An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of pea-based diet fed to growing and finishing pigs on performance, carcass and meat quality. Thirty pigs (Slovak White Meaty or crossbred Slovak White Meaty × Pietrain) were tested for the malignant hyperthermia (MH) syndrome using a DNA based test. Pigs were allotted to control and experimental groups (of 10 pigs each, equal for normal -NN and heterozygotes -Nn and equal for barrows and gilts) with 2 pigs per pen. Pigs receiving the control treatment were fed soybean meal diets. In all diets fed to experimental pigs the soybean meal was replaced by 30% of raw or extruded pea-based meal balanced on an isonitrogenous and isoenergetic level. Pig performance was monitored for the entire experimental period. At the conclusion of the experiment, carcass and meat quality were measured. The results did not show any effects of dietary treatments on average daily gain (P > 0.05). The evaluation of carcass composition showed no significant differences (P > 0.05) in backfat and lean percentage values between the control and experimental pigs. Chemical composition (total water, protein, intramuscular fat) and fatty acid profile did not differ among treatments (P > 0.05). The differences in the omega-6/omega-3 ratio were significant (P > 0.05) between animals fed the control ration with soybean meal and animals receiving the pea ration. No differences were observed between control and experimental pigs in pH (45 min and 24 h), colour (24 h), drip loss (24 h) and tenderness (5 day) measured with Warner-Bratzler instrument (P > 0.05). In conclusion, peas may replace the soybean meal in diets fed to growing and finishing pigs without negative influence on pig performance, carcass composition and meat quality.

Summary The experiment was conducted on 6‐week‐old mice selected for a high rate of body‐weight gain. Model stressors were used: fasting for 24 and 48 h, immobilization for 12 and 48 h, and cooling, i.e. reducing outside temperature to +5°C, over 12 h. Measurements were made of the level of glucose in blood, the aldolase activity and the LDH activity in the liver and kidney, and the level of total protein. After 48 h of fasting, the weight of the body, liver and spleen decreased. Fasting and immobilization caused a decrease in the level of blood glucose and in the activity of aldolase and LDH, which was more marked in selected mice. The cold exposure increased the blood‐serum glucose level. The results presented suggest that mice selected for a high rate of body weight gain seem to be less resistant to unfavorable environmental factors — fasting, immobilization and cooling — than the unselected animals. Zusammenfassung Einflußder Selektion auf Stressreaktion bei Mäusen Nach 48‐stündigen Hungern kommt es bei Mäusen zu einer Abnahme des Körpergewichtes sowie des Leber‐und Milz gewichtes. Nach 48 Studen Hunger sowie bei Immobilisierung wurde einen Abfall des Blutglukosespiegels, weiter auch eine Abnahme der LDH‐und Aldolaseaktivität in Leber und Niere, insbesonderes bei den selektierten Tieren, beobachtet. Nach 12 stündige Kühlung bei +5°C kommt es zu einem Anstieg der Blutglukosespiegel. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, daßselektierte Tiere empfindlicher als Kontrolltiere gegen Belastungen sind.

In this study, different types of cereal grains (maize, wheat, triticale), and their respective distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS: DDGSM, DDGSW, DDGST) were used. Their effects on parameters expressing nutritional value for ruminants were assessed. The chemical composition of the DDGS was significantly differed (P<0.01), similarly as that of the cereal grains. The DDGS from maize was the highest in fat ( kg -1 DM). The DDGS were three times higher in PDIN values than the original grains (P<0.01). DDGSM had lower in situ effective CP degradability (46.5%) than DDGSW (58.5%) and DDGST (76.8%), but the highest and most stable intestinal digestibility (ID) of rumen undegraded CP (94.3%). The most variable intestinal digestibility was found in DDGSW samples (79.6%-92.2%). The acid detergent insoluble CP (ADICP) content (% from total CP) was significantly higher in wheat and triticale DDGS than in the original grains. There were significant plant effects on fat, ME, NEV, ADICP (P<0.01), ADF, and NADIP (P<0.05). We can conclude that all types of DDGS are a good source of CP and energy for ruminants.

