Joint disease has a high correlation with bull reproductive failure at semen collection centers or in natural breeding programs. The majority of changes involve the digital region, with various ...etiologies and pathomorphologies. An X-ray examination is often indicated, but has not become a routine procedure in bovine practice. The aim of our research was to determine radiographically visible changes in the digital region and determine their anatomical distribution in stud bulls that do not show clinical signs of lameness. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first in vivo radiographic study of the digital region in Simmental stud bulls. The study included 30 adult Simmental stud bulls in breeding condition. Five (16.66%) bulls had no changes on their digits, and 25 (83.33%) had different groups of changes on their digits. The anatomical site of occurrence and the frequency of pathological changes on each individual digit were determined. In 76% of bulls, changes are visible on both the forelimbs and hindlimbs. Mostly radiographic findings of changes in the digital region in stud bulls without clinical signs of the disease correspond to chronic degenerative changes in their bones and joints, but they do not have any significant influence on the health status or semen production of stud bulls. However, the distribution of radiographic findings in these stud bulls does not correspond with the previously described distribution in other categories of cattle.
From birth to the time after weaning the gastrointestinal microbiota of calves must develop into a stable, autochthonous community accompanied by pivotal changes of anatomy and physiology of the ...gastrointestinal tract. The aim of this pilot study was to examine the fecal microbiota of six Simmental dairy calves to investigate time-dependent dynamics of the microbial community. Calves were followed up from birth until after weaning according to characteristic timepoints during physiological development of the gastrointestinal tract. Pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons from 35 samples yielded 253,528 reads clustering into 5410 operational taxonomic units based on 0.03 16S rRNA distance. Operational taxonomic units were assigned to 296 genera and 17 phyla with Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria being most abundant. An age-dependent increasing diversity and species richness was observed. Highest similarities between fecal microbial communities were found around weaning compared with timepoints from birth to the middle of the milk feeding period. Principal coordinate analysis revealed a high variance particularly in samples taken at the middle of the milk feeding period (at the age of approximately 40 days) compared to earlier timepoints, confirming a unique individual development of the fecal microbiota of each calf. This study provides first deep insights into the composition of the fecal microbiota of Simmental dairy calves and might be a basis for future more detailed studies.
The aim of the experiment was to investigate the effect of adding flax seed
to the cattle diet in the final stage of fattening. A total of 30 male
Simmental cattle of uniform initial weight were ...selected for the trial,
which were divided into 2 groups (KON (control) and LS (experimental)).
Animals in the control group did not consume flax seed as a dietary
supplement, and animals in the experimental group consumed flax seeds in the
amount of 3.75% of the concentrated portion of the meal in the last 90 days
of fattening, i.e 300 g per day. After slaughtering and cooling, the left
carcass side was cut into basic parts according to the Regulation. The study
included examination of the tissue fraction of parts of the carcass of the
young, determined by dissection. The results of the study showed that the
addition of flax seed in the diet had no statistically significant effect on
the composition of the carcass parts of the young bulls at the end of the
experiment.
Problems with legs and various forms of lameness of cows, in intensive milk
production, are the third significant problem occuring in this production,
after mastitis and reproductive disorders, both ...globally and in our country.
The paper analyzes the incidence of the deformation of legs of 145 cows of
the Simmental breed in the Kolubara region, and the influence of paragenetic
factors (housing/holding and type of stall/bedding and lactation) on the
incidence of deformations. The obtained results show that, of the total
number of cows assessed, 3.45% had "X" position of the front legs, 14.8% had
a "X" position of the hind legs. The convergent position of the front legs
was recorded in 35.86%, and divergent in 8.28% of animals. The convergent
position of the hind legs was observed in 16.55% of cows, and divergent in
2.76%. The outward position of the front legs was observed in 4.14% of cows,
inward position in 11.03%, and broad position in 4.14% of studied cows.
Also, 17.24% of the cows had a so called sable like position of hind legs,
and 7.59% showed steap angle of hind legs. The pronounced soft front leg
pasterns were observed in 7.59% of the cows, and the soft pasterns of the
hind legs in 33.79% of the total number of observed cows. The observed
changes in the ankles in the shape of swelling were recorded in 1.38% of
cattle on the carpal joint and 2.76% on the tarsal ankle. The damaged
shoulder and body joint (scabbed shoulder) was observed in 43.45% of the
total number of cows evaluated. Scores for the front and hind legs front,
back and side views, varied at different levels of significance under the
influence of the type of stall/bedding, while the scores for the condition
of the hind leg pasterns varied highly significantly (p<0.001) under the
influence of the type of stall/bedding. The scores for the front leg
pasterns and scores for shoulder and body joint were not significant (p>
0.05) depending on the type of stall/bedding and the method of
housing/holding of cows.
