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The dichotomy between developed and developing countries was observed not only in asymmetric human population growth, but also in increasing demand for animal products revolving around poultry and pigs in developing World. Modern livestock industry has adopted innovative technologies to improve the biological efficiency of animal production and feeding, and for this purpose different mathematical models have been applied. In this review, the authors summarize the growth models, briefly introduce the principles of precision feeding and provide evidence that models are key elements of these systems. Modelling is an excellent tool to help in understanding and to predict the animal’s response to different farm conditions. Models comprise of equations set describing nutrient flows and animal response. They are essential elements of precision livestock farming system being the basis of the decision support tool since, from yesterday’s data, they provide today what happens tomorrow. Precision farming adopts real-time monitoring systems collecting serial data about individual or group of animals. However, without a well-defined goal-oriented data process, data by itself are not useful to farmers. Available and newly recorded data can be converted to valuable information for management purposes through models applied in farming systems. Nutritional models are integrated part of those systems; therefore, growth modelling is a key tool to improve the efficiency and sustainability of livestock production systems.

Increased interest in the breeding of beef cows results from the trends of society, especially in the consumption of quality raw materials of animal origin. Breeding of beef cattle is often encountered as part of a modern rural lifestyle. The good growth ability of calves is a decisive factor in the profitability of breeding of suckling cows and decides on the breeder‘s satisfaction in setting purchase prices. This quantity is expressed mainly by the average daily gains and the live weight of calves under one year of age. In addition to the achieved weight of beef, is very important shaping of individual body parts representing the most valuable meat parts of animal, to which the body measurements of sires must correspond. Weight gains point to the degree of adaptation of a specific breed to the farming conditions. Equally, the genetic basis of an individual influences the achieved weight of animal. Genetic improvement of meat performance depends on breeding programs that exploit genetic variability between breeds and within the breed. Moreover, the breeding conditions and animal handling could influence the increasing of live weight. Breeding efficiency will always be a summary of factors that determine the own cost and the purchase price of weaned calves. In view of the above, this review is focuses on the main intrinsic and extrinsic factors influencing the growth characteristics of different cattle breeds as well as its relationship with slaughter characteristics.

Standardization of litter size after birth is a common management practice used on broiler rabbit farms to optimize the growth intensity of kits in the litter. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the litter size at birth before the standardization performed on the subsequent growth intensity of suckled HYPLUS broiler rabbit kits. A total of 70 litters with a total of 639 newborn kits were selected for evaluation, while assessed litter sizes at birth covered 7 to 12 kits per litter. The assessed levels of litter sizes at kindling did not show significant differences in the average birth weight of the kits. Although the litter size was standardized to 8 kits for primiparous and to 9 kits for multiparous does on the first day after birth, the intrinsic litter size of does at kindling had a highly significant effect on the average live weight (LW) of 19-day old suckled kits (P <0.01). The average LW of kits at this age were higher in females which kindled 7 and 8 kits in litter compared to females in which the number of kits born in the litter was between 9 and 12. The same trend as in the case of LW was found for average daily gain values, while its higher values (P <0.01) were found in litters where does kindled only 7 and 8 kits per litter (19.1 and 17.9 g day-1, resp.) in contrast to litters in which does kindled 9 to 12 kits per litter (14.0 to 15.4 g day-1). The performed standardization of litter size in the involved farm thus was not a sufficient management practice to reduce the variability of the average LW of suckled kits at 19 days of age.

