František Zigo | University of Veterinary Medicine Kosice (original) (raw)

Papers by František Zigo

An intravaginal sponge impregnated with progesterone is commonly used for estrus induction and sy... more An intravaginal sponge impregnated with progesterone is commonly used for estrus induction and synchronization in ewes. Although using an intravaginal sponge containing progesterone positively affects the synchronization rate, varying degrees of vaginitis occur during its application. This study aimed to investigate the impacts of various intravaginal treatment options on the vaginitis severity and pregnancy rate in Merino ewes synchronized with intravaginal sponges impregnated with progesterone. During the breeding period, 589 ewes, aged 2–6, received intravaginal sponges for 14 days. The control group (CON) received no treatment, whereas vaginal sponges absorbed with enrofloxacin (ENR), Lactobacillus plantarum (LAC), or Lactobacillus plantarum supernatant (CFS) were applied in the treatment groups. All groups received 500 IU of equine chorionic gonadotropin intramuscularly. The ENR group showed lower scores in vaginal discharge and sponge odor compared with the CON, LAC, and CFS groups. Although estrus responses did not differ between groups, the pregnancy rate tended to be higher in the ENR group. In conclusion, intravaginal ENR application, but not LAC or CFS, reduced vaginitis severity and tended to increase pregnancy rates in ewes synchronized with intravaginal sponges impregnated with progesterone.

During the race season of racing pigeons, the demands on their care, zoohygienic conditions, bala... more During the race season of racing pigeons, the demands on their care, zoohygienic conditions, balanced feeding and maintaining an optimal state of health increase. Any deviation in the mentioned factors causes a stressful situation associated with the changes in the bacterial representation in the digestive tract, weakens the individual´s state of health and thus reduces his performance. The work aimed to monitor the health status of racing pigeons and evaluate their performance during one racing season. From 60 pigeons, swabs from the cloaca and crop were taken at regular intervals at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of the race season with a focus on monitoring the representation of the intestinal microflora and the most common diseases. The pigeons were also clinically examined with subsequent sampling for monitoring coccidiosis, trichomonosis and respiratory syndrom during the individual phases of the race season. The total count of bacteria (TCB) in both the cloaca and the crop did not show any significant variation in their abundance throughout the entire racing season. On the other hand, with increasing stress and the occurrence of diseases, the coliform bacteria (CB) in the cloaca and crop was increased in the end of the racing season. Of the identified bacteria Ent. columbae, E. coli, Ent. faecium, Ent. gallinarum a S. intermedius were most frequently represented in swabs from the cloaca. As in the cloaca, the swabs from the crop were most frequently represented by Ent. columbae a E. coli together with lactobacilli and Ent. gallinarum. At the end of race season, E. coli, Ent. faecium, Ent. columbae and staphylococci were significantly represented in the cloaca and in the crop Ent. columbae, E. coli, Ent. gallinarum together with staphylococci again. By comparing the prevalence of Eimeria spp. and Trichomonas spp. before, during and at the end of the race season were noticed their increased occurrence at the end of the season. From the race placements, we found that in pigeons in which the prevalence of opportunistic pathogens Staphylococcus spp. a Ent. gallinarum from swabs of the cloaca and crop at the lowest level together with the occurrence of Eimeria spp., they achieved constant results the entire race season and also achieved the best points position.

Agriculture, Apr 11, 2024

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Research in Veterinary Science/Research in veterinary science, May 1, 2024

Combat training of police horses, involving physical activity in the presence of environmental st... more Combat training of police horses, involving physical activity in the presence of environmental stressors, poses a risk of oxidative stress. This study compared the oxidative imbalance after combat training in horses in the regular police service and in horses that had just been schooled. Blood collection was performed immediately after training and after 16 h rest. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT), and total antioxidant status (TAS) were determined as the markers of enzymatic antioxidant defence. At the same time, lipid peroxidation (TBARS) and protein carbonylation (Carb) were assessed as oxidation biomarkers. Additionally, oxidative imbalance indexes such as SOD/CAT, SOD/GPx, TBARS/TAS and TBARS/GPx were calculated. Animals during schooling had significantly lower SOD activity in erythrocytes than those experienced. CAT activity in erythrocytes was insignificantly higher immediately after training than during recovery. The SOD/GPx ratio was higher in experienced animals, which may reflect the intra-erythrocyte imbalance between enzymes producing and degrading hydrogen peroxide towards the first one. The concentration of carbonyl groups was significantly higher after the combat training compared to the recovery period in all horses. In inexperienced animals slight increase in TBARS/TAS and TBARS/GPx indexes were observed during the recovery time after exercises, contrary to experienced horses, in which these markers decreased slightly. These results suggest that the oxidative imbalance in inexperienced horses, although less pronounced just after combat training, was more prolonged as compared to horses in regular service.

