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The aim of the current study was to evaluate the level of saliva cortisol and heart rate in lactating goats depending on different environmental condition, from early spring to the summer heat in the mountainous region of Croatia with a moderate climate zone (average winter air temperature from -2°C to -4°C and summer below 20°C). Ten lactating goats (6 Saanen and 4 Alpine) kept confined, occasionally tethered, were included in the study. The barn was wooden, thermally insulated, divided into five equal pens divided by wooden partitions. Each pen housed two goats on deep hay bedding and ensuring sufficient space allowance per animal. Saliva sampling was carried out in early April when goats were kept exclusively in the barn and occasionally tethered, at the end of May when they spent part of the day grazing freely, and the end of July when they spent only the night in barn. Saliva samples of saliva were taken at 11 a.m. using special equipment and frozen until analysis, and heart rate was determined by palpation of a. femoralis. Samples were analysed by the enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Following statistical analysis of the results, no statistically significant differences in cortisol levels and heart rate were observed during the sampling period. Since the hypothalamus- pituitary-adrenal gland is extremely susceptible to environmental changes, cortisol level is considered to be a credible indicator of the ability of animals to adapt to changing environmental conditions. Based on the obtained results, it is possible to conclude that the investigated goats were kept in conditions and in a way that was not stressful to them and are almost ideal for achieving their optimal production performance, and goats adapted very well to the environmental changes during different seasons., Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je procijeniti razinu kortizola u slini mliječnih koza te vrijednosti b la ovisno o različitim uvjetima držanja, od ranog proljeća do vrhunca ljetnih vrućina u unutrašnjem planinskom području Hrvatske s umjerenom kontinentalnom klimom (zimi se prosječne temperature zraka kreću od -2 °C do -4 °C, a ljeti ispod 20 °C). Istraživanjem je bilo obuhvaćeno deset mliječnih koza u laktaciji (6 sanskih i 4 alpskih) koje su cijelu zimu provele zatvorene u oboru i povremeno na vezu. Obor je bio drveni, toplinski izoliran, podijeljen drvenom pregradom u 5 jednakih odjeljaka. U svakom su odjeljku bile smještene po dvije koze na dubokoj stelji od sijena i na površini više no dostatnoj po grlu. Uzorkovanje sline i utvrđivanje vrijednosti b la provodilo se početkom travnja kada su koze držane isključivo u zatvorenom i povremeno na vezu, krajem svibnja kada su dio dana provodile slobodne na ispaši i krajem srpnja kada su u oboru jedino provodile noć. Uzorci sline korištenjem posebnog pribora uzimani su ujutro u 11 sati, i smrznuti do izvođenja pretrage. Vrijednosti b la utvrđivane su palpacijom a. femoralis. Uzorci sline analizirani su imunoenzimnim postupkom (EIA). Nakon statističke obrade rezultata utvrđeno je da nema statistički značajne razlike u razini kortizola i vrijednosti b la tijekom različitih mjeseci uzorkovanja. S obzirom da je os hipotalamus-hipofiza-nadbubrežna žlijezda iznimno osjetljiva na promjene u okolišu, razina kortizola uzima se kao vjerodostojan pokazatelj sposobnosti prilagodbe životinje na promijenjene okolišne uvjete. Na temelju dobivenih rezultata moguće je zaključiti da su istraživane koze držane u uvjetima i na način koji za njih ne predstavljaju stres te su gotovo savršeni za postizanje njihova optimalnog proizvodnog potencijala, kao i da su se na promjene u okolišu tijekom različitih godišnjih doba vrlo dobro prilagođavale.

