The aim of this study was to monitor the effect of Bifidobacterium bifidum (BB) and the combination of Lactobacillus sporogenes, Enterococcus faecium, and Bifidobacterium bifidum (LEB) on the health status and weight gain of calves, and the utilisation of nitrogenous substances. The experiment was performed in the period from April 2020 to September 2020. A total of 90 Holstein heifers, which were one to 56 days old, were used as experimental animals. Differences in live weight gain were significant if we compared the LEB vs. BB group and the LEB vs. C, the control group (86.23 ± 5.49 kg vs. 84.72 ± 6.22 kg, p < 0.05; 86.23 ± 5.49 kg vs. 82.86 ± 5.35 kg, p < 0.01). Considering the live weight gain, group BB was heavier than group C only (84.72 ± 6.22 kg vs. 82.86 ± 5.35 kg, p < 0.05). An effect on reducing the incidence and duration of diarrheal diseases was not demonstrated in this study (p = 0.1957). The administration of feed additives had no statistically significant effect on the amount of N excreted in the feces. The values of hematological and biochemical parameters were unaffected except for the first sampling of urea. Other blood parameters were not affected by the addition of probiotic feed additives. The bacterial populations in the feces 5 days and 56 days after birth were not affected by the inclusion of feed additives.

Background: The effects of humic substances (HSs) on the carcass characteristics and meat quality traits of breast and thigh muscles were studied. Methods: In total, 200 pheasants were allocated to 4 treatments, each containing 50 birds. The control birds were fed a diet without additives (0% HS); the other treatment birds were fed diets containing HSs at 0.5, 0.75 and 1.0% from 1 to 90 days of age. At the end of the experiment, several carcass characteristics were measured and breast and thigh muscle samples were taken to determine the composition of several nutrients by standard laboratory methods and procedures. Results: The carcass weights of both males and females increased significantly (p < 0.05) in the 0.50 HS and 0.75 HS groups after supplementation with HSs. The same effect of humic substances in the 0.50 and 0.75 HS groups was found in the weight of breast and thighs (p < 0.05). Significantly (p < 0.05), the highest carcass yield in males and females was found in the 0.50 HS group. Conclusions: Feeding with a diet containing HSs can have a beneficial influence on the carcass parameters, decrease the crude fat content in the meat and change the profile of bioactive fatty acids in the breast and thigh muscles of broiler pheasants.

The performance of ruminants is affected mainly by the rumen bacterial community. The composition and properties of the rumen bacterial community depend largely on the diet components that are fed to the ruminant. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of grape pomace intake on the rumen bacterial community of sheep. Four different diets, two of which contained dried grape pomace (DGP), were used in this study. Rumen fluid samples from 12 wethers were used for 16S rRNA gene sequencing and subsequent bacterial identification. At the phylum level, Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes; at the family level, Prevotellaceae and Porphyromonadaeceae; and at the genera level, Prevotella and Verrucomicrobia_Subdivision5_genera_incertae_sedis were the most common regardless of the diet the animals were fed. After the addition of DGP to the diet, the relative abundance of Methanobrevibacter, Butytirivibrio, Fretibacterium, and Verrucomicrobia _Subdivision3 _genera_incertae_sedis significantly increased, whereas that of Succiniclasticum and Selenomonas significantly decreased. The upregulated pathway of methanogenesis from H₂ and CO₂ was supported by a significant increase in Methanobacteriaceae after the diet was supplemented with DGP. The rumen bacterial community diversity indices (Richness and Shannon) were significantly affected by diet composition as well as by the change of housing location. The addition of DGP into the wethers’ diet increased the richness of the rumen bacterial community, which is good for maintaining rumen bacterial homeostasis. No adverse effect of the addition of DPG on the rumen bacterial community was noted.

The aim of this study was to determine how the administration of probiotic feed supplements affects selected parameters rumen environment of cattle, how it impresses the basic chemical and biological processes in the rumen, and also to check their influence on the total digestibility of feed in the cannulated cattle. For the experiment two adult cows of Aberdeen Angus breed with implanted permanent cannula were used, whom probiotics Bifidobacterium sp. were administered daily and subsequently the degradability of the organic matter was determined by the in sacco method. From the samples of rumen fluid, the amount of ammonia, volatile fatty acids, ciliates and pH were analyzed. The impact of probiotics has not been demonstrated in testing the influence of probiotics on the different variables with fixed effect of an individual. When testing the influence of probiotics without the effect of an individual, in the linear model, obtained data of acetic and butyric acid were the best. In their dependence, numbers of protozoa were increasing. However, only two experiment individuals were tested, a strong effect of the individual was found. These results indicate that the effect of probiotics Bifidobacterium sp. on the functional state of the rumen is low.

The target of the research was to analyze the effect of antidiarrheal feed additives on calves average daily weight gain. In the study, 120 calves were analyzed. Newborns were selected into 3 treatment groups, control (without supplementation) and group with Ascophyllum nodosum (prebiotics), and mixture of Lactobacillus sporogenes, Enterococcus faecalis and Bifidobacterium bifidum (probiotics). Individual body weight of animal were determined after 2 hours post-partum. Monitoring of the growth intensity, as well as health status were done till 56 days of age. Significant effects (P<0.01) of additive supplementation were found in the group with probiotics, in body weight at the age 21 days, as well as at the age of 56 days of life. Significant effect (P<0.01) of probiotics supplementation was found also in daily weight gains of animals. On the base of analyzed results, probiotics in calves nutrition stimulate the body weight.

The report describes a unique case of newborn conjoined twins in guinea pigs (Cavia aperea f. porcellus). Connected twins in guinea pigs have been very rare, and there are only a few previous reported cases. The newborns were stillborn in breeding in the Czech Republic in 2020 as two bodies conjoined into one. The external and internal structure of the body and the type of connection of both of the bodies are described. The weights of selected internal organs of the twins are compared with those of normally developed newborn guinea pigs.