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Research in physiology of ruminant nutrition using the in sacco and mobile bag methods and developing and testing of a duodenal cannula of our own construction including our own surgical application in cattle, led to the intellectual property protection. The duodenal monocannula for determination of nutrient intestinal digestibility in cattle, designed by the National Agricultural and Food Centre (NPPC, Slovak Republic), has been registered by European Union intellectual property office, as a Registered Community Design. The innovativeness of the technical design of the "NPPC cannula" lies in the fact that the cannula is made of one piece of a straight tube with an inner diameter of 22 mm. The tube is smooth, with no additional extensions and glued parts. The operation does not require ligation of the bowel with an arterial prosthesis or a polyurethane felt. The dimensions of the cannula allow the use of the mobile bag method without any problems. The vinyl chloride emulsion was designed to polymerize at the lower temperature, than has been currently used in this procedure (130 °C), and the end used for fixation in the intestine could be shaped after immersion in warm water. During the growth of the animals, the tube length can be prolonged to adapt to the duodenal size. As a result, the life of cannulated animals can be extended without age limitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to find: (1) whether bacteriocin-enterocin Ent A/P applied in rabbits drinking water can have an inhibitory effect on methicillin-resistant S. epidermidis P3/Tr2a; (2) whether application of the P3/Tr2a strain can negatively influence selected parameters and meat quality, and (3) if application of enterocin A/P can reduce possible negative impact of the P3/Tr2a strain. A total of 66 post-weaned hybrid rabbits (meat lines M91 and P91) of both sexes at the age of 35 days were divided into two experimental (EG1; EG2) and one control (CG) groups (22 rabbits in each group). Rabbits were kept in standard metal cages. They were fed with a mixture of a standard diet. At day 14, rabbits in the EG1 were administered with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis P3/Tr2a strain (in drinking water), marked with rifampicin (a dose of 500 µl/animal/day; 1.0 x 105 CFU/ml). Rabbits in the EG2 were administered with Ent A/P (50 µl/animal/day) supplied in drinking water (first 14 days). The rabbits had access to water ad libitum. Since day 22, all animals were fed only the untreated commercial granulated diet for growing rabbits. The experiment lasted for 48 days. Sampling of faecal mixtures per each group was provided at days 0/1, 14, 21 and 48 (end of experiment) to assess staphylococci and Staphylococcus epidermidis P3/Tr2a. At day 56 and at the end of the experiment, carcass and meat quality parameters (pH value 24 h post-mortem, colour lightness, water-holding capacity, protein and fat content, energetic value of the carcass yield) were measured. Methicillin-resistant SE strain did not affect negatively the selected physico-chemical parameters and nutritional quality of rabbit meat, as well as growth performance and the zootechnical parameters. In addition, in rabbits with Ent A/P, the highest daily weight gain was noted. In spite of the fact, that there was not significant reduction in the SE strain, enterocin A/P could be used as a preventive supplement in rabbit husbandry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total number of 72 post-weaned rabbits (aged 35 days, meat line M91 a P91 hybrid rabbits), reared in an intensive breeding in the Slovak Republic, were used in the experiment. The rabbits were randomly divided into 3 similar groups, 24 animals in each group (control -EG1, experimental groups - EG2 and EG3) and kept in standard metal cages, two animals per cage. This study investigated the effects of different feeding on growth performance, chemical composition, fatty acid profile and content of essential amino acids of the Musculus longissimus thoracis and lumborum of growing rabbits. This in vivo study was designed to reveal whether the antimicrobial effect of Enterocin M (produced by non-rabbit origin strain Enteroccocus faecium AL41-CCM8558), is able to influence the meat quality of rabbits. Every day at the same time in the morning the rabbits in EG 2 received 50 µl dose of Ent M per animal per day, administered into their drinking water. The rabbits of experimental group (EG3) had commercial diet enriched with the supplement of 1% natural zeolite (a product of ZEOCEM Company, Bystré, Slovakia) and the drinking water did not contain any coccidiostatic drugs during the experiment. The experiment was lasted for 42 days. The fat of rabbits in the 2EG had a higher (P = 0.05) concentration of n-3 and n-6, MUFA, while the ratio of SFA in the control was lower (32.92%) than in 2EG and 3EG reared rabbits (34.61% vs. 34.71%). Feeding of natural substances to rabbits did not influence biochemical and zootechnical parameters and it had no negative effect on growth performance in rabbits. It had positive effect on health status and it reduced the number of Eimeria spp. Oocysts were not detected in rabbits' intestinal tract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Legumes are the most important crops within sustainable agriculture. In animal nutrition they represent an important source of proteins. The aim of this study was to focus legumes and legume-cereal mixtures as a suitable source of protein in ruminants' nutrition. The influence of climatic conditions on the nutritional value of legumes and legume-cereal mixtures in two years of growing were compared. Quality of feed protein was studied according to the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) chemical fractionation method. The highest value of fraction A was determined in 2015 in a monoculture - as high as 39.9 % in peas with leafs, in 2017 it was highest in the mixture of peas with leafs and wheat (40.7 %). During the second harvest of 2015, the amount of soluble crude protein (A) decreased in the monoculture of leafy peas by 11 % down to 28.6 %. Important for feed quality evaluation are the values of fractions B2 and B3. These are proteins that are slowly soluble in the rumen, which increases their by-pass into the intestine as well as their digestibility. Fraction B2 content exceeded 40 % in all samples from 2015. The highest fraction B2 content 52.6 % was determined in a mixture of faba bean and oats in the first harvest. The lowest value was determined in 2017 in peas with leafs-wheat mixture in both harvests (30.6 % and 35.6 %). