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Svijest javnosti o problemima dobrobiti farmskih životinja sve je veća, a potrošači plaćaju sve više za hranu koja potječe iz proizvodnih sustava koji su u skladu s dobrobiti životinja. U tom pogledu i peradarska proizvodnja podliježe znatnim promjenama u cilju poboljšanja dobrobiti životinja. Noviji trend u poboljšanju dobrobiti tovnih pilića u konvencionalnoj proizvodnji jest integracija ispusta u sustav držanja. Zatvoreni sustavi uzgoja tovnih pilića nailaze na osobite kritike zbog zabrinutosti za dobrobit životinja u smislu stope rasta i gustoće naseljenosti te resursa za izražavanje prirođenog ponašanja. U usporedbi s pilićima koji se drže u zatvorenom prostoru, istraživanja su pokazala da tovni pilići s pristupom na otvoreno češće izražavaju prirođena ponašanja kao što su čišćenje perja kljunom, kupanje u prašini i istraživačko ponašanje. Pilići također rjeđe kljucaju perje, rjeđe leže i lakše se kreću, a povećana aktivnost odražava se sporijim rastom. U tovnih pilića s pristupom vanjskom prostoru manji je i omjer heterofila i limfocita, što upućuje na smanjenu razinu stresa u pilića. Nadalje, pokazalo se da pristup vanjskom prostoru povećava silu smicanja prsnog mišića i smanjuje sadržaj masti u mišićima batka tovnih pilića, iako taj utjecaj na svojstva trupa i kvalitetu mesa tovnih pilića nije u potpunosti razjašnjen. Stopa smrtnosti tovnih pilića s pristupom na otvoreno, međutim, veća je u usporedbi s onima koji se drže samo u zatvorenom prostoru. Tovni pilići s pristupom na otvoreno češće su izloženi zaraznim i parazitarnim bolestima, kao i grabežljivcima, što rezultira stresom i strahom u pilića. Stoga, daljnja istraživanja u proizvodnim sustavima tovnih pilića s pristupom vanjskom prostoru trebaju biti usmjerena na svojstva trupa i kvalitetu mesa te na pronalaženje rješenja za smanjenje stope smrtnosti pilića u takvim proizvodnim sustavima.

Longevity is a complex trait ; the longevity performance of the sire is a measurement of the time he produces in a herd and is determined by various factors such as fertility, health, and workability. The sire fulfilling an active working life in the herd increases the average herd production and efficiency by reducing input costs. Busha is a native breed of cattle reared in an extensive system and classified as an endangered population - maintained. From the establishment of the Herd Book, breeding systematization defined 24 lines of bulls (LB). The aim was to analyze the herd life of different bull lines of the Busha cattle breed in Croatia. The data on 83 breeding sires born in 1995-2022 with at least one offspring were obtained from the Veterinary Information System of the Ministry of Agriculture, Directorate for Veterinary Administration. Herd life was defined as the total number of days from the calving date of first offspring to the last (culling) date of the bull. Testing of differences in the number of days spent in the herd between different lines was carried out considering as a minimum criterion 4 breeding bulls for each line. The difference in the days spent in the herd between the lines was carried out with one-way ANOVA at p

Funkcionalna svojstva povećavaju učinkovitost proizvodnje smanjivanjem troškova. Narušeno zdravstveno stanje i fitnes mliječnih krava, razvoj novih tehnologija u mljekarstvu, porast proizvodnje mlijeka po kravi te stav potrošača glavni su uzroci povećanja interesa za funkcionalnim svojstvima. Najvažnije skupine funkcionalnih svojstva jesu plodnost, zdravlje vimena, zdravlje papaka i hromost. Selekcija na funkcionalna svojstva otežana je zbog male količine i kompliciranog prikupljanja podataka (osobito podataka koji se odnose na zdravlje) te niske heritabilnosti svojstava. Razvojem novih tehnologija te zbog tržišnih i klimatskih promjena neprestano se stvaraju mogućnosti i potrebe za istraživanjem novih funkcionalnih svojstava., Functional traits are those characteristics of an animal that increase efficiency not by higher output of products but by reduced input costs. These traits are related to the health and fertility of dairy heifers and cows. International Committee for Animal Recording (ICAR) recognizes several groups of functional traits: health, female fertility, udder health, claw health, and lameness. In recent years, the decline in cow health, along with increased awareness of the costs of production and animal well-being led to the increase in the relative share of functional traits in the selection indexes. Selection based on functional traits is hindered by the low amount of available data, difficult collection of the data (especially the data related to health), low heritability of traits, and low genetic gain after selection.

