1. Factors affecting the effectiveness of litter management practices: an overviewDejan Škorjanc, Janko Skok, Maja Prevolnik Povše, 2025, review article Abstract: In terms of selection, pig farmers have aimed to maximize profitability for decades by increasing litter sizes through choosing gilts with seven or more pairs of teats. This has resulted in sows with numerically large litters, an increase in within-litter birth weight variation, and more piglets with a low birth weight. For newborns, the amount of colostrum consumed within the first 24 h after birth is particularly important for thermoregulation, passive immunity and adequate growth during lactation. The colostrum must be consumed early, for at least the first 6 h after birth. Only after consuming the mother’s colostrum, i.e., within 24 to 48 h after birth, is performing cross-fostering (CF) recommended, whereby light piglets are placed with another sow. Alternatively, farmers can choose a one- or two-step CF technique with nurse sows. If there are surplus piglets and substitute mothers are not available, the option of artificially rearing the piglets with liquid (milk replacer) and, later, solid feed remains, which is nevertheless a suboptimal method compared to CF. One way or another, all breeder interventions and different management strategies for large litters are associated with reduced piglet welfare.
Keywords: piglet, sow, low birth weight, fostering, well-being
Published in DKUM: 17.12.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 0
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2. Kronobiološka aktivnost prostoživeče mačke; upravljavske in varstvene implikacije : magistrsko deloNeva Merčnik, 2025, master's thesis Abstract: Domače mačke, zlasti prostoživeče, so visoko prilagodljive živali, ki lahko pomembno vplivajo na populacije divjih in sinantropnih vrst ter posledično na ekosisteme in varnost prehrane. Namen te magistrske naloge je bil raziskati kronobiološke vzorce prostoživečih domačih mačk in oceniti njihovo vlogo kot naravnih regulatorjev sinantropnih vrst v kontekstu trajnostne varnosti hrane. Študija je potekala dve leti (2020–2022) na gozdnem koridorju v Sloveniji, pri čemer je bilo z avtomatskimi lovskimi kamerami zabeleženih 2081 opažanj mačk, od tega 59 s plenom. Aktivnost mačk smo analizirali glede na cirkadiane, lunarne in sezonske cikle z uporabo programskega paketa Oriana, Rayleigh-ovega in Rao-ovega testa. Rezultati so pokazali bimodalno cirkadiano aktivnost z vrhovi pozno zvečer in zgodaj zjutraj ter izrazito nočno oziroma krepuskularno vedenje, pri čemer je bila plenilska aktivnost največja v temnem delu dneva. Najvišja aktivnost je bila zabeležena spomladi, medtem ko so lunarne faze vplivale predvsem na nočno aktivnost, s povečano pojavnostjo mačk v mlaju. Pojav mačk s plenom ni pokazal jasne povezave z luninim ciklom. Rezultati poudarjajo, da imajo prostoživeče domače mačke izrazite dnevne, mesečne in sezonske vzorce aktivnosti, ki omogočajo učinkovito regulacijo sinantropnih vrst, hkrati pa je ohranjanje njihove dobrobiti ključno za družbeno sprejemljive strategije upravljanja. Naloga prispeva k razumevanju vedenja domačih mačk, njihove ekološke funkcije in pomena za trajnostno varnost prehrane ter predstavlja podlago za oblikovanje uravnoteženih pristopov k nadzoru prostoživečih mačk.
Keywords: domače mačke, kronobiologija, dnevno-nočni cikel, lunarni cikel, sezonski cikel, plenjenje
Published in DKUM: 29.10.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 9
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3. Implementacija protokolov za ocenjevanje dobrega počutja domačih kuncev : diplomsko deloSamanta Pisar, 2025, undergraduate thesis Abstract: Reja kuncev je v primerjavi z drugimi živinorejskimi panogami manj razširjena, vendar je vidik dobrobiti izjemno pomemben, saj večinoma živijo v kletkah z omejenimi možnostmi za izražanje naravnega vedenja. Kljub temu je področje sistematičnega ocenjevanja dobrobiti kuncev v literaturi še vedno razmeroma slabo obravnavano. Cilj naloge je bil preizkusiti obstoječi protokol za ocenjevanje dobrega počutja kuncev ter preveriti njegovo uporabnost, učinkovitost in primernost v praktičnih razmerah. Protokol, zasnovan na načelih Welfare Quality®, smo implementirali v dveh manjših rejah kuncev. Ocenjevanje je zajemalo štiri področja – prehrano, pogoje reje, zdravstveno stanje in obnašanje – s pomočjo kazalnikov, vezanih na živali in okolje. Meritve so bile izvedene v treh ključnih fazah reprodukcijskega cikla (pred pripustom, med brejostjo in po kotitvi), s čimer smo preverili odzivnost protokola na različna fiziološka obdobja. Rezultati so pokazali, da so bile osnovne potrebe kuncev v obeh rejah večinoma dobro zadovoljene. Razlike so se pokazale predvsem pri pogojih reje in obnašanju, kar lahko povežemo z različnimi tehnološkimi rešitvami in okoljskimi pogoji (npr. tip kletk, osvetlitev, obogatitev prostora). Analiza je potrdila, da je protokol enostaven za uporabo, pregleden in praktičen, saj omogoča jasno razvrščanje rezultatov ter identifikacijo področij, kjer so potrebne izboljšave. Ugotovitve kažejo, da je protokol primeren tudi za manjše reje, vendar bi bilo smiselno dodati dodatne kazalnike (npr. možnost dnevnega izpusta, kakovost krme), ki bi povečali občutljivost pri razlikovanju med rejami. Tak pristop omogoča ne le vzdrževanje visokih standardov oskrbe, temveč tudi dolgoročno izboljševanje rejskih praks in krepitev zavedanja o pomenu dobrobiti kuncev.