International journal of avian & wildlife biology, Mar 3, 2023

Emerging science journal, Sep 30, 2023

Despite a plethora of research on vaccine developments and the adverse effects of the vaccine wor... more Despite a plethora of research on vaccine developments and the adverse effects of the vaccine worldwide, there are several research studies on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy or rejection. The objectives of this study were to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 vaccine on treatment and the factors that contributed to the vaccine concerns. Methods: After one month of being approved by the ethics committee, a descriptive cross-sectional research was conducted using online resources. Samples were randomly selected from the study population. The current study included adults (>18 years old) who were randomly selected from different provinces of Turkey. Results: Most participants were young adults 18-23 years old (47.9%), female (64.8%), married (36.1%), with university education (70.4%), and without medical illness (60.9%) (mean age = 28 years old). Both vaccination doses were given to 53% of the individuals. The most frequent symptom was discomfort at the injection site (0.14%), followed by asthenia muscle pain (0.01%) and edema (24.5%) at the injection site. More symptoms were reported by women than by men. Social media accounts and websites of professional organizations, namely the Dental Association, the Ministry of Health, and the World Health Organization (WHO), were the main sources of COVID-19 information. Hesitancy was induced by concerns about side effects (67.7%), safety (69.7%), lack of information (43.1%), inadequate data on the vaccine clinical trials (55.9%), lack of information on how long protective and effectiveness of vaccines (69.4%), lack of information on how effectiveness against variants (74.8%), think COVID-19 is not dangerous (69.7%), not effectiveness (22.6%) of the vaccine, not safe (32.6%), change my genetic make-up and cause it reproductive sterilite (20.2%), high number of deaths due to COVID-19 (60.8%), the presence of dangerous materials such as aluminum, mercury and others in the content of vaccines, concerns about the country producing the vaccine (38.2%), being afraid of the injection (22%), being against vaccination in general (11%), negative news in the press and social media (38.6%), being risky for only people over 60 (15.9%), having a strong immune system (38.4%), religious (4.7%) and cultural factors (7.4%), believing in natural and traditional medicine (25.4%), and being influenced by friends or family members (19.6%). Hesitancy to accept the COVID-19 vaccine was observed in subjects with hypercholosterolemia and diabetes mellitus. In conclusion, Vaccine hesitancy was primarily related to safety apprehensions. Educational and demographic traits were associated with vaccine admissibility.

The Journal of Microbiology, Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Oct 16, 2023

Combat training of police horses, involving physical activity in the presence of environmental st... more Combat training of police horses, involving physical activity in the presence of environmental stressors, poses a risk of oxidative stress. This study compared the oxidative imbalance after combat training in horses in the regular police service and in horses that had just been schooled. Blood collection was performed immediately after training and after 16 h rest. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT), and total antioxidant status (TAS) were determined as the markers of enzymatic antioxidant defence. At the same time, lipid peroxidation (TBARS) and protein carbonylation (Carb) were assessed as oxidation biomarkers. Additionally, oxidative imbalance indexes such as SOD/CAT, SOD/GPx, TBARS/TAS and TBARS/GPx were calculated. Animals during schooling had significantly lower SOD activity in erythrocytes than those experienced. CAT activity in erythrocytes was insignificantly higher immediately after training than during recovery. The SOD/GPx ratio was higher in experienced animals, which may reflect the intra-erythrocyte imbalance between enzymes producing and degrading hydrogen peroxide towards the first one. The concentration of carbonyl groups was significantly higher after the combat training compared to the recovery period in all horses. In inexperienced animals slight increase in TBARS/TAS and TBARS/GPx indexes were observed during the recovery time after exercises, contrary to experienced horses, in which these markers decreased slightly. These results suggest that the oxidative imbalance in inexperienced horses, although less pronounced just after combat training, was more prolonged as compared to horses in regular service.

TIntravaginal sponge impregnated with progesterone is commonly used for estrus induction and sync... more TIntravaginal sponge impregnated with progesterone is commonly used for estrus induction and synchronization in ewes. Although the use of intravaginal sponge containing progesterone has positive effects on synchronization rate, varying degrees of vaginitis occur during application. This study aimed to investigate the impact of various intravaginal treatment options on vaginitis severity and pregnancy rate in Merino ewes synchronized with intravaginal sponges impregnated with progesterone. During the breeding period, 589 ewes, aged 2-6, received intravaginal sponges for 14 days. The control group (CON) received no treatment, whereas enrofloxacin (ENR), Lacto-bacillus plantarum (LAC), or Lactobacillus plantarum supernatant (CFS) absorbed into the vaginal sponge at the time of application in treatment groups. All groups received intramuscular 500 IU equine chorionic gonadotropin. The ENR group showed lower scores in vaginal discharge and sponge odour compared to CON, LAC, and CFS groups. Although estrus response did not differ among groups, the pregnancy rate tended to be higher in the ENR group. In conclusion, in-travaginal ENR application, but not LAC or CFS, reduced vaginitis severity and tended to in-crease pregnancy rates in ewes synchronized with intravaginal sponges impregnated with pro-gesterone.

Polish Journal of Veterinary Sciences

By providing the body with essential nutrients, colostrum plays an immune and immunostimulating f... more By providing the body with essential nutrients, colostrum plays an immune and immunostimulating function. Colostrum quality depends on multiple factors, including microbial presence. This study aimed to explore the effect of non-aureus staphylococci on colostrum quality. Physical and chemical properties, fatty acid profile of cow colostrum were determined. In our study, we identified three non-aureus staphylococci species in the colostrum: S. sciuri, S. xylosus and S. warneri. The percentage of dry matter in staphylococci positive and negative colostrum samples did not differ significantly. Contents of fat, protein, and lactose in the colostrum were similar. The content of butyric (С4:0) and capric (С10:0) acids was significantly higher in the colostrum fat from samples positive for non-aureus staphylococci. Total bacterial count was lower in non-aureus staphylococci positive samples, while pH increased. The percentage of β-casein was lower in colostrum with a positive culture for non-aureus staphylococci.