Zadržavanje ovaca i koza u proizvodnji određena je odlukama uzgajivača o izlučivanju. Proizvodnom dugovječnošću moguće je mjeriti sposobnost životinja da dugo ostanu neizlučene. Proizvodna dugovječnost je povezana s rentabilnošću jer je duljim boravkom životinja u stadu za očekivati i rast količine proizvoda, a prema tome i prihoda.

Ekološka proizvodnja sveobuhvatan je sustav upravljanja poljoprivrednim gospodarstvima i proizvodnjom hrane koji ujedinjuje najbolju praksu zaštite okoliša, visoku razinu biološke raznolikosti, očuvanje prirodnih resursa, primjenu visokih standarda za dobrobit životinja i proizvodne metode u skladu s potražnjom sve većeg broja potrošača. Jedan od glavnih ciljeva ekološke proizvodnje jest proizvodnja hrane privlačnih, autentičnih okusa, teksture i kvalitete. U Hrvatskoj je tijekom 2019. godine u ekološkoj proizvodnji bilo 21.551 govedo, čineći udio od 5, 1 % u ukupnoj govedarskoj proizvodnji, a 2018. s udjelom od 4, 7 % naša zemlja svrstala se na 15. mjesto u Europskoj uniji - prema udjelu mliječnih krava (0, 7 %) na 22. mjesto. Najviše goveda na ekološki prihvatljiv način uzgaja se u Ličko- senjskoj i Sisačko-moslavačkoj županiji. Goveda u ekološkoj proizvodnji moraju se hraniti ekološki proizvedenom hranom, držati se na stelji i imati pristup površinama na otvorenom, uz poštivanje minimalnih smještajnih normativa. Gustoća naseljenosti ne smije prelaziti 170 kg dušika godišnje po hektaru poljoprivredne površine. Telad se najmanje tri mjeseca mora hraniti majčinim mlijekom, a nakon tjedan dana života ne smije se držati u pojedinačnim odjeljcima. Zdravstvena zaštita temelji se na jačanju otpornosti životinja na bolesti. Uzimajući u obzir odlike ekološke proizvodnje i sve veće potrebe tržišta za ekološkim proizvodima, nužno je osnažiti razvoj ekološke govedarske proizvodnje u našoj zemlji, uključujući mliječno govedarstvo.

The physiological regulation of milk production is controlled by multiple genes that may be important potential candidate genes for detecting genetic variation in economically important traits of farm animals. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a group of evolutionarily conserved receptor proteins that play an essential role in activating innate defense mechanisms and in the acquired immune response. These are transmembrane proteins that allow the host to differentiate between an array of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) like the structure of bacteria, viruses, protozoa and fungi, as well as a wide range of molecules produced in inflammatory processes or during necrosis. Each individual TLR possesses its own ligand recognition repertoire. All 10 TLR genes, identified in mammals, have been mapped in cattle. Mutations in the TLR may reduce the ability of the protein to recognize PAMPs and, therefore, interfere with innate immune activation creating a susceptibility to a number of inflammatory diseases as well as an increased risk of mammary infections. Research show associations between certain genotypes/alleles of multiple loci with lower somatic cell count (SCC) and resistance to mastitis, thus indicating that these genes could be used as a potential genetic MAS for mastitis resistance in dairy cattle.

