Occurrence of ticks in the subcutaneous tissue of red foxes, Vulpes vulpes in Czech Republic and Romania.

An extensive survey of parasites in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) was independently conducted in Romania and the Czech Republic. Carcasses were examined by necropsy, and small, dark nodules apparently containing ticks were noticed in the subcutaneous tissue of several foxes. Histopathological examination was performed using hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. Of the 91 foxes examined from the Czech Republic, 14 (15.4%) were harboring ticks in the subcutaneous tissue. In the majority of these cases, 1-3 nodules/fox were found, with a maximum of 31 nodules/fox. In Romania a single examined fox had subcutaneous ticks. All ticks collected from subcutaneous tissue were partially engorged adults. Based on morphological features, Ixodes ricinus, I. hexagonus, I. crenulatus and Dermacentor reticulatus were identified. The histopathological examination revealed chronic granulomatous panniculitis with peripheral fibrosis and intralesional presence of the ticks. Only few data are available regarding ticks localized in the subcutaneous tissue of any host. All the ticks were dead or already decomposed and it is evident that subcutaneous location does not represent an evolutionary advantage, as the detachment and finishing the life cycle is impossible.

The effect of treating method of pithed pheasant on the content of biogenic amines in the meat during the course of storage.

The study monitored the effect of various methods of treating pheasant carcasses after killing on the hygienic quality of the venison. Pithed pheasants treated by evisceration (n = 60), drawing (n = 60), or left untreated (n = 60) were stored for a period of 21 d at temperatures of 0, 7, and 15°C. For determination of biogenic amines, samples of breast and thigh muscles were taken on d 1, 7, 14, and 21 after killing of the pheasants. Biogenic amines were separated by reverse-phase liquid chromatography and consequently detected by tandem mass spectrometry. The sum of determined biogenic amine concentrations (cadaverine, putrescine, histamine, tyramine, tryptamine, phenylethylamine) was compared with the value of the index for meat of high hygienic quality (5 mg/kg). At a storage temperature of 0°C, the sum of biogenic amine concentrations did not exceed the value of 5 mg/kg in either breast or thigh muscle at any time during the storage period in untreated and drawn pheasants, and for a period of 14 d in eviscerated pheasants. At a storage temperature of 7°C, values lower than the limit of 5 mg/kg were recorded throughout the storage period in untreated pheasants, for a period of 14 d of storage in drawn pheasants, and for a period of just 7 d of storage in eviscerated birds. At the highest storage temperature (15°C), a value of 5 mg/kg was exceeded in eviscerated and untreated pheasants during the course of the first week of storage, and in drawn pheasants after the first week of storage. Our results indicate that the most suitable method of treatment to ensure high hygienic quality of the meat (assessed according to concentration of biogenic amines) for the longest period during the storage of pithed pheasants is to leave the pheasant carcasses untreated, followed by the drawing, with the least suitable method being the widely recommended method of evisceration.

Alaria alata mesocercariae in wild boar (Sus scrofa, Linnaeus, 1758) in south regions of the Czech Republic.

From March 2012 to February 2013, 221 wild boar carcasses obtained from regular hunts in the Czech Republic were tested for Alaria alata mesocercariae using the Alaria-migration-technique. Most samples originated from South Moravia (173), and all 15 positive samples were found in this region, in particular in Tvrdonice (3/10) and Lanzhot (12/28), close to the site of the first description of this parasitic stage in wild boars in the territory of former CSSR. These hunting grounds are located between the rivers March and Thaya, and rich in floodplains. Among the 38 carcasses tested in this area, higher carcass weights were associated with higher frequency of positive carcasses (P<0.05). Overall frequency of positive carcasses was 15/221 (6.8%). In positive samples (adipose and glandular tissue and muscle), the median number of mesocercariae was 14.3 per 100 g (range 3-69).

[Estradiol-17beta in the blood of boars with disorders of sexual potency]. / Estradiol-17 beta v krevní plazme kancu s poruchami sexuální potence.

The levels of oestradiol-17 beta (E2) in the blood plasma were evaluated in 15 boars exhibiting signs of sexual potency disorders and in 20 boars with no such disorders before and after i. v. administration of chorion gonadotropin (HCG). No significant difference (P greater than 0.05) was found in the E2 levels in the blood plasma of the boars of the two groups before HCG administration. Two hours after the i. v. injection of 500 I. U. of HCG, an insignificant increase in the basal levels of E2 was recorded, reaching on the average 28.9% in the boars with potency disorders and 38.8% in those with no potency changes. Neither were there any significant differences in the E2 levels determined after HCG treatment between the boars with and without sexual potency disorders. It is inferred from the results that deviations in E2 concentration in the blood obviously do not contribute significantly to disorders in the sexual potency of boars.

