene c.9421C>T, c.2021C>T and c.-10C>T polymorphisms and their relationship with somatic cell count and indicators of milk composition. Blood samples were collected from 152 Lithuanian Holstein dairy cows. The method of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) was used to genotype TLR4 gene polymorphisms. The data concerning somatic cell count and milk composition indicators (fat, protein, lactose) were analysed. The influence of genes and statistical significance of differences between different genotypes was evaluated by the one-factor dispersion analysis (ANOVA). Results showed that c.9421C>T was significantly associated with somatic cell count in milk. Also a significant association between the genotypes of c.9421C>T and somatic cell count was found (P<0.05). Cattle with the TT genotype showed the lowest somatic cell count. TLR4 gene polymorphisms c.2021C>T and c.-10C>T have no significant effect on mastitis resistance and milk composition. Analysis of the combined genotypes TC/CC of c.2021C>T and c.9421C>T allowed us to determine the possible association of SNPs with the somatic cell count and lactose content. The study showed a significant association between the somatic cell count (SCC) and TLR4 polymorphism c.9421C>T in Lithuanian Holstein cows. SCS of cows with a TT genotype was significantly lower and indicated the association of TT genotype with resistance to mastitis in c.9421C>T and allele T might be the beneficial allele for mastitis resistance.

Please use the following format when citing the article: Jukna V., Jukna Č., Prusevičius V., Meškinytė-Kaušilienė E., Pečiulaitienė N. 2017 AbstractThe aim of this study was to investigate the changes in meat quality characteristics of different beef cattle breeds fed high energy forage. The study included 200 days old uncastrated beef cattle of the following breeds: Limousin, Charolais, Angus, Hereford and Simmental. Feeding and housing conditions for bulls were the same. Animals were given a certain amount of concentrated forage plus silage ad libitum. The rest of the feed consisted of small amounts of grass and corn silage. When the bulls were 500 days old, 5 bulls from each group, best meeting the average indicators, were selected for control slaughter.No substantial influence of breed on the amount of dry food was determined. The meat of Aubrac breed was determined to have the highest meat protein sufficiency rate, while the lowest rate was found in the meat of Hereford breed. The difference reached up to 1.79% (P < 0.05). Differences between breeds for meat tenderness were observed as well. The toughest meat was from the Aubrac breed cattle, while the tenderest was from the Charolais breed meat. The difference reached up to 0.9 kg cm -2 (P < 0.01). There were no significant differences between breeds for water content of meat, water holding capacity and cook loss. Intramuscular fat level varied according to the breed. The meat of Hereford breed was determined to have the highest level of intramuscular fat, while the lowest level was found in the Aubrac breed meat. The difference was 1.48% (P < 0.05). Differences between breeds for physical meat quality were observed as well. The meat of French breeds (Charolais and Limousine) was lighter and had higher water holding capacity -0.78-0.82% (P > 0.05) as compared to the meat of English breeds (Hereford and Angus).

In this article are presented research data on comparative evaluation of meat quality of various poultry species. The study was made on 5 samples of ostrich, turkey and broiler meat. Samples were weighed 500 to 550 grams. Qualitative and nutritional properties of meat from different species of poultry were estimated. The chemical composition, pH, color, firmness, water holding capacity, cooking loss, drip loss of ostrich, turkey and broiler meat were analyzed. Meat quality studies were carried out according to generally accepted methodologies. Analyses have shown that the highest fat content was in the broiler meat (p <0.001). Ostrich, turkey and broiler meat acidity values were very similar, slightly more distinct in turkey meat (p <0.01). The lowest water holding capacity was established in ostrich, the highest in turkey meat (p <0.01). Comparison in regard to meat firmness, it was observed on the ostrich meat had the highest firmness (p <0.01). Also, the highest cholesterol content was established in the ostrich meat.

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The aim of this research was to analyse effects of weight and age of dairy cattle breeds and their crossbreeds (423 bulls, 492 heifers and 567 cows) on carcass yield and conformation scores according SEUROP standard data. All animals were divided into groups according to pre-slaughter weight (50 kg interval) and according to age (2 months interval). For research, average ages of the animals were: bulls 19 months, heifers 20 months and cows 38 months. The highest average weight was determined in cows 521.2 kg, followed by heifers 461.7 kg and the least got bulls 456.2 kg however, on the average carcass yield bulls got the highest value of 51.3 percent, 50.1 percent of heifers and the least 47.8 percent of cows. When animals pre-slaughter weight an average increase of 50 kg, the carcass yield of bulls on average increased by 11.1 percent, of heifers - 0.72 and cows - 0.94 percent. In all studied groups of animals were obtained weak correlation links between age of animal and carcass yield. The strongest correlation links were obtained between the animal's weight and carcass weight of bulls (r = 0.93, p <0.001), heifers (r = 0.94, p <0.001) and cows groups (r = 0.91, p <0.01). It was revealed that, if age of cattle moderately increases for 2 months, then there was a moderate increase on carcass yield such as 0.21 percent in heifers (p <0.05) and 0.12 percent in cows groups (p <0.05). This relationship was not statistically significant in the bulls group. Mostly, the O muscularity class of carcasses were evaluated in all analysed animals groups, both depending from pre-slaughter weight and age. In the group of bulls evaluated O muscularity class carcasses were found moderate (76.8 percent), heifers (74.3 percent) and in group of cows (49.7 percent). However, a trend was observed that with animal's weight and age improved carcass yield and arise carcass muscularity class.