Climate change is one of the greatest global concerns regarding livestock production. The indigenous Pramenka sheep is well known for its ability to survive in difficult environmental conditions, although there is insufficient scientific evidence. This study aimed to evaluate the seasonal variations in some hematological and blood biochemical parameters in two strains of Pramenka sheep – Hercegovačka and Dubska, under natural thermal stress conditions. The calculated Temperature-Humidity Index (THI) data indicated mild to severe heat stress in the localities where the Hercegovačka Pramenka strain was being held, while cold stress was found in all the examined localities. Numerous statistically significant differences in hematological parameters were found between seasons, and within and between the two Pramenka strains. The Dubska strain exhibited significantly higher levels of red blood cells (RBC) and packed cell volume (PCV) compared to Hercegovačka, whereas the Hercegovačka strain displayed significantly higher white blood cells (WBC) and platelet (PLT) levels in comparison to Dubska. Similar patterns were noticed in the blood biochemical parameters - the Dubska strain had more seasonal variations compared to the Hercegovačka Pramenka. During the winter, the Hercegovačka strain demonstrated significantly higher levels of total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), urea (UREA), and creatine kinase (CK) compared to Dubska. Conversely, during the summer, the Hercegovačka strain exhibited significantly higher globulin (GLO) levels, whereas the Dubska strain showed higher levels of ALB and chlorine (Cl). On the basis of our results, both Pramenka strains showed a high adaptive capacity to harsh environmental conditions, the Hercegovačka Pramenka being more adapted to heat stress, and Dubska to cold stress conditions.

Minerals are essential substances with an important function in livestock, and their disbalance negatively affects the health and production, especially of ruminants. The addition of fat to the rations of dairy cows impacts the overall and mineral metabolism, and thus on health and production. The aim of the research was to examine the correlative relationships between balanced production meals and the mineral status of lactating cows with different ration compositions with or without the presence of vegetable oil. The research was conducted on 30 dairy cows of the Holstein breed at the Butmir farm, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Three groups of 10 animals were formed based on productivity (A, 13-15 kg of milk/day, B, 19-21 kg of milk/day and C, 25-27 kg of milk/day). Samples of feed, blood plasma and milk of animals were collected on three occasions a 3-week intervals. According to the feed analysis results, the rations were standardized for each group, given for three weeks without oil,and then for three weeks with the addition of sunflower oil in the amount of 2.5% of the ration dry matter. After determining the content of basic nutrients, dry matter and ash in the rations, the concentrations of Ca, Mg, Na and K were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry,while the colorimetric method was used to analyse P according to Woy and Eggertz-Finkener. Analysis of blood mineral parameters was performed spectrophotometrically. The content of fat, proteins, lactose, and non-fat dry matter in milk samples was determined by infrared spectrometry using an automatic analyser. Based on the results, we observed a similarity in changes of values and the statistical significance of the differences in plasma Ca, P and Mg between the study groups and at sampling intervals. Milk production was positively correlated with the concentration of Mg and Ca with addition of the sunflower oil to the meal, while no correlation coefficient was established for P in any of the samplings. Balanced meals with and without the addition of oil did not significantly affect the content of Ca, P or Mg in the blood plasma of the tested animals, nor were significant differences found between the groups. However, by determining the correlations between milk parameters and blood biochemical parameters, a significant positive correlation was established between the amount of milk and Ca and Mg levels with a diet supplemented by oil. Given that the addition of sunflower oil in the amount of 2.5% of dry matter of the balanced rations for cows had no negative effects on the mineral profile and the parameters of the tested animals, we conclude that the introduction of this oil could be useful both from the economic point and improving nutritional composition of milk as an animal food present in the daily human diet.

Abstract This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with modified-hen-egg-yolk on plasma lipids and lipoprotein profiles in rats. During the four-week-experiment, 64 Wistar rats were divided into four groups of 16 (eight of both sexes), and fed commercial rat food (group C); food containing 70% commercial rat mixture and 30% freshly cooked egg yolk originating from laying hen eggs fed with 3% fish oil (group F); 3% palm olein (group P), or 3% lard (group L). The cooked egg yolk in the rat diet affected the concentrations of plasma total and LDL-cholesterol in males of the P and L groups. Cholesterol and total fat in the diet did not have a hypercholesterolemic effect on their own, but when in combination with fatty acid composition, they could contribute to an increase in plasma total and LDL cholesterol concentrations in rats. HDL-cholesterol was the most resilient plasma lipoprotein of rats to dietary treatments in our experiment. Compared to the control group, the addition of hen egg yolk to the rat diet regardless of its quality, adversely affected the values of HDL-C/TC and HDL-C/LDL-C in both males and females.

