ALBERT

Description: The protection of human health as well as the quality and safe food assurance becomes the priority of European research in the sphere of animal production. The negative experiences with the using of antibiotic growth promoters lead to subsequent reduction of their application. It is necessary to replace them by the growth promoters of natural origin, which are able to provide the comparable efficacy and will not contribute to the cumulative contamination of the environment. The probiotics represent an effective alternative to antibiotics and current research should be aimed at improving of their efficacy. This may be achieved by several methods. From the practical point of view, combination with synergistically acting components of natural origin seems to be the best way. Potentiated probiotics are defined as biopreparations containing production strains of microorganisms and synergistically acting components of natural origin which exert their intensified effect through effects on probiotic and gut microorganisms, the gut mucosa and the intestinal environment or immune system. A number of suitable components may be used for this purpose, such as prebiotics, non-specific substrates, plants and their extracts, metabolites of microorganisms and polyunsaturated fatty acids. In this report, the results of application of natural feed additives in animals are reviewed and their valuation for the enhancement of probiotic effectiveness is discussed.

Description: Blood analyses can be used to assess the health and physiological conditions of wild animals and may provide a precise picture of disease, habitat quality, and other environmental factors. The objective of this study was to analyze the relationship between the age and the selected biochemical parameters of the female mouflon (Ovis musimon L.). This study creates a possible reference range of biochemical parameter concentrations in mouflon and aims to extend the knowledge of this wild game species within our geographical region. There have not been many studies dealing with this issue in our geographical region. A total of 57 female mouflons aged between 1 and 6 years (1–3 years n = 32, 4–6 years n = 25) and in good physical condition, with an average live weight between 32 and 40 kg were included in the research experiment between the two years. A total of 15 selected biochemical parameters were analyzed. Using statistical analysis, we noticed significant effects of age on almost three-quarters of analyzed biochemical parameters. A statistically significant correlation was observed between age and the parameters of glucose, alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, bilirubin, cholesterol, creatinine, high-density lipoprotein, calcium, triglycerides, and urea. An evaluation of the European mouflon’s biochemical parameters during the whole year may be a reliable method for judging a herd’s condition, diagnosing medical disorders, and preventing the etiology of their occurrence. An analysis of biochemical parameters tells us about the functioning of individual organs as well as the animals’ metabolism. Knowledge of the values of blood parameters is of special importance because they allow us to gather more information on mouflons.