The aim of this research was to determine the effect of dietary selenium supplementation (organic and inorganic) on the biochemical indices and thyroid hormone concentration in the blood of heavily ...pregnant and lactating ewes. Research was conducted on 30 pregnant ewes of the Merinolandschaf breed divided into 3 groups, and lasted for four months (two months on ewes in late pregnancy and two months on ewes during lactation). The first group was given a basal diet without the addition of selenium. The feed mixture of group 2 was supplemented with 0.3 mg/kg of organic sources of selenium, and group 3 with the same amount of inorganic sources of selenium. In lactating ewes, organic and inorganic selenium lead to a significant ( P < 0.05; P < 0.01) increase in urea concentration. At the same time, in lactating ewes inorganic selenium had a significant decreasing effect ( P < 0.05; P < 0.01) on cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein and triglycerides. Organic selenium in heavily pregnant ewes significantly ( P < 0.01) increased aspartate aminotransferase activity in comparison to group 1 and 3. In lactating ewes significant ( P < 0.05) differences in aspartate aminotransferase activity were determined between groups 2 and 3. With selenium supplementation a significant ( P < 0.01; P < 0.05) increase concentration of Se was determined (for heavily pregnant and lactating ewes, respectively), as well as Na, Cl, Fe (lactating ewes), and a decrease of K (high pregnant ewes). Organic selenium had an effect on the increase of triiodothyronine in lactating ewes. We can conclude that selenium supplementation contributes to good health and condition of ewes in the demanding period of lactation.
Continuous growth of human population, combined with the changes in eating habits, calls for an intensification of agricultural production. However, apart from the increase in food production, its ...nutritional composition is important as well, particularly in terms of microelements. In diets of over two thirds of the world’s population, there is a lack of more than one microelement. Insufficient concentrations of microelements, which are important for proper growth, development and health of humans and domestic animals, can be eliminated with diverse nutrition, microelement supplementation and by increasing the concentration and bioavailability of microelements in feeds used in animal nutrition, or biofortification. By reviewing the literature, the factors that influence the increase in microelement concentration in fodder crops are presented. Agronomic and genetic approach to biofortification is advocated as an immediate strategy to eliminate the lack of microelements most commonly lacking in diets: iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), iodine (I), selenium (Se). The nutrition of animals containing biofortified fodder aims to increase the concentration of the aforementioned microelements in blood and improve their growth, development and health. By increasing the concentrations of microelements in tissues and milk of domestic animals, the ultimate goal is to meet the microelement needs in humans.
The research was conducted on days 60, 90, 120 and 150 during the lactation with the aim to determine the effect of lactation stage on the concentration of crucial elements and chemical composition ...in Croatian spotted goats' milk. Milk yield significantly decreased (from 1.15 to 0.76 kg/day), while the concentration of Ca, Mg, P, Zn and Mo in the milk of the goats significantly increased during lactation. The concentrations of Cr, Cd and Pb in milk were very low, with no significant deviations during lactation. The quality of milk from Croatian spotted goats is adequate compared with other breeds in the surrounding area of Croatia.
Recently, many feedstuffs have been introduced to animal diets to increase the content of beneficial fatty acids in dairy products. Therefore, this study aimed to research the effect of including ...hempseed cake in dairy goats concentrate mixtures on the chemical composition and fatty acid profile of semi-hard goat cheese that is traditionally produced on family farm. The feeding of goats was based on meadow hay ad libitum and 1200 g/day/head of concentrate mixture. In the first experimental group, 60 g/kg DM of hempseed cake (HSC-60) was administered; meanwhile, in the second experimental group, 120 g/kg DM of hempseed cake (HSC-120) was included in the diet. The chemical composition of cheese was mostly unaffected by enriching the goats’ nutrition with hempseed cakes. Dietary HSC-120 increased C18:1 n-9 and C18:3 n-6 compared to the control, and increased C22:6 n-3 in cheese compared to HSC- 60, although both HSC-120 and HSC-60 lowered n-6/n-3 ratios in cheese. Feeding goats with HSC-120 may have contributed to the development of the functional properties of semi-hard goat cheese made on family farm, as compared to the cheese produced by goats fed with commercial concentrate mixtures.
This study aimed to research the effect of the seedless grape pomace (GP) added to feed mixture on meat quality, metabolic profile, and antioxidant status of Merinolandschaf lambs. The 90-day-old ...lambs in the control group (C, n=10) were fed feed mixture without GP while in experimental groups they were fed with 10% (GP10, n=10) or 20% (GP20, n=10) of GP in feed mixture for 30 days. There was a significant increase in L*, a* values and hue angle as well as a decrease in b* values of lamb carcasses in GP10 and GP20 compared to C group. When lambs were fed GP glucose concentrations decreased, while non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) increased on the 30th day in GP10 and GP20 compared with C group. A significant increase in SOD activity on day 30 and GPx activity on day 15 in lambs’ blood of GP10 and GP20 compared with C group was determined. Also, an increase in DPPH in lamb GP10 and GP20 compared with C was determined. The obtained results of the meat quality, metabolic profile and antioxidant status parameters of lamb meat showed that the use of 10% GP in the diet is justified, while 20% of GP was questionable.
