One of most important traits in dairy farming is cow (Bos primigenius taurus) longevity. In last few years the length of productive life in Latvian dairy cow population significantly decreased. Cow longevity depends on a large amount of genetic and non-genetic factors. Data from 1037 excluded Latvian brown (LB) breed cows were included in the analysis. Cows were born in the period from the year 2002 to 2006 and a farm size was 9 – 163 cows per farm. Farms were dislocated in all main regions of Latvia. Average life length of cows excluded from the herd was 2463.0 days in small farms, 2234.6 days in medium size farms and 2089.5 days in large farms. Cows’ productivity in one life day in small farms was 5.9 kg energy corrected milk (ECM), in medium size farms 6.2 kg ECM and in large farms 6.5 kg ECM. Large farm cows had longer life length in days (p is less than 0.05), but higher productivity in one productive day (p is less than 0.05) and productivity in one life day.

In breeding of Latvian Warmblood breed carriage type horses Equus caballus one of major breeding objectives is producing of typical purebred animals with minimal influence of modern warmblood breeds. The aim of the study was to analyze the quality of Latvian Warmblood horse breed carriage and sport type mares included in the register of Latvian Horse Breeding Association broodmares and differences between types in valuation and quality of progeny. The data included 135 records from Latvian Warmblood horse breed mares having valuation both of conformation and performance. The data from 79 sport type and 56 carriage type broodmares were collected. The majority of mares in population (31.9%) had proportion 0 – 24.9% of Latvian warmblood purebred ancestors. The proportion of Latvian Warmblood purebred ancestors in the group of carriage type mares was high – 72.2%, while sport type mares – only 23.4%, a difference between groups was significant (p is less than 0.01). Sport type mares showed significantly (p is less than 0.05) better results in conformation and performance quality whereas carriage type broodmares had significantly higher count of daughters registered in Stud book. Comparison of breed types showed that groups did not differ significantly by height of withers and quality of progeny. Lower quality of conformation and performance of carriage type had to be explained by pedigree data as the main criteria for acceptance, also with older age of broodmares. For future the main goal has to be censorious licensing of best carriage type stallions and using young broodmares with higher quality of gaits and conformation for breeding purpose.

Kvass is a non-alcoholic beverage produced by fermenting kvass mash with yeast; alcohol content in kvass must be less than 1.2% alcohol by volume. Microbiological safety of kvass is an important issue because European Regulation No 2073/2005 on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs does not provide microbiological criteria for kvass production. Microbiological safety of kvass depends on raw materials, personal hygiene, environment, kvass blending and filtration. Experiments were carried out at the Latvia University of Agriculture Department of Food Technology from November 2013 to January 2014. The aim of this work was to assess the microbiological environment changes during kvass production process and shelf-life. Understanding the development of dynamic of microbiological environment provides a better management for kvass production processes. Samples of bread kvass were analysed during production (12 and 13 h) and storage (36, 60, 84, 132, 136 h) at 3 ± 1 °C to determine kvass quality. Yeasts (LVS EN ISO 21527 - 2: 2008), lactic acid bacteria (ISO 9332:2003) and total plate count (LVS EN ISO 4833:2003) were determined in kvass samples. Microorganisms in kvass were identified using API identification system; the dominating microflora in kvass was Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Leuconostoc mesentericus. Changes of total plate count during fermentation and maturation were not significant (p is greater than 0.05).

The present study was undertaken to estimate enzymatically hydrolysed and non–hydrolysed wheat (Triticum aestivum) and rye (Secale cereale) bran microflora. Enzymatic hydrolysis was accomplished by α – amylase from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and by Viscozyme L which contain a wide range of enzymes responsible for the breakdown of carbohydrates into simple sugars. Wheat and rye bran samples were collected from native mills, namely Stock Company (SC) ‘Rigas dzirnavnieks’ wheat bran with large particle size (WLSR), SC ‘Jelgavas dzirnavas’ rye bran with small particle size (RSSJ), SC ‘Dobeles dzirnavnieks’ wheat bran with small particle size (WSSD) and wheat bran with large particle size (WLSD). Gained results indicate that before enzymatic hydrolysis all of the bran samples showed similar microbiological contamination with total plate count (TPC), yeasts and lactic acid bacteria. Enzymatic hydrolysis of bran gives the possibility to partially eliminate the microbiological contamination with TPC, yeasts and lactic acid bacteria. The amount of microorganisms after enzymatic hydrolysis (before storage) were decreased and ranged from 5.26 ± 0.04 to 5.45 ± 0.01 log CFU gE-1, from 4.81 ± 0.01 to 5.60 ± 0.05 log CFU gE-1, and from 4.09 ± 0.01 to 5.10 ± 0.05 log CFU gE-1, respectively. After eight weeks of storage (temperature – 20 ± 1 °C, relative humidity – 40 ± 1%) enumeration of microorganisms showed significant decrease of colony–forming units in all bran samples. The amount of TPC, yeasts and lactic acid bacteria in the control bran samples fluctuated in a range from 4.84 ± 0.04 to 5.49 ± 0.05 log CFU gE-1, from 4.86 ± 0.03 to 5.25 ± 0.03 log CFU g-1, 3.53 ± 0.03 to 4.21 ± 0.02 log CFU gE-1 respectively.

