• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2019

This paper aims to critically analyse and synthesise existing knowledge concerning the use of environmental enrichment and its effect on behavior, physiology and performance of pigs housed in intensive production systems. The objective is also to provide clarity as to what constitutes successful enrichment and recommend when and how enrichment should be used. Environmental enrichment is usually understood as an attempt to improve animal welfare and to a lesser extent, performance. Common enrichment objects used are straw bedding, suspended ropes and wood shavings, toys, rubber tubings, colored plastic keys, table tennis balls, chains and strings. These substrates need to be chewable, deformable, destructible and ingestible. For enrichment to be successful four goals are essential. Firstly, enrichment should increase the number and range of normal behaviors; secondly, it should prevent the phenomenon of anomalous behaviors or reduce their frequency; thirdly, it should increase positive use of the environment such as space and fourthly it should increase the ability of the animals to deal with behavioral and physiological challenges. The performance, behavior and physiology of pigs in enriched environments is similar or in some cases slightly better when compared with barren environments. In studies where there was no improvement, it should be borne in mind that enriching the environment may not always be practical and yield positive results due to factors such as type of enrichment substrates, duration of provision and type of enrichment used. The review also identifies possible areas that still need further research, especially in understanding the role of enrichment, novelty, breed differences and other enrichment alternatives.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.68-76
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• 1988

The variation of rumination response in steers fed a same amount of orcharugrass hay was investigated. With three steers (6, 12, 24 months) of the Japanese Black Breed, rumination behaviour was measured continuously during a 5 days period by masseter EMG telemetry system. The results are summarized as follows: 1. The average daily rumination time of respective animals were 438,447 and 433 min. with small daily variation both within and among animal. But the rumination time per DM kg of hay consumed varied from 66 to 138 min., and calf spent longer than older calf. 2. Actural chewing time showed small variation, and percentage of actural chewing time spent in rumination time was from 88 to 93% on individual average. 3. The daily number of chewing in rumination was approximately 25,000 to 30,000 with large individual differences. The chews per DM kg intake varied from 3,800 to 9,600, and calf chewed more than older calf. 4. The average rate of chewing per 100 sec. (chewing speed), there was a large difference between animals i.e. 104, 114, 131 respectively, but very little variance between days in individual. 5. No relation between day to day variations in eating time and rumination behavior, but significantly positive correlation was observed in the relation among rumination time, chewing time, No. of boluses and No. of chews. 6. Active time of day in rumination altered considerably day to day, but variation in the amount of rumination per day as expressed by the rumination time was relatively small.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.282-289
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• 2017

Animal Welfare is spreading throughout the world, but remains weak in Korean swine farms. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify the effect of floor type and hanging type environmental enrichment on the behavior of growing pigs under the traditional feeding environment. A total of 45 crossbred pigs (Yorkshire${\times}$Landrace${\times}$Duroc; average weight, $33.35{\pm}5.5kg$) were assigned into three treatments consisting of control, hanging type(T1) and floor type(T2) with three replicates in semi-slurry pen. The hanging enrichment was suspended at shoulder height of the pigs, and the floor enrichment was fixed in the center of the pens. Growth and cortisol were estimated at the end of the experimental period. Behaviour patterns were analyzed on the first and eighth days after starting the experiment. Growth was not differed among control and treatments. However, cortisol was decreased in T2 compared to control(25.28 vs. 46.75 ng/mL; p<0.05). On the first day, movement and aggression were lower in both treatments than in control(p<0.01). On the eighth day, time and frequency of playing action were increased in T2 compared to T1(p<0.01) and both treatment groups showed more active behaviour than control(p<0.01). These results suggested that the enrichment may meet the natural action requirement of pigs. Therefore, our data can be utilized as basic information for welfare with environmental enrichments in farm animals.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.409-417
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• 2007

We investigated the effect of Arogh, a polyherbal formulation (PHF) on animal models of anxiety based on exploratory behavior. The anxiolytic activity of polyherbal formulation (30, 100, 300 and 500 mg/kg) was studied using various behavioural paradigms such as elevated plus maze (EPM), light/dark apparatus (LDA), open field apparatus (OFA), hole board apparatus (HBA). Diazepam (1 mg/kg) was used as a standard anxiolytic drug. The effect of PHF (100 and 300 mg/kg) on serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline mediated behaviour was studied by lithium induced head twitches in rats, haloperidol induced catalepsy in mice and clonidine induced hypothermia in rats respectively. In EPM, PHF (100, 300 and 500 mg/kg) significantly (P < 0.05) increased the time spent in open arms and the number of entries in open arms. In LDA, PHF (100, 300 and 500 mg/kg) significantly (P < 0.05) increased the time spent in lit zone. In OFA, PHF (100, 300 and 500 mg/kg) significantly (P < 0.05) increased the number of assisted rearing and the number of squares traversed. In HBA, PHF (100, 300 and 500 mg/kg) significantly (P < 0.05) increased the number of head poking. In lithium induced head twitches, PHF (100 and 300 mg/kg) significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the number of head twitches. In haloperidol induced catalepsy, PHF (300 mg/kg) decreased the duration of catalepsy significantly (P < 0.05) at 60 min. In clonidine-induced hypothermia, PHF (300 mg/kg) did not modify the effect. Drugs must be carefully assessed on EPM test and therefore in the present study EPM is supported by other tests. Present study indicates that Arogh, a polyherbal formulation possess anxiolytic activity. It diminished serotonergic transmission and decreased the duration of catalepsy indicating potentiation of dopaminergic transmission. Thus, Arogh a polyherbal formulation contains bioactive principles which possess anxiolytic activity and modified 5-HT and DA mediated behaviour.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.1067-1078
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• 2003