With the advent of genomics, nowadays there is a possibility to further understand the genetic background of economically relevant traits in horses. However, in the case of highly polygenic and complex traits, such as movement traits, this achievement might be more challenging. Application of Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) was successful, especially for highly heritable traits, such as conformation and disease-related traits. Another important aspect to consider is the availability of data collected in a large cohort of animals ; indeed the GWAS approach has been mainly applied in studies with great population size. Nevertheless, combining novel motion technology, which allows more objective measurements, with genotype data might help to further unravel the genetic background of movement traits also in breeds with unavailability of large number of genotyped horses. Thus, in this study, we aimed to perform a GWAS analysis in the Bardigiano horse breed, an Italian breed traditionally used in agriculture. We used the Equisense motion® sensor, which consists of a gyroscope and an accelerometer to objectively record several gaits-related traits linked with the horse’s health, performance, and physical condition. A total of 185 horses were genotyped with the GGP Equine 70k ® SNP chip. The quality control of the genotype data was performed in Plink v 1.9 and the GWAS analysis in R Software. To assess the association with genotype information, a linear mixed model was used, corrected for sex, the sampling date, and for biometrical measurements. We mostly found significant results on the trot gait, for example, for the symmetry we found 9 significantly associated SNPs. In the proximity of those SNPs (windows size±250 kb) 22 protein-coding genes, 3 miRNA, and 7 lncRNA were identified. Some of those genes have known function in collagen structure and the control of the synapsis response. Further analysis of those genes might permit to enhance the use of genomics in the Bardigiano horse breed which is facing the conversion from agricultural to riding purposes.

The Busha cattle breed contributes to a genetic diversity for centuries in Croatia, with the number of breeding cows significantly increasing in the last decades. Successful reproduction of native breeds in outdoor breeding conditions is a multifactorial phenomenon influenced by genetic and non-genetic factors. Improving fertility and conception in native outdoor breeding units with optimal bull:cow ratio is important to reduce costs of production and avoid negative effects of reproductive management in the herd. Herds of the Busha cattle across Croatia were included in the study to calculate the variability and trends in the bull:cow ratio among the herds. The data on 204 active breeding bulls born in the 2007-2020 period were obtained from the Veterinary Information System of the Ministry of Agriculture, Directorate for Veterinary Administration. Observed vs. expected frequencies were tested with Chi-sqaured test using the three model approach according to the expected number of bulls per cows in the herd ; model 1 as 1:10, model 2 as 1:15, and model 3 as 1:20. Analyzing the proportions of the expected bull:cow ratios significant differences were recorded for model 1 (herds with >31 cows, P61 cows, P81 cows, P

The aim of the study was to assess opinions and knowledge of the Croatian veterinarians-to-be about pet reptiles and their welfare. The questionnaire survey was conducted in the academic year 2019-2020 and included students of all six years of the integrated undergraduate and graduate studies at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb. The response rate was 87 % (589 students). Questionnaire statements were 5-point Likert scale questions, requiring from the students to express their opinions about turtles, lizards and snakes as pets, issues related to their welfare, risk they pose to health and safety of humans, other animals and environment, and their self- reported knowledge about pet reptiles. Student responses revealed that they were uncertain about their knowledge of reptiles as pets, considering different educational areas observed. Study results emphasised the need of alterations in veterinary curriculum and additional student education in reptile medicine.

The aim of this study was to analyse the non-genetic factors influencing the birth weight of Romanov lambs, and to determine which of them may be a useful source of information in the selection of female lambs for replacement. The study included 1712 lambs born in the period from 2016 to 2019. The linear model used in birth weight estimation included: birth type, sex, parity, year of birth, season of birth, and breeding group as fixed factors. Year of birth x season of birth interaction was also included in the model. All factors, except the season of birth, significantly affected birth weight (P0.05). Variations in birth weight are influenced by non-genetic factors, with birth type, sex, and parity being the most important. These factors should be considered in breeding and selection programs for lamb meat production, where fertility and growth traits have the key role., Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je analizirati negenske čimbenike porođajne mase janjadi romanovske pasmine i utvrditi koji od njih mogu biti korisni izvori informacija u selekciji ženskog rasplodnog podmlatka. U istraživanje je uključeno 1712 janjadi rođene u razdoblju od 2016. do 2019. godine. Za utvrđivanje utjecaja negenskih čimbenika na porođajnu masu korišten je model koji je uključivao tip rođenja, spol, redoslijed legla, godinu rođenja, sezonu rođenja i pripusnu skupinu kao fiksne čimbenike. Svi čimbenici osim sezone rođenja znakovito su utjecali na porođajnu masu (P < 0,05). Faktori s najvećim učinkom na isto svojstvo bili su tip janjenja, spol i redni broj janjenja. Porođajna masa znakovito se smanjivala s porastom broja janjadi u leglu te su jedinci, dvojke, trojke i četvorke imali prosječnu porođajnu masu kako slijedi: 4,11 ± 0,07, 3,56 ± 0,05, 3,07 ± 0,05 i 2,66 ± 0,08 kg. Muška janjad (3,44 ± 0,05) bila je znakovito (P < 0,05) teža od ženske (3,25 ± 0,05). Najlakša janjad (2,99 ± 0,05) rođena je u prvom leglu, nakon čega se porođajna masa postupno povećavala do šestog legla (3,54 ± 0,10). Ukupna masa legla pokazivala je nelinearan porast s porastom broja janjadi u leglu (P < 0,05). Ženska janjad iz legala dvojaka i trojaka nije se statistički znakovito razlikovala (P > 0,05) s obzirom na udio ženske i muške janjadi u leglu. Razlike između porođajne mase ženki iz legla dvojaka i ženki iz legla trojaka bile su statistički znakovite (P < 0,05). Na varijacije u porođajnoj masi utječu negenski čimbenici među kojima se ističu tip janjenja, spol i redoslijed legla. To treba uzeti u obzir u provedbi uzgojno-selekcijskog rada u kojemu se primarna pozornost posvećuje svojstvima plodnosti i rasta.

