• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.31 no.12
• /
• pp.1923-1929
• /
• 2018

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the correlation between blood components and carcass traits, and to find the biomarkers related to meat quality and quantity in Hanwoo steers. Methods: One hundred twenty-six Hanwoo steers (8 to 9 months of age, body weight of $185.6{\pm}24.38kg$) were used to find the correlation between blood compositions and carcass traits. The steers were fed concentrate and rice straw (30 steers) or total mixed rations (96 steers) during the whole experimental period. Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein at the growing (8 to 12 months), fattening (13 to 23 months) and finishing phases (24 to 30 months). Steers were slaughtered at 30 to 31 months of age (body weight of $701.6{\pm}60.45kg$) and the carcass traits were evaluated. Blood metabolites and hormones were analyzed and the correlation coefficients and regression equations with carcass traits were determined. Results: Average concentrations of retinol, leptin and insulin were 1.10 IU, 30.34 ng, and 35.35 ng per mL of blood plasma, respectively. Retinol has negative correlations (p<0.01) with insulin and leptin. Blood insulin and total protein decreased with the age of steers, but retinol, aspartic acid transaminase (AST), glucose, cholesterol and triglyceride increased. In the finishing phase, significant (p<0.01) negative correlations occurred between blood retinol content and marbling score, and between blood AST content and longissimus muscle area of 13th rib, and the following regression equations were obtained: Marbling score $(1-9)=-0.009{\times}retinol(IU/100mL)+9.125$ ($R^2=0.643$), Longissimus muscle area $(cm^2)=-0.250{\times}AST(U/L)+112.498$ ($R^2=0.450$). Conclusion: It is possible to make highly marbled beef by controlling the blood retinol content during the fattening and finishing phases of Hanwoo steers. Accordingly, blood retinol and AST could be biomarkers for determining beef quality and quantity, respectively, prior to slaughter.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.182-187
• /
• 2010

The aim of this experiment was to evaluate the levels of hormones (progesterone, IGF-I and IGFBP-3) in blood plasma, growth, carcass traits and their interactions of sexually immature (n = 18) and sexually mature (n = 17) gilts. To calculate average daily weight gain (ADG), gilts were individually weighed at the beginning of the trial and at slaughter (110${\pm}$10 days old). Blood concentrations of progesterone, IGF-I and IGFBP-3 were determined by RIA. The right hot carcass sides were dissected and the individual basic parts from carcasses were weighed to record the carcass traits. IGFBP-3, ADG and carcass traits were not affected by pubertal maturation. Compared to sexually immature gilts, mature gilts had higher blood concentrations of progesterone and IGF-I. High correlations were noted between levels of some hormonal substances, productive performance and carcass traits of sexually immature and mature gilts.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.15 no.12
• /
• pp.1776-1783
• /
• 2002

A population segregating for the naked neck (Na) gene was used to evaluate its effect on fast growing broilers at heat stress. An experimental stock comparable to those of modern broilers was established by backcrossing to colour synthetic male and female lines. Matings between heterozygous (Na/na) males and females produced normally feathered (na/na), heterozygous (Na/na) and homozygous (Na/Na) chicks for the present study. Day old to seven week old coloured broilers of three genotypes viz. normally feathered (na/na), heterozygous naked neck (Na/na) and homozygous naked neck (Na/Na) were compared for heat dissipation, growth performance, body conformation traits, blood biochemical parameters and carcass traits in tropical climate. In hot climate, naked neck broilers had significantly less body temperature and better heat dissipation capabilities as compared to normal broilers. The naked neck broilers had significantly higher body weight and better feed conversion ratio than na/na broilers. The Na/Na or Na/na broilers exhibited higher giblet yield, blood loss and lower feather mass compared to na/na broilers. The results indicated that the reduction in feather coverage in Na/Na and Na/na broilers facilitates better heat dissipation with lower body temperature, more body weight gain, better FCR and carcass traits compared to normal broilers.