The growth performance, economic indices, carcass cuts and organoleptic properties of pigs (large white × landrace, n = 30) fed biscuit dough as a replacement for maize was examined in a 49-day feeding trial. Weaned pigs were randomly allotted to five dietary groups of six pigs each. A maize-soybean meal based diet served as the control (D1) while diets D2, D3, D4, and D5 had 12.5%, 25.0%, 37.5% and 50.0% biscuit dough respectively as a replacement for maize. The feed conversion ratio (FCR), feed cost per kg, feed cost per kg weight gain, profit per kg weight and economic efficiency of gain (EEG) were significantly influenced (P <0.05) by the dietary treatments. The feed cost per kg and feed cost per kg weight gain reduced linearly from D1-D5, unlike the profit and EEG which increased linearly. The carcass primal cuts including jowl, boston butt, loin, spare rib, belly, ham, trotters, head and picnic shoulder were significantly different (P <0.05). The organoleptic properties (meat colour, texture and overall acceptability) were significantly influenced (P <0.05) by the dietary treatments. In conclusion, feeding up to 37.5% biscuit dough as a replacement for maize improved the feed conversion ratio. Nevertheless, the use of biscuit dough up to 50% would result in reduced cost of production, higher profit margin, economic efficiency of gain, greater loin, belly, ham and overall consumer acceptability. Therefore, the use of biscuit dough by pig farmers would improve pig performance and enhance profitability up to 50.0% replacement for maize.

Over the past decades natural substances are widely used in the maintaining of spermatozoa viability. The target of present study was to evaluate the effect of various taurine concentrations on stallion spermatozoa during 37°C cultivation. Fresh semen was collected from 10 breeding stallions. The experimental groups were supplemented with six different concentration of taurine (in mg/ml): A – 2.5, B – 5, C – 7.5, D – 10, E – 15, F – 20 and compared to control (CON – 0). Spermatozoa motility was assessed using the Computer Assisted Semen Analyzer (CASA) system in 6 time periods (0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 hours). The MTT test was used for detection of viability. For measuring antioxidant activity FRAP and TOS methods were used. Significantly negative effect was observed in the samples with the highest concentration of taurine (20 mg/ml). Spermatozoa viability was not significantly affected in analysed concentrations of taurine. Significant higher antioxidant activity was detected in the sample with the highest taurine concentration. Data clearly showed negative effects of high taurine concentrations on stallion spermatozoa.

Dog breeds are the leading examples of artificial selection, with sometimes extreme changes between the wolf-like phenotypes and current breeds. This increased selection pressure manifest in increased homozygosity throughout the genome, including the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) with large influence on the immune system. The MHC region in 98 Leonberger and 37 Standard Poodle dogs was examined using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data. The overall homozygosity levels and via the runs of homozygosity (ROH) were calculated as indicators to assess the MHC regions, compared to other random parts of the dog genome. High proportion of homozygosity was observed in all examined chromosomes, ranging from 58 to 78%. The ROH was preferred to the overall level of homozygosity, as it showed the variability within the MHC regions. The homozygosity was even lower at the locations of the genes with a known effect on the immune response, confirming previous findings.

The objective of the present paper was to evaluate the health status reflected in haematological and biochemical traits of the blood, reproductive performance and bone quality of rabbit does on first parturition housed in several housing systems with or without mirrors. The animals were randomly allocated into 6 experimental groups: pens with soil covered by deep litter with the possibility of digging burrows (A), pens with soil covered by deep litter with the possibility of digging burrows enriched with a mirror (B), pens with plastic slatted floor with elevated resting area (C), pens with plastic slatted floor with elevated resting area enriched with a mirror (D), combi-park system (E) and combi-park system enriched with a mirror (F). Litter size after birth and the number of weaned kits was found to be highest in group A, D, E and F compared to other groups. However, the biochemistry analyses showed every investigated trait as significantly affected by housing conditions except the UREA and CHOL, it has to be stated that values of the blood traits were in accordance with the reference values of rabbits. The effect of housing system on tibia and femur characteristics was found to be significant in fracture toughness, where the lowest value of this trait was detected in group E and F compared to other groups in both investigated bones. According to these findings, it is possible to recommend every tested housing system from a health point of view for farmers dealing with alternative housing systems.