Blood samples for determining haematological and biochemical values were taken from 23 healthy wild boars selected for breeding. All animals were in good condition, aged 3 to 5 years, body mass 100 to 150 kg. Total numbers of erythrocytes, concentration of haemoglobin, haematocrit and MCV values were somewhat higher than physiological values of domestic pig, while total number of leukocytes was lower, with more segmented granulocytes, than in domestic pigs. Mean values of alanine aminotransferase and creatine kinase were higher than physiological values in domestic pig, and aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, total proteins, albumin, blood urea nitrogen and creatinine were within these values. Glucose level was significantly higher than values in domestic pigs., Istraživanje je obavljeno na uzorcima krvi 23 zdrava vepra određena za rasplod. Veprovi su bili dobrog općeg stanja, u dobi od 3 do 5 godina, teški između 100-150 kg. Ukupni broj eritrocita, koncentracija hemoglobina, hematokrit i prosječni volumen eritrocita (MCV) bili su nešto viši od fizioloških vrijednosti ustanovljenih za domaću svinju, a ukupni broj leukocita bio je nešto niži od fizioloških vrijednosti s većim udjelom segmentiranih granulocita. Srednje vrijednosti aktivnosti alanin aminotransferase i kreatin kinaze bile su više, a aspartat aminotransferaze, alkalne fosfataze, ukupnih serumskih bjelančevina, albumina, dušika ureje (BUN) i kreatinina bile su unutar fizioloških vrijednosti utvrđenih za domaću svinju. Vrijednosti glukoze u serumu bile su znatno više od vrijednosti za domaću svinju.

In the present study we examined the effect of density gradient preparation Percoll® ; on bull sperm separation and in vitro fertilization (IVF) results. Frozen/thawed semen from 5 Simmental bulls was pooled and sperm quality parameters were evaluated before and after sperm separation using Percoll® ; density gradient preparation. We evaluated sperm motility (subjective), sperm concentration (Thoma chamber) and sperm membrane activity by HOS assay. Initial sperm parameters results were as follows: motility 50%, sperm concentration 80.80 x 106 spz/mL and functional integrity of sperm cells 39.25%. Final sperm motility was 63%, final sperm concentration 28 x 106 spz/mL and HOS assay results after Percoll® ; gradient was 57.60%. A total of 211 oocytes were matured and fertilized in vitro and cultured in SOFaaBSA in five repetitions. The cleavage (D2), blastocysts (D7) and hatched blastocysts (D10) were 63.13%, 20.38%, and 10.64%, respectively. We found no significant correlations between sperm parameters and IVF results (r0.05). It is possible to conclude that sperm evaluation parameters after sperm separation by gradient Percoll® ; are not reliable in predicting the outcome of IVF. However, using gradient Percoll® ; for sperm separation in IVF is necessary to improve the quality of separated sperm able to significantly improve sperm quality with a high rate of progressive motility and morphological normal spermatozoa.

The aim of the current study was to establish the influence of dietary zeolite clinoptilolite (CPL) on the chemical composition of milk, somatic cell counts and udder health in dairy cows. Twenty cows of the Holstein-Frisian breed, aged between 3 and 5 years, which were pregnant for 3 months and kept in a small family farm in vicinity of Đurđevac, Croatia, were included in the trial. Cows were randomly assigned into two groups, control (n=10) and CPL-fed group (n=10). The CPL group received 100 g zeolite in the ratio for dairy cows on a daily basis. The first milk sampling was taken prior to adding CPL to feed. The four consecutive samplings were performed on a monthly basis up to 7th month of pregnancy, i.e., the dry period. The milk samples were analysed for chemical composition (milk fat, proteins, lactose, nonfatty dry matter and urea), somatic cell counts and by bacteriological examination. Observed differences in the content of particular milk components tested did not differ significantly between groups in any of sampling points. However, the chemical composition of milk was found to be more stable in CPL-fed cows. Statistically significant differences were found for milk fat and urea contents between single samplings in CPL-fed cows. Moreover, in the control group, significant differences were found between single samplings for all milk components, except non-fatty dry matter. The number of SCC in milk between the groups did not differ significantly. However, the control cows had a 21-fold higher odd of intramammary infections than CPL-fed cows. This beneficial outcome of the study may be attributed to the antibacterial, detoxifying, antioxidative and immunostimulating effects of CPL on the metabolism of cows, as exhibited by a decreased incidence of intramammary infections during the dry period, parturition and early lactation. Such an outcome might be explained by the moderation of stressful events accompanying such periods, when cows are the most sensitive to metabolic imbalance and environmental detrimental effects, resulting in more pronounced immunosuppression and susceptibility to intramammary infections.