Effective microorganisms (commercially available as EM-1® and its secondary products, EMRO, Japan) are a mixed culture of microorganisms with a beneficial effect on nature, including humans, animals, plants and other microbial species. It is known that EM contains more than 80 species of anaerobic and aerobic microorganisms such as photosynthetic and lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, actinomycetes, etc. They have been used in agriculture, forestry, animal production, environmental protection, and medicine. Effective microorganism technology is used in more than 130 countries worldwide, being included in the state program for organic farming and healthy food production in 12 countries. The technology is natural and organic involving growing, applying, managing and activation of native microorganisms in the environment. It has been shown that EM application promotes positive changes in the water ecosystem by increasing decomposition of organic matter and diversity of phytoplankton, and reducing total nitrogen, phosphate, pesticide and heavy metal concentrations. Also, EM has been demonstrated to inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria in water and soil, and to reduce the concentrations of harmful gases in air. Moreover, the number of insect pollinators is falling constantly due to the use of pesticides and climatic changes, and EM raises honeybee immunity and protects their health. The ever-greater economic and industrial growth is leading to the environmental pollution, including water, soil and air. These problems require seeking for solutions other than the known physical and chemical technologies. Therefore, an environmentally friendly, safe, and relatively inexpensive way of protecting the environment is the use of biologically active substances such as EM to achieve positive synergistic effects with beneficial microorganisms already existing in nature.