Keywords: kunci, dobrobit, ocenjevanje, protokoli, domača reja
Published in DKUM: 23.10.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 14
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4. Ocena dobrega počutja koz in ovc v mešani čredi : diplomsko deloŠpela Koblič, 2025, undergraduate thesis Abstract: Dobro počutje oziroma dobrobit živali je predpogoj za visoko kakovostno in nemoteno rejo in postaja eden izmed stebrov produktivne, učinkovite ter trajnostne reje. Za spremljanje stanja dobrega počutja v reji so bili razviti specifični protokoli. Ocenjevanje dobrobiti se primarno izvaja v rejah ene vrste živali, medtem ko informacij ocenjevanja z uporabo istih protokolov v mešani reji pravzaprav ni. V nalogi smo uporabili protokole AWIN ter ocenili stopnjo dobrobiti v mešani čredi drobnice, t. j. pri hkratni paši ovc in koz. Ocenjevanje smo izvedli v zgodnjem spomladanskem in poletnem času, v mešani čredi s 25 ovcami in z 19 kozami na pašniku PRE Drobnica Fakultete za kmetijstvo in biosistemske vede. Rezultati ocenjevanja dobrobiti ovc in koz so pokazali, da so bile živali ustrezno hranjene, imele dostop do vode, ustrezno telesno kondicijo ter primerne bivalne pogoje, pri čemer znakov bolečine ali resnejših bolezni nismo zaznali. Živali so bile socialno integrirane in so izražale predvsem pozitivno obnašanje. Ugotovljena so bila le manjša odstopanja pri stanju parkljev, predvsem pri ocenjevanju pred redno pomladansko nego/korekcijo parkljev.. Pogoji reje v mešani čredi so omogočili izražanje normalnega vedenja, socialnih interakcij in na splošno kazali na ugodno stanje dobrobiti, medtem ko opažena manjša odstopanja poudarjajo pomen rednega spremljanja zdravja in vzdrževanja kakovostne reje. Za posamezno vrsto specifični protokoli so sicer uporabni tudi v mešanih rejah, čeprav bi bilo za tovrstne reje potrebno izoblikovati enoten protokol primeren za ocenjevanje obeh vrst hkrati (prilagoditev in združitev določenih indikatorjev, ter vključitev ocenjevanja medvrstnih interakcij).
Keywords: koze, ovce, mešana čreda, dobro počutje živali, protokol AWIN
Published in DKUM: 23.10.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 11
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5. Impact of grassland management system intensity on composition of functional groups and soil chemical properties in semi-natural grasslandsUrška Lisec, Maja Prevolnik Povše, Miran Podvršnik, Branko Kramberger, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: Semi-natural grasslands are some of the most species-rich habitats in Europe and provide important ecosystem services such as biodiversity conservation, carbon sequestration and soil fertility maintenance. This study investigates how different intensities of grassland management affect the composition of functional groups and soil chemical properties. Five grassland management systems were analyzed: Cut3—three cuts per year; LGI—low grazing intensity; CG—combined cutting and grazing; Cut4—four cuts per year; and HGI—high grazing intensity. The functional groups assessed were grasses, legumes and forbs, while soil samples from three depths (0–10, 10–20 and 20–30 cm) were analyzed for their chemical properties (soil organic carbon—SOC; soil total nitrogen—STN; inorganic soil carbon—SIC; soil organic matter—SOM; potassium oxide—K2O; phosphorus pentoxide—P2O5; C/N ratio; and pH) and physical properties (volumetric soil water content—VWC; bulk density—BD; and porosity—POR). The results showed that less intensive systems had a higher proportion of legumes, while species diversity, as measured via the Shannon index, was the highest in the Cut4 system. The CG system tended to have the highest SOC and STN at a 0–10 cm depth, with a similar trend observed for SOCstock at a 0–30 cm depth. The Cut4, HGI and CG systems also had an increased STNstock. Both grazing systems had the highest P2O5 content. A tendency towards a higher BD was observed in the top 10 cm of soil in the more intensive systems. Choosing a management strategy that is tailored to local climate and site conditions is crucial for maintaining grassland stability, enhancing carbon sequestration and promoting long-term sustainability in the context of climate change.