Frontiers in Veterinary Science

IntroductionThe use of ozonized water is gaining importance in medicine due to its effects on hyp... more IntroductionThe use of ozonized water is gaining importance in medicine due to its effects on hyperglycemia and wound healing mechanisms.MethodsThis experiment was conducted to assess the impacts of intradermal administration of ozonated water on acute skin wound healing in a diabetic rat model. Sixty-four adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups: an ozonated water group (O3W) and a control group (CG). Experimental diabetes was chemically induced in the rats by the intraperitoneal administration of 60 mg/kg streptozotocin. One week later, full-thickness skin surgical wounds (1 cm2) were created between the two shoulders of the rats under general anesthesia. The wounds were then daily irrigated with normal saline (CG) or intradermally injected with 1 mL of ozonated water at 10 mg/L O3W. Wound healing was evaluated through macroscopic analysis, measuring wound size, diameter, and percentage of contraction rate before wounding and at 3, 7, 9, 12, 14, 18, 21, 24, and...

Frontiers in Veterinary Science

IntroductionThe rutting period imposes a stressful condition on male camels, which results in ele... more IntroductionThe rutting period imposes a stressful condition on male camels, which results in elevated serum cortisol levels and alterations in their sexual behavior. Therefore, the current work was carried out to investigate the effect of mineral-vitamin premix supplementation on behavior, reproductive performance, hormones, serum oxidative stress profile, and other serum biochemical parameters of Camelus dromedarius during the breeding season.MethodsFourteen mature, fertile male Camelus dromedarius were divided into two groups, a control group (n = 7) and a mineral-vitamin premix group (n = 7). The present study lasted for 95 days during the rutting period (1st February to 5th May). Each camel in the premix group received a daily diet of 50 g of mineral-vitamin premix throughout the whole rutting period, during which the frequencies and durations of the following behaviors: maintenance, posture, aggressiveness, and sexual activity were collected every 20 min. At the end of the stu...

Journal of Dairy, Veterinary & Animal Research, Jun 19, 2023

The aim of this study was to reduce the prevalence of mastitis by introduction of effective anti-... more The aim of this study was to reduce the prevalence of mastitis by introduction of effective anti-mastitis measures in a herd of 125 dairy cows. The effectiveness of the relevant measures was monitored by six examinations conducted in two-month intervals during the one-year period. A reduction in the prevalence of mastitis was recorded from 53.6% to 22.9%, i.e. by 26.0%. The prevalence of Staphylococcus spp. as the most frequently isolated pathogens of the mammary gland in the examined samples gradually reduced from 33.4% to 18.4%, 14.1%, 10.0%, 7.6%, and 8.1%. In contrast to the dynamics of mastitis, the monthly fluctuations in the values of somatic cell count (SCC) and total bacterial count (TBC) in bulk tank milk samples were irregular. However, a declining dynamics of SCC and TBC was evident during the last three samplings which reflected a reduction in the counts of udder pathogens after the treatment and introduction of mastitis suppression procedures.

International journal of avian & wildlife biology, Dec 31, 2020

Cleaning and disinfection are among the most important tasks in shelters and an important link in... more Cleaning and disinfection are among the most important tasks in shelters and an important link in the prevention and battle against infectious diseases. Inadequate cleaning and ineffective disinfection can spread the disease to animals in the surrounding pens or to people during their daily contact and care of the animals. It is important to follow the order of the individual steps performed during hygiene procedures and carry out subsequent control of their efficacy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of disinfection by means of swabs taken from selected surfaces in a dog shelter – Happy dog, located in eastern Slovakia. The surfaces were disinfected with Savo Prim contains active substance sodium hypochlorite and anionic surfactant. For good cleaning effect was added disinfectant in a ratio of 1:5 to hot water at a temperature of 50°C and sprayed under pressure of 50 Bar. The effectiveness of mechanical cleaning followed by disinfection was evaluated by microbiological swabs from watering and food bowls, wall and floor. Swabs were taken before and after mechanical cleaning and disinfection, from 10cm2 areas. The surface area was wiped with a sterile cotton swab, the swab was placed in a sterile tube with 10ml of sterile saline solution and 0.1ml from this mixture was applied to Endo agar and meat peptone agar. Swabbing of the disinfected surfaces showed a significant decrease in TCB (total count of bacteria) and CB (coliform bacteria). However, on the walls and floors were detected small count of TCB and CB after disinfection in comparison with the counts detected before cleaning but the number of indicator bacteria was below the recommended value. Based on these observations, we can evaluate the hygienic program with the disinfection performed in the shelter as sufficient.

Slovak Journal of Animal Science, Sep 25, 2019

The aim of the presented study was to assess the heavy metal burden in biotopes of wild living an... more The aim of the presented study was to assess the heavy metal burden in biotopes of wild living animals of two distinct industrially exploited areas in Slovakia. 411 samples of various tissues (lung, liver, kidney, spleen, heart and muscle) of red deer, roe deer, mouflon, chamois, wild boar, European brown hare, fox, European brown marten, European badger, gray wolf, brown bear, wildcat, red squirrel, European polecat, alpine marmot, and European otter were collected from the localities between 2014 and 2018. Concentrations of mercury, cadmium, lead, arsenic, nickel, copper and zinc were determined using Atomic absorption spectroscopy. Significant correlations (p ˂ 0.05, t = 0.03162) of metal levels in each locality and differences between the animals species were recorded. We have found important heavy metal burden in a relatively clean area-Tatra National Park that is legislatively protected and restricted in any industrial activity. In the Zemplín region, the examined heavy metal levels confirm permanent pollution by intensive heavy industrialization. Mostly mercury (29 %) was the metal that exceeded the legal limits permitted for human consumption, then cadmium (28 %) and lead (23 %). Concentration of chromium did not exceed the limit in any sample. The most burdened animal species was wild boar.