Kitovi (Cetacea) i morske kornjače (Caretta caretta, Chelonia mydas, Dermochelys coriacea) zaštićene su vrste u Hrvatskoj, no unatoč tomu velik broj jedinki strada u ribolovnim alatima. Cilj istraživanja bio je utvrditi opće mišljenje i informiranost ribara u Hrvatskoj o ovim vrstama, kako bi se prepoznali potencijalni problemi i načini njihova rješavanja u svrhu bolje zaštite ovih životinja. Istraživanje je provedeno putem ankete u obliku Googleova obrasca od 1. veljače 2021. do 1. ožujka 2021. Anketu je ispunilo 39 ribara iz sedam hrvatskih županija. Oko polovice ispitanih ribara (53,8 %) misli da su dupini važni i da treba raditi na njihovu očuvanju, dok 25,6 % misli da bi bilo bolje da ih nema. S druge strane 79,5 % ispitanika smatra da su morske kornjače važne i da treba raditi na njihovu očuvanju. Većina ispitanika (97,4 %) zna da su dupini sisavci, dok 64,1 % zna da su kornjače gmazovi. Svi ispitanici znaju da dupini dišu plućima, dok činjenicu da kornjače dišu plućima zna 89,7 % ispitanika. Svi ispitanici znaju da su dupini i morske kornjače zaštićene vrste u Republici Hrvatskoj. Učestalost susreta ribara s dupinima veća je (srednja vrijednost 4,79) nego s kornjačama (srednja vrijednost 3,07). Visok udio ispitanika poznaje te se i koristilo opcijom naknade za štete na mrežama koje su učinili dupini (59,0 %), a naknada je većini (53,8 %) isplaćena u cijelosti. Većina ispitanika (64,1 %) poznaje, ali se ne koristi pingerima te kao razlog navode nedjelotvornost i visoku cijenu. Za TED uređaje (engl. Turtle excluder device) većina ispitanika (71,8 %) nikad nije čula. Većina ispitanika (76,9 %) izjavila je da bi se koristili navedenim uređajima i tehnikama za smanjenje prilova kad bi za njih dobivali poticaje od države. Općenit je stav ispitanika pozitivniji prema kornjačama nego prema dupinima tako da predlažemo daljnje edukacije ribara o ovim zaštićenim životinjama., Whales (Cetacea) and sea turtles (Caretta caretta, Chelonia mydas, Dermochelys coriacea) are protected species in Croatia. However, a large number of them die after becoming caught up in fishing gears. The aim of this research was to explore fishermen’s opinions and knowledge of these animals, to determine the potential problems and propose possible solutions for their better conservation. The research was carried out using a questionnaire on the Google Forms platform between 1st February and 1st March 2021. The questionnaire was filled out by 39 fishermen from seven counties in Croatia. The polled fishermen believe that dolphins must be protected (53.8 %), although some of them (25.6 %) think that it would be better if there were no dolphins at all in the area. On the other hand, 79.5 % of the polled fishermen consider sea turtles important and in need of protection. The polled fishermen (97.4 %) are aware that dolphins are mammals and that they use their lungs to breathe, while only 64.1 % of them know that turtles are reptiles. All the polled fishermen know that dolphins and sea turtles are legally protected. There is a higher incidence of fishermen encountering dolphins (on average 4.57) than sea turtles (on average 3.07). Most of the polled fishermen (59.0 %) have used the state compensation option for equipment damage caused by dolphins. Most of the polled fishermen (64.1 %) know of, but do not use “pingers”, and mention inefficiency and their high price as the reason, and 71.8 % of them have never heard of a turtle excluder device (TED). Most fishermen (71.8 %) would use these devices and bycatch reduction techniques if they were to receive state incentives. The general stance of the polled fishermen towards sea turtles is more positive than towards dolphins, so education of fishermen could be introduced to increase their knowledge about these protected species.

Leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularis) are considered one of the best reptile pet animals for beginners thanks to their docility, ease of care, and husbandry. Furthermore, their visual appearance, which makes them attractive for breeding, is caused by genetic combinations manifested through different colors and patterns named morphs. Various features are considered leopard gecko morphs, like variations in size, coloring, pattern and, physical features. They are controlled by genes or selective breeding and habitat temperature created in the decades of breeding in captivity. Some morphs take several generations to produce, depending on the gene combinations and whether various inherited desirable phenotypes are recessive or dominant. For example, some dominant phenotype examples are White and Yellows and Enigmas, and co-dominant examples are Mack Snows and Giants. Recessive phenotypes include the various Albinos, Blizzard, Patternless, and Eclipse. When creating new morphs, ethics has become the most crucial issue. Thus, the pure leopard gecko individuals today are individuals with variously heterozygous backgrounds. Several years are needed to identify genes for a specific morph, and irresponsible breeding can negatively affect the genetic pool. Good breeding practice includes test breeding, recording of phenotypes and mutations, and gene linkage of the main breeding males and founding females. Most importantly, it is crucial to consider the pedigree records in the breeding of leopard gecko carriers of morphs and crosses. Since the colors and patterns in leopard geckos are predictable based on genetics, expertise and experience are required in their breeding.

Some human activities have resulted in spreading of thousands of exotic animal species across the world. Many animals released accidentally or deliberately to a new area have become invasive alien species, threatening non- native ecosystems, natural resources, and even human health. Exotic alien species may replace the native species through predation, hybridization, pathogen transmission, or competence for resources, decreasing the global biodiversity, especially in aquatic species. One-third of the world’s worst aquatic invasive species have originated from aquarium or ornamental releases. The most common reason for releasing exotic pets into wildlife is that they have become boring, too large or too prolific for keeping. In the coming decades, biological invasions will remain high in wealthy and already highly invaded countries. One of the best-known examples is Florida with the greatest number of established, i.e. reproducing non-native herpetofaunal species in the world. In 2017, the European Commission published a brochure on 49 invasive alien species of Union concern. Pond slider and sixteen more species from the list have been recorded in Croatia. Exotic pet animals account for 34.2% and 35.5% of all pets in Europe and United States, respectively ; yet, these numbers are underestimated because of the illegal trade, as well as the statistics not including animals kept by breeders, traders or in pet stores. It is assumed that current laws in most countries are insufficiently strict to repress emerging threats from invasive alien species.

