The aim of this study was to evaluate the seasonal behavior and milk yield of dairy cows of Czech Fleckvieh cattle. The subject of the monitoring was one section (housed in one quarter of barn) with 103 free cubicle beds with an average of 95 lactating dairy cows of Czech Fleckvieh cattle. In the seasons (spring, summer, autumn, winter) temperature (°C), relative humidity (%) and temperaturehumidity index (THI) were monitored. Furthermore, behavioral signs were also observed (a total of 4,940 observations): dairy cows were either lying down (3,432 observations) or standing up (1,508 observations). In the conditions that dairy cows were standing up in the cubicle, up to 585 observations were proved. If dairy cows were standing up outside of the cubicle (923 observations), they were either lying on the left side (1,924 observations) or right side (1,508). Significant seasonal influence was found out (p < 0.05) on the number of dairy cows standing up (a maximum of 410 observations in the spring, a minimum of 342 observations in the summer) and then the number of cows lying both on the left (a maximum of 519 observations in the autumn and a minimum of 444 observations in the spring) and on the right side (a maximum of 415 observations in the winter, a minimum of 320 observations in the autumn). The seasonal influence was no significant (p > 0.05) in the remaining behavioral signs. With regard to milk yield, a significant seasonal influence was proved. The highest milk yield was reached with dairy cows in spring (29.27 kg of milk) and the lowest in the autumn (24.58 kg of milk). No significant differences of milk yield were detected between behavioral signs (p > 0.05). The maximum difference of milk yield was found out up to 1.39 kg between dairy cows lying down on the left side (28.35 kg) and the dairy cows standing up in a cubicle (26.96 kg) in the winter but even this difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05).

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The objective of the study was to evaluate and compare sires based on results of their offspring in the Criteria of Young Horses. The Criteria of Young Horses are intended for stallions and mares of 4 to 6 years of age. The competitions are announced by the Czech Equestrian Federation in co-operation with breeders’ associations of the Bohemian warm-blood, Slovakian warm-blood, Kinský horse and Moravian warm-blood breeds. The horses were evaluated in the arena by the assessor and given three marks: for show jumping, agility and readiness of the horse. Data were obtained in co-operation with the Czech Equestrian Federation. Evaluated were the results of the Criteria of Young Horses in show jumping competitions held in 1998–2007. Only sires with 7 and more offspring were assessed. Ana­ly­sis of variance was carried out followed by tests according to Scheffe. The Excel 2003 and Statistica version 8 were used for processing the database and for statistical processing. Comparisons based on marks given by the assessor in the arena showed that the highest-placed stallion was Acord II and was followed by Catango Z, Calido I and Landos. The offspring of the Hanoverian stallion Walzerkönig were the lowest-placed; the second worst-placed were the offspring of Diktant slatiňanský, a stallion of Czech origin. The differences among these stallions were statistically significant. In comparisons based on marks as the second indicator, the offspring of stallions Acord II, Catango Z and Ascot were the highest-placed and offspring of stallion Diktant slatiňanský were the lowest-placed. The dif­fe­rence between these stallions was statistically significant. Based on the third indicator the offspring of stallions Acord II and Catango Z were the highest-placed. By contrast, the worst were offspring of stallions Duramus II and Duman. The differences between Acord II and Duramus II were statistically significant. According to the resulting total evaluation the highest rating went to offspring of stallion Acord II, followed by Catango Z, Autonom s.v. and Landos. The worst rating went to offspring of stallions Duman, Walzerkönig, Cattaro and Diktant slatiňanský. Comparisons showed that the dif­fe­rences were statistically significant only between Acord II and Diktant slatiňanský.

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