International journal of avian & wildlife biology, Jan 17, 2023

International journal of avian & wildlife biology, Sep 23, 2022

Despite the breeder’s efforts to minimize stress factors during the racing season, disease can oc... more Despite the breeder’s efforts to minimize stress factors during the racing season, disease can occur even in the best lofts. Among the specific diseases caused by high performance, immunosuppression of the organism, imbalance of gastrointestinal micro flora of carrier pigeons and non-observance of hygienic conditions is included collibacillosis. Collibacillosis is localized or systemic infection caused entirely or partly by avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC). Although some strains of APEC cannot cause disease by themselves, their pathogenic lifestyle, suggesting that infections might always be opportunistic or secondary to some most frequently predisposing diseases such as coccidiosis, adenovirosis, canker, intestinal worms and others. The disease causes reduction in performance or loss of infected pigeons, vomiting, diarrhoea, enteritis, dehydration, depressed feed intake or decreased growth rate in young pigeons. An outbreak of collibacillosis during the racing season is often the result of a combination of several factors that cannot be completely eliminated. It is therefore useful to develop a prophylactic plan in which the breeder focuses not only on the elimination of the main predisposing diseases, but also notices the factors that can stress the pigeons and thus cause an outbreak of APEC.

Polish Journal of Veterinary Sciences, Jul 26, 2023

This study aimed to identify bacterial pathogens in milk samples from dairy cows with subclinical... more This study aimed to identify bacterial pathogens in milk samples from dairy cows with subclinical and clinical mastitis as well as to assess the concentrations of oxidant-antioxidant parameters [malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), and total GSH levels] in both blood and milk samples. From a total of 200 dairy cows in 8 farms, 800 quarter milk samples obtained from each udder were tested in the laboratory for the presence of udder pathogens. Cultivated bacteria causing intramammary infection from milk samples were identified by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time of Flight (MALDI-TOF). In addition, from tested animals 60 cows were selected includıng 20 healthy cows that were CMT negative, 20 cows with subclinical mastitis (SM), and 20 cows with clinical mastitis (CM) for detection of MDA, GSH, and total GSH levels in blood and milk samples. Three hundred and eighty (47.5%; 380/800), 300 (37.5%; 300/800), and 120 (15%; 120/800) of milk samples, respectively were CMT positive or SM and CM, and those positives were cows from different farms. We observed that 87.4% (332/380), 25.3% (76/300), and 34.2% (41/120) of cows with CMT positive, CMT negative, and CM had bacterial growth. The most predominantly identified bacteria were Staphylococcus chromogenes (18.7%) obtained mainly from SM and Staphylococcus aureus (16.7%) as the most frequent cause of CM. According to our results, dairy cows with CM had the highest MDA levels, the lowest GSH, and total GSH levels in both blood and milk samples however, high MDA levels and low GSH levels in milk samples with SM were observed. Based on our results, lipid oxidant MDA and antioxidant GSH could be excellent biomarkers of cow's milk for developing inflammation of the mammary gland. In addition, there was no link between nutrition and MDA and GSH levels.

Czech Journal of Food Sciences, Apr 27, 2023

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the antimicrobial effect of propolis ethanol ... more The purpose of the present study was to investigate the antimicrobial effect of propolis ethanol extract collected from the Tarsus district of Mersin province, Kilis province, Yayladagi district of Hatay province in southern Türkiye and Sarkoy district of Tekirdag province of northwestern Türkiye against Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Helicobacter pylori (ATCC 43504), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853), and Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 29213). Their chemical constituents were detected via liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). They were used in a molecular docking approach to search the interactions between the propolis compounds. A total of 24 phenolic compounds were detected in all samples. 3-4 dimethoxycinnamic acid, caffeic acid and genistein were indicated to be the predominant phenolic compounds in propolis extracts by LC-MS/MS, while rutin was found in the lowest concentration. Phenolic compounds were detected in a high concentration of the propolis samples collected from the Tarsus district of Mersin province. The broth microdilution method determined minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) values. MIC values ranged from 0.02 to 14 mg•mL-1. E. coli and S. aureus examined were as susceptible to the propolis extracts except for Mersin and Tekirdag propolis samples. The propolis sample collected from the Tarsus district of Mersin province presented the highest antibacterial activity on P. aeruginosa with MIC values of 1 mg•mL-1. Active substances in propolis were docked to the relevant target proteins (5LMM, 4NX9, 5YHG, and 5FXT) representing E. coli (ATCC 25922), H. pylori (ATCC 43504), P. aeruginosa (ATCC 27853), and S. aureus (ATCC 29213), and with the help of molecular simulation. With this study, we indicated that the ethanol extract of propolis had a stronger antibacterial activity on S. aureus isolates than that of E. coli, H. pylori, and P. aeruginosa. Although each component of propolis contributed to the antibacterial activity, the contribution of the vitexin component to the antibacterial activity was found to be quite significant.