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Analysis of performance data regarding the conformation traits (withers height, body weight, thoracic perimeter), including the traits that concur to milk production (total milk production per normal ...lactation, fat percent, total fat amount from milk), in mothers-cattle of bulls, candidate mothers-cattle of bulls and active population of Romanian Spotted Simmental breed from Harghita region, allow us to ascertain the followings: The body weight of mothers-cattle of bulls, candidate mothers-cattle for bulls and also of those from the active population of Harghita region, prove the existence of a valuable genetic material with a high superiority of 30 kg of the mothers-cattle of bulls related the candidate mothers-cattle of bulls and of 50 kg related the active population; all of these emphasize the stringency of the selection performed. Analyzing the waistline of the three populations, it was possible to ascertain that the mothers-cattle of bulls values over class those of the candidate mothers-cattle of bulls and of the active population with 1 cm, respectively 4,1 cm. This difference indicates the researchers concern for raising the waistline in the Romanian Spotted Simmental breed from Harghita region. The thoracic perimeter values were adjacent those of the mothers-cattle of bulls and of the candidate mothers-cattle of bulls (200,00±3,70 cm respectively 199,30±1,24 cm and 185,70±0,61 cm in the active population). The values of circa 7000 kg milk realized in normal lactation of the mothers-cattle of bulls and candidate mothers-cattle of bulls, are showing a very good intensity of the selection, proved by the selection difference registered between the active population and the above two categories. These high milk productions registered for the mothers-cattle of bulls and candidate mothers-cattle of bulls are indicating a high productivity potential. The 250 kg of total milk fat achieved are showing a high potential of the Romanian Spotted Simmental breed as additive variation arrearage that can be used in selection for this trait. 233 The fat percent of milk registered in the three populations indicate their in-framing between the normal limits specific for the Romanian Spotted Simmental breed.
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The Simmental breed of cattle is mostly reared in the central part of the
Republic of Serbia, where it makes up about 80% of all breeds. In areas of
more intensive cattle production, populations of ...cattle with pronounced milk
yield are reared. In more extensive, as well as hilly and mountainous areas,
somewhat less productive animals are raised. The main goal of this study was
to examine the variability of genetic correlations of milk and fertility
traits on the farms of individual agricultural producers using modern
methods, depending on the breeding area, i.e. the region in which they are
bred and reared. This study included 2589 controlled Simmental heifers, with
lactations concluded during one year. All first calving heifers were housed
and reared on agricultural family farms in the area of Central Serbia. The
paper examines genetic correlations between the following traits of milk
yield and fertility: duration of lactation, milk yield in standard
lactation, milk fat content in standard lactation, milk fat yield in
standard lactation, yield of 4% FCM in standard lactation, age at first
calving, duration of service period. The results of the study of genetic
correlations were obtained using mixed LSMLMW models (Harvey 1990). The
examined genetic correlations of milk yield and fertility traits in
Simmental cows showed pronounced variability depending on the breeding area
where the cows are reared.
The main goal of this research was to examine, using modern methods, the
variability of phenotypic correlations of production performances and
reproductive properties of Simmental cows reared on the ...farms of individual
agricultural producers, in different breeding areas of the Republic of
Serbia. The study of phenotypic correlations of milk performance and
fertility properties in different regions of Serbia was carried out on a
total of 3.056 primi parous Simmental heifers under control, with lactations
completed within one year. The examined animals were reared on different
individual farms, and mainly in very different conditions of housing and
nutrition, depending on the breeding area. The study of phenotypic
correlations included the following milk performance traits: milk yield,
milk fat content, milk fat yield, yield of 4% corrected milk; and fertility
properties: age at first calving and service period. The results of the
study among other things indicate that although the phenotypic correlations
between the fertility and milk performance properties show different degrees
of variation, they should be taken into account in the final assessment of
the breeding value of the animal, so that the breeding selection programs
are more comprehensively designes.
The trial was designed in order to examine the impact of flax seed in the
nutrition of young cattle/bulls, in the final stage of the fattening. In the
trial, 30 bulls of Simmental breed of uniform ...initial weight were selected,
divided into 2 groups (control and experimental). The control animal group
did not consume flax seed as a food supplement. Cattle of the experimental
group consumed flax seed in an amount of 3.75% (300 g per day) of
concentrated meal in the last 90 days of fattening, i.e. 300 g per day. The
study included the examination of the fattening performance, slaughter
traits and the composition of the bovine carcass. After slaughtering, warm
carcass sides, with and without kidneys, were measured individually.
Subsequent to period of cooling, the left carcass side it was cut into the
main carcass parts according to the Rulebook. The results of the study
showed that the addition of flax seed in the diet did not have a
statistically significant effect on the body weight of bulls at the end of
the trial. It was found that the addition of flax seed in the feed during
the final stage of fattening did not have an impact on the differences in
the average overall gain of bulls and the feed conversion ratio. Based on
the data obtained by cutting of carcass sides to main parts, it was
established that feeding with flax seeds had no significant effect on the
share of carcass parts.
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