Summary The activity of alanine and asparagine aminotransferases in liver and kidney of 6‐week‐old mice, selected for high rates of weight gains, was compared to that in unselected mice. The effect of starvation, immobilization, and cold exposure on their stress reactivity was investigated. The decreases in AspAT and AlAT activity, caused by 24 and 48 h starvation, was higher in liver and kidney in selected mice than in unselected mice, respectively. The increases in AspAT and AlAT activity observed in liver and kidney, after 12 and 48 h immobilization and after cooling (5°C, 12 h), were higher in selected than in unselected mice. The results seem to indicate that mice selected for a high rate of body‐weight gain are less resistant to unfavourable factors in the environment—starvation, immobilization, cold exposure—in comparison with unselected animals. Zusammenfassung Einfluss der Selektion auf Stressreaktion bei Mäusen Bei Mäusen mit hohen Zuwachsraten, sowie bei Kontrolltieren, wurde der Einfluß eines 24 und 48 Stunden langen Fastens auf die Aktivität der Asparagin‐ und Alanin‐Aminotransferasen in der Leber und Niere untersucht. Die gleichen Untersuchungen wurden nach 12 Stunden Immobilisierung und 12 Stunden Unterkühlung (5°C) gemacht. Nach der Hungerperiode wurde eine stärkere Aktivitätserniederung bei den selektionierten Mäusen im Vergleich zu den Kontrolltieren beobachtet. Im Gegensatz dazu, nach der Immobilisierung und der Unterkühlung, wurde ein signifikanten Anstieg der beiden Enzyme beobachtet, größer in den Geweben der Tiere mit hohen Zuwachsraten. Die Ergebnisse deuten auf geringere Resistenz der selektionierten Tiere gegenüber Streßfaktoren, im Vergleich zu den Kontrolltieren.

The objective of this study was to investigate whether milk performance is impacted by the housing of heifers from the second to the seventh day of life, the method of feeding milk from the second week of life to weaning, the sire lineage and by the season of birth and season of calving. From 32 Holstein heifer-calves, which spent their first day of life in a loose housing maternity pen with their mother, 19 heifers were randomly placed in hutches (IH), and 13 stayed in a loose housing maternity pen (MP). At the seventh day IH heifers were assigned to one of two treatments, 10 heifers were randomly taken from IH and relocated to a loose housing pen with an automatic feeding station (AD), 9 calves stayed in hutches with bucket drinking (BD). MP heifers were moved to a group pen with nursing cows (UD). All animals were weaned at the age of 8 weeks (56 days) and kept in group pens. After calving, they were in freestall housing. Trial cows were divided according to the sire, season of birth and calving. The five-factorial ANOVA revealed that among all the factors taken into account in this study, only sire lineage and season of birth had significant effects. The production of milk, FCM and protein were higher in the MP group than in the IH group. The UD group tended to have the highest production of milk, FCM, protein, lactose, SNF and total solids (TS) and the AD group the lowest. The content of fat and TS were highest in the AD group. Effects of the sire were significant for average daily gains (ADG) from birth to weaning (0.55±0.03 kg, p<0.05), contents of fat (3.81±0.08%, p<0.05), protein (3.13±0.02%, p<0.05), and TS (12.67±0.12%, p<0.05). In the season of birth evaluation, statistical difference was found only in the content of protein (3.13±0.13%, p<0.05). Cows born in March-May had the highest % protein and cows born in June-August the lowest (3.21±0.04 vs. 3.06±0.05%). Dairy cows born and subsequently calving in December-February had the highest production of milk, protein and TS, and dairy cows born in June-August the lowest. FCM and fat yields were highest in the group born in September-November and lowest in the group born in June-August.