There is no doubt that milk and dairy products have a high nutritional value. However, their current consumption is increasingly dependent on their dietary and health properties. It is noticeable that in recent years, increasing popularity is given to those dairy products that have a positive effect on the human body. The aim of this study was to determine the fatty acid composition of sheep's milk from the area of Livno and Travnik (Vlašić), with special reference to the content of bioactive fatty acids that have a positive effect on human health. The fatty acid composition of the tested milk samples was specific due to the content of fatty acids which have been proven to have an extremely beneficial effect on human health. Concentrations of most bioactive fatty acids varied between areas, and the differences were statistically significant for arachidonic, eicosapentaenoic, docosahexaenoic, and rumenic. Milk samples from the tested areas had an almost ideal ratio of n-6/n-3 fatty acids, which makes them very favorable foods from a health point of view.

Dairy cattle breeding is one of the most important branches of livestock production, which has been facing, for several decades, the chronic problem of declining reproductive performance. In 2005, the number of cattle worldwide was about 1,370,000,000, while in 2015 that number dropped below one billion, and in 2021 it shows a slight recovery as it was 1,000,970. This indicates the importance of applying different reproductive protocols in order to increase the number of cows in production. The type of bedding on which the animals stay, as well as the characteristics of the lying area itself, shows a significant impact on numerous physiological functions such as food intake, chewing, milk yield, but also levels of sex hormones. The type of bedding and lying area, which causes chronic pain and stress, leads to disorders of physiological and reproductive processes, since stress has direct negative impact on numerous cellular functions. A total of 66 dairy cows, 50 Holstein-Friesian cows kept on PD Butmir and 16 Simmental cows kept on a private mini farm, were included in the study. At PD Butmir, cows were kept in tie-stall housing system, while on a mini-farm they were kept free. Hormonal protocols of estrus and ovulation synchronization were used in April, May and June 2019. Cows were subjected to two estrus synchronization and ovulation protocols, Ovsynch and Cosynch72. At PD Butmir, 25 cows were subjected to Ovsynch and Cosynch72 protocols, respectively. At the mini-farm only Ovsynch protocol was applied. The Ovsynch protocol applied on PD Butmir had success in conception rate of 12% (n = 3), while the Cosynch72 protocol gave a score of 36% (n = 9). On the mini-farm, Ovsynch resulted in a conception of 25% (n = 4). Based on our results, the Cosynch72 protocol, compared to the Ovsynch protocol, was a better choice in the case of Holstein-Friesian cows kept in the tie-stall housing system. In the Simmental cows kept in the free stall system, the Ovsynch protocol proved to be better choice in achieving conception, compared to the Holstein-Friesian cows. Therefore, it is necessary to test several different protocols of estrus and ovulation synchronization, in order to find the most optimal one for a certain breed, type of keeping and breeding.

The exposure of the body to stress, regardless of whether it comes from physical, chemical or emotional stimuli from the environment, causes an inadequate adaptation of the organisms which can contribute to the development of various diseases. Abnormally high blood concentrations of cortisol, known as stress hormone, lead to the development of a hormonal disorder called hyperadrenocorticism or Cushing’s syndrome. In the majority of cases, Cushing’s syndrome is diagnosed when symptoms are apparent, and screening endocrinological test confirms the existence either of increased cortisol production or decreased sensitivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis to negative glucocorticoid feedback. In our research, we examined a total of 23 male and 7 female dogs that were suspected to have Cushing’s syndrome, based on history and clinical signs. A total of 15 male and 5 female dogs were positive for Cushing’s syndrome (HAC group), whereas the remaining dogs were used to form non-HAC group. Using the apparatus IDEXX “Vet Test 8008”, the following biochemical parameters were determined: glucose, urea, creatinine, phosphorus, calcium, total protein, albumin, globulin, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin, cholesterol, and amylase. Regarding haematological parameters, the following parameters were investigated: erythrocytes, leukocytes, platelets, erythrocyte indices (MCV, MCH, MCHC, RDW), white blood cell count, haemoglobin and haematocrit, using “Laser cite vet lab Station” (IDEXX). No significant differences in haematological and biochemical blood parameters were noticed between the HAC and the non-HAC group of dogs. However, dogs suffering from Cushing’s syndrome had a higher value in the number of erythrocytes compared to the control group. The finding that has to be payed attention to is the difference in platelet count between the control group of dogs and dogs suffering from Cushing’s syndrome.