[The effect of the microclimate in the insemination facility on conception in sows after the first insemination]. / Vliv mikroklimatu inseminacní haly na zabrezávání prasnic po první inseminaci.

In the course of the year, the temperature and relative humidity of the insemination hall of a large pig farm were studied in ten three-week periods. The results were compared with the conception rate of sows inseminated in these periods. The macroclimatic conditions were also studied, and the influence of macroclimate (including temperature and relative humidity) on the microclimate of insemination hall was evaluated. The studied microclimate parameters were found to influence the conception of sows in the first three weeks after insemination. Highly significant differences (significance level of alpha = 0.01) were recorded in the conception of sows after the first insemination, in the occurrence of optimum and increased temperatures, in the occurrence of optimum and increased relative humidity in the summer and winter months. A significant difference at the significance level of alpha = 0.05 was found when the occurrence of increased relative humidity was compared. A high temperature was recorded only in the summer months. In summer and in the first half of autumn (from the 9th of June to the 13th of October) when increased to high temperatures and increased to high relative humidity prevailed in the insemination hall (optimum temperature only in 2.0 to 23.3% of the period; optimum relative humidity in 11.1 to 50.0% of the period), the sow conception rate after the first insemination was low (45.5 to 49.7%). In autumn the microclimatic conditions in the insemination hall returned to the optimum. From the 4th of November to the 16th of February the optimum temperature (optimum in 71.6 to 89.7% of the period) and optimum relative humidity (optimum in 74.2 to 90.7% of the period) prevailed in the insemination hall, enabling an improvement in the conception of sows after the first insemination (71.4 to 80.1%). The temperature inside the insemination hall was influenced by changes in outside temperatures whereas the relative humidity inside the insemination hall was influenced mainly by internal factors.

[Intratesticular administration of testosterone in the therapy of disorders of the quality of ejaculates in boars]. / Intratestikulární aplikace testosteronu v terapii poruch kvality ejakulátu u kancu.

The clinical effect of the bilateral intratesticular administration of a microcrystalline water suspension of testosterone was studied in ten boars of Duroc breed exhibiting semen quality disorders. The ejaculate quality disorders included separate or combined deviations of the values of sperm concentration (hypozoospermia to oligozoospermia), sperm activity (asthenozoospermia), or the occurrence of abnormal spermatozoa (teratozoospermia) from the spermiological standard. After intratesticular infiltration, all the criteria of spermiogram were completely restored in four cases and the boars could be returned to insemination use. A partial improvement of the spermiogram (the number of spermiological criteria with positive responses and the development of their values) without fully meeting all the requirements of the spermiological standard was recorded in four breeding boars. No positive response of ejaculate quality characteristics was obtained in two boars. As to the evaluated criteria of the spermiogram, sperm activity was the most frequent positively influenced parameter in the cases of idiopathic or combined asthenozoospermia, and the increased percentage of abnormal spermatozoa was the least frequent positively influenced parameter in the cases of idiopathic or combined teratozoospermia. It is supposed that the easily practicable methods of intratesticular infiltration with a microcrystalline testosterone suspension could expand the therapeutic possibilities available to veterinary andrologists in the treatment of ejaculate quality disorders in boars.

[Relation between aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity in the seminal fluid and indicators of boar ejaculate quality]. / Vztah mezi aktivitou aspartát aminotransferázy (AST) v seminální plazme a nekterými ukazateli kvality ejakulátu kancu.

In a set of 154, and/or 260 ejaculates, collected from 72 boars, a relationship was studied between the activity of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in seminal plasma and sperm concentration, and/or percent occurrence of morphologically abnormal spermatozoa. We failed to demonstrate any relation between the AST activity and sperm concentration (r = 0.023; P greater than 0.05). However, a statistically significant relation (P less than or equal to 0.05) was demonstrated between the AST activity and percent occurrence of morphologically abnormal spermatozoa (r = 0.343). Applying the above results and in agreement with literary data, determination of AST activity in the seminal plasma of boars can be considered as an important indicator of the cellular damage of sperms.

[Changes in selected biochemical indicators in blood serum in anestrous gilts]. / Zmeny vybraných biochemických ukazatelu krevního séra u anestrických prasnicek.