This study aimed to investigate the attitudes and knowledge of veterinary students regarding exotic pets and their welfare. A total of 589 (87%) veterinary students from first to sixth year of integrated undergraduate and graduate study programme, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia, were surveyed in the autumn semester of the academic year 2019-2020. A written questionnaire contained a set of Likert type questions designed to assess student attitudes towards and knowledge about exotic pet animals and their welfare. The questionnaire was focused on exotic non-mammal pets, i.e. birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish. Study results showed the majority of statements to have neutral responses, in particular for the species other than birds. The results obtained point to the need of additional student education on exotic non-mammal pets and can serve for upgrading veterinary curriculum in the field.

Cilj istraživanja bio je utvrditi mišljenja studenata veterinarske medicine u Hrvatskoj o dobrobiti minijaturnih svinja kao kućnih ljubimaca. U istraživanju su sudjelovali studenti svih godina integriranog preddiplomskog i diplomskog studija Veterinarskog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, s tim da su studenti prve godine na anketni upitnik odgovarali dva puta, prije i nakon odslušanog predmeta o dobrobiti životinja. Ukupne stope odaziva tako su iznosile 88 % (n = 596) i 87 % (n = 589). Mišljenja studenata utvrđena su na temelju izračuna srednjih ocjena odgovora na pojedine izjave prema Likertovoj mjernoj ljestvici od pet stupnjeva. Rezultati istraživanja pokazali su da studenti smatraju minijaturne svinje životinjama s razvijenim kognitivnim sposobnostima i osjećajima. Studenti također smatraju da su biološko funkcioniranje, osjećajna stanja i mogućnost izražavanja vrsno specifičnog ponašanja važni za dobrobit minijaturnih svinja – kućnih ljubimaca. No nalaze upitnom njihovu dobrobit te nisu sigurni jesu li minijaturne svinje prihvatljive kao kućni ljubimci i informiraju li se vlasnici dovoljno o njima i njihovim potrebama prije nabave. Može se zaključiti da hrvatski studenti veterinarske medicine imaju pozitivno mišljenje o dobrobiti minijaturnih svinja – kućnih ljubimaca. Rezultati istraživanja također upućuju na zaključak da je edukacija imala pozitivan utjecaj na mišljenje studenata., The aim of the study was to assess the opinions of veterinary students in Croatia regarding the welfare of miniature pet pigs. Students of all years of the integrated undergraduate and graduate studies at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, participated in the study, with first-year students answering the survey questionnaire twice, before and after the course on animal welfare. This yielded overall response rates of 88% (n=596) and 87% (n=589), respectively. Students’ opinions were assessed by calculating the mean responses to particular statements according to a five-point Likert scale. Study results showed that students considered miniature pigs capable of thinking and having emotions. Students also considered biological functioning, emotional states and the ability to express natural behaviour to be important for the welfare of miniature pet pigs. However, they found their welfare compromised and were not sure whether miniature pigs were acceptable as pets, and whether their owners were sufficiently informed about them and their needs before purchasing. It may be concluded that Croatian veterinary students have positive opinions regarding the welfare of miniature pet pigs. The study results also suggest that education had a positive impact on their opinions.

