MASSANYI, P., TRANDZIK, J., LUKAC, N., TOMAN, R.:
Time-dependent motility of stallion spermatozoa evaluated by a computer analyzer.
A commercially available computer automated/assisted semen analyzer (Hamilton Thorn Research Motility Analyzer, version 7) was used for evaluation of the percentage of motile spermatozoa, percentage of spermatozoa with progressive motility, path velocity and straightness of spermatozoa motion in five adult stallions. The aim of the study was to determine the time dependent (0, after 60 minutes) changes in the observed parameters.
The percentage of motile spermatozoa was immediately after thawing (Time 0) 73.0 % and after 60 minutes of incubation (Time 60) 73.8 % (Tab. 1, 2). Spermatozoa with progressive motility decreased from 13.17 % to 9.20 % at
Time 60. With decreasing percentage of spermatozoa with progressive motility also their path velocity decreased from 39.83 to 39.20 um.s-1. At Time 0 the straightness of spermatozoa motion was 73.83 % and at Time 60 decreased to 69.40 %. In comparison of all parameters no significant differences were found.
Key words: ejaculate; stallion; spermatozoa motility; time; CASA
A survey on the cadmium levels found in Slovak republic in the raw materials and foodstuffs of animal origin as well as in feeds for farm animals is presented. Results are given as the mean values for individual comodites from the database of the State Veterinary Administration of Slovak republic in 1990 - 1996.
The highest values of cadmium were found in kidneys and liver (in average 0.353 mg.kg-1 Cd in the bovine kidney and 0.138 mg.kg-1 in the pig kidney). Higher values of Cd were also found in the ovine liver (0.167 mg.kg-1vine liver (0.112 mg.kg-1). Recently, a slight increase in the cadmium values has been found in the bovine kidney, which may be connected with frequent overlimited findings of cadmium in the mineral supplements of feed mixtures.
On the basis of presented results of cadmium analyses in Slovakia during 1990 - 1996 it follows that its levels in the raw materials of animal origin are not high, and they are comparable with those presented in literature of some European countries. Both the regular monitoring and control of cadmium in the raw materials and foodstuffs of animal origin quarantee that a consumer is protected against unfavourable higher values, which may occur mainly in the ruminant entrails. Regarding the highest permitted values of cadmium in feeds of farm animals, the data in
tables indicate that maize silage, continuous grass cover and mineral supplements belong among the feeds with hygienic overlimit.
Key words: cadmium; foodstuffs codex; feeds for animals; concentrations in organs
Occurrence of a bustard (Otis tarda) in Slovakia and other European countries is described. Information on the development in the number of bustards during last hundred years in our territory is presented. The aim of our contribution is to attract attention to biology, antropic and ecological causes of a critical decrease in its numbers and precautions for a protection of this endangered species (bustard diseases, breeding-protective and veterinary activities).
Key words: Otididae; bustard (Otis tarda), species diversity of fauna; Slovak republic
The effects of iodinated unsaturated fatty acids (0.6 - 0.8 mg I/1 feeding day, IUFA group, n = 6), potassium iodide (3.2 - 4.2 mg I/1 feeding day, PI group, n = 6) and feed mixture without additive iodine source (negative control, NC group, n = 6) on the concentrations of thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), testosterone (T), histomorphology of the thyroid gland and liver were compared in 6 - 12-month-old fattening bulls. Blood samples were collected in March (sampling 0), May, July, September and histological material in September. In comparison to the NC group, T4 or T3 showed in IUFA bulls a significant increase already after 2 months (P < 0.05 or P < 0.05) and T after 3 months (O < 0.01). In the PI bulls, no significant changes in the concentrations of T4, T3 and T were found. The thyroid gland in NC bulls showed the symptoms of hyperplastic processes. Histologico-morphological picture of the thyroid gland in IUFA and PI-treated bulls and that of liver in all three groups was similar and without any pathological findings. Based upon results of hormonal examination, the IUFAs are expected to be more efficient form of I in prevention of functional disorders of the thyroid gland due to iodine deficiency than potassium iodide. The changes in T4 and T3 in this group probably influenced also the T concentrations.