The biochemical profile [levels of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, chlorides and iron, the activities of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and the concentrations of total protein, albumin, cholesterol, urea, glucose, and vitamins A and E] was studied in the blood serum of 40 anoestrous and 40 control inseminated animals in a production herd with an increased occurrence of anoestrus in gilts. The anoestrous gilts showed significantly lower levels of albumin (P less than 0.01) and glucose (P less than 0.01) and ALP activity (P less than 0.05), and significantly higher concentrations of urea (P less than 0.01), vitamin A (P less than 0.01) and vitamin E (P less than 0.05) and ALT activity (P less than 0.05), as compared with the inseminated controls. An extended enzymatological examination consisting of the evaluation of the activities of ALP, AST, ALT and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GMT) was performed in another set of 22 anoestrous and 20 mated gilts. The anoestrous gilts showed a statistically significant increase in the activities of AST (P less than 0.01), GMT (P less than 0.01) and ALT (P less than 0.05) and an insignificant increase in the activity of ALP in comparison with the control animals. The comparison of the obtained values of the studied biochemical criteria with literary data indicated a lower concentration of magnesium and a higher ALP and ALT activities in the anoestrous and inseminated gilts in both groups under study. A high acidity of fat and a medium to high fungus infestation (Mucor sp., Aspergillus sp.) were found by chemical and mycological examination of the administered feed mixtures. The histological examination of the ovaries of anoestrous animals showed cystically degenerative changes, proliferations of fibrous elements, and partial atrophy of ovarial cortex. It has been inferred from the observations that mycotoxins may be involved in the increase in the occurrence of anoestrus, either by a direct effect on sexual organs or by impairing the function of liver which, secondarily contributes to the rise of ovarial dysfunctions.

[Biochemical parameters of blood sera from clinically healthy boars of the Large White, Landrace and Duroc breeds]. / Biochemické ukazatele krevního séra klinicky zdravých kancu plemene bílé uslechtilé, Landrase a Duroc.

The levels of eleven biochemical parameters were determined in the blood serum of 150 healthy breeding boars of the Large White, Landrace and Duroc breeds from three A. I. stations. The following average values were obtained: calcium 1.94 +/- 0.42 mmol . l-1 with a statistically significant difference of the means between the LW and L breeds, phosphorus 1.87 +/- 0.31 mmol . l-1 with a statistically significant difference of the means between the LW and L breeds, magnesium 0.61 +/- 0.12 mmol . l-1 with a statistically significant difference of the means between the LW and D breeds, iron 25.98 +/- 5.41 micron mol . l-1 without statistically significant inter-breed differences, chlorides 97.75 +/- 7.04 mmol . l-1 without statistically significant inter-breed differences, alkaline phosphatase 55.97 +/- 24.72 U . l-1 without statistically significant inter-breed differences, transaminase GOT 14.96 +/- 4.86 U . l-1 with statistically significant differences of the means in the D breed compared with LW and L, transaminase GPT 27.75 +/- 6.65 U . l-1 without statistically significant inter-breed differences, total protein 75.00 +/- 5.82 g . l-1 without statistically significant inter-breed differences, total protein 75.00 +/- 5.82 g . l-1 with a statistically significant difference between the LW and L breeds, creatinin 203.67 +/- 27.97 micron mol . l-1 with statistically significant differences of the means in the L breed compared with LW and D, and urea 5.55 +/- 1.22 mmol . l-1 with a statistically significant difference of the means between the LW and L breeds. It is recommended for clinical practice to respect inter-breed differences in parameters specially mentioned in discussion.

[Relationships between spermiological, biochemical, endocrinological and fertilizing characteristics of boar ejaculates]. / Vztahy mezi Nekterými spermiologickými, biochemickými, endokrinologickými a fertilizacními ukazateli kancích ejakulátu.

Ejaculate volume, sperm concentration, total number of abnormal spermatozoa, number of spermatozoa with protoplasmic droplet, and the content of chlorides, magnesium, calcium and testosterone in semen plasma were evaluated in 155 ejaculates obtained from 77 boars. Further, the evaluation included the fertilizing ability of the ejaculates, expressed by conception rate after the first insemination, average number of all piglets and live-born piglets in litter after inseminations with the studied semen. The following significant (P less than 0.01) relationships were found after the evaluation of the mutual correlations of the studied characteristics: ejaculate volume to sperm concentration (r = -0.496), chlorides to calcium (r = -0.240), chlorides to magnesium (r = -0.492), magnesium to calcium (r = +0.261), testosterone to conception rate after the first insemination (r = -0.222), boar age to ejaculate volume (r = +0.285), boar age to sperm concentration (r = -0.375), boar age to magnesium (r = -0.281), length of sexual rest to total percentage of abnormal spermatozoa (r = +0.323) and to the percentage of spermatozoa with protoplasmic droplet (r = +0.367). The importance of these findings is treated in discussion.

[Relations of certain indicators of ejaculate quality of breeding boars to seasonal changes in the microclimate in pigsties]. / Vztah nekterých ukazatelü kvality ejakulátu plemenných kancú k sezónním zmenám stájového mikroklimatu.