This study was designed to determine the effect of gestation housing and parity on the farrowing performance and behaviour of sows during pregnancy, farrowing and lactation periods. Total 18 Duroc sows were randomly assigned after 4 weeks of gestation to either an individual gestation stall or a groups of three with pen gestation system for three parities(1st, 2nd${\sim}$3rd, and 4th${\sim}$5th). Approximately 7 days before predicted farrowing date, sows were transferred to farrowing crates where they remained until 21 days post-partum. Behaviour was recorded on day 60 and 90 of pregnancy for 24 hours, on day of farrowing for farrowing duration and on day 10 of lactation for 2.5 hours in the farrowing crate. The results obtained from this study were summarized as follows: On 60 and 90 day of pregnancy, all sows in both groups made attempts for ventral lying more than for other postures. Sows in the group gestation pen spent more time on walking than those in individual gestation stall(p<0.01); however, the group housed sows were spent less time on drinking than the individually housed sows(p<0.01). There was no significant difference between gestation housings in the occurrence of stereotypy of pregnant sows. On day 60 of pregnancy, sows in the individual gestation stall showed the highest frequency of vacuum chewing and head weaving. However, floor licking and bar licking behaviours were highest in day 90 pregnant sows individually housed. The sows individually housed during the gestation period spent more time on sitting and eating on the day of farrowing in the farrowing crate than the sows group housed. On day 10 of lactation in the farrowing crate, the group housed sows during the gestation period made significantly more attempts for ventral lying than sows individually housed. In conclusion, the occurrence of stereotypy of sows during the gestation and lactation did not differ between gestation housings and farrowing performance of sows during the gestation period was not affected by gestation housing. Thus, the group housing for pregnant sows is a feasible means to improve welfare of sows and to increase the normal behaviour of sows.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.239-246
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• 2009

Animal welfare is of considerable importance to European consumers and citizens, this being most recently confirmed in EU barometer studies. Researchers and others have long proposed that animal-based measures (measures taken on animals, e.g. their health and behaviour) can provide a valid indicator of animal welfare; since welfare is a characteristic of the individual animal. Therefore, a welfare assessment can be essentially based on animal-based measures, but with use of resource measures to provide the capacity to assess 'risk factors'. The first goal of this project was to develop a welfare monitoring system that enables assessment of welfare status through standardised conversion of welfare measures into accessible and understandable information. The acquired information on one hand provides feedback to animal unit managers about the welfare status of their animals, and on the other, information on the welfare status of animal-related products for consumers and retailers. The second goal of Welfare $Quality^{(R)}$ was to improve animal welfare by minimising the occurrence of harmful behavioural and physiological states, improving human-animal relationships, and providing animals with safe and stimulating environments. The different measurable aspects of welfare to be covered are turned into welfare criteria. The criteria reflect what is meaningful to animals as understood by animal welfare science. Once all the measures have been performed on an animal unit, a bottom-up approach is followed to produce an overall assessment of animal welfare on that particular unit: first the data collected (i.e. values obtained for the different measures on the animal unit) are combined to calculate criterion-scores; then criterion-scores are combined to calculate principle-scores; and finally the animal unit is assigned to a welfare category according to the principle-scores it obtained.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.919-925
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• 2018

Objective: The performance, health, and behaviour of cattle can be strongly affected by climate. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of heat stress on blood parameters, blood proteins (haptoglobin [Hp]; heat shock protein 70 [HSP70]), rectal temperature (RT), heart rate (HR) and rumination time in Korean native beef calves. Methods: Thirty-two Korean native beef calves were randomly assigned to 8 groups with 4 animals per group. They were kept in environmental condition with temperature-humidity index (THI) ranging from 70.01 to 87.72 in temperature-humidity controlled chamber for 7 days. Results: Their HR, RT, and serum cortisol and HSP70 levels were increased (p<0.05) in high THI compared to those at low THI. But, serum Hp level was decreased (p<0.05) in high THI compared to these at low THI. In addition, HR, RT, serum cortisol and HSP70 were positively correlated with THI ($R^2=0.8368$, p<0.01; $R^2=0.6162$, p<0.01; $R^2=0.581$, p<0.01; $R^2=0.2241$, p = 0.0062, respectively). There was also positive association between HR and cortisol ($R^2=0.4697$, p<0.01). Similarly, RT and cortisol were positively associated ($R^2=0.4581$, p<0.01). But, THI and HR were negatively correlated with Hp ($R^2=0.2157$, p = 0.02; $R^2=0.3362$, p = 0.003). Hematology and metabolites results were different among treatment groups. Standing position was higher (p<0.05) in the high THI group compared to that in the low THI group. Conclusion: Based on these results, it can be concluded that HR, RT, blood parameters (Cortisol, HSP70, Hp) and standing position are closely associated with heat stress. These parameters can be consolidated to develop THI chart for Korean native beef calves.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.113-128
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• 1999

