Volume 7(2), 2008

Abstract. The quantitive changes of protein fractions of piglets in the neonatal period were defined, the research being based on 2 groups of Polish Landrace piglets. The first group consisted of piglets 12 hours old while in the second group 2 weeks old. Total protein concentration was measured in all examined sera premising the electrophoresis and densitometric reading. Significant differences in serum protein fraction concentration were observed between the first and the second group. The contradistinction in serum protein concentration was confirmed in albumin and γ-globulin fractions. The mean albumin concentration in the 12 hour old piglet was 13,5 gL and in 2 week old 29,07 gL. The mean difference in γ-globulin concentration between the groups was 21,35 gL. Moreover, great variability was observed according to albumin and γ-globulin fractions in piglets of the same age. The differences were as follow: 22,66 gL – albumin, 22,02 gL – γ-globulin fraction in 12 hour old piglets and 14,01 gL – albumin, 9,69 gL – γ-globulin fraction in 2 week old animals.

Abstract. The study was conducted during the years 2005-2007 on a private farm located in Księży Dwór near Działdowo, Province of Warmia and Mazury (NE Poland). The experimental materials comprised 368 Holstein-Friesian cows. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of inter-calving interval (ICI) duration in two consecutive lactations on milk yield and composition. Milk yield in the second lactation reached 7769 kg (305-day lactation) and 8317 kg (full lactation), and was higher than in the first lactation by 1218 kg and 959 kg respectively. Value-corrected milk (VCM) yield was substantially higher, i.e. 8744 kg and 9450 kg. The yield of fat, protein, lactose and dry matter was also higher in the second lactation. Cows with the longest ICI were characterized by the highest yield of milk and milk components. Significant differences between mean values obtained for those cows and cows with shorter ICI were recorded at a level of p ≤ 0.01 and p ≤ 0.05. It was found that milk yield in the first lactation and ICI duration may provide a basis for selecting high-performance cows. The high coefficients of simple correlation between ICI duration and milk yield and composition, observed in this study, are indicative of a strong relationship between ICI and cow productivity. The highest values of correlation coefficients (significant at p ≤ 0.01) were noted with respect to the yield of dry matter (r = 0.993), protein (r = 0.973), VCM (r = 0.968) and fat (r = 0.942). The ICI duration x lactation interaction had a significant effect on the yield of milk, VCM, fat, protein, lactose and dry matter (P ≤ 0.01) as well as on the content of fat and protein (p ≤ 0.05).

Abstract. The electrophoresis of 14 sera taken from clinically healthy Standardbred horses was preformed by means of two types of agarose gel. Eight fractions were obtained with Protein Gel 100 (Cormay). The mean concentration for each fraction was as follows: albumin – 30.45 g·L^–1, a₁ – 2.65 g·L^–1, a_2a – 4.47 g·L^–1, a_2b – 3.04 g·L^–1, a_2c – 6.76 g·L^–1, b₁ – 8.68 g·L^–1, b₂ – 3.15 g·L^–1, g – 9.43 g·L^–1. Whereas, using Hydrogel HR nine fractions were acquired, whose mean concentrations were: albumin – 31.34 g·L^–1, a₁ – 2.10 g·L^–1, a_2a – 2.34 g·L^–1, (consisting of: a_2aa – 0.95 g·L^–1 and a_2ab –1.47 g·L^–1), a_2b – 5.07 g·L^–1, a_2c – 4.49 g·L^–1, b₁ – 7.30 g·L^–1, b₂ – 3.85 g·L^–1, g – 10.06 g·L^–1. In order to measure total protein concentration (mean value: 68.61 ± 11.07 g·L^–1), Lowry’s method, adjusted to microplace reader Elx800 (Bio-Tek Instruments INC., Universal Microplate Reader), was employed. Albumin/ globulin ratio equals 0.80 g·L^–1 and 0.84 g·L^–1, respectively. Furthermore, a 1– antitrypsin localization in proteinogram was determined by the immunofixation kit (GEL IFE Cormay) and Polyclonal Rabbit Anti-Human Alpha – 1 Antitrypsin (DakoCytomation).

Abstract. In the paper, the analysis of the influence of the birth date and the delivery sequence on the production traits of blue polar foxes is presented. The investigations were performed on the animal farms in the kujawsko-pomorskie voivodship within the years 2003–2005. The following numbers of foxes were analyzed: in total 1252 individuals, on farm A – 845 individuals and on farm B – 407 individuals of foxes. It was shown that the date of birth of a fox puppy, depending on the year and the farm, encloses within the period between May 9th and 21st. An early date of birth had an advantageous influence on the number of delivered and the brought up fox puppies from one litter. There is no unambiguous influence of the time of birth on the size of an animal (in cm).