Keywords: grassland biodiversity, management intensity, composition of functional groups, soil chemical and physical properties, carbon and nitrogen storage, soil C:N ratio, sustainability
Published in DKUM: 13.10.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 11
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6. Sustainable grassland-management systems and their effects on the physicochemical properties of soilUrška Lisec, Maja Prevolnik Povše, Anastazija Gselman, Branko Kramberger, 2024, original scientific article Keywords: grazing, cutting, combined system, soil organic carbon, soil inorganic carbon, grassland long-term management, soil physicochemical property
Published in DKUM: 12.08.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 5
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7. Primerjava odziva zunanjih in hišnih mačk na plen in nov prostor : Magistrska nalogaAlice Šmigoc, 2025, master's thesis Abstract: Domača mačka (Felis catus) je izključno mesojeda vrsta, ki je ohranila izjemne plenilske
sposobnosti svojih divjih prednikov. Začetki njenega sobivanja s človekom segajo v čas
neolitika, ko je poljedelstvo ustvarilo pogoje za vzpostavitev odnosa med človekom,
glodavci in naravnimi plenilci, med katerimi so tudi domače mačke (predstavljale so
vlogo naravnega zatiralca glodavcev). V okviru te raziskave je bil namen preučiti razlike
v plenilskem odzivu med mačkami, ki živijo izključno v bivalnih prostorih (vključno z
ograjenimi balkoni in manjšimi terasami, hišne mačke, n=9), ter tistimi, ki imajo prost
dostop do zunanjega okolja (zunanje mačke, n=9). Analizirali smo vedenjski odziv obeh
skupin na živi plen, pri čemer smo kot model plena uporabili hišne čričke (Acheta
domesticus). Preučevali smo latenco prvega plenilskega odziva, reakcijski čas, specifične
vzorce vedenja pri približevanju plenu ter prilagoditveni odziv obeh skupin na novo
okolje. Rezultati so pokazali, da prisotnost plena ni bistveno vplivala na splošno vedenje
mačk, je pa bil statistično značilno skrajšan reakcijski čas pri zunanjih mačkah (3 s proti
28 s), kadar je v kletki bil prisoten plen. Opažena je bila tudi razlika v vedenjskem vzorcu,
saj so hišne mačke bolj pogosto izkazovale igrivo obnašanje, medtem ko so zunanje
mačke prevladovale v izkazovanju vedenja, kot je mijavkanje, opazovanje kletke od daleč
ter opazovanje z višine. Ti rezultati lahko odražajo razlike v izkušnjah, okolijskih vplivih
ali vedenjskih strategijah med zunanjimi in hišnimi mačkami. Rezultati raziskave
pomembno prispevajo k boljšemu razumevanju vpliva okolja na vedenjske vzorce
domačih mačk ter oblikovanju ustreznejših strategij upravljanja mačjih populacij v
urbanih in ruralnih okoljih.
Keywords: hišne mačke, zunanje mačke, plen, plenilski nagon
Published in DKUM: 22.07.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 32
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8. Analiza navad in preferenc potrošnikov pri nakupovanju govejega mesa : diplomsko deloTamara Pertoci, 2025, undergraduate thesis Abstract: V diplomskem delu smo obravnavali navade in preference potrošnikov pri nakupovanju govejega mesa s poudarkom na kupovanju mesa neposredno pri kmetu. Z nakupom pri rejcu potrošniki podpirajo lokalno pridelano hrano, pripomorejo k dobrobiti živali in prispevajo k ohranjanju podeželja ter novim delovnim mestom. Kakovost mesa definiramo kot niz lastnosti, ki skupaj določajo, kaj cenimo pri mesu, ko ga kupimo, pojemo ali izberemo za predelavo. Koncept kakovosti razdelimo na notranje/intrinzične (kot so barva, vsebnost maščobe, sočnost, aroma, mehkoba) in zunanje/ekstrinzične lastnosti (kot so poreklo, varnost, način reje). V raziskavi smo ugotavljali, na kakšen način se potrošniki odločijo za nakup, ali so zainteresirani za nakup neposredno pri rejcu in kateri dejavniki so ključnega pomena pri nakupu govejega mesa. Podatke smo pridobili s spletno anketo, ki je bila sestavljena iz 20 vprašanj, ki jo je izpolnilo 214 anketirancev. Raziskava je pokazala, da so potrošniki v veliki meri zainteresirani za nakup govejega mesa neposredno od kmeta. Večina potrošnikov, ki živi izven mesta, na ta način že nakupujejo. Kriteriji potrošnikov pri nakupu govejega mesa so sicer različni, a mnogim je pomemben izvor/poreklo mesa in način reje živali, saj tako bolj zaupajo v kakovost in varnost mesa. Potrošniki imajo pozitivno mnenje glede nakupa mesa neposredno pri rejcu. Pri nakupu govejega mesa je cena pomemben kriterij, pri čemer pa višja cena ne pomeni nujno tudi višje kakovosti.
