The aim of this study was to estimate perinatal and neonatal mortality rates from day 2 to day 30 in Slovenian Holstein Friesian population and to assess risk factors for increased losses. Data from ...420,556 calves of Holstein Friesian cows born in Slovenia in the period from January 2005 to December 2016 were analysed. Data were obtained from the Central register of bovine animals. The average perinatal calf mortality, including abortions and stillbirths, was 8.24% and neonatal mortality from day 2 to day 30 4.28%. The most important effects on perinatal calf mortality rate were the number of calves at calving and the age of dam at calving, while herd size and calving season were the most influential in the neonatal period from day 2 to day 30.
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of different production systems on fatty acids (FA) composition of three beef muscles (longissimus thoracis, semitendinosus and diaphragmae). ...The first group (MGSC) included 8 bulls of Slovenian Brown breed that were fattened with maize, grass silage and concentrates. The second group (MCS) included 8 bulls of Slovenian Simental breed that were fattened with maize silage, ensiled corn grain and concentrates. The third group (GS) included 6 Limousine × Simmental crossbreed bulls that have been fattened on pasture in cow-calf production system until slaughter. In fourth group (G) 8 bulls of Slovenian Simmental breed were fattened on pasture from spring to autumn when they were slaughtered. Bulls from MSC and MGSC had similar carcass weight (316 kg, 308 kg, respectively), whereas bulls from GS had the lightest (215 kg) and bulls from G the heaviest carcass weight (371 kg). Carcass fatness was similar for bulls in MSC, MGSC and G groups and slightly lower in GS group. The percentage of saturated FA differed among groups only in semitendinosus muscle. Bulls from G and GS had lower percentage of monounsaturated FA (MUFA) and higher percentage of polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) in all three muscles. Bulls from grazing production systems had higher n-3 PUFA values in all muscles and higher n-6 PUFA values in semitendinosus and diaphragmae. Bulls fattened on pasture had lower n-6/n-3 ratio in all three muscles. Bulls from GS had a higher percentage of conjugated linolenic acid in comparison to MGSC and MCS groups in all muscles except in semitendinosus where percentage of CLA was higher only from MGSC group.
In 2007, the EUROP 15-point scale of carcass conformation and fatness classification system was introduced in Slovenia and replaced existing 5-point scale. Data (carcass weight, carcass conformation ...and fatness) from Slovenian commercial slaughterhouses were collected from January 2005 to December 2013. In total, data from 374,122 animals were used. The analysis was conducted for the category of young bulls from 12 to less than 24 months of age. In the first year after the transition, the classifiers preferentially used 0 classes in classification of carcass conformation and carcass fatness as well. In period 2008 - 2009 the classifiers adapted the new scale and started to use + and – subclasses more frequently. The distribution of conformation and fatness subclasses was brought near normal distribution.
In this perspective analysis, we strive to answer the following question: how can we advance integrative biology research in the 21st century with lessons from animal science? At the University of ...Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Animal Science, we share here our three lessons learned in the two decades from 2002 to 2022 that we believe could inform integrative biology, systems science, and animal science scholarship in other countries and geographies. Cultivating multiomics knowledge through a conceptual lens of integrative biology is crucial for life sciences research that can stand the test of diverse biological, clinical, and ecological contexts. Moreover, in an era of the current COVID-19 pandemic, animal nutrition and animal science, and the study of their interactions with human health (and vice versa) through integrative biology approaches hold enormous prospects and significance for systems medicine and ecosystem health.
The aim of the study was to determine fatty acid composition in meat of Cika and Simmental bulls from two different fattening technologies. The herd of 39 young bulls was housed during the winter ...time and fed the same total mixed ration diet (TMR) based on corn and grass silage with a limited amount of concentrates. In the spring bulls of both breeds were divided into two subgroups. Bulls in the first subgroup (10 Cika, 9 Simmental; S-INT) were fattened indoors with the semi-intensive TMR. Bulls in the second subgroup (10 Cika, 10 Simmental; G+S-INT) were put on all-day grazing in the pasture. After grazing period bulls were housed under the same conditions as the first subgroup. Samples of M. longissimus dorsi were collected from the right carcass side to determine the total fat content and the fatty acid composition. The breed significantly influenced fatty acid composition in meat. The beef of Simmental bulls resulted in higher percentage of PUFA and lower percentage of SFA and MUFA. Higher percentage of n-3 and n-6 PUFA was determined in meat of Simmental bulls but the n-6/n-3 ratio was lower in Cika bulls meat. The fattening technology had less effect on FA composition in meat. The second grazing period produced higher percentage of SFA, beneficially lower values of n-6/n-3 ratio and higher values of long-chain C20-22n-3 PUFA. Higher CLA percentage was determined in beef from S-INT group.