• Genomics & Informatics
• /
• v.8 no.3
• /
• pp.159-163
• /
• 2010

Erythrocyte traits are heritable and indirect indicators of blood diseases caused by erythrocyte, but their genetic factors are largely unknown. So we performed genome-wide association study in 8,842 Korean individuals to identify genetic factors influencing erythrocyte traits. We identified 40 associations for three erythrocyte traits at genome-wide significance levels (p < $1{\times}10^{-6}$). We compared these associated loci with those reported in genome-wide association studies of European and Japanese. Our findings include previously identified loci(HBS1L-MYB, TMPRSS6, USP49 and CCND3) in other studies and novel associations (MRDS1/OFCC1, CSDE1, NRAS and 8 other loci). For example, SNP rs4895440 of HBS1L-MYB intergenic region on chromosome 6q23.3 is one of the most associations influencing erythrocyte traits (p=$8.33{\times}10^{-27}$).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.22 no.6
• /
• pp.796-802
• /
• 2009

The effects of docking on growth traits, fattening performance, carcass characteristics and blood biochemical parameters were investigated using 24 fat-tailed Sanjabi single-born male lambs raised from a large commercial sheep herd. The lambs were randomly divided into two groups. One group (n = 12) were docked at two days of age with rubber-rings using an elastrator. The second group (n = 12) were left intact. After weaning (90 days), all lambs were moved to rustic rangelands for 40 days. Then all the lambs were fed concentrates ad libitum for 60 days during the fattening period. Growth traits, body weight and average daily gain (kg) were recorded at the end of the weaning and fattening periods. Blood biochemical parameters including urea, total protein, glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL) were measured during the fattening period. Finally, at the end of the fattening period, eight lambs (4 intact and 4 docked lambs) were slaughtered in order to determine carcass characteristics. Fat-tail docking had no effect (p>0.05) on lamb growth from birth to weaning. Body weight and average daily gain of docked lambs were significantly higher (p<0.05) than for intact lambs at the end of the fattening period. There was no difference in carcass measurements between the two groups, except for chest depth and leg weight which were higher (p<0.05) in docked lambs. During the fattening period, cholesterol and LDL of docked lambs were less than in intact lambs (p<0.05). The current results indicated that docking with rubber rings causes an improvement in growth traits during the fattening period and leads to desirable carcass characteristics compared to intact lambs; interestingly, this procedure had a significant effect on the lowering of blood cholesterol and LDL of docked lambs.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.447-453
• /
• 2006

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of $Megazone^{(R)}$ (a mineral mix) supplementation on growth performance, nutrients digestibility, blood characteristics, meat quality and carcass traits in weaning-to-finishing pigs. A total of 48 crossbred $(Landrace{\times}Yorkshire{\times}Duroc)$ pigs with initial body weight (BW) of $4.46{\pm}0.18kg$ were used in a 21 wks trial. Pigs were blocked by weight and allotted to two dietary treatments in a completly randomized design. There were 6 pens per treatment. Dietary treatments included: 1) Control (CON: basal diet) and 2) MT (basal diet+0.8% $Megazone^{(R)}$). Through the entire experimental period, there were no effects of dietary $Megazone^{(R)}$ supplementation on growth performance nutrients digestibility, blood characteristics and meat quality traits (p>0.05). Market weight and backfat thickness also had no differences between the two treatments (p>0.05). However, carcass weight and carcass ratio in MT treatment were improved significantly compared with CON treatment (p<0.05). In conclusion, supplmentation of $Megazone^{(R)}$ can increase carcass weight and carcass ratio in weaning-to-finishing pigs, however, it has no effects on growth performance, nutrients digestibility, blood characteristics and meat quality traits.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.28 no.6
• /
• pp.862-869
• /
• 2015

The current study was designed to estimate the pork quality traits using metabolites from exsanguination blood and postmortem muscle simultaneously under the Korean standard pre- and post-slaughter conditions. A total of 111 Yorkshire (pure breed and castrated male) pigs were evaluated under the Korean standard conditions. Measurements were taken of the levels of blood glucose and lactate at exsanguination, and muscle glycogen and lactate content at 45 min and 24 h postmortem. Certain pork quality traits were also evaluated. Correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis including stepwise regression were performed. Exsanguination blood glucose and lactate levels were positively correlated with each other, negatively related to postmortem muscle glycogen content and positively associated with postmortem muscle lactate content. A rapid and extended postmortem glycolysis was associated with high levels of blood glucose and lactate, with high muscle lactate content, and with low muscle glycogen content during postmortem. In addition, these were also correlated with paler meat color and reduced water holding capacity. The results of multiple regression analyses also showed that metabolites in exsanguination blood and postmortem muscle explained variations in pork quality traits. Especially, levels of blood glucose and lactate and content of muscle glycogen at early postmortem were significantly associated with an elevated early glycolytic rate. Furthermore, muscle lactate content at 24 h postmortem alone accounted for a considerable portion of the variation in pork quality traits. Based on these results, the current study confirmed that the main factor influencing pork quality traits is the ultimate lactate content in muscle via postmortem glycolysis, and that levels of blood glucose and lactate at exsanguination and contents of muscle glycogen and lactate at postmortem can explain a large portion of the variation in pork quality even under the standard slaughter conditions.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.26 no.1
• /
• pp.28-36
• /
• 2020