Tjelesna kondicija domaćih životinja jedan je od najvažnijih pokazatelja ocjene i vrednovanja njihove vanjštine i zdravlja. Kondicija je nasljedno uvjetovano obilježje, no pod znatnim je utjecajem vanjskih, negenetskih čimbenika i mijenja se tijekom života jedinke. Najčešće se primjenjuje metoda subjektivne procjene kondicije, na razini jedinke ili stada, a u cilju sprečavanja velike varijabilnosti u tjelesnoj kondiciji domaćih životinja te očuvanja i unapređenja njihovih proizvodnih svojstava, zdravlja, dobrobiti i dugovječnosti. U ovom radu opisani su tipovi tjelesne kondicije domaćih životinja. Naglasak je na pristupu i postupcima koji služe za procjenu tjelesne kondicije domaćih preživača, goveda, ovaca i koza, pri čemu procjena kondicije kod goveda može poslužiti kao osnovni primjer procjene i kod drugih vrsta domaćih životinja., The body condition of domestic animals is one of the most important indicators used to evaluate and score their physical appearance and health. Condition is a hereditary trait yet it is significantly influenced by external non-genetic factors, and it changes over the lifetime of an individual. Body condition is most often evaluated subjectively, at the level of the individual or herd, in order to prevent high variability in the body condition of domestic animals, and to preserve and improve their productivity, health, welfare and longevity. This paper describes types of body condition in domestic animals. The emphasis is on the approach and procedures used to evaluate body condition in domestic ruminants, cattle, sheep and goats, where body condition evaluation in cattle can serve as a basic example of evaluation for other species of domestic animals.

Jedan od najčešće primjenjivanih načina za poboljšanje plodnosti ovaca je skraćenje međujanjidbenog razdoblja. Program "3 janjenja u 2 godine" bazira se na osmomjesecčnim intervalima između janjenja i, s obzirom na to da je često primjenjivan, detaljnije je opisan u radu.

Stelja je čimbenik o kojem ovise dobrobit, proizvodnost i kvaliteta mesa peradi. Cilj ovoga rada bio je istražiti utječe li i u kojoj mjeri visina stelje na jačinu kontaktnog dermatitisa na nogama pilića u tovu. Četiri skupine pilića (n=30 svaka) držane su na stelji od sjeckane slame različite visine (2 cm, 5 cm, 10 cm i 15 cm) tijekom šestotjednog tova, uz gustoću naseljenosti od 30 kg/m2. Jačina kontaktnog dermatitisa na jastučićima nogu i tarzalnim zglobovima procijenjena je početkom svakog tjedna te na liniji klanja, na temelju protokolu Welfare Quality®. Analiza podataka provedena je referentnim programom Statistica v. 13.4. Rezultati istraživanja pokazali su da je kontaktni dermatitis na jastučićima nogu i tarzalnim zglobovima, procijenjen na farmi i na liniji klanja, bio u prosjeku značajno izraženiji (p

Insulin-like growth factor 1 gene (IGF1 gene) controls the synthesis of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) which is involved in many physiological processes including reproduction. 5' flanking region of the ovine IGF1 gene is proven to be polymorphic, and the polymorphisms are associated with reproductive traits in some sheep breeds. The objectives of this study were to analyse ewes of high prolific breed with regard to their IGF1 genotype and litter size after first lambing. DNA was extracted from jugular vein blood of 22 Romanov ewes. Amplified PCR products of 5' flanking region of the ovine IGF1 gene were digested with HaeII restriction enzyme and allele and genotype frequencies were determined. Fischer-Freeman-Halton's test was used to test the differences in the number of ewes with specific birth type between observed genotypes. Determined level of significance was P0.05). This preliminary study confirmed the presence of a polymorphism at 5' flanking region of the IGF1 gene in Romanov sheep. Absence of significant differences in birth type variation between genotypes may be due to the small number of animals involved, so further investigation with a larger number of sheep is recommended.

The range of the age at the first calving of this late-maturing breed is wide. The estimation of the optimal age at the first calving is of great importance for the growth and development of calves as well as for the later reproductive performance of the autochthonous breed. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of the calving season (CS) and herd size (HS) on the age at the first calving (AFC) for the Busha cattle. Data set for 1, 376 primiparous cows was taken from the central database of the Ministry of Agriculture for the period from January 2003 to February 2019. Primiparous cows were grouped into three classes according to AFC (months) as follows: the first group between 19 and 26, the second group between 27 and 32, and the third group between 33 and 40 months of age. The data within each AFC group were analysed using the least square method and GLM procedure in the SAS software package. The effect of CS as the year-season interaction (four calving seasons were defined according to the year period) and HS with three levels (1–3, 4–10, and more than 10 animals per herd) were included in the model for each AFC group. The highest number of calvings according to AFC (n = 825) was recorded in the first group, with the average AFC of 23.1 months. Both effects were significant (p < 0.01) and accounted for 15.7% of AFC variability. In the second calving group (n = 273), the average AFC was 29.3 months and only CS (p < 0.01) affected AFC and accounted for 31.3% of the variability. The lowest number of calvings (n = 178) was recorded in the third group, with the average AFC of 35.8 months. Both effects, CS and HS were significant (p < 0.01) and accounted for a certain proportion (27.9%) of AFC variability. AFC, calving season and herd size could contribute to a high variability in the management of reproduction as a result of difficulties in the planned breeding of native breeds. An assessment of the optimal management procedure with the use of phenotype data can contribute to improving breeding strategies within local cattle breeds.