Key words: adolescent bulls; iodine; thyroxine; triiodothyronine; testosterone
The infection with natural focalness, contagious to man, spreading in a mild zone all over the world affects also the territory of Slovakia.
In 1997 the statistics reports the disease with diagnosis of tularemia in 28 people, mainly from the districts of western Slovakia. The ulceroglandular form affected 92.8 % patients, of which 67.8 % were men. The affected belonged mostly to empolyees in the agricultural production.
Veterinary institutions intervened in 8 infection focuses with 19 ill and 9 died animals of tularemia. The State veterinary Institutes in Slovak republic evaluated as positive 37 of 54 examined organs of animals. Of the number of 99 blood samples, only 11 samplings showed serological positivity.
The problem of liquidation of natural focuses is known as extra difficult. Therefore, it requires particularly close cooporation of veterinary institutions with health services.
Key words: tularemia; agents resistance; natural focalness; infection control
The characteristics of the most frequent pneumonias in the patho-anatomical picture and their practical understanding along with the environmental conditions, in which the affected animals live give precondition for the right direction of further laboratory examinations. The goal of this article was to give a brief survey on the patho-anatomical findings of most frequently occurring pneumonias, and in next works to aim at the specificity of individual animal species. Such a complex view on the respiratory apparatus should be helpful at the diagnostics as in field as institute practice.
Key wors: veterinary pathology; bronchopneumonia; lobar and interstitial pneumonia; patho-anatomical diagnostics; farm and house animals
Pathogenic bacteria are the most important hazards prevailing in the processing of poultry from the point of view of food safety and saprophytic bacteria from the quality point of view. They are capable of producing the surface slime and subsequently spoilage. The human pathogens most commonly associated with poultry are Salmonella, Campylobacter jejuni, Staphylococcus aureus (enterotoxin), Clostridium perfringens and also Listeria monocytogenes, Aeromonas, Yersinia enterocolitica and others.
There are not critical control points during the processing of poultry in slaughterhouses that would assure control of the hazards - CCP1 HACCP is, however, useful for reduction or minimalization of microorganisms during technological processes. There are CCP2 in the processing of poultry, that minimize but cannot assure control of the hazard. These are spray washing, cooling, frezing, cleaning and disinfection of utensils and equipment and adherence to all hygienic and sanitary requirements.
"Consumer self handling labels" can be considered as CCP1. They instruct the consumers about safe handling of the poultry including bags, which must be considered as contaminated by pathogenic microorganisms. The instructions contain requirements for storage in a refrigerator or freezer, protection measures against spilling of the juice from the bag, safe disposal of the bag immediately after removal of the poultry, prevention of secondary transmission either directly or through fingers on other foods, particularly those destined for direct consumption.
Cooking of the poultry meat as a criterium can be considered as safe with exception of meat containing spores of Clostridium perfringens, which survive cooking, develop into vegetative forms on or in cooked poultry products and produce toxin only after ingestion in intestines during sporulation. Salmonellae, Campylobacter jejuni, Staphylococcus aureus - with exception of its enterotoxin -, Listeria monocytogenes etc are the bacteria which are killed by ordinary cooking poultry procedures. Therefore, cooked poultry products must be stored under 10o C or to keep them above 60o C if they are not consumed immediately after cooking. Cooled cooked poultry products maintained under 10oC must be thoroughly overheated, which means reaching temperature of 75 o C in the centre of the meat.
Monitoring includes, first of all, observations of technological and sanitary procedures, but also measurements of temperatures, relative humidity, concentration of solutions for cleaning and disinfection.
Corrective measures can be derived from the above.
Documentation was elaborated while using computation techniques obtained from the firm SKILL SOFTWARE, LYON, FRANCE and from the firm KONFIRM, Brno.