In February 2022, the long-term pollution of the Slaná River by discharge of mine water began. The pollution is evident in a long stretch of the river, due to the bright orange colour of the water. According to media reports, there was significant damage to ichthyocenoses, despite the fact that no mass death of fish was recorded. About a month before the survey was carried out, the concentration of dissolved substances was reduced by approximately 80%. The goal of the ichthyological survey was to determine the current state of ichthyocenoses affected by pollution. The presence, abundance and age representation of individual species of fish and roundmouths at three locations were examined. A decrease in species diversity, low densities in relation to the character of the flow and a distorted age structure in the affected locations were found. The condition of ichthyocenoses improved in direct proportion to the distance from the point of discharge of mine waters. When comparing results of current ichthyological survey with previous surveys and based on the absence of other significant sources that could negatively impact river ecosystems, it is possible to consider this pollution of the Slaná River to be the reason for degradation of ichthyocenoses.

Genotyping of 606 animals of the Ukrainian Black-and-White dairy breed was carried out in order to establish the features of genotype formation by beta-casein. It is established that the modern population of this breed has been formed using stud bulls of the Holstein breed, mainly of the American and German breeding. It is found that the original breed has determined the features of polymorphism of the beta-casein gene. According to the research results, it is proved that the existing genetic structure of stud bulls of the Holstein and Ukrainian Black-and-White dairy breeds enables formation of populations homozygous by these characteristics in subsequent generations. Among the breeding stock of the Ukrainian Black-and-White dairy breed, the frequency of the desired A2A2 genotype was 33-53%. It is expected to increase the frequency of occurrence of individuals with the A2A2 genotype by beta-casein in subsequent generations, especially if stud bulls homozygous by A2A2 beta-casein is used.

International evaluation models for beef cattle allow to compare animals’ estimated breeding values (EBV) across different countries, thanks to sires having offspring in more than one country. In this study we aimed to provide an up-to-date picture of the Interbeef international beef cattle evaluations from a national perspective, considering both large and small populations. Limousin age-adjusted weaning weight (AWW) phenotypes were available for 3,115,598 animals from 10 European countries, born between 1972 and 2017. EBV and reliabilities were obtained using a multi-trait animal model including maternal effects where AWW from different countries are modelled as different traits. We investigated the country of origin of the sires with internationally publishable EBV and, among them, the country of origin of the top 100 sires for each country scale. All countries had 20 to 28,557 domestic sires whose EBV were publishable, according to Interbeef’s rules, on the scale of other countries. All countries, except one, had domestic sires that ranked among the top 100 sires on other country scales. Across countries, inclusion of information from relatives recorded in other countries increased the reliability of EBV for domestic animals on average by 9.6 percentage points for direct EBV, and 8.3 percentage points for maternal EBV. In conclusion, international evaluations provide small countries access to a panel of elite foreign sires with EBV on their country scale and a more accurate estimation of EBV of domestic animals, while large countries obtain EBV for their sires on the scale of different countries which helps to better promote them.

The hormonal protocol is used to increase reproductive efficiency in ewes. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of two intervals of hormonal protocol (progesterone + equine chorionic gonadotropin (P4 + eCG)) for estrus synchronization in Awassi ewes. A total of 110 Awassi ewes were randomly divided into two groups. The first group (short term) (n = 45) used sponges for 7-day. The second group (long term) (n = 65) used sponges for a 14-day. At the time of sponge withdrawl, two doses of eCG injection were administrated intramuscularly (500; n = 54 and 1000 IU; n = 56) for each main group. All ewes were mated with ram following estrous sings. Transabdominal ultrasonography was used for pregnancy diagnosis on 35- and 40-days following mating. Percentage of estrus response, conception rate, fertility rate, prolificacy rate twinning rateand missing rate were calculated for each group. Estrus response, fertility rate, conception rate, and low missed rate was greater in high dose eCG comapred to low dose. Estrus response, fertility rate, conception rate, twinning rate, litter size was greater in high dose and short-term group (100%, 100%, 100%, 19.2, and 0%) comparted to other groups. The estrus response, fertility rate, conception rate, twinning rate, litter size was greater in high dose and short-term group comparted to other groups. In addition to that missed rate was the lowest on high dose and short-term group comparted to other groups. In conclusion, a short-term treatment (7 days) for the induction of estrus can be a good alternative to a traditional longer duration treatment (14 days). Short-term priming has the advantage of allowing more flexibility in the treatment protocol under field conditions.

