Josef Kučera

The effect of cattle breed, season and type of diet on nitrogen fractions and amino acid profile of raw milk

Abstract. The aim of the study was to describe the differences in nitrogen fractions and deepen the knowledge in the amino acid profile of raw milk affected by the breed of cattle, season and type of feeding. The study was conducted from June 2005 to February 2007 on 64 bulk milk samples collected from eight herds consisting of Czech Fleckvieh (four herds) and Holstein (four herds) breed. One half of the herds of each breed was grazed while the other half was not. Samples were collected twice in winter and twice in summer. The effect of the breed resulted in differences in milk yield that was lower in Czech Fleckvieh (5 385.50 kg) than in Holstein (7 015.15 kg, P P P P P P

Land Degradation by Erosion and its Economic Consequences for the Region of South Moravia (Czech Republic)

The quality of agricultural land fund in the Czech Republic is assessed via a valuation system based on the ecological-productive land evaluation. This system was established in the 1960-1980s after a complex survey of agricultural land. It provided integral information on the agricultural land quality and on the price of agricultural land parcels derived from their productive capacity. Starting from the 1990s, evidence in the database of Evaluated Soil-Ecological Units (ESEU) has been regularly updated. Intensive cultivation of wide-spaced crops, namely in extended, largely sloped land parcels, has resulted in degradation of land characteristics by the effects of erosion. The ESEU updating makes it possible to detect these changes and their quantification by differences in land price. This approach was applied to evaluate the economic impacts of erosion at two model localities in intensively exploited agricultural areas, in the region of the most productive soils of the Czech Republic. We compared the price per 1m 2 of land according to the land characteristics determined by the first land valuation with the current soil price based on the ESEU update. We also compared changes in the land characteristics. In the GIS environment, we established the mean long-term soil loss by erosion based on the original ESEU and compared it with the calculated soil loss based on the updated ESEU. The calculation method used was in accordance with the valid methodology for erosion calculation in the Czech Republic.

The effect of the calving season on the Wood’s model parameters and characteristics of the lactation curve in Czech Fleckvieh cows

Abstract. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a calving season on the Wood’s model parameters of the lactation curve and its characteristics in Czech Fleckvieh cows.

Priority Areas for Initiating Land Consolidations Related to Erosion and Water Retention in the Landscape, Czech Republic

Land consolidations represent a unique tool for managing the problems of the rural space. They help to settle the land property rights and meet the current requirements associated with the protection and formation of a stable, permanently sustainable rural landscape. In the Czech Republic, complex land consolidations have been completed in 1,965 cadastral areas out of the total 13,100, and in 2,134 more they are in the preparation phase (up to 1st September 2015). It means that about 60% of cadastral areas in CR still await land consolidation. Our study aimed to localize the priority localities (cadastral areas and regions) for preferential implementation of land consolidation. The authors selected three thematic factors to determine the risk of their occurrence in particular localities and, consequently, the need to initiate the land consolidation. The analysis is based on the assumption that the cadastral areas where land consolidations have been completed or are under way have already dealt with the above-mentioned risk factors or will do so soon. Therefore, such areas have not been included into our study. The key selected thematic factors relevant for the preferential implementation of land consolidation include: the risk of water and wind erosion in arable land, water management, and water retention in the landscape. For each of these three factors, a map of preferential localities (based on the degree of risk/suitability) was processed for initiation of land consolidation. At the same time, a simple multi-criteria analysis of the extent of the Czech Republic’s erosion (water and wind) has been prepared. The result of this analysis is the ranking of regions according to the degree of risk of erosion. The most vulnerable regions of the Czech Republic include Jihomoravský (South Moravian Region), Středočeský (Central Bohemia) and Pardubice.

Composition, physiCal and teChnologiCal properties of raw milk as affeCted by Cattle breed, season and type of diet* *

Abstract The aim of the study was to describe the differences in composition, physical and technological properties of raw milk as affected by breed of cattle, season and type of feeding. The study was conducted from June 2005 to February 2007 on bulk milk samples (BMS) collected from 8 commercial dairy herds consisting of Czech Fleckvieh (CF, 4 herds) and Holstein (H, 4 herds) dairy cows. Half of herds in each breed was grazing (G) during summer season while the other half was not (N). Samples were collected regularly two times in winter (W) and two times in summer (S) period resulting in a total of 64 bulk milk samples (BMS) examined. Milk yield in CF (5385.50 kg) was lower (P<0.05) than in H (7015.15 kg). Milk fat in CF was higher (P<0.05) than in H breed being 3.9 and 3.72 g/100 g, respectively. CF cows had higher (P<0.05) content of crude protein, casein, true protein and non-protein nitrogen (NPN) than H. Content of fat, crude protein, casein, true protein and whey protein was lower (P<0.05) in summer (S) than in winter (W). Milk yield in grazing herds (G, 5197.50 kg) was lower (P<0.05) than in non-grazing herds (N, 7203.75 kg). Content of fat was higher (P<0.05) in G (3.89 g/100 g) than in N (3.73 g/100 g). Concentration of lactose, urea, crude protein, casein, true protein, whey protein was lower (P<0.05) in G than in N. In conclusion, the Czech Fleckvieh breed had a lower milk yield but produced milk with higher concentration of the main milk components than the Czech population of the Holstein breed. Large seasonal variations were determined in concentrations of the main milk components. The most pronounced changes in milk composition were caused by the type of feeding with a clear decrease in milk yield and content of lactose and all studied protein fractions and higher content of fat in grazing herds compared to non-grazing herds.