The aim of the present study was to determine the acid-base balance in the blood of the Lacaune sheep during different lactation stages. Thirty lactating Lacaune sheep were involved in the research, ...and were monitored in the early (day 60), medium (day 120), and late lactation stages (day 180). The following parameters were determined in the blood plasma: pH, partial pressure of carbon dioxide – pCO2, partial pressure of oxygen – pO2, total pressure of carbon dioxide – tCO2, oxygen saturation – sO2, actual base excess Cbase – B, standard base excess Cbase – Ecf and electrolytes (Na+, K+, Ca2+, Cl- and HCO3- – bicarbonate), while total proteins – TP and albumin ALB were determined in the serum. Also, strong ion difference - SID, z value, anion gap - AG, weak anions, and cations - ATOTtp and ATOTalb, strong ion gap - SIG, unmeasured anions – XA and globulin concentrations were calculated. A significant effect of the lactation stage on most of the acid-base parameters in the blood of the Lacaune sheep was determined, except for pCO2, Cl-, z values and the SID. A significant increase of pO2, sO2, ATOTtp, ATOTalb, AG, SIGalb, SIGtp, XA, Na+, total proteins and albumins, as well as the decreased concentrations of K+ and Ca2+, were determined in the blood of the Lacaune sheep during lactation. During the medium stage of lactation, significant changes were determined in most of the acid-base parameters in the blood of the Lacaune sheep when compared to the other stages. A lactation stage may significantly affect the acid-base balance parameters in the blood of the Lacaune sheep, although the calculations of SIG, base excess (BE), and unmeasured anion (XA) values should also be included for the obtainment of a more comprehensive picture of the acid-base balance.
Cilj rada bio je utvrditi acidobaznu ravnotežu u krvi lakon ovaca tijekom različitih stadija laktacije. Za istraživanje je odabrano 30 lakon ovaca u laktaciji, koje su praćene u ranome (60. dan), srednjem (120. dan) i kasnom stadiju laktacije (180. dan). U krvnoj plazmi utvrđeni su pH, parcijalni tlak ugljičnoga dioksida (pCO2), parcijalni tlak kisika (pO2), ukupni tlak ugljičnoga dioksida (tCO2), saturacija kisikom (sO2), stvarni i standardni višak baza (Ea i Ecf) i elektroliti (Na+, K+, Ca2+, Cl- i HCO3 - – bikarbonati), a u serumu ukupni proteini (TP) i albumini (ALB). Također su izračunane sljedeće vrijednosti: razlika jakih iona (SID), z-vrijednost, anionski procjep (AG), slabi anioni i kationi (ATOTtp and ATOTalb), jaki ionski procjep (SIG), nemjereni anioni (XA) i koncentracije globulina. Utvrđen je značajan utjecaj stadija laktacije na većinu pokazatelja acidobazne ravnoteže u krvi lakon ovaca, osim sadržaja pCO2, Cl- , z-vrijednosti i SID-a. Utvrđeno je značajno povećanje sadržaja pO2, sO2, ATOTtp, ATOTalb, AG, SIGalb, SIGtp, XA, Na+, ukupnih proteina i albumina te smanjenje koncentracija K+ i Ca2+ u krvi lakon ovaca kako je laktacija odmicala kraju. Tijekom srednjega stadija laktacije utvrđene su značajne promjene većine pokazatelja acidobazne ravnoteže krvi lakon ovce u odnosu na druge stadije. Stadij laktacije može značajno utjecati na pokazatelje acidobazne ravnoteže krvi lakon ovaca te bi za potpuniju sliku pri izradi acidobazne ravnoteže trebalo uključiti i izračun SIG-a, viška baza (BE) i nemjerenih aniona (XA).
The aim of the research was to determine the age-related hematological and biochemical parameters in Croatian white goats in a traditional Mediterranean production system. The 36 lactating Croatian ...white goats were divided into three groups with 12 goats each, according to age: group I (1-2 years old), group II (3-5 years) and group III (>5 years). The mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (334 g/L) and lymphocytes (73.71%), as well as the concentration of iron (Fe 25.17 μmol/L) in the blood were higher, while the concentration of urea (3.86 mmol/L) was lower in group I compared to group III. The results of the present study are the first published blood analysis (hematological and biochemical parameters) for the Croatian white goat breed, and can be useful for understanding the metabolism and health status of this breed of goats, which helps in their conservation, promotion and breeding improvement.
There is an increased production and demand for ewes’ milk in the Republic of Croatia, as well as globally. There is also a growing concern about its quality, since milk from farm animals may become ...contaminated with mercury and other toxic elements. Thus, the aim of this paper is to determine the influence of lactation stage on the ewes’ milk quality in western Croatia by considering concentrations of mercury and other elements in ewes’ milk. The research was conducted on 36 Travnik pramenka sheep during different lactation stages. The digested milk samples were analysed with continuous flow hydride generation technique by using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Samples were taken during 40th, 80th and 120th d of lactation. Yield and quality of ewes’ milk was within lactation curve. As lactation progressed, significantly lower concentrations of Hg (on 80th d compared to 40th d) and of Cd (120th d compared to 80th d) were noted, and Hg on 120th d was below the detection limit. Concentrations of Ca and Cu were lower on the 120th d compared to 40th d, while P, Mg, Fe, Zn, Mn, and Se were lower on the 80th and 120th d compared to the 40th d. Concentrations of K, Mo, and Cr differed among all stages of lactation. Regarding toxic elements, the observed low concentrations of Hg, Co, Cd and As suggest that ewes’ milk in western Croatia is safe for human or animal consumption.
•Yield and chemical composition of ewes’ milk was within lactation curve.•Hg and Cd decreased in ewes’ milk with lactation progress.•Majority of macro and trace elements in ewes’ milk decreased during lactation.•Hg in Ewes’ milk from W Croatia does not pose a health risk for human consumption.
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