High blood pressure (HTN) is a condition in which blood pressure is kept higher than normal. Blood pressure trait measures systolic blood pressure (SBP) which is the highest pressure and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) which is the lowest blood pressure. Pulse pressure (PP) is the difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Hypertension is known as a disease caused by the interaction of the environment and genetic factors. To date, studies have been conducted to find genes associated with hypertension. Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) analysis using European data from the UK Biobank reported new 535 loci were associated with blood pressure trait. Among them, 12 genes have been reported to have a significant correlation with SBP, DBP and PP. In the study, 12 genes polymorphisms were extracted based on KARE (Korean association resource) and then we performed linear regression of blood pressure trait. As a result, 6 SNPs of the 3 genes (rs12355413 and rs11006736 of ARMC4, rs2290883, rs2290884 and rs11039014 of LRP4, rs7234941 of BCL2) showed statistically significant correlation (P<0.05) with blood pressure trait. Of the 3 genes, 6 SNPs in 2 genes (rs9651357, rs12355413, rs11006736, rs1889522 of ARMC4 and rs4987774, rs7234941 of BCL2) showed significant correlation with hypertension. These results suggest that genetic polymorphisms of ARMC4, LRP4 and BCL2 genes are associated with blood pressure traits and hypertension in Korean population. Moreover, we expected to help understand the pathogenesis of hypertension.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.30 no.8
• /
• pp.1117-1123
• /
• 2017

Objective: This study was conducted to compare growth performance, blood components and carcass traits by two feeding systems (concentrate with roughage separately [CON] vs total mixed ration [TMR]) in Hanwoo steers, and to learn the relationship between blood components during fattening or finishing phases and carcass traits in Hanwoo steers. Methods: Sixty steers aged 8 months were allotted to two feeding systems and fed similar amounts of average dry matter and total digestible nutrient throughout whole experimental period according to each feeding program. Steers were weighed monthly, taken blood at the end of growing, fattening and finishing periods, and slaughtered at 30 month of age. Results: Growing performance was higher (p<0.05) in the CON group compared to the TMR group during fattening and finishing periods. The CON group was lower (p<0.05) in blood aspartic acid transaminase, blood urea nitrogen and retinol levels during growing period, but higher in triglyceride and cholesterol levels during fattening and finishing periods compared to the TMR group. The CON group was greater (p<0.05) in rib-eye area, and lighter (p<0.05) red in meat color compared to the TMR group. In the correlation coefficients between blood components of steers and carcass traits, retinol had a negative (p<0.05) correlation with marbling score and rib-eye area. Leptin had a positive (p<0.05) correlation with back fat thickness. Blood cholesterol and triglyceride were positively (p<0.05) correlated with carcass weight and rib-eye area. Conclusion: Growth performance, carcass ribeye area and meat color showed a more desirable result in the CON compared to the TMR in Hanwoo steers. Assessing the accumulated data of carcass traits with blood components including hormones-particularly retinol, cholesterol, triglyceride, and leptin-during the fattening or finishing phases, it may be possible to find a biomarker for determining beef quality in living animals.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.377-383
• /
• 2012

Recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified a number of common variants associated with blood pressure homeostasis and hypertension in population. In the previous study, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the SLC4A4 gene have been reported to be associated with hypertension in Han Chinese population. We aimed to confirm whether the genetic variation of SLC4A4 gene influence the susceptibility to blood pressure and hypertension in Korean population. We genotyped variants in or near SLC4A4 in a population-based cohort including 7,551 unrelated Korean from Ansan and Ansung. Here, we performed association analysis to elucidate the possible relations of genetic polymorphisms in SLC4A4 gene with blood pressure traits. By examining genotype data of a total of 7,551 subjects in the Korean Association REsource (KARE) study, we discovered the SLC4A4 gene polymorphisms are associated with blood pressure and hypertension. The common and highest significant polymorphism was rs6846301 (${\beta}$=0.839, additive P=0.032) with systolic blood pressure (SBP), rs6846301 (${\beta}$=0.588, additive P=0.027) with diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and rs6846301 (OR=1.23, CI: 1.09~1.40, additive $P=1.2{\times}10^{-3}$) with hypertension. Furthermore, the SNP rs6846301 was consistently associated with both blood pressure and hypertension. Consequently, we found statistically significant SNPs in SLC4A4 gene that are associated with both blood pressure and hypertension traits. In addition, these results suggest that the individuals with the minor alleles of the SNP in the SLC4A4 gene may be more susceptible to the development of hypertension in the Korean population.