Key words: HACCP; poultry; pathogenic bacteria; hazard; critical control points; prevention of alimentary infections
Most of the territory of Slovakia experiences the natural cycle of circulation of trichinellosis. Trichinellosis circulates in free-living carnivores and in wild boars. The highest incidence of human trichinellosis was recorded in Eastern Slovakia with a high seroprevalence of this helminthic zoonosis in wild boars (29.2 + 6.5 %). The highest seroprevalence in common foxes was detected in Central Slovakia (32.1 + 11.4 %). Antitrichinella antibodies were also found in common foxes and wild boars in the Danubian district. This new locality is separated from other trihinellosis-affected regions of Slovakia by a continuous trichinellosis-free territory (former district of Senica, Trnava, Nitra and Nové Zámky).
New measures have been proposed to raise pigs on farms without trichinellosis. Pigs for slaughter from such farms would not be subjected to examination for the presence of trichinellosis.
These measures would also include the prevention of an access of free-living animals into the area of large-capacity farms, rat control, quarantine targeted serological examination of purchased animals for the presence of trichinellosis and other zoohygienic measures reducing also the hazard of spread of other serious infectious diseases in pigs.
Key words: trichinellosis; epizootiology; preventive measures; Slovak Republic
The work was aimed at the observation of the occurrence of residues of six heavy metals (Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Hg and Pb) in ovaries, uteruses and cervical mucus of cows in four breedings in the vicinity of the metallurgic works and one control breeding. The goal was to determine the average amount of the observed elements in mg per a kg of fresh tissue and cervical mucus during the induced estrus; results were compared with the morbidity of animals. Samples were collected from 12 animals from each breeding. The animals, treated with 500 mg cloprostenol (Oestrophan, Spofa) to induce luteolysis, with active corpus luteum were selected for collection of cevical mucus; after 72 hours the sample of mucus was withdrawn, frozen in liquid nitrogen in which it was stored until processing. The ovaries and uterine samples were collected from the animals in a slaughterhouse.
In the observed region, morbidity was investigated in three breedings of dairy cows (953 animals) and in one control herd (325 animals) outside the fall-out region. From the results it follows that morbidity rate of the reproductive organs was pronouncedly higher (55.67 %) in the exposed breedings in comparison with the control (38.27 %).
The highest mean concentrations of Hg and Ni in ovaries and uteruses were found out in the breeding HA. The mean concentrations og Hg in ovaries and uteruses were 0.853 ± 0.485 mg.kg-1, in uterus 0.004 ± 0.004 mg.kg-1 and 1.160 ± 1.77 mg.kg-1. The highest mean concentrations of Pb and Cd as in ovaries as in uteruses were found in the breeding SA like in Cu, Zn and Mn in uteruses. The mean concentrations of Cu, Zn and Mn in ovaries were the highest in the breeding PE.
In the cervical mucus, the highest mean concentrations of Cd, Pb and Ni were found in the breeding PE: 0.137 ± 0.082 mg.kg-1 and 0.960 ± 0.521 mg.kg-1 and Zn in VI 4.779 ± 0.98 mg.kg-1. Individual concentrations ranged from 0.009 mg.kg-1 to 0.784 mg.kg-1 in Cu. Zn concentrations ranged from 0.907 mg.kg-1 to 9.185 mg.kg-1.
From the morbidity observation (Tab. 2) it follows that in the exposed breeeding, there is a pronouncedly higher occurrence of the diseases of repruductive tracts compared to the control one.
In conclusion it may be stated that observed heavy metals are deposited into the tissue of ovaries and uterus, while they are significantly excreted into cervical musus during the induced estrus.
Based upon the results, it is necessary to take into consideration an unfavourable effect of emissions in the fall-out region of the metallurgic works and more demanding care for dairy cow health.
Key words: residues of some heavy metals; morbidity of dairy cows; reproductive organs