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Abstract. The influence of age and the reproductive status has been researched in the blood serum of 75 Merinolandschaf ewes. We have detected statistically very high concentrations of Ca in the blood serum of pregnant and non- pregnant ewes comparing to those in lactation, while the opposite way has been noticed for the concentrations of P-inorganic and Na. Statistically much higher concentrations of K have been found in the lactating and non-pregnant ewes comparing to the pregnant ones. Statistically much higher concentrations of albumin and cholesterol have been detected in the blood of pregnant ewes comparing to the non-pregnant ones, while the opposite way has been noticed for the concentrations of total proteins. GGT activity was statistically much higher in the blood of ewes in lactation comparing to the non-pregnant ones and the CK and ALT activity in the pregnant ones comparing to those in lactation. The ewes up to one year old had statistically very significant high concentrations of P-inorganic, Na, Fe, glucose, AP, GGT, CK activities and in the older ewes the concentrations of cholesterol and total proteins. Due to that, it is necessary to, before the metabolic profile specification of ewes, take into consideration age and the reproductive status of the animals. For the age there have to be taken the concentrations of P-inorganic, Na, Fe, glucose, cholesterol and total proteins as well as AP, GGT, CK activities and for the reproductive status the concentrations of Ca, P-inorganic, Na, albumin, total proteins as well as the ALT, CK, GGT activities. These researches give basis for the regular therapy application and carrying out the prevention of the metabolic disturbances of ewes in the aim of reducing economy losses.

The aim was to determine the effect of substituting pumpkin seed cake (PSC) or extruded linseed (ELS) for soya bean meal in goats' diets on milk yield, milk composition and fatty acids profile of milk fat. In total, 28 dairy goats were divided into three groups. They were fed with concentrate mixtures containing soya bean meal (Control; n=9), ELS (n=10) or PSC (n=9) as main protein sources in the trial lasting 75 days. Addition of ELS or PSC did not influence milk yield and milk gross composition in contrast to fatty acid profile compared with Control. Supplementation of ELS resulted in greater branched-chain fatty acids (BCFA) and total n-3 fatty acids compared with Control and PSC (P<0.05). Total n-3 fatty acids were accompanied by increased α-linolenic acid (ALA, C18:3n-3; 0.56 g/100 g fatty acids) and EPA (C20:5n-3; 0.12 g/100 g fatty acids) proportions in milk of the ELS group. In contrast, ELS and PSC resulted in lower linoleic acid (LA, C18:2n-6; 2.10 and 2.28 g/100 g fatty acids, respectively) proportions compared with Control (2.80 g/100 g fatty acids; P<0.05). Abovementioned resulted in lower LA/ALA ratio (3.81 v. 7.44 or 6.92, respectively; P<0.05) with supplementation of ELS compared with Control or PSC. The PSC diet decreased total n-6 fatty acids compared with the Control (2.96 v. 3.54 g/100 g fatty acids, P<0.05). Oleic acid (c9-C18:1), CLA (c9,t11-18:2) and t10-,t11-C18:1 did not differ between treatments (P⩾0.08), although stearic acid (C18:0) increased in ELS diets compared with Control (12.7 v. 10.2 g/100 g fatty acids, P<0.05). Partially substituted soya bean meal with ELS in hay-based diets may increase beneficial n-3 fatty acids and BCFA accompanied by lowering LA/ALA ratio and increased C18:0. Pumpkin seed cake completely substituted soya bean meal in the diet of dairy goats without any decrease in milk production or sharp changes in fatty acid profile that may have a commercial or a human health relevancy.

Abstract. The aim of this investigation is to determine changes in concentrations of biochemical and haematological parameters, as well as metabolic hormones in the blood of Tsigai ewes in the first third of lactation. The study included 10 ewes Tsigai breed monitored during three periods of lactation: 20 days, 40 and 60 days of lactation. Ewes were fed feed mixture (300 g/day) and meadow hay ad libitum. A significant decrease of concentrations of Ca and Na was recorded in the blood of sheep at the 40th day of lactation and later an increase at the 60th day of lactation. The opposite trend was determined for concentrations of P-inorganic. Also it was determined a significant decrease in Fe content and an increase in the concentrations of glucose, triglycerides and total protein in the first third of lactation. In the blood of ewes at 40th day of lactation it was found a significant decrease of the activity of AST and LDH in contrast to ewes at 20th day of lactation. Concentrations of T3 and T4 hormones were slightly increasing in the first third of lactation, but the differences were not significant. The blood insulin concentrations were significant increased in the first third of lactation. Haematological blood parameters in lactating ewes did not differ significantly and was within the reference values. Determining the concentration of biochemical and haematological parameters and concentrations of blood thyroid hormones and insulin in the first third of lactation are imposed as a precaution in order to better monitoring of Tsigai ewes during lactation.

