In goats (Capra) the growth and functional development of certain parts of the multi-chambered stomach continue during the first few months after birth. The aim of this research was to clarify morphofunctional changes in the kids abomasa and rumina and live weight gain during the first 8 weeks of life. Research was performed in two parts. In the first part (P1) we used Saanen breed kids which were all kept in the same conditions and in the second part (P2) we used Saanen breed kids which were separated in two groups with different feeding diets. In P1 the stomach contents of the goat kids were collected after slaughter (on day 1, 17, 25 and 30), weighed full and empty. The gastrohromoscopical method proved that in the newborn kids the area where the abomasal pH is 3.0 and lower is about 10% of the surface of the abomasum, but in age of three weeks it is composing 80% of the mucosal surface of the abomasum. In P2 were two groups – in the first group (MMG) kids which were fed with dairy (mother) milk and lived with mothers, the second group (MRG) kids were fed with milk replacer and lived separate from mothers. The stomach contents were collected after slaughter(at day 45 and 60).We confirm that the most important age of stomach development and kids growth in postnatal period are the first 45 days. During this period the most significant differences can be observed. On day 60 there are no significant differences (p is greater than 0.05) between MMG and MRG stomach development.

Stomach, as a part of the digestive canal, is important in the metabolic processes of the organism which affects the bird’s general health condition, its growth and development, consequently also the increase of the body weight. The aim of the research was to find out the dynamics of weight, length, and area of the ostrich (Struthio camelus) stomach and its parts in postnatal ontogenesis from 4 to 12 months of age. The absolute weight of stomach, length of the greater curvature of the stomach glandular part, diameter of the muscular part, thickness of stomach wall was determined. To find out the differences of the mean values between various age groups, ANOVA and Post Hoch tests were used. The increase of the stomach absolute weight continued throughout the postnatal ontogenesis period, but the stomach weight in relation to the ostrich body weight decreased, especially rapidly at the age of 6 and 8 months. At the same time, proportions of the absolute and relative weight of the stomach glandular and muscular part changed. The length of the greater curvature of the stomach glandular part, length of the deep gland region and diameter of the stomach muscular part increased during the whole observed period of ontogenesis; moreover, these parameters increased more rapidly from 6 to 8 months of age. The area of the stomach glandular and muscular part mucosa increased throughout the observed period of ontogenesis. The area of the superficial gland region in all age groups was larger than the area of the deep gland region.

Cattle fattening, first of all, should be beneficial for a farmer, therefore, in Latvia more suitable are such average intense fattening methods as fattening with grass fodder. In the world, demand for beef, produced in an environmentally friendly manner, ensuring the appropriate animal welfare conditions, is growing. The aim of the study was to find out the fattening results of Hereford (HE) and Aberdinanguss (AB) pure-bred bulls and their crosses when fed with grass fodder. The study was conducted in 2015 and 2016 within the framework of the project ‘Baltic Grassland Beef’. AB crossbreed bulls were slaughtered when they were 519 ± 16.6 days old, but HE pure-bred bulls − 584 ± 7.3 days old (p ≤ 0.05). The biggest live weight and slaughter weight showed HE crossbreed group bulls – 557 ± 19.4 kg and 293 ± 12.2 kg, respectively, but the biggest live weight daily gain from birth to slaughter was observed to AB pure–bred group bulls – 952 ± 24.7. Carcass conformation score in muscle development was the highest for AB pure–bred group bulls. Their average conformation score was 3.2 ± 0.08 points. In terms of fat score development, carcass with the best quality was obtained from HE crossbreed group bulls, the resulting fat score – 2.4 ± 0.10. The obtained results prove that pure-bred and crossbreed bulls used in this research are suitable for fattening with grass in the conditions of Latvia

The agronomic role of legumes in cropping systems is well understood with the respect to N2 fixation, mechanisms of precrop effects, and environmental impacts. The combined inoculation and tripartite symbiosis between leguminous plants, Rhizobium spp. and vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi has been the subject of intensive research. Less attention has been paid to their effects on subsequent crops. Pot experiments were carried out in the greenhouse of Latvia University of Agriculture in 2015 and 2016. Soil used for this experiment was taken from the previous trial, where broad beans (Vicia faba var. major Harz.) were grown. Bean seeds, depending on the variant, were inoculated with rhizobia bacteria or mycorrhiza fungi, or the mixture of both microorganisms. Onions were grown as a subsequent crop. During the experiment, fresh and dry weight of onion leaves was determined. Onion root mycorrhizal colonization frequency and arbuscule abundance in the onion root system were determined. The activity of soil microorganisms was determined by soil respiration intensity. Results showed that the use of microsymbionts increased the subsequent onion leaf harvest in 2014 by 2.3% and in 2015 by 9.5%. In 2015 the highest increase of onion leaf yield was detected in variants were rhizobia strain RP023 was used. Rhizobia strain RV407 gave a positive effect only in combination with mycorrhiza fungi. Precrop treatment with mineral nitrogen fertilizer increased the onion yield in both years – by 12.4 and 14.3%, respectively. In all treatments, a decrease in dry matter content was observed. The highest incidence of mycorrhiza fungi structures was detected under mycorrhiza treatment. Tripartite symbiosis promoted the soil respiration rate.

The main direction of using wheat grains is grinding them into low-extraction flours. The flours collected from individual passages differ in terms of chemical composition and physical properties, which in turn differentiates their baking value. The aim of the study was to evaluate the baking value of passage flours obtained from the milling of spring and winter wheat grain. Wheat grain was milled in a 6-pass laboratory mill MLU-202 by Bühler. The baking value of the obtained passage flours was evaluated by an indirect method (protein content, gluten content and quality, falling number, farinograph analysis) and by a direct method (by baking and performing quality evaluation of the obtained bread). The research showed that the efficiency of flours from individual milling passages varied. The passages flours differed significantly in terms of chemical composition and baking value. The highest flour yields were obtained from the first and second grinding stages, while the smallest from the third grinding stage. Ash and total protein content, flour water absorption, and amylolytic enzymes activity increased together with the subsequent milling stage in both reduction-passage and grinding-passage. The gluten content increased with the next reduction stage, while it decreased with the subsequent grinding passage. The bread from the laboratory baking test was diversified in terms of sensory characteristics, loaf volume, and crumb porosity. The best quality bread was obtained from flour from the first two reduction passages. The lowest quality bread was obtained from flour from the final grinding passage.

This research was conducted to determine the chemical composition of smooth bromegrass in artificial pasture from the years 2010 to 2012 in Isparta Province located in the Mediterranean region of Turkey. The mixture of the pasture used were alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) + sainfoin (Onobrychis sativa Lam.) + crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum L.) + smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis L.). Animal grazing applications were performed in the second and the third year of the study since the first year covered only the establishment of the artificial pastures. Forage samples were collected from grazing and non-grazing areas once every 15 days during the grazing seasons. The crude protein (CP), acid detergent fibre (ADF), neutral detergent fibre (NDF) contents, total digestible nutrient (TDN) and relative feed value (RFV) were determined on the smooth bromegrass forage samples. According to results, CP, TDN and RFV values decreased throughout the grazing season, while ADF and NDF contents increased in grazing and non-grazing areas. The ADF and NDF contents of smooth bromegrass in non-grazed areas were higher than the grazed areas, while CP, TDN and RFV values of grazed areas were higher than non-grazed areas. It can be concluded that the harvesting at the late stages caused a reduction in forage quality of smooth bromegrass in grazing and non-grazing areas.