An intravaginal sponge impregnated with progesterone is commonly used for estrus induction and sy... more An intravaginal sponge impregnated with progesterone is commonly used for estrus induction and synchronization in ewes. Although using an intravaginal sponge containing progesterone positively affects the synchronization rate, varying degrees of vaginitis occur during its application. This study aimed to investigate the impacts of various intravaginal treatment options on the vaginitis severity and pregnancy rate in Merino ewes synchronized with intravaginal sponges impregnated with progesterone. During the breeding period, 589 ewes, aged 2–6, received intravaginal sponges for 14 days. The control group (CON) received no treatment, whereas vaginal sponges absorbed with enrofloxacin (ENR), Lactobacillus plantarum (LAC), or Lactobacillus plantarum supernatant (CFS) were applied in the treatment groups. All groups received 500 IU of equine chorionic gonadotropin intramuscularly. The ENR group showed lower scores in vaginal discharge and sponge odor compared with the CON, LAC, and CFS groups. Although estrus responses did not differ between groups, the pregnancy rate tended to be higher in the ENR group. In conclusion, intravaginal ENR application, but not LAC or CFS, reduced vaginitis severity and tended to increase pregnancy rates in ewes synchronized with intravaginal sponges impregnated with progesterone.

During the race season of racing pigeons, the demands on their care, zoohygienic conditions, bala... more During the race season of racing pigeons, the demands on their care, zoohygienic conditions, balanced feeding and maintaining an optimal state of health increase. Any deviation in the mentioned factors causes a stressful situation associated with the changes in the bacterial representation in the digestive tract, weakens the individual´s state of health and thus reduces his performance. The work aimed to monitor the health status of racing pigeons and evaluate their performance during one racing season. From 60 pigeons, swabs from the cloaca and crop were taken at regular intervals at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of the race season with a focus on monitoring the representation of the intestinal microflora and the most common diseases. The pigeons were also clinically examined with subsequent sampling for monitoring coccidiosis, trichomonosis and respiratory syndrom during the individual phases of the race season. The total count of bacteria (TCB) in both the cloaca and the crop did not show any significant variation in their abundance throughout the entire racing season. On the other hand, with increasing stress and the occurrence of diseases, the coliform bacteria (CB) in the cloaca and crop was increased in the end of the racing season. Of the identified bacteria Ent. columbae, E. coli, Ent. faecium, Ent. gallinarum a S. intermedius were most frequently represented in swabs from the cloaca. As in the cloaca, the swabs from the crop were most frequently represented by Ent. columbae a E. coli together with lactobacilli and Ent. gallinarum. At the end of race season, E. coli, Ent. faecium, Ent. columbae and staphylococci were significantly represented in the cloaca and in the crop Ent. columbae, E. coli, Ent. gallinarum together with staphylococci again. By comparing the prevalence of Eimeria spp. and Trichomonas spp. before, during and at the end of the race season were noticed their increased occurrence at the end of the season. From the race placements, we found that in pigeons in which the prevalence of opportunistic pathogens Staphylococcus spp. a Ent. gallinarum from swabs of the cloaca and crop at the lowest level together with the occurrence of Eimeria spp., they achieved constant results the entire race season and also achieved the best points position.

Agriculture, Apr 11, 2024

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Research in Veterinary Science/Research in veterinary science, May 1, 2024

Combat training of police horses, involving physical activity in the presence of environmental st... more Combat training of police horses, involving physical activity in the presence of environmental stressors, poses a risk of oxidative stress. This study compared the oxidative imbalance after combat training in horses in the regular police service and in horses that had just been schooled. Blood collection was performed immediately after training and after 16 h rest. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT), and total antioxidant status (TAS) were determined as the markers of enzymatic antioxidant defence. At the same time, lipid peroxidation (TBARS) and protein carbonylation (Carb) were assessed as oxidation biomarkers. Additionally, oxidative imbalance indexes such as SOD/CAT, SOD/GPx, TBARS/TAS and TBARS/GPx were calculated. Animals during schooling had significantly lower SOD activity in erythrocytes than those experienced. CAT activity in erythrocytes was insignificantly higher immediately after training than during recovery. The SOD/GPx ratio was higher in experienced animals, which may reflect the intra-erythrocyte imbalance between enzymes producing and degrading hydrogen peroxide towards the first one. The concentration of carbonyl groups was significantly higher after the combat training compared to the recovery period in all horses. In inexperienced animals slight increase in TBARS/TAS and TBARS/GPx indexes were observed during the recovery time after exercises, contrary to experienced horses, in which these markers decreased slightly. These results suggest that the oxidative imbalance in inexperienced horses, although less pronounced just after combat training, was more prolonged as compared to horses in regular service.