During the controls for Trichinella in wild boar meat, Alaria spp. mesocercariae in the examined samples are diagnosed. There does not exist a routine veterinary inspection for diagnosis of alariosis (Alaria spp.) in Latvia. The aim of the study was to determine Alaria spp. mesocercariae distribution in wild boar (Sus scrofa) meat in Latvia. Laboratory examination was performed in Latvia University of Agriculture Faculty of Veterinary Medicine laboratory of Parasitology, from 2010 to 2013. Meat samples were examined using artificial digestion method, which in regulation No 2075/2005 is considered an official detection method for Trichinella. In total, 1233 wild boar meat samples from different hunting regions of Latvia were examined. The territory of Latvia was divided into four regions – Kurzeme, Zemgale, Vidzeme and Latgale. For examination we used meat samples from wild boar pillars of diaphragm. Samples were taken from wild boars of different age and gender. The prevalence of infection in the examined wild boar meat samples from all regions was 8.2%, but the intensity of infection 2.8.

Listeria monocytogenes is a pathogen that causes infectious diseases in animals and foodborne infection in humans. The aim of this retrospective study was to analyse L. monocytogenes caused abortions in cattle in Latvia in 2013, and to describe the potential reasons of these abortions. In total, 186 cattle abortion cases were investigated. The pathological material from aborted foetuses included samples of brain, heart, liver, spleen, kidneys and lung, liquid of stomach and liquid from thoracic and abdominal cavities. These samples were tested with bacteriological methods according to ISO 11290-1:2007. L. monocytogenes was found in 44 (23.7%) cases of cattle abortions. Positive cases were more distributed in the central and the south-eastern parts of Latvia, because in this territory winters tend to be wetter and colder than in other parts of Latvia. Seasonality was observed of L. monocytogenes caused abortions and the majority of cases occurred during spring and autumn, when the cattle were fed with silage. All abortion cases were observed in the second and the third trimester of the gestation. L. monocytogenes caused abortions occurred in cattle of different ages, but significantly (p is less than 0.05) more often – in 3 years old cattle.

The influence of forest distribution in the landscape on precipitation in middle latitudes is poorly researched. Moreover, results of such studies are controversial. Nevertheless, most researchers agree with findings, that influence of landscape roughness formed by forests on the amount of precipitation is significant. This study aimed to extend knowledge of the interface between forest distribution and the amount of precipitation during particular periods. Database of the amount of precipitation from 31 Lithuanian meteorological stations during the period of 2002-2010 was used in this study. Findings defined statistically significant correlations in the amount of precipitation increase due to shorter Euclidean distance to the nearest forest edge in the particular landscape (r = -0.421 – -0.359), p is less than 0.05), also shorter distance of the meteorological stations to the nearest forests (r = -0.380, p is less than 0.05) and higher density of the forests, treated as a perimeter per area ratio (PAR) (r = 0.359 – 0.551, p is less than 0.05).

The changes of areas of eight tree species in Lithuania during the past century were analysed. Aiming to apply the different approaches in forest studies, the Exponential smoothing method for forecasting the changes of the tree areas for the 25 years was used. The data dating from 1922 was analyzed as a time series. The descending trend was identified for Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and European ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.) and increasing trend – for Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.), common oak (Quercus robur L.), birch species (Betula pubescens Ehrh. and Betula pendula Roth), black alder (Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn.), European aspen (Populus tremula L.) and grey alder (Alnus incana (L.) Moench). The Exponential Trend with Multiplicative Seasonality (ET-MS) model was fitted for almost all investigated tree species with exception of European ash. For the latter species, the Damped Trend with Multiplicative Seasonality (DT-MS) model was chosen. Mean absolute percentage error of the model in all cases did not exceed 2%.

The study represents results of productivity studies of mechanized ditch cleaning using Ponsse Fox harvester adapted to multi-tree handling H6 head in forest drainage systems managed by Joint stock company “Latvia state forests”. The aim of the study is to evaluate productivity of extraction of biomass from ditches depending on working method and to estimate factors affecting prime-cost of biofuel in mechanized harvesting. The study results demonstrate that the 2nd method (mechanized extraction of roundwood and following motor-manual cleaning of remaining vegetation) is the most efficient solution for mechanized cleaning of ditches. Benefits of the 2nd method are smaller costs of undergrowth removal and bigger output of solid biofuel. Ponsse Fox harvester demonstrated sufficient work quality and productivity in the trials; however, it would be wise to use heavier harvesters or caterpillar excavator based harvesters in ditch cleaning. Using the 2nd method, a harvester can extract about 227 ha of ditches (23,000 m3 ) annually.

In Latvia, Picea abies and Pinus sylvestris as the commercially most valuable species make more than half of all woodlands. It has been found that about 23% of spruce stands are infected by root rot, caused predominantly by fungal pathogen Heterobasidion annosum s.l. To restrict the spread of root rot in coniferous forests of Latvia, the Joint Stock Company ''Latvijas valsts meži'' collaborated with Latvian State Forest Research Institute ''Silava'' in 2006 and launched a project for testing the Rotstop biological preparation, containing a suspension of Phlebiopsis gigantea spores. This project had a general task to accomplish Rotstop using technology approbation in Latvia and develop control system. Starting with the year 2008, preparation was used for stump treatment during thinning operations. When analysing the field data, a conclusion made in other studies was confirmed - P. gigantea colonizes pinewood more intensively even in case of improper stump treatment. It implies that the quality of stump treatment is decisive when using Rotstop for rot control in spruce stands.