The aim of the experiment was to assess the pig meat quality in relation to preslaughter conditions and import country. In the experiment, the meat quality of 1980 pigs was evaluated. The animals were divided into three groups according to country of import (Slovakia, Hungary and Netherlands). The following pre-slaughter indicators were evaluated: duration of transport, duration of housing, temperature during housing and transport. The meat quality was judged on the basis of the pH1 value measured 45 minutes after the slaughter in the musculus longissimus dorsi pH1 MLD and in the musculus semimembranosus pH1 MSM. The highest frequency of PSE pale, soft, exudative meat in the MLD was in the group of pigs imported from Slovakia 24.13 percent. These pigs had also statistically significant Plt;0.01 the lowest average pH1 MLD 6.05 in comparison with other imports. The incidence of PSE meat in the MSM was in all evaluated groups above 10 percent. Group of pigs from Slovakia had the lowest value of pH1 MSM 6.23 in comparison with other groups of pigs Plt;0.01. Even though the average length of housing in a slaughterhouse was from 11.26 to 15.43 hours high incidence of PSE meat was recorded. However group of pigs with the longest rest period 15.43 hours Netherlands had significantly higher pH1 MLD and pH1 MSM compared to other imports Plt;0.01. From these results can be concluded that the incidence of PSE meat in evaluated groups is relatively high. Prolonging rest period and lower temperatures had positively influence on the incidence of PSE meat and pH value.

Nowadays breeding has become the problem often solved in European states and it has been paid much attention by breeding organizations. In terms of hippology as well as some urgent requirements from the side of nonius breeders we have focussed on this particular breed especially from the reason of its further survival and development in Slovakia. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the growth indicators as well as the achievement level of the stallions since 1927 to the present. Based on our research of the nonius body lines we can state that at present there are 3 stallions that are followers of the N VIII horse line founder. In general, there are 12 stallions that are active within this breed in Slovakia. It was statistically confirmed that this particular breed grew much stronger through the goal-directed breeding work, improved nutrition as well as the immediate breeding site. It was quite complicated to evaluate the performance tests because the individual indicators were significantly influenced by the subjective views of the commitee members performing the evaluation. The next factor which prevents the objective evaluation is the fact that in the period up to 1979, the performance tests were valued by the 100 point system and from the year 1980 by the 10 point system. That is why we take the performance test results into account only as supplemental ones, which can provide a kind of amendment to the observed biological parameters.

In the experiment, 367 hybrid meat pigs were tested. Transport of all observed pigs took 1 hour to get to a slaughterhouse. The housing period of the observed groups in the slaughterhouse took 1, 2, 4, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, and 41 hours. The pH value was measured in the musculus longissimus dorsi (MLD) as well as in musculus semimembranosus in the thigh meat (MSM) 45 minutes after slaughter. The highest average pH MLD value (6.36) was recorded in the group of pigs that were housed in the slaughterhouse for the shortest period of time. The average pH MLD value in pigs with the shortest period of housing was statistically arguably higher (P<0.01) in comparison with the groups that were housed in the slaughterhouse from 4 - 17 hours. The group of pigs with the shortest housing period of time had also achieved the highest average value (6.45?0.27) of the pH MSM indicator. Compared to that group, a provably lower average of pH MSM values were recorded in groups with the length of housing 13, 14, and 17 hours (P<0.01). It has resulted from the experiment that after a short - lasting transport it is desirable, in terms of pork quality, to slaughter the animals as soon as possible after their arrival to the slaughterhouse. An animal that is slaughtered after a 12- hour housing might mean a threat for the increased occurence of the PSE meat due to the consequence of stress caused during the stay in the slaughterhouse.

It is known that organic selenium (Sel Plex) supplemented to pig feed mixture is significant for effective transport of essential element selenium to the food chain. It enables to create important body deposits of selenium in skeletal muscles and it also increases selenium transfer in natural metabolic form of selenomethionine into functional food. The intake of feed mixture with increased organic selenium at the dose of 0.3 mg kg-1 probably increases selenium concentration in MSM (musculus semimembranosus) - experimental selenium group 1.293 mg kg-1 and control group 0.513 mg kg-1 and in MLT (musculus longissimus thoracis) - experimental selenium group 1.364 mg kg-1 and control group 0.506 mg kg-1. The aim of this study was to evaluate the selenium and total antioxidant status (TAS) in a selected group of healthy people. Twenty-five volunteers consumed pork meat enriched with organic selenium three times a week during one month (average age in 9 men was 51.2 years, in 16 women 39.06 years, respectively). Daily selenium intake of 110 ?g was calculated by Alimenta software, version 4.3 on the basis of nutrition statement. Recommended daily selenium intake of 50 - 200 ?g was stated by the World Health Organization (WHO). During the research, the volunteers consumed pork enriched with 35 ?g of selenium. At the begining the mean selenium concentration in blood serum was at 75.41 ? 14.18?g l-1 in men, 75.21 ? 15.20?g l-1 in women. After two weeks of consumption pork enriched with selenium, the average selenium concentration in blood serum in men and women increased to 86.69 ? 11.72 ?g l-1 and 87.93 ? 16.22 ?g l-1 respectively. At the end of the study the average selenium concentration decreased in men and women to 85.75 ? 2.72 ?g l-1 to 84.07 ? 15.62 ?g l-1 respectively. In the selected group of healthy people the total antioxidant status increased from 1,68 mmol.l-1 to 1,86 mmol.l-1 after two weeks of consumption of pork enriched with selenium. However, at the end of the research the decrease in TAS was recorded. Improvement in selenium status has positive impact on human health, and thus our results could contribute to the new trends in the production of functional food.