THE EARLY PREGNANCY DIAGNOSTICS IN MARES USING TRANSRECTAL ULTRASONIC EXAMINATION

Ultrazvučnim aparatom (ALOHA ECHO CAMERA SSD-210, DX II) i transrektalnom sondom (transducer) od 5 MHz pregledano je 46 kobila pripuštenih od 16 do 58 dana prije pretrage. Za 16 životinja napravili smo ehograme na specijalnom papiru elektronskim tiskačem (MITSUBISHI VIDEO COPY AP 8600). Dijagnoza gravidnosti bila je točna u 100% kobila. Najranije smo dijagnosticirali gravidnost 16. dana nakon pripusta kada smo na ekranu uočili plodni mjehur s plodovom vodom, a 24. i 25. dana osim plodove vode i mjehura vidjeli smo i embrio. U kasnijim fazama ždrebnosti orijentirali smo se prema veličini i položaju ploda i plodova mjehura.Forty-six mares mated from 16 to 58 days prior to examination, were scanned using a linear-array ultrasound scanner (ALOHA ECHO CAMERA SSD-210, DX ll) with a 5 MHz transrectal transducer. For 16 animals images were made on thermopaper using an electronic printer (MITSUBISHI VIDEO COPY AP-8600). The pregnancy diagnosis was accurate in 100% of cases. The pregnancy was detected at the earliest period on the 16th day, when the embryonic vesicle with embryonic fluid was seen on the screen. From the 24th and 25th day, besides embryonic vesicle with fluid, we observed an embryo within the vesicle. In later pregnancy stages our estimation was based upon the foetal growth rate and positon of the foetus and the foetal membranes

Microbiological quality of mare’s milk and trends in chemical composition by comparison of different analytical methods

In this study the quality of Croatian coldblooded mare’s milk during six months lactation period was investigated. Samples of milk were collected throughout six month’s lactation, from 22 mares and included three consecutive lactations. Physicochemical properties (pH, °SH, density) and chemical composition of raw mare milk have been studied. Fat, lactose, protein and solid non fat contents were analysed by infrared spectrophotometry and by conventional methods. Somatic cell count and microbiological parametres such as the total bacterial count, Enterobacteriaceae, coagulase positive staphylococci as well as presence of pathogens, Salmonella species and Listeria monocytogenes were also researched. Results are presented as comparison of standard and instrumental methods for chemical analysis (fat, protein, solid non fat, lactose). The mean values are presented as trends during lactation. Results were analysed by Stata 10.0. For results obtained by using different methods there were significant differences between methods for milk fat on 10th day, lactose content on 10th and 60th day, and total solids non fat on 60th day of lactation. Values of milk fat, protein, lactose and solids non fat obtained on the 40th, 60th, 120th and 180th days of lactation by IR spectrometry were compared with the value obtained on the 10th day of lactation by the same method (IR spectrometry). Milk of the Croatian coldblooded mares showed stabile chemical composition for all ingredients except lactose (p=0.0001), and high microbiological quality throughout the lactation period

PRVI REZULTATI MJERENJA SADAŠNJE POPULACIJE HRVATSKOG HLADNOKRVNJAKA SJEVERNE HRVATSKE

S obzirom da hrvatski hladnokrvnjak predstavlja po procjenama više od 80% ukupne populacije konja u Hrvatskoj, kao i na njegovu dugu gnojidbenu izgradnju, ipak do sada ne postoii dovoljan broj radova o njegovim uzgojnim i proizvodnim vrijednostima. Radi toga sve do danas ne postoje niti objektivni standardi za njegovo vrednovanje, iskoriŠtavanje i ocjenjivanje. Autori su pokušali mjerenjem osnovnih mjera na dijelu izmjerenih grla ženske populacije dati prilog rezultatima nekih eksterijernih karakteristika te pasmine konja. Ukupno je do sada istraženo 656 grla na području Republike Hrvatske, a od toga se iznosi dio obrađenih podataka za kobile sjeverne Hrvatske (n = 178). Istraživanja se nastavljaju u još neistraženim područjima uzgoja hrvatskog hladnokrvnjaka, kako bi se dobila cjelovita slika o istraživanim grlima te pasmine konja na podrudju cijele Hrvatske. Rezultati dijela istražene populacije prikazani su na priloženoj tablici

A CRITICAL SITUATION WITH POSAVIAN HORSE IN CROATIA

In the Republic of Croatia there is a need for making an attempt to save Posavian horse. Croatian coldblooded horse is not endangered breed, as it is noticed in World Watch List for Domestic Animal Diversity (p.243). The Posavian horse in croatian scientific literature is described as an autochton breed from the Sava river valley. Its origin begins with crossings of autochton horses with Illyrian, Celtic, Roman, Avarian and other horse still the middle of our century. Posavian horse is a Przewalsky form of horse breed. The basical external measures for mares were: Height of wither with stick: 136,30 - 137,14 cm, deepness of breast: 63,03 - 64,50 cm, the circuit of metacarpus from 17,64 - 18,06 cm. The weight of adult mares were 311 - 342kg. We have started with searching for such animals in some areas for identification and determination of breed as critical or extincted

CROSSING OF HOLSTEIN HORSE BREED WITH SOME OTHER BREEDS

An experiment of crossing a heavier-weight semi-breed horse (Holstein) with mares of Croatian Posavian type draft horse resulted in possibility of such further crossing. Attained product meets today’s market requirements: firstly as an export-meat category that meets Italian market requirements, since other markets are not well known, secondly, it can be used as a sport-tourist-recreation horse. It must be pointed out that all produced hybrids did not meet the needs of these two basic criteria. In spite of being potential slaughtery head with good utilization, each produced head can be, according to its exterial properties, used as a sporttourist animal that showed certain usable values and results proven by the experiment. The hybrids showed some hereditory draft horse properties shown on enclosed photos. In addition, exterier measures show that former knowledge on hybrids can respond the question of a horse raising on non-utilized pastures which they got used to very well. Thus these horses are able to be estimated by their body development just as our native draft Posavian type horse including possibility of using them as a sport-tourist-recreation horse