Protozoa can represent as half of the total rumen microbial biomass. Around 10 genera are generally present on the same time in the rumen. Based on nutritional aspects they can be divided in large entodiniomorphs, small entodiniomorphs and isotrichs. Their feeding behaviour and their enzymatic activities differ considerably. Many comparisons between defaunated and refaunated animals were carried out during the last two decades to explain the global role of protozoa at the ruminal or animal levels. It is now generally considered that a presence of an abundant protozoal population in the rumen has a negative effect on the amino acid (AA) supply to ruminants and contribute to generate more methane but, nevertheless, protozoa must not be considered as parasites. They are useful for numerous reasons. They stabilise rumen pH when animal are fed diets rich in available starch and decrease the redox potential of rumen digesta. Because cellulolytic bacteria are very sensitive to these two parameters, protozoa indirectly stimulate the bacterial cellulolytic activity and supply their own activity to the rumen microbial ecosystem. They could also supply some peptides in the rumen medium which can stimulate the growth of the rumen microbiota, but this aspect has never been considered in the past. Their high contribution to ammonia production has bad consequences on the urinary nitrogen excretion but means also that less dietary soluble nitrogen is necessary when protozoa are present. Changes in the molar percentages of VFA and gases from rumen fermentations are not so large that they could alter significantly the use of energy by animals. The answer of animals to elimination of protozoa (defaunation) depends on the balance between energy and protein needs of animals and the supply of nutrients supplied through the diet. Defaunation is useful in case of diets short in protein nitrogen but not limited in energy supply for animals having high needs of proteins.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.10
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• pp.1394-1398
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• 2000

This experiment was carried out to examine the seasonal changes in feed intake and feeding behavior in Korean spotted deer under farmed condition to obtain basic information for efficient feeding management. The seasonal daily gain was the highest (p<0.05) in summer and the lowest (p<0.05) in winter. Dry matter intake (DMI) was the highest (p<0.05) in spring (2,685 g/day) and the lowest in winter (1,929 g/day). Intake of roughage in the DMI was the greatest in spring and that in winter was significantly lower (p<0.05) than in spring. Also DMI, expressed in terms of metabolic body weight ($kgW^{0.75}$), was 85.5 g, 70.6 g, 70.9 g and 65.1 g for spring, summer, autumn and winter, respectively, and thus was the highest in spring and the lowest in winter (p<0.05). Deer exhibited similar eating patterns, comparatively short and frequent periods, in all seasons. They showed comparatively intensive patterns of rumination during midnight for autumn and winter and relatively continuous patterns of chewing activity during spring and summer. There were no significant differences in seasonal eating time and ruminating time. However, exercise time was the greatest for winter and the lowest for summer and there was a significant difference (p<0.05) between summer and winter. Although not significant, eating time per 100 gDM ingested tended to be short in spring and summer and long in autumn and winter. Ruminating time per 100 gDM ingested was the shortest (p<0.05) in spring compared with in other seasons. The conclusion can be drawn that since deer have seasonal differences in feed intake and feeding habits, it is necessary to establish and develop an efficient feeding system for deer.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.451-455
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• 2015

The buffalo is an important livestock resource in several countries of South Asia and the Mediterranean regions. However, reproductive efficiency is compromised due to known problems of biological and management origins, such as lack of animal selection and poor nutrition. Under optimal conditions puberty is attained at 15 to 18 months in river buffalo, 21 to 24 months in swamp buffalo and is influenced by genotype, nutrition, management and climate. However, under field conditions these values deteriorate up to a significant extant. To improve reproductive efficiency, several protocols of oestrus and ovulation synchronization have been adopted from their use in commercial cattle production. These protocols yield encouraging pregnancy rates of (30% to 50%), which are comparable to those achieved in buffaloes bred at natural oestrus. The use of sexed semen in buffalo heifers also showed promising pregnancy rates (50%) when compared with conventional non-sexed semen. Assisted reproductive technologies have been transferred and adapted to buffalo but the efficiency of these technologies are low. However, these latest technologies offer the opportunity to accelerate the genetic gain in the buffalo industry after improving the technology and reducing its cost. Most buffaloes are kept under the small holder farming system in developing countries. Hence, future research should focus on simple, adoptable and impact-oriented approaches which identify the factors determining low fertility and oestrus behaviour in this species. Furthermore, role of kisspeptin needs to be explored in buffalo.