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of our study was to determine the nutrients content and dry matter degradability in whole plants of maize hybrids dent and dent x flint. Hybrids dent x flint - Mesnil, Chambord, Queen, and hybrids dent - Aude, Meridien, KX 1393, Omero were used. Concentration of crude protein (CP) was higher in dent hybrids (85.0 g.kg-1 DM) compared to dent x flint hybrids (78.3 g.kg-1 DM). Content of starch ranged from 205.2 g.kg-1 DM (KX 1393 - dent) to 329.4 g.kg-1 DM (Mesnil), higher for hybrids dent x flint. ADF and NDF were higher in hybrids dent and content of lignin was similar. In sacco experiment was carried out in three rumen-cannulated cows with large rumen cannulas. Hybrids dent x flint had in average higher effective dry matter degradability (DMD) - 56.8% than dent hybrids 54.7%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measuring intestinal digestion of protein in vivo is difficult, expensive and time-consuming. Therefore, alternative methods have been developed. The objective of this study was to measure and compare intestinal digestibility using tree methods: mobile bag, in vitro and in vivo. To obtain the ruminal undegradable protein (RUP) the samples were ruminally incubated in sacco for 16 h in four dry cows with ruminal cannulas. Intestinal digestibility of undegraded crude protein was determined by mobile bag method - four cannulated dry cows with T-cannula in proximal duodenum, in vitro method - enzymatic two-steps method, and in vivo method - rats of the Wistar breed were used. Cereals (wheat, barley, oats and rye), maize, rapeseed meal, soybean meal and sunflower meal were used for this purpose. The highest loses of N after 16 hours of incubation in the rumen were determined in wheat (93.5%), rye (90.2%) and barley (89.3%). The lowest loses were observed in maize (64.6%). Intestinal digestibility of undegraded residues determined by different methods increased while ruminal degradation decreased. More than 85% of soybean meal crude protein from the residual amount of undegraded N was digested. The mobile bag method yielded the highest values of intestinal digestibility. The smallest differences between the compared methods (6.5%) were calculated for wheat. The largest differences (36.1%) were calculated for maize. From all samples, the soybean meal was the most digestible for all used methods (in vivo - 85.6%, in vitro - 85.8%, mobile bag 97.6 %). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacteriocins represent substances of proteinaceous character with antimicrobial spectrum. This in vivo study was designed to reveal whether antimicrobial effect of Enterocin M (produced by non-rabbit origin strain Enteroccocus faecium AL41-CCM8558), in combination with Durancin ED26E/7 substances (produced by non-rabbit origin strain Enteroccocus durans ED26E/7) is able to influence the meat quality of rabbits. A total of 80 post-weaned rabbits, meat line P91 and M91 (aged 35 days, both sexes), were randomly divided into 4 groups (20 animals in each group). Control group without enterocin administration and experimental groups: EG 2 received 50pl of Enterocin M, EG 3 with 50|il Durancin and EG 4 with combination both of substances (50pl of Enterocin M + 50 |il of Durancin/animal/day) water administration for 21 days. Four animals (at the age 21 and 42 days) from each group were slaughtered No clinically noticeable changes in the average body weight of experimental animals were observed. A positive influence of Enterocin M and Durancin was noted on animal health. Enterocin M and Durancin substances did not negatively influenced growth performance and meat quality of selected carcass characteristics and meat quality of broiler rabbits, in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Using bacterial (probiotic) strains can influence beneficial health statuses, e.g., through dairy products; however, they must be assessed as safe before consumption; broiler rabbits represent a suitable model for this purpose. This study evaluated the safety and effect (functionality) of the dairy-derived, plantaricin-producing strain Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LP17L/1 using broiler rabbits. The following parameters were assessed to evaluate safety and functionality: microbiota, phagocytic activity (non-specific immunity parameter), blood serum biochemistry, oxidative stress enzyme, growth performance, cecal hydrolytic activity, and jejunal morphometry., Methods: Previously validated methods were used for the analyses. The appropriate administrations approved the experiments., Results: Although only up to 1.0 colony forming unit (CFU)/g (log10) LP17L/1 reached the gastrointestinal tract of the rabbits, the total lactic acid bacteria and amylolytic streptococci were significantly increased ( p < 0.001). The other microbiota were not influenced, meaning there was no negative influence on phagocytic activity, growth parameters, and biochemistry in the analyzed blood serum. Conversely, lower GPx values were measured in the experimental group than in the control group, meaning LP17L/1 did not induce oxidative stress. LP17L/1 caused an increase in villi length to crypt depth ratio, while hydrolytic activity was also significantly increased ( p < 0.01, p < 0.001)., Conclusions: L. plantarum LP17L/1 was confirmed as safe. Regarding the functionality, no negative influence on the microbiota was noted, and the tested parameters were not negatively influenced. Demonstrating that the LP17L/1 strain is safe provides further chances for its industrial application. Additional studies are being conducted., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2024 The Author(s). Published by IMR Press.)