International journal of avian & wildlife biology, Mar 3, 2023

Emerging science journal, Sep 30, 2023

Despite a plethora of research on vaccine developments and the adverse effects of the vaccine wor... more Despite a plethora of research on vaccine developments and the adverse effects of the vaccine worldwide, there are several research studies on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy or rejection. The objectives of this study were to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 vaccine on treatment and the factors that contributed to the vaccine concerns. Methods: After one month of being approved by the ethics committee, a descriptive cross-sectional research was conducted using online resources. Samples were randomly selected from the study population. The current study included adults (>18 years old) who were randomly selected from different provinces of Turkey. Results: Most participants were young adults 18-23 years old (47.9%), female (64.8%), married (36.1%), with university education (70.4%), and without medical illness (60.9%) (mean age = 28 years old). Both vaccination doses were given to 53% of the individuals. The most frequent symptom was discomfort at the injection site (0.14%), followed by asthenia muscle pain (0.01%) and edema (24.5%) at the injection site. More symptoms were reported by women than by men. Social media accounts and websites of professional organizations, namely the Dental Association, the Ministry of Health, and the World Health Organization (WHO), were the main sources of COVID-19 information. Hesitancy was induced by concerns about side effects (67.7%), safety (69.7%), lack of information (43.1%), inadequate data on the vaccine clinical trials (55.9%), lack of information on how long protective and effectiveness of vaccines (69.4%), lack of information on how effectiveness against variants (74.8%), think COVID-19 is not dangerous (69.7%), not effectiveness (22.6%) of the vaccine, not safe (32.6%), change my genetic make-up and cause it reproductive sterilite (20.2%), high number of deaths due to COVID-19 (60.8%), the presence of dangerous materials such as aluminum, mercury and others in the content of vaccines, concerns about the country producing the vaccine (38.2%), being afraid of the injection (22%), being against vaccination in general (11%), negative news in the press and social media (38.6%), being risky for only people over 60 (15.9%), having a strong immune system (38.4%), religious (4.7%) and cultural factors (7.4%), believing in natural and traditional medicine (25.4%), and being influenced by friends or family members (19.6%). Hesitancy to accept the COVID-19 vaccine was observed in subjects with hypercholosterolemia and diabetes mellitus. In conclusion, Vaccine hesitancy was primarily related to safety apprehensions. Educational and demographic traits were associated with vaccine admissibility.

The Journal of Microbiology, Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Oct 16, 2023

Combat training of police horses, involving physical activity in the presence of environmental st... more Combat training of police horses, involving physical activity in the presence of environmental stressors, poses a risk of oxidative stress. This study compared the oxidative imbalance after combat training in horses in the regular police service and in horses that had just been schooled. Blood collection was performed immediately after training and after 16 h rest. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT), and total antioxidant status (TAS) were determined as the markers of enzymatic antioxidant defence. At the same time, lipid peroxidation (TBARS) and protein carbonylation (Carb) were assessed as oxidation biomarkers. Additionally, oxidative imbalance indexes such as SOD/CAT, SOD/GPx, TBARS/TAS and TBARS/GPx were calculated. Animals during schooling had significantly lower SOD activity in erythrocytes than those experienced. CAT activity in erythrocytes was insignificantly higher immediately after training than during recovery. The SOD/GPx ratio was higher in experienced animals, which may reflect the intra-erythrocyte imbalance between enzymes producing and degrading hydrogen peroxide towards the first one. The concentration of carbonyl groups was significantly higher after the combat training compared to the recovery period in all horses. In inexperienced animals slight increase in TBARS/TAS and TBARS/GPx indexes were observed during the recovery time after exercises, contrary to experienced horses, in which these markers decreased slightly. These results suggest that the oxidative imbalance in inexperienced horses, although less pronounced just after combat training, was more prolonged as compared to horses in regular service.

TIntravaginal sponge impregnated with progesterone is commonly used for estrus induction and sync... more TIntravaginal sponge impregnated with progesterone is commonly used for estrus induction and synchronization in ewes. Although the use of intravaginal sponge containing progesterone has positive effects on synchronization rate, varying degrees of vaginitis occur during application. This study aimed to investigate the impact of various intravaginal treatment options on vaginitis severity and pregnancy rate in Merino ewes synchronized with intravaginal sponges impregnated with progesterone. During the breeding period, 589 ewes, aged 2-6, received intravaginal sponges for 14 days. The control group (CON) received no treatment, whereas enrofloxacin (ENR), Lacto-bacillus plantarum (LAC), or Lactobacillus plantarum supernatant (CFS) absorbed into the vaginal sponge at the time of application in treatment groups. All groups received intramuscular 500 IU equine chorionic gonadotropin. The ENR group showed lower scores in vaginal discharge and sponge odour compared to CON, LAC, and CFS groups. Although estrus response did not differ among groups, the pregnancy rate tended to be higher in the ENR group. In conclusion, in-travaginal ENR application, but not LAC or CFS, reduced vaginitis severity and tended to in-crease pregnancy rates in ewes synchronized with intravaginal sponges impregnated with pro-gesterone.

Polish Journal of Veterinary Sciences

By providing the body with essential nutrients, colostrum plays an immune and immunostimulating f... more By providing the body with essential nutrients, colostrum plays an immune and immunostimulating function. Colostrum quality depends on multiple factors, including microbial presence. This study aimed to explore the effect of non-aureus staphylococci on colostrum quality. Physical and chemical properties, fatty acid profile of cow colostrum were determined. In our study, we identified three non-aureus staphylococci species in the colostrum: S. sciuri, S. xylosus and S. warneri. The percentage of dry matter in staphylococci positive and negative colostrum samples did not differ significantly. Contents of fat, protein, and lactose in the colostrum were similar. The content of butyric (С4:0) and capric (С10:0) acids was significantly higher in the colostrum fat from samples positive for non-aureus staphylococci. Total bacterial count was lower in non-aureus staphylococci positive samples, while pH increased. The percentage of β-casein was lower in colostrum with a positive culture for non-aureus staphylococci.