Soil bacteria play a vital part in the biochemical cycles, impacting nutrient availability, ecosystem functioning, and global biogeochemical processes. This abstract explores the significance of soil bacteria in biochemical cycles, focusing on their roles in carbon, nitrogen, sulfur cycle, phosphorus, iron cycle and manganese cycles. Soil bacteria, responsible for fixing nitrogen, nitrify and denitrify also mineralize organic phosphorous into soluble form. These correlations is essential for implementing sustainable soil management techniques and reducing ecological deterioration. These interactions can be disturbed by anthropogenic activity, which calls for more investigation to comprehend their processes along with responses to environmental changes. Overall, soil bacteria are essential regulators of biochemical cycles, and maintaining environmental balance. Understanding the intricate interactions between soil bacteria and biochemical cycles is crucial for effective soil management, ecosystem conservation, and sustainable development practices. The aim of the paper is to identify and characterize the bacterial communities involved in these cycles and to determine their contributions to soil health and plant growth. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of soil samples from various ecosystems, using both culture-dependent and culture-independent methods. High-throughput sequencing and metagenomic approaches were employed to identify bacterial taxa and their functional genes related to biochemical cycles. We found that certain bacterial taxa, such as Rhizobium, Pseudomonas, and Bacillus, play pivotal roles in nitrogen and phosphorus cycling. Our data indicated that microbial diversity and activity are closely linked to soil organic matter. These findings can inform sustainable land management practices and enhance our ability to predict and mitigate the impacts of environmental changes on soil ecosystems.

The main idea of this paper is the evaluation of two new flora of wild plants and Date palm fronds collected from Hafr Al-Batin Eastern Region, Saudi Arabia. Chemical properties of macro- and micro-element contents were analyzed for each natural material including, Date palm fronds (Phoenix dactelifera L.) (DPFs), desert grasses of species (Stipa capensis) (DGs), small desert trees of species (Haloxylon persicum) (DTs). Ligno-cellulosic natural resources were analyzed for their suitability as substrates (organic materials) for mushroom mycelium grows and production of the industrially valuable enzymes. Oyster mushroom able to degrade three tested substrates producing the highest levels of lignin-degrading enzyme laccase 182.05 U/ml, 140.38 U/ml, and 41.75 U/ml using DPFs, DGs and DTs respectively, followed by medium activity of xylanase and cellulase enzymes. On the other hand, Chestnut mushroom showed appreciated amount of laccase activity, 59.23 U/ml, 21.54 U/ml, and 43.51U/ml respectively with three materials, and low xylanase and cellulase enzymes activity.

The aim of the experiment was to find out the impact of different moisture regime on selected indicators of the growth and production process of Medicago sativa L. cv. Zuzana and Trifolium pratense L. cv. Poľana. The pot experiment was carried out at the Department of Grassland Ecosystems and Forage Crops, FAFR SUA in Nitra in 2015. There were evaluated two variants of irrigation: 1st – irrigation once a week and 2nd – irrigation twice a week with a single dose of 300 ml of water per pot. The results of the experiment showed a positive effect on the height of Medicago sativa L. and Trifolium pratense L. plants (p = 0.006 and p = 0.316), the number of stems (p = 0.001 and p = 0.002), dry phytomass production (p = 0.001 and p = 0.044) and the quantity of harvest residues of evaluated legume forages (p = 0.100 and p = 0.146) with a general more visible effect under irrigation twice a week. By comparison of both species, irrigation twice a week was more effective for Medicago sativa L. on plant height, number of stems and weight of above-ground phytomass, whereas for Trifolium pratense L. only on the weight of harvest residues compared to irrigation once a week.

