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Copyright of Archives of Environmental Protection is the property of Polish Academy of Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Central European Agriculture is the property of Journal of Central European Agriculture and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

• Sup plementary feeding of European bison influence Ashworthius sidemi nematode infection. • Sup plementary fed European bison have higher infection parameters than non-fed ones. • Management strategies may have an impact on pathogen spread in mammalian populations. • Application of adaptive management in reducing threats to protected species is important. Parasitic infections in wildlife are influenced by numerous factors, including those related to wildlife management. This includes sup plementary feeding widespread in numerous ungulates, including European bison. In this paper we analysed the influence of sup plementary feeding and winter ranging of European bison herds on the dynamics, prevalence and infection severity of the blood-sucking nematode Ashworthius sidemi in two areas in NE Poland: the Knyszyn Forest (KF) and the Białowieża Primeval Forest (BPF) with diversified management strategies. We found significant differences in A. sidemi abundance and intensity between European bison groups; sup plementary fed European bison from the BPF had higher parasitic load (3020 parasites, on average), than non-fed individuals from the KF (1400) and from the BPF (770). The prevalence was relatively high in all groups (93–96 %). In the KF the highest infection rate was observed 9 years after the first appearance of A. sidemi , with a maximum value of 8,620 nematodes; while in the BPF, after just 6 years with maximal load up to 44,310 A. sidemi. The most plausible mechanism behind the observed pattern is probably the winter ranging behaviour of differently managed herds. We found that increasing winter home range size of European bison was associated with a significant reduction in the A. sidemi abundance. Our study shows that different management strategies may have an impact on animal spatial behaviour and associated spread and dynamics of pathogens in mammalian populations, and stresses the importance of adaptive management in reducing threats to wildlife. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of backfat thickness (mean standardised measurement from in vivo assessment) of Polish Large White (PLW) gilts on their reproductive performance and productive lifespan. The study included 5,122 PLW gilts from 160 breeding herds in Poland, which reproductive performance was analysed on the basis of the rearing results of 20,662 litters. The gilts were divided into two groups differing in mean standardised backfat thickness (P2+P4/2) on the performance test day: I≤10 mm, II>10 mm. Sows in group I vs II had a three month shorter herd life (P≤0.001), gave birth to fewer litters and piglets (P≤0.001), but the average number of piglets born alive and reared to 21 days of age/litter was higher in them (P≤0.001). The number of live-born piglets per 100 days of reproductive life in group I was greater than in group II (P≤0.001). When culling sows in cycles 1–8 and later, there was more intensive culling in group I vs II from cycle 1 to 6 and a lower percentage of sows remaining in the herd. In group I vs II, the proportion of sows with a lifetime productivity of fewer than 30 piglets was 5.5 percentage points higher and that with a production of more than 100 piglets was 1.9 percentage points lower. Our results indicate that the level of fat reserves determined in vivo in breeding gilts can be a preliminary information about the reproductive potential of sows and their predisposition to longevity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Ornithology is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The aim of the study was to evaluate the lactational unit production of urea and ammonia emissions from cows kept in eastern Poland. The study covered 1089 lactations of Polish Holstein-Friesian cows born between 1992 and 2018 in 15 cattle herds located in the Masovian and Podlaskie Voivodeships. The amount of urea excreted in the urine and nitrogen compounds in the faeces was calculated based on the following regression equations: (y = 15.46 × urea concentration in milk (g/L) + 193.4); y = 11.42 × urea concentration in milk (g/L) + 41.93); y = 4.05 × urea concentration in milk (g/L) + 151.47). Several factors affecting the total production of urea were examined: four groups of animals were distinguished according to their milk yield in 305-day lactation; three groups based on year of birth; four age groups; and three groups according to urea content in milk. The results of the study showed that the average concentration of urea in cow urine was 78.6 kg, and the ammonia emission from a lactating cow was 44.6 kg. The study demonstrated large variation in the amount of nitrogen compounds excreted in faeces and the degree of ammonia emission risk among animals. The main factors differentiating the amount of nitrogen compounds in the urine and faeces and the level of ammonia emission into the atmosphere included the cow's production level, its year of birth, and urea content in milk. These results can be used to assess the potential risk of ammonia emissions from dairy cattle farming to the environment. The data obtained in the study, in addition to their pure scientific value, can serve as a source of information for national centres responsible for monitoring and assessing the threat of ammonia emissions to the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to analyze the thickness and medullation characteristics of the wool of a herd of Huacaya alpacas kept in Poland. Wool samples were collected from 36 adult alpacas, including 22 females and 14 males. Light (15 animals) and dark (21 animals) color varieties of wool were considered in this research. A projection microscope was used to measure the fiber diameter and assess the medullation. Each fiber was categorized according to the medulla as a non-medullated, discontinuous medullated or continuous medullated fiber. The mean fiber diameter (MFD), standard deviation (SD), coefficient of variation (CV), comfort factor (CF) and prickling factor (PF) were determined for each sample. The MFD, SD and CV were also determined for the abovementioned fiber categories. The mean fiber diameter of all alpacas tested was 25.31 µm. The CF and PF were 77.79 % and 22.21 %, respectively. The medullation percentage in the wool of the study alpacas was 68.91 %. The mean fiber diameter was larger in males (P<0.05) than in females. There were no differences between males and females in terms of the proportion of fibers with a diameter < 30 µm (CF) and > 30 µm (PF). The non-medullated fibers in the wool of females were thinner (P<0.05) than in the wool of males. The wool of males also had a larger degree of medullation. Light wool was thinner (P<0.05) than dark wool. The discontinuous and the continuous medullated fibers were thicker (P<0.05) in dark wool than in light wool. In dark wool, the share of discontinuous fibers was higher (P<0.05) and the share of the non-medullated fibers was lower (P<0.05) than in light wool. The presence of various types of medulla or the absence of medulla was noted in fibers with smaller and larger diameters, regardless of the sex of the animals or the color of the wool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Annals of the Polish Association of Agricultural & Agribusiness Economists is the property of Polish Association of Agricultural & Agribusiness Economists and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)