Frontiers in Veterinary Science

IntroductionThe use of ozonized water is gaining importance in medicine due to its effects on hyp... more IntroductionThe use of ozonized water is gaining importance in medicine due to its effects on hyperglycemia and wound healing mechanisms.MethodsThis experiment was conducted to assess the impacts of intradermal administration of ozonated water on acute skin wound healing in a diabetic rat model. Sixty-four adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups: an ozonated water group (O3W) and a control group (CG). Experimental diabetes was chemically induced in the rats by the intraperitoneal administration of 60 mg/kg streptozotocin. One week later, full-thickness skin surgical wounds (1 cm2) were created between the two shoulders of the rats under general anesthesia. The wounds were then daily irrigated with normal saline (CG) or intradermally injected with 1 mL of ozonated water at 10 mg/L O3W. Wound healing was evaluated through macroscopic analysis, measuring wound size, diameter, and percentage of contraction rate before wounding and at 3, 7, 9, 12, 14, 18, 21, 24, and...

Frontiers in Veterinary Science

IntroductionThe rutting period imposes a stressful condition on male camels, which results in ele... more IntroductionThe rutting period imposes a stressful condition on male camels, which results in elevated serum cortisol levels and alterations in their sexual behavior. Therefore, the current work was carried out to investigate the effect of mineral-vitamin premix supplementation on behavior, reproductive performance, hormones, serum oxidative stress profile, and other serum biochemical parameters of Camelus dromedarius during the breeding season.MethodsFourteen mature, fertile male Camelus dromedarius were divided into two groups, a control group (n = 7) and a mineral-vitamin premix group (n = 7). The present study lasted for 95 days during the rutting period (1st February to 5th May). Each camel in the premix group received a daily diet of 50 g of mineral-vitamin premix throughout the whole rutting period, during which the frequencies and durations of the following behaviors: maintenance, posture, aggressiveness, and sexual activity were collected every 20 min. At the end of the stu...

Journal of Dairy, Veterinary & Animal Research, Jun 19, 2023

The aim of this study was to reduce the prevalence of mastitis by introduction of effective anti-... more The aim of this study was to reduce the prevalence of mastitis by introduction of effective anti-mastitis measures in a herd of 125 dairy cows. The effectiveness of the relevant measures was monitored by six examinations conducted in two-month intervals during the one-year period. A reduction in the prevalence of mastitis was recorded from 53.6% to 22.9%, i.e. by 26.0%. The prevalence of Staphylococcus spp. as the most frequently isolated pathogens of the mammary gland in the examined samples gradually reduced from 33.4% to 18.4%, 14.1%, 10.0%, 7.6%, and 8.1%. In contrast to the dynamics of mastitis, the monthly fluctuations in the values of somatic cell count (SCC) and total bacterial count (TBC) in bulk tank milk samples were irregular. However, a declining dynamics of SCC and TBC was evident during the last three samplings which reflected a reduction in the counts of udder pathogens after the treatment and introduction of mastitis suppression procedures.

International journal of avian & wildlife biology, Dec 31, 2020

Cleaning and disinfection are among the most important tasks in shelters and an important link in... more Cleaning and disinfection are among the most important tasks in shelters and an important link in the prevention and battle against infectious diseases. Inadequate cleaning and ineffective disinfection can spread the disease to animals in the surrounding pens or to people during their daily contact and care of the animals. It is important to follow the order of the individual steps performed during hygiene procedures and carry out subsequent control of their efficacy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of disinfection by means of swabs taken from selected surfaces in a dog shelter – Happy dog, located in eastern Slovakia. The surfaces were disinfected with Savo Prim contains active substance sodium hypochlorite and anionic surfactant. For good cleaning effect was added disinfectant in a ratio of 1:5 to hot water at a temperature of 50°C and sprayed under pressure of 50 Bar. The effectiveness of mechanical cleaning followed by disinfection was evaluated by microbiological swabs from watering and food bowls, wall and floor. Swabs were taken before and after mechanical cleaning and disinfection, from 10cm2 areas. The surface area was wiped with a sterile cotton swab, the swab was placed in a sterile tube with 10ml of sterile saline solution and 0.1ml from this mixture was applied to Endo agar and meat peptone agar. Swabbing of the disinfected surfaces showed a significant decrease in TCB (total count of bacteria) and CB (coliform bacteria). However, on the walls and floors were detected small count of TCB and CB after disinfection in comparison with the counts detected before cleaning but the number of indicator bacteria was below the recommended value. Based on these observations, we can evaluate the hygienic program with the disinfection performed in the shelter as sufficient.

Slovak Journal of Animal Science, Sep 25, 2019

The aim of the presented study was to assess the heavy metal burden in biotopes of wild living an... more The aim of the presented study was to assess the heavy metal burden in biotopes of wild living animals of two distinct industrially exploited areas in Slovakia. 411 samples of various tissues (lung, liver, kidney, spleen, heart and muscle) of red deer, roe deer, mouflon, chamois, wild boar, European brown hare, fox, European brown marten, European badger, gray wolf, brown bear, wildcat, red squirrel, European polecat, alpine marmot, and European otter were collected from the localities between 2014 and 2018. Concentrations of mercury, cadmium, lead, arsenic, nickel, copper and zinc were determined using Atomic absorption spectroscopy. Significant correlations (p ˂ 0.05, t = 0.03162) of metal levels in each locality and differences between the animals species were recorded. We have found important heavy metal burden in a relatively clean area-Tatra National Park that is legislatively protected and restricted in any industrial activity. In the Zemplín region, the examined heavy metal levels confirm permanent pollution by intensive heavy industrialization. Mostly mercury (29 %) was the metal that exceeded the legal limits permitted for human consumption, then cadmium (28 %) and lead (23 %). Concentration of chromium did not exceed the limit in any sample. The most burdened animal species was wild boar.