Continuous growth of human population, combined with the changes in eating habits, calls for an intensification of agricultural production. However, apart from the increase in food production, its nutritional composition is important as well, particularly in terms of microelements. In diets of over two thirds of the world's population, there is a lack of more than one microelement. Insufficient concentrations of microelements, which are important for proper growth, development and health of humans and domestic animals, can be eliminated with diverse nutrition, microelement supplementation and by increasing the concentration and bioavailability of microelements in feeds used in animal nutrition, or biofortification. By reviewing the literature, the factors that influence the increase in microelement concentration in fodder crops are presented. Agronomic and genetic approach to biofortification is advocated as an immediate strategy to eliminate the lack of microelements most commonly lacking in diets: iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), iodine (I), selenium (Se). The nutrition of animals containing biofortified fodder aims to increase the concentration of the aforementioned microelements in blood and improve their growth, development and health. By increasing the concentrations of microelements in tissues and milk of domestic animals, the ultimate goal is to meet the microelement needs in humans.

Lamb meat represents an important source of nutrients for humans worldwide. However, nutritional value of lamb meat, and particularly that obtained from suckling lambs, has been scarcely investigated in comparison to other categories of meat. The study aimed to provide some basic insights into proximate and mineral composition of lamb meat and to disclose some important sources of its variability. Three Croatian indigenous insular sheep breeds were included in the study: Rab sheep, Cres sheep, and Krk. The lambs were reared in outdoor insular environment where lambs were fed exclusively by suckling their mothers and by grazing wild grown vegetation. It has been determined that gender significantly affected fat (p < .001) and moisture ratio (p < .05), and had no effect on concentration of the examined minerals, except Zn (p < .01). The factor composed of breed and environment significantly affected moisture ratio (p < .001), fat ratio (p < .01), and concentrations of Ca, Na, Cu, and Mn (p < .001), Zn (p < .01), and K (p < .05). The concentrations of Mn and Ca were by far the most influenced by breed-environment effect. The results of the study evidenced that factor composed of breed and environment represents important source of variability of nutritional value of lamb meat produced in extensive rearing systems. ARTICLE HISTORY

The influence of the reproductive status was tested in the blood serum of 30 sheep (10 pregnant sheep on the 15th day prior to lambing, 10 lactating sheep on the 20th day of the lactation and 10 non-pregnant sheep). The influence of age was determined in the blood serum of 20 sheep and 20 lambs. Analysis of the impact of age in sheep and lamb on the concentration of thyroid hormones showed that 30-day old lambs had significantly higher (P<0.01) concentration of T3 and T4 compared to the other age categories of sheep. At the same time, 100-day old lambs had significantly higher concentration of T4 if compared to the 1 and 3-year old sheep. Referring to the reproductive status, there was significantly lower (P<0.01) concentration of T3 determined in the blood of lactating sheep than of nonpregnant and pregnant sheep. These findings point out unsatisfactory energy supply in the older sheep, sheep during late pregnancy and sheep at the beginning of lactation

The aim of this investigation is to determine haematological parameters of ewes during lactation in organic farming. Research was carried out with 32 Merinolandschaf ewes in age of 4 years and in third lactation. Sampling of blood from the same ewes was conducted on 20 th , 60 th and 100 th day of lactation. Feeding was based on feed mixture and meadow hay from organic farming. Haematological parameters (number of leukocyte-WBC, erythrocytes-RBC, and platelet-PLT, as well as content of haemoglobin-HGB, haematocrit-HCT, mean corpuscular volume-MCV, the average haemoglobin content in erythrocytes-MCH and mean haemoglobin concentration in erythrocytes-MCHC) in whole blood of ewes and differential blood test (segmented neutrophils-SEG, band cells-NESEG, lymphocytes-LYM, eosinophils-EOS, monocytes-MON and basophils-BAS) were determined. During the lactation significant decrease of RBC (9.36-8.62×10 12 L-1), HGB (92.59-86.25 g L-1) and number of BAS (0.41-0.03%) was determined, while MON (0.53-0.06%) decreased until 60 th day of lactation. Significant correlations were determined between most of the haematological parameters in blood of ewes in lactation. Significant positive total correlation was determined between RBC and HGB (0.96), very strong correlation between HCT:HGB, RBC:HCT and MON:MCH (0.82, 0.76 and 0.80), as well as strong negative correlation between MCH:MCHC (-0.63). The abovementioned indicated significant interdependence of the most of haematological parameters in ewes during lactation in organic farming.