Contact dermatitis is a common issue in broiler chickens, reducing welfare and productivity. It is a condition affecting skin areas in contact with irritating or unsuitable material. Therefore, litter quality and type are important factors influencing the occurrence of contact dermatitis in broilers, including breast blisters. However, few studies have been focused on the depth of litter being used and reported different results. This study aimed to assess the effect of litter depth on the occurrence of breast blisters, and number and diameter of muscle fibres of the m. pectoralis major in broilers. The study included 120 broilers divided into four equal groups (n=30 each). Each group was housed on chopped straw at different litter depths (2 cm, 5 cm, 10 cm and 15 cm) during six-week fattening period. In all groups, stocking density was 30 kg/m2, the litter was not turned over, nor was new litter added throughout the fattening period. All broilers were housed in the same housing and managed in the same way. The occurrence of breast blisters was assessed in a slaughterhouse in all chickens by use of the Welfare Quality® protocol. Sample of the left m. pectoralis major was taken at a slaughter line, as well as from ten randomly selected chickens in each group. Statistica v. 13.4 software was used on data analysis. According to the results obtained, there were no differences (P>0.05) in the rate of breast blisters between the groups of broilers. Also, there were no between-group differences (P>0.05) in the mean number of muscle fibres of the m. pectoralis major, while the mean diameter of muscle fibres was higher (P

Napravljena je retrospektivna analiza koja je uključivala 35 uzoraka želuca i crijeva pasa dobivenih endoskopski i kirurški, a uzorci su prikupljeni u razdoblju od 1.1.2009. do 30.6.2018. i nalaze se u arhivi Zavoda za veterinarsku patologiju. Težište istraživanja stavljeno je na alimentarni limfom i upalnu bolest crijeva u pasa. U radu je histopatološkom pretragom evaluirano 35 uzoraka, od kojih su uzorci 6 životinja analizirani i imunohistokemijskom pretragom (IHC). Dijagnoze postavljene histopatološki su ovisno o ekspresiji biljega IHC pretragom bile potvrđene, opovrgnute ili diferencirane. U radu je imunohistokemijskom pretragom istraživan postotak pozitivnih stanica na ekspresiju CD3 i CD79acγ biljega. Ukoliko je 80% i više limfatičnih stanica u jednom organu bilo pozitivno na jedan od biljeg takva promjena je ocijenjena kao limfom, a ovisno o vrsti biljega je svrstan u T- ili B-stanični. U slučaju slabije ekspresije, niže od 80%, patološka promjena je svrstana u skupinu upalne bolesti. U 7 slučajeva (77.7%) uzorci su pokazali ekspresiju CD3 biljega i klasificirani su u T-stanični limfom. U 2 slučaja (22.2%) uzorak je pokazao ekspresiju CD79acγ biljega i ocijenjen je kao B- stanični limfom. Pasmine koje su najčešće oboljele od limfoma su zlatni retvriver, labrador retriver, samojed te križanaci. U 7 slučajeva (43.7%) uzorci su imali postotak pozitivnih stanica na biljege niži od 80% i svrstani su u skupinu upalnih bolesti. Pasmine koje su najčešće oboljele od upalne bolesti crijeva su pudl mali, njemački ovčar i bigl. Prosječna starost pasa oboljelih od limfoma bila je 8.8 godina, a od upalne bolesti crijeva 7 godina. Veći postotak oboljelih životinja kod obje bolesti bili su mužjaci (85.8% mužjaka, a 14.2% ženki). Imunohistokemijska pretraga može biti korisna u razlikovanju alimentarnog limfoma od upalne bolesti crijeva, ali u nekim slučajevim aza definitivnu diferencijaciju treba obaviti i PCR pretragu kolonalnosti stanica.