A brown cattle is dual purpose cattle in Slovenia mainly used for milk production. This study included 90 crossbred young bulls of two genotypes, 70 Brown x Limousin (BRxLIM) and 20 Brown x Charolais ...(BRxCHA). The aim of this study was to determine some growth and carcass characteristics of crossbred young bulls. Data were analysed by GLM procedure considering sire breed and year nested within sire breed as fixed effects and slaughter age as linear regression. Sire breed statistically significantly affected slaughter weight, hot carcass weight, net daily gain, dressing percentage and index of conformation. All three included effects statistically significantly affected only slaughter weight, hot carcass weight and net daily gain.
The aim of the present study was to estimate genetic parameters for growth traits of Charolais calves in Slovenia. Analysed traits included birth weight (BW), weight at the beginning (WB) and at the ...end of grazing season (WE), as well as yearling weight (WY). Data were collected on 340 Charolais calves. The total number of records, including pedigree data (parents and grandparents) was 401 animals. (Co)variance components were estimated by REML method for the animal model that included fixed effects of sex, parity and year of birth in the models for all traits. Age of calves at the beginning of grazing season was included as linear regression in models for all traits except for birth weight. The age of calves at the end of grazing season, and age at approximately one year were included as linear regression in the models for corresponding weights. Random effects included direct and maternal additive genetic effects. Direct heritabilities (h
a
2
) were decreased from 0.74 at birth to 0.19 at yearling weight. Inversely, maternal heritabilities (h
m
2
) were increased from 0.04 at birth to 0.12 at all other included weights. Direct-maternal genetic correlation (r
am
) was negative for all weights except for yearling weight (0.10).
Genetic parameters for birth weight (BW), weight at the beginning (WB), in the middle (WM), and at the end of grazing season (WE), as well as weight at the age of one year (WY) were estimated. Data ...were collected on 319 Charolais calves. The total number of records, including pedigree data (parents and grandparents) was 377 animals. Variance and covariance components were estimated by REML method using the VCE-5 package. The effects of sex, parity and year of birth were included in the models for all traits. Age of calves at the beginning of grazing season was included as linear regression in models for all traits except for birth weight. The age of calves in the middle, at the end of grazing season, and age at approximately one year were included as linear regression in the models for corresponding weights. Direct additive genetic effect was included in models for all traits as random effect. Estimated heritabilities for BW, WB, WM, WE and WY were 0.62 ± 0.06, 0.23 ± 0.09, 0.35 ± 0.08, 0.29 ± 0.07 and 0.23 ± 0.07, respectively.
The effect of crossing of Black and White (BW) cows with Charolais (CHA), Limousin (LIM) and Belgian Blue (BB) sires on carcass traits of their crossbred male offspring was evaluated. The crossbred ...bulls were compared with pure breed BW, CHA and LIM bulls. Bulls younger than 24 months and slaughtered in Slovenian slaughterhouses from 2005 to 2008 were included in the comparison. All crossbred genotypes had heavier carcass weight and better net daily gain than pure breed BW bulls. Within crossbred groups the CHAxBW bulls had the heaviest carcasses and the greatest net daily gain. Among all genotypes the best carcass conformation had CHA and the worst BW bulls. In the comparison to pure breeds the BBxBW bulls had for 1.1 of the class better conformation than BW and for 0.5 worse than CHA bulls. Within crossbreeds the BBxBW bulls had for 0.12 and 0.30 of the class better conformation than CHAxBW and LIMxBW bulls. Carcass fatness varied from 2.3 to 2.6 among genotypes, where the BBxBW buls had the lowest fatness score.
The Cika cattle is the only Slovenian autochthonous cattle breed, counting around 1,600 animals in 2007.. The breeding goal for Cika cattle is dual purpose with the emphasis on milk production. ...However, Cika cattle is mostly reared in the cow-calf system. To a smaller extent Cika cattle is still used for milk production in the traditional regions for Alpine dairy-farming. Our main interest was to get an insight into carcass quality of Cika cattle. The data used in this survey were collected in slaughterhouses in the years 2005 through 2007. Out of all slaughtered cattle in 2007 the share of slaughtered Cika cattle was 0.24%. According to the category, the slaughtered animlas were very heterogenic in carcass weight which is seen in rather large standard deviations. The average carcass weight of A category (bulls under 24 months of age) was 260.3 kg. The majority of bulls under 24 months of age and calves were classified in conformation class O (57.1 and 47.8%), whereas bulls over 24 months of age were mostly classified in the conformation class R. The majority of calves (88.1%), bulls under 24 months of age (55.8%) and bulls over 24 months of age (49.5%) were classified in fatness class 2. Most of Cika cattle are reared extensively on small farms, mostly on mountain pastures without any additional concentrates. This could present the basis and the opportunity for Cika breeders to promote beef from Cika cattle on the market and to increase their income. Autochthonous Cika is well adapted to the environment and helps to maintain biodiversity and sustainable agricultural production, especially in less favourable agricultural areas.
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