that the air sacs. The morphology of the air sacs system has been described in many domestic and wild bird Abstract | The research was conducted with the aim to investigate the morphology of air sacs system in Crimson Rosella ( Platycercus elegans ) parrots. Five adult birds, two males and three females were used in this study. The lungs and air sac system were injected via trachea with 26% solution of Vinylite mass. The obtained cast showed that these parrots have nine air sacs. The clavicular air sac was the only unpaired, while the cervical, cranial thoracic, caudal thoracic and abdominal air sacs were paired. The morphology of the air sacs was generally similar to that reported in other bird species, however, some specific features were identified. As most prominent among them were a partial fusion of the cervical air sacs, communication between the left and right subpectoral and perirenal diverticula and connection between the claviclar and cranial thoracic air sacs. The present investigation provided detailed and comprehensive data about the morphology of air sacs system in these parrot species and these findings will be very useful for future clinical examination and treatment of this birds.

Amina HRKOVIĆ-POROBIJA*, DVM, PhD, Assistant Professor (Corresponding author, e-mail: amina. hrkovic@vfs.unsa.ba), Aida HODŽIĆ, DVM, PhD, Full Professor, Husein OHRAN, DVM, Teaching Assistant, Nejra HADŽIMUSIĆ, DVM, PhD, Assistant Professor, Dinaida TAHIROVIĆ, DVM, MSc, Research Fellow, Almira SOFTIĆ, DVM, PhD, Associate Professor, Lejla VELIĆ, DVM, PhD, Associate Professor, Aida KUSTURA, DVM, PhD, Associate Professor, University of Sarajevo, Veterinary faculty of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina; Vinko BATINIĆ, DVM, PhD, Teaching Assistant, University of Mostar, Faculty of Agriculture and Food technology, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina Abstract The indigenous Travnik (Vlasic) cheese is produced in central Bosnia in the area of Mt. Vlasic. This cheese belongs to the group of white soft cheeses, ripened in brine under anaerobic conditions, and made from raw, thermally untreated sheep’s milk. The production technology is very simple and is adapted to mountainous conditions. Cheese is an important source of essential nutrients, in particular proteins, fat, vitamins and minerals. The aim of this study was to determine the concentration of macroelements (Ca, Na, K, Mg, P) and microelements (Zn, Fe, Cu) in 15 samples of Travnik sheep cheese using the atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) and ultraviolet–visible spectrometry (UV-VIS) methods. A tendency of increasing Mg and K, Fe and Ca, Fe and Mg, and Fe and P was determined in the examined samples, but without statistical significance. The correlation coefficient values showed statistical validity at the level of high significance of differences (P<0.01).

During its 132-year production, the characteristics of Livno cheesechanged, first because of the transition from sheep to cow’s milk, or their mixture.Livno cheese is specific primarly due to the presence of a specific plant cover inmountain area, climatic conditions and milk of autochthonous sheep. The purposeof this work is to determine the fatty acid composition of Livno cheese, with specialreference to the contenct of bioactive components that have a positive effect onhuman health, and to tracking any changes in their content depending on thesampling or feeding period. For the production of Livno cheese, which was sampledafter 90 days of ripening at ambient conditions, sheep’s milk was used, mentioningthat the cow’s milk was added in proportion (80:20), which is commonly used in thetraditional production of this cheese. Samples were analyzed by gas chromatographyin As Vitas laboratory in Oslo Innovation Center, according to the proceduredescribed in Luna and al. (2005). A total of 24 fatty acids were determined during thethree sampling periods (July, August and September) In cheese samples, saturatedfatty acid content (SFAs) was higher in relation to monounsaturated(MUFAs) andpolyunsaturated (PUFAs) fatty acids. The fatty acid composition of the tested cheesesamples is specific, because it contains fatty acids which have been proven to havean extremely beneficial effect on human health.