Keywords: goveje meso, potrošniki, kakovost, preference
Published in DKUM: 03.06.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 19
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9. Suckling behaviour of piglets affected by body weight and sexMartina Dobaj Gomboc, Janko Skok, Dejan Škorjanc, Maja Prevolnik Povše, 2023, original scientific article Abstract: Piglet suckling behaviour has been extensively studied, but surprisingly, there are not many studies that specifically consider body weight and sex in this context. These two basic individual characteristics have been considered more as supporting data but not as main factors. Therefore, the objective of the present research was to examine the effect body weight on suckling behaviour of piglets during lactation separately by sex. The study comprised 14 litters with a total of 158 piglets (85 male, 73 female, litter size 6−15 piglets). Suckling behaviour was described in terms of suckling position (the teat at which the piglet suckled during suckling), suckling territory (the range two outermost suckling positions of the piglet encompasses) and suckling
stability (the tendency to suckle successively at the same position), and was observed in six periods: 0−3, 4−7, 8−10, 11−14, 15−21 and 22−32 days of age. In each period, piglets were also weighed. The udder was divided into three areas: anterior (1st-2nd teat pair), middle (3rd-5th teat pair) and posterior (6th-8th teat pair). Body weight affected suckling behaviour differently in male and female piglets (i.e., all traits in females, suckling stability only in males). The relative body weight of females decreased significantly from the anterior towards the posterior part. Heavy females (but not males) suckled considerably more frequently on the anterior area. Heavier piglets (male and female) established more stable suckling order. Suckling territory of males was quite large, but did not differ among body weight classes. Interestingly, light females visited significantly larger suckling territory than heavy females. The present results fill a gap in the otherwise broad knowledge of pig suckling behaviour, which is of great importance for litter management during lactation, especially when cross-fostering is implemented. In this context, knowledge of the detailed role of sex and body weight is of particular importance because breeders rely mainly on basic body traits when managing litters.
Keywords: pig, lactation, body weight, sex, suckling position, suckling stability, suckling territory
Published in DKUM: 25.04.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 4
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10. Evaluation of heifer welfare in two different rearing systemsErnest Plemenitaš, Dejan Škorjanc, Janko Skok, Maja Prevolnik Povše, 2024, original scientific article Abstract: The welfare of domestic animals, which is a core part of livestock farming today, depends strongly on the rearing system. While free-stall systems are encouraged, tied rearing systems are still the most widely used in cattle farming, although considered less suitable due to restricted freedom of movement. As an alternative to this system, free-stall rearing, which allows movement, is proposed as a minimum standard. Although it seems self-evident that free-stall rearing is better than tied rearing system, there is still a lack of research on whether this is true for all categories of cattle or whether it might be appropriate for some of them (e.g. depending on age). The aim of the present study was therefore to compare the welfare of heifers in tied and free-stall rearing during the fattening period (at different ages). In general, we have suggested higher welfare scores in free-stall system, with the tied stall being more problematic for younger animals. The study comprised five heifers in each system per repetition (20 animals in total). Data were collected using the Welfare Quality® protocol, which involves the assessment of four main principles: feeding, housing, health and behaviour. The assessments were carried out approximately every three months during the fattening period (from 6 to 27 months of age). The results showed significant differences in animal welfare scores between tied and free-stall systems only in
terms of housing and the tendency of differences in behaviour. For both principles, the scores were relatively low compared to feeding and health, where no differences were found between the rearing systems. In terms of temporal dynamics, differences were only found for housing, with values decreasing with age in both rearing systems. In the free-stall system, the scores were almost optimal in young animals (>90), but decreased rapidly with increasing age, while in the tied housing system, a suboptimal welfare scores were already observed in young animals (≈40). This means that tied rearing system is a clear disadvantage for the welfare of younger animals, which are generally more exploratory and active. Our results confirmed tied stall as less suitable in terms of animal welfare, especially for young animals. It is therefore encouraged that young animals should primarily be housed in a freestall pens if both systems are available in the breeding facilities.
Keywords: animal wefare, cattle, heifer, rearing system, assessment protocol
Published in DKUM: 23.04.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 3
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