The vast area cultivated which includes a variety of environment, climate, and agricultural maintenance, can affect the quality of the crop also the literature about the export of dates shows that those produced in the municipality of Tolga offering an opportunity for a strong export. Therefore, the objective of this study is to show the impact of the physicochemical interaction of water and soil on the intraspecific variability of Deglet-Noor. So, we will try to study the quality of Deglet-Noor dates under three axes: phenotypic, physicochemical, and biochemical in five municipalities among which Tolga. Principal Component Analysis showed a wide spectrum of variation between water and soil conditions affecting date quality. Application of fertilizer in a very salty, moderately calcareous gypseous soil allowed to produce dates considered as a good whose phenotypical and physicochemical characteristics are ranked among the best (yield with 264 kg palm-1 including size 4.47 cm and weight of dates 13.69 g, and moisture content 25.99% and a good consistency 2.15); the application of fertilizer in a very salty highly calcareous, moderately gypseous soil enhanced fruit phenotypical and physicochemical characteristics (yield with 252 kg palm-1); the application of fertilizer in a very salty soil highly calcareous, loam type, of Sidi Okba make possible to present dates with improvements in physicochemical and biochemical characteristics (total soluble solids 70.95%, total sugars 71.68% including sucrose 41.44% levels); salinity in a moderately gypsum and calcareous of Ouled Djellel gave more or less a good biochemical level of dates (reducing sugars 30.62%).

Seeds of Syzygium cumini and fruits of Ficus racemosa individually are reputed to have hypoglycemic properties, but their combined efficacy is yet to reveal which may produce improved therapeutic efficacy than the single herb treatment. Hence, the antidiabetic potency of a combined extract of S. cumini seeds and F. racemosa fruits was investigated using glibenclamide as a reference drug in terms of physiologic, hematologic, histopathologic, and histomorphometric restoration. For a 30-day experiment, seventy-two Swiss albino mice were grouped as normal control, diabetic control (alloxan @ 150 mg/kg b.wt), glibenclamide (@ 600 μg/kg b.wt) and combined herbal extract (ethanolic extracts of S. cumini seeds @ 500 mg/kg b.wt and F. racemosa fruits @ 200 mg/kg b.wt). Diabetic control mice presented hyperglycemia and significantly lower body and pancreas weights. When the combined herbal extract was administered, the diabetic animals body and organ weights increased and glycemic levels fell; the exhibited hypoglycemic effect was better than the reported individual treatment and statistically similar (p < 0.05) to the reference drug. Postprandial hypoglycemia found in the glucose tolerance test also indicates improved glucose usage ability of the combined extract by the cells and tissues. Diabetes-induced changes in the pancreas such as fibrosis, vascular congestion, decreased number and diameter of the islets were restored to near-normal after administration of combined herbal extract and glibenclamide. Collectively, the combined herbal extract derived from S. cumini seeds and F. racemosa fruits was better than their individual dose and was nearly as effective as a standard hypoglycemic drug.

In this study, inbreeding and effective population size of the Latvian gene conservation cattle breeds Latvian Brown (LB) and Latvian Blue (LZ) were analysed. The study was based on the pedigree data of 319 LB and 712 LZ cows that were alive at the time of data selection. The inbreeding level in LB and LZ has been increasing during the last decade and at the end of the year 2019, it was 2.61% and 5.20% for LB and LZ, respectively. The average increase of inbreeding from 2010 to 2019 was 1.80% for LB and 2.26% for LZ. The proportions of inbred animals with an inbreeding level greater than 10% were 0.60% and 2.14% in LB and LZ, respectively. Effective population size based on the rate of inbreeding decreased and was close or within the minimum range of recommended effective population size. The current study demonstrates that the inbreeding has increased, and the effective population size decreased in both populations. Therefore, the breeding organizations have to monitor and control the rate of inbreeding in LB and LZ populations over time.