A yearlong evaluation of the semen volume, concentration and number of morphologically abnormal sperms of 1722 ejaculates from 53 boars of Large White, Duroc and Landrace breeds housed in one building was performed. Simultaneously, continuous registration of temperature and of the relative humidity of the sty climate was performed, and the cooling value and the air flow in the sty were determined. In the followed period also the conception rate of sows after the first insemination by semen of the studied set of boars was evaluated. In summer season, at the increased and high temperatures and the relative sty humidity and at the lower air flow, the lowest average volume of ejaculate, the highest average sperm concentration and the minimum average number of abnormal sperms were recorded. In winter season, from the microclimatic viewpoint characterized mainly by the optimum air temperature but by high relative humidity and by excessive air flow, the highest average ejaculate volume with a lower average sperm concentration and with a maximum occurrence of abnormal sperms was recorded. The parametric differences in ejaculate quality in summer and winter seasons were statistically significant, however, their variations did not exceed the spermiologic standard throughout the year. The found decrease in conception rate of sows after the first insemination by the semen of the followed set of breeding boars in warm months is obviously to be attributed to the sows or to the changes of other andrological criteria than those being subject of this study.

[The effect of LH releasing hormone on testosterone levels in the blood of boars with sexual dysfunctions]. / Ucinek aplikace LH-releasing hormonu na hladiny testosteronu v krvi kancu s poruchami sexuálních funkcí.

The levels were assessed of testosterone in the blood plasma before and 90 minutes after i.v. application of 1 mg of synthetic LH-releasing hormone to 57 boars with disorders of sexual functions and to 43 boars without sexual dysfunctions. The group of animals with sexual disorders included boars with inferior ejaculate quality and low fertility (24 animals) and cases with disturbed sexual potency (33 boars). In animals with the studied changes of sexual functions, compared with boars without sexual dysfunctions, no statistically significant difference was found in the basal concentration of testosterone in the blood. LH-releasing hormone application increased significantly the testosterone levels in the group of boars without sexual disorders by 99.5% on an average and in the whole group of animals with changes in sexual functions approximately by only 65.8%. At the same time in the subgroup of inferior ejaculate quality and low fertility the post-application increase of testicular incretion reached 60.4% and in potency disorders 61.6% and was statistically insignificant in the latter. On the basis of these findings it was derived that in boars with reproduction deviations there existed a decreased incretion reserve of the system hypophysis - testicle and the involvement of this factor in the formation of the studied sexual disorders is assumed. The obtained results are discussed in view of the earlier findings about the incretion reserve of the testicles in boars with changes in sexual functions.

[The effect of chorionic gonadotropin administration on testosterone levels in the blood of boars with sexual function disorders]. / Vliv aplikace choriového gonadotropinu na hladiny testosteronu v krvi kancü s poruchami sexuálních funkcí.

Thirty-three boars with sexual dysfunctions and twenty-six boars clinically sound as to their reproductive capacity were evaluated for the testosterone levels in the blood plasma before i.v. administration of 500 i.u. of chorionic gonadotropin and two hours after the administration. A group of animals with reproduction disorders comprised boars with an impaired quality of ejaculate and low fertility ability (18 boars) and with sexual dysfunctions (15 boars). No statistically significant difference in the basal concentration of testosterone in the blood was found in the boars with the studied sexual dysfunctions, as compared with the boars with no sexual dysfunctions. Administration of chorionic gonadotropin increased significantly the plasma testosterone levels in both groups. If the effect of chorionic gonadotropin on the studied level of this hormone was compared in boars with sexual dysfunctions and in boars without any disorders, no significant differences were proved. It has been inferred from the above findings that there are no significant disorders of androgen supply and incretion reserve of the gonads in the boars with sexual dysfunctions.

[Effect of bilateral vasectomy on testosterone levels in the seminal and blood plasmas of boars]. / Vliv bilaterální vazektomie na hladiny testosteronu v semenné a krevní plazme kancu.

In two sexually mature boars subjected to bilateral vasectomy the content of testosterone was followed in the semen and blood plasma prior to the operation and in the course of 26 days after the operation. In the third boar only the operation without actual vasectomy as the control was made to eliminate the possible effect of narcosis and of the surgical stress. Bilateral vasectomy induced an average decrease in the initial levels of testosterone in the semen plasma of the first and second animal by 63.24% and 47.67% respectively, and 47.17% and 56.46% respectively in the blood plasma. In the control boar no analogous post-operation drop of testosterone concentration in the semen plasma was observed, the content of testosterone in the blood plasma decreased over the followed period on an average only by 14.38%. The results imply that bilateral vasectomy in boars results, in the first followed month after the surgical procedure, in a decrease of semen and plasma testosterone, which proves that the operation under investigation affects testicular incretion.