International journal of avian & wildlife biology, Jan 17, 2023

International journal of avian & wildlife biology, Sep 23, 2022

Despite the breeder’s efforts to minimize stress factors during the racing season, disease can oc... more Despite the breeder’s efforts to minimize stress factors during the racing season, disease can occur even in the best lofts. Among the specific diseases caused by high performance, immunosuppression of the organism, imbalance of gastrointestinal micro flora of carrier pigeons and non-observance of hygienic conditions is included collibacillosis. Collibacillosis is localized or systemic infection caused entirely or partly by avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC). Although some strains of APEC cannot cause disease by themselves, their pathogenic lifestyle, suggesting that infections might always be opportunistic or secondary to some most frequently predisposing diseases such as coccidiosis, adenovirosis, canker, intestinal worms and others. The disease causes reduction in performance or loss of infected pigeons, vomiting, diarrhoea, enteritis, dehydration, depressed feed intake or decreased growth rate in young pigeons. An outbreak of collibacillosis during the racing season is often the result of a combination of several factors that cannot be completely eliminated. It is therefore useful to develop a prophylactic plan in which the breeder focuses not only on the elimination of the main predisposing diseases, but also notices the factors that can stress the pigeons and thus cause an outbreak of APEC.

Polish Journal of Veterinary Sciences, Jul 26, 2023

This study aimed to identify bacterial pathogens in milk samples from dairy cows with subclinical... more This study aimed to identify bacterial pathogens in milk samples from dairy cows with subclinical and clinical mastitis as well as to assess the concentrations of oxidant-antioxidant parameters [malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), and total GSH levels] in both blood and milk samples. From a total of 200 dairy cows in 8 farms, 800 quarter milk samples obtained from each udder were tested in the laboratory for the presence of udder pathogens. Cultivated bacteria causing intramammary infection from milk samples were identified by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time of Flight (MALDI-TOF). In addition, from tested animals 60 cows were selected includıng 20 healthy cows that were CMT negative, 20 cows with subclinical mastitis (SM), and 20 cows with clinical mastitis (CM) for detection of MDA, GSH, and total GSH levels in blood and milk samples. Three hundred and eighty (47.5%; 380/800), 300 (37.5%; 300/800), and 120 (15%; 120/800) of milk samples, respectively were CMT positive or SM and CM, and those positives were cows from different farms. We observed that 87.4% (332/380), 25.3% (76/300), and 34.2% (41/120) of cows with CMT positive, CMT negative, and CM had bacterial growth. The most predominantly identified bacteria were Staphylococcus chromogenes (18.7%) obtained mainly from SM and Staphylococcus aureus (16.7%) as the most frequent cause of CM. According to our results, dairy cows with CM had the highest MDA levels, the lowest GSH, and total GSH levels in both blood and milk samples however, high MDA levels and low GSH levels in milk samples with SM were observed. Based on our results, lipid oxidant MDA and antioxidant GSH could be excellent biomarkers of cow's milk for developing inflammation of the mammary gland. In addition, there was no link between nutrition and MDA and GSH levels.

Czech Journal of Food Sciences, Apr 27, 2023

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the antimicrobial effect of propolis ethanol ... more The purpose of the present study was to investigate the antimicrobial effect of propolis ethanol extract collected from the Tarsus district of Mersin province, Kilis province, Yayladagi district of Hatay province in southern Türkiye and Sarkoy district of Tekirdag province of northwestern Türkiye against Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Helicobacter pylori (ATCC 43504), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853), and Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 29213). Their chemical constituents were detected via liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). They were used in a molecular docking approach to search the interactions between the propolis compounds. A total of 24 phenolic compounds were detected in all samples. 3-4 dimethoxycinnamic acid, caffeic acid and genistein were indicated to be the predominant phenolic compounds in propolis extracts by LC-MS/MS, while rutin was found in the lowest concentration. Phenolic compounds were detected in a high concentration of the propolis samples collected from the Tarsus district of Mersin province. The broth microdilution method determined minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) values. MIC values ranged from 0.02 to 14 mg•mL-1. E. coli and S. aureus examined were as susceptible to the propolis extracts except for Mersin and Tekirdag propolis samples. The propolis sample collected from the Tarsus district of Mersin province presented the highest antibacterial activity on P. aeruginosa with MIC values of 1 mg•mL-1. Active substances in propolis were docked to the relevant target proteins (5LMM, 4NX9, 5YHG, and 5FXT) representing E. coli (ATCC 25922), H. pylori (ATCC 43504), P. aeruginosa (ATCC 27853), and S. aureus (ATCC 29213), and with the help of molecular simulation. With this study, we indicated that the ethanol extract of propolis had a stronger antibacterial activity on S. aureus isolates than that of E. coli, H. pylori, and P. aeruginosa. Although each component of propolis contributed to the antibacterial activity, the contribution of the vitexin component to the antibacterial activity was found to be quite significant.