Farrowing records of the Duroc, Hampshire and Pietrain breed were analysed by means of a three-trait repeatability animal model. The examined traits were number of piglets born alive (NBA), number of weaned piglets (NWE) and litter weight at weaning (LWWE). Heritability estimates were 0.10, 0.08 and 0.12 for NBA, NWE and LWWE, respectively. The ratios of the permanent environmental variance to the phenotypic variance were 0.08, 0.05 and 0.03 for NBA, NWE and LWWE, respectively. Using the estimated breeding values a desired index was constructed in order to improve each trait by one additive genetic standard deviation. NWE and NBA have a high correlation and range within breeds from 0.87 to 0.91, but LWWE had poor to moderate correlation with NBA and NWE (0.13 to 0.59). Animals ranking based on index showed better genetic merit for Duroc breed and the index scores ranged from 49.77 to 186.56. In the case of Hampshire and Pietrain breeds somewhat lower index scores (30.92 to 165.97) were observed. The estimated genetic trend for NBA was highest for the Pietrain breed (0.02), but for Duroc and Hampshire breeds the estimates were zero and negative (-0.01). For NWE the estimated genetic trends were practically zero for Duroc and Pietrain breeds and it was 0.02 for Pietrain. LWWE showed highest genetic trend for Duroc breed (0.17) but it was lower (0.09) for Pietrain and and negative (-0.24) for Hampshire.

The aim of this paper was to evaluate the influence of birth weight and weaning weight on selected fattening, carcass, physical technological parameters and proximate composition of Longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle from forty-five Holstein bull calves. Effect of birth weight: group1 (mean 36.98 kg), group 2 (mean 38.61 kg), group 3 (mean 41.11 kg) and weaning weight: group A (mean 88.54 kg), group B (mean 97.56 kg), group C (mean 116.09 kg) on parameters of Holstein veal production were examined. Each group was consisted of 15 animals. Slaughter weight, weight gains, body measurements, carcass conformation, retail yield (meat, trimmed fat, bones), and meat characteristics 24 hours and 7 days post mortem (pH, drip loss, shear force, colour, chemical composition) were studied. Calves of group 2 had highest lifetime average daily gains. Among monitored groups, significant effect of birth weight and weaning weight on hip height and heart girth were revealed. Dressing percentage (P<0.05) and carcass weight differed (P>0.05) little due to weaning weight. Calves of lighter birth weight had the least retail meat yield, but the most bones in carcass. Little effect of weaning weight on protein content (P<0.05) and energy value (P<0.01) or birth weight on energy value (P<0.05) of Longissimus muscle was revealed. Effect of birth weight or weaning weight on worsening or improving of physical technological traits of veal Longissimus muscle was not clear. Significantly different pH 24 hours post mortem was found in higher birth weight (P<0.01) and lower weaning weight (P<0.05). Parameters of meat colour – lightness and redness were not influenced by birth weight, but significantly affected by weaning weight (P<0.05). Content of palmitic acid was affected by both – birth weight and weaning weight (P<0.01). No interactions between birth weight or weaning weight were evident for resulted fattening, carcass, yield, physical technological and qualitative traits of calves.

Field trials were conducted in the early cropping seasons of 2016 and 2017 at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (07° 20ʹN , 3° 23ʹE 159 m above sea level) in the forest – savannah transition agroecology of South-western Nigeria to evaluate the effect of weed control methods on weed biomass, growth and yield of mango ginger. Ten weed control methods were evaluated and laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Data were collected on weed biomass, crop vigour score, stand count, number of rhizomes and rhizome yield. Results on weed biomass at 8 WAP showed that plots treated with different rates of pre emergence herbicide gave lower weed biomass than plots hoe weeded plots. Also at 24 WAP, plots treated with pre emergence herbicide followed by different post emergence treatments gave lower weed biomass than plots when only pre emergence herbicide was applied. In both years, plots hoe weeded five times at 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 WAP gave the highest rhizome yield. Application of only pre emergence herbicide throughout crop life cycle irrespective of the rate resulted in 60.7 to 62.0 % reduction in rhizome yield relative to the maximum across the two years. Uncontrolled weed interference resulted in 91.9 and 92.1 % rhizome yield reduction in 2016 and 2017, respectively. This study reveals that, mango ginger being a long seasoned crop should be kept weed free beyond 12 WAP for acceptable yield.