• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.768-774
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• 2016

The present study investigated the impact of parity 1 gilt body weight during late gestation (d 109) on subsequent reproductive performance of sows and performance of suckling pigs. A total of 2,404 farrowing records over 6 parities were divided into six groups on the basis of body weight (190, 200, 210, 220, 230, and 240 kg) at d 109 of gestation of 585 gilts. Significant effects (p<0.05) of body weight on sow retention rate was noticed, with the 210 kg group having the lowest culling rate and highest total number of piglets born alive over the 6 parities. With increase of body weight, a linear increase (p<0.05) in losses of body weight and backfat during the lactation period of parity 1 and a linear decrease (p<0.05) in backfat loss for parities 4 and 6 were found. Compared with light sows, heavy sows had higher (p<0.05) litter weight at birth for parities 1 and 2 and at weaning in parity 1. Sow weaning-to-estrus interval of sows was not influenced (p>0.05) by body weight. In conclusion, maintaining optimal body weight during gestation would be beneficial to sows and suckling piglets.

• 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 Veterinary Research
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.29-31
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• 1974

The total serum protein, protein fractions by paper electrophoresis and A/G ratio in pregnant rabbits were observed. The results obtained in this work were sumrnerized as follows: 1. Total serum protein and the fraction of serum albumin revealed a decrease with the advancing of gestation, especially total serum protein was decreased significantly on 3 weeks of pregnancy. There was a tendency to return tward control level on one week after delivery. 2. The fraction of ${\alpha}_1$, and ${\alpha}_2$-globulin showed little changes during the period of gestation. 3. The fraction of ${\beta}$-globulin was increased more or less during the period of gestation, and on one week after delivery showed considerable increase but the increase was statistically insignificant. 4. The fraction of ${\gamma}$-globulin revealed a variable changes during pregnancy but there was no significant differences. 5. A/G ratio was significantly decreased at 3 weeks of pregnancy and the ratio was near control level on one week after delivery.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.339-346
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• 2015

Purpose: This study was performed to explore the weight variations in high-risk term newborns hospitalized during the early postnatal period. Methods: A retrospective explorative study was performed with 64 term newborns who were hospitalized in the NICU after birth. Data on daily weight, birth information, and clinical features such as phototherapy, placements, nutritional status were reviewed through medical records for 14 days of life. General Linear Model, GLM was applied to analyze the weight variation by clinical features of these high-risk term newborns for 14 days of life. Results: Newborns at 40 weeks of gestation showed little weight loss during the few days after birth then steadily gained weight to 7.6% at the 14th day. Infants born at 37-39 gestation showed little weight gain for 14 days though the weight loss itself was not apparent. As well, return to birthweight was not observed in newborns with phototherapy, infants placed on a warmer or infants having gastrointestinal dysfunction for 14 days of life. Conclusion: Even for term newborns, physiologic weight loss may not be warranted even if newborn is born at less than 40 week of gestation, or with high-risk conditions that warrant admission to NICU.

• Journal of the korean veterinary medical association
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.164-169
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• 1985

The survey was carried out to investigate calving interval, gestation period, the interval between parturition and first breeding and the duration from delivery to conception in the total of 320 heads of Holstein cows being fed in the suburbs of Suwon. Th

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.8
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• pp.1080-1088
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• 2010

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary energy levels of gestating gilts on physiological parameters and reproductive performance for primiparous sows. A total of 40 F1 gilts (Large White${\times}$Landrace) were allocated to 4 treatments using a completely randomized design (CRD). Four different experimental diets contained 3,165, 3,265 3,365 and 3,465 kcal of ME/kg and each diet was provided to gilts at 2.0 kg/d during gestation. Consequently, energy intake of each treatment of gestating gilts was 6,330, 6,530, 6,730 and 6,930 kcal ME/kg, respectively. During the whole gestation period, body weight, fat mass gain and backfat thickness of gilts were increased in proportion to dietary energy levels (p<0.01). However, estimated protein mass gain of gilts was not affected by dietary energy level (p>0.10). At farrowing, the total number of pigs born per litter did not show any significant difference among treatments. However, the number of pigs born alive per litter in treatment 6,730 kcal ME/d was significantly higher than that of other treatments (p<0.05). Moreover, litter weight at birth was improved as dietary energy level was increased (p<0.05). Feed intake of sows during lactation tended to decrease as dietary energy level of gestation was increased, but litter weight gain was not affected by dietary treatment during the gestation period. Fat content in colostrum was higher as dietary energy level was increased during gestation. The concentration of blood estradiol-$17{\beta}$ was increased and was higher at the first trimester of gestation in 6,730 kcal ME/d treatment compared to other treatments. These results suggested that increased dietary energy level during gestation resulted in higher body weight and backfat thickness of sows. In addition, reproductive performance of the sow, such as litter weight at farrowing and the number of pigs born alive, was improved when 6,730 kcal of ME/d treatment diet was provided. Consequently, the NRC (1998) recommendation of energy for gestating gilts (6,015 to 6,150 kcal of ME/d) should be reevaluated to maximize reproductive performance because recent high-producing sows require much more energy to produce a large litter size and heavier piglets from the first parity.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.179-186
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• 2005

The purpose of this paper was to concisely review the practical changes in MeHg concentrations in fetus and offspring throughout gestation and suckling from our recent animal and human studies. In the animal study, adult female rats were given a diet containing 5ug/g Hg (as MeHg) for 8 weeks. Then they were mated and subsequently given the same diet throughout gestation and suckling. On embryonic days 18, 20, 22 and at parturition, the concentrations of Hg in the brains of fetus were approximately 1.5-2.0 times higher than those in the mothers. However, during the suckling period Hg concentrations in the brain rapidly declined to about 1/10 of that during late pregnancy. Hg concentrations in blood also decreased rapidly after birth. In human study, Hg concentrations in red blood cells (RBC-Hg) in 16 pairs of maternal and umbilical cord blood samples were compared at birth and 3 months of age after parturition. RBC-Hg in the umbilical cords was about 1.6 times higher than those in the mothers at parturition. However, all the infants showed declines in Hg concentrations throughout the breast-feeding period. RBC-Hg at 3 months of age was about half that at birth. Both the animal and human studies indicated that MeHg exposure to the fetus might be especially high but it dramatically decreases during the suckling period. Therefore, close attention should be paid to the gestation rather than the breast-feeding period to avoid the risk of MeHg to human infants.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.20 no.3 s.32
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• pp.427-446
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• 1990

The objective of this study was to understand the major changes of craniofacial dimensions and spatial growth pattern during the late embryonic and fetal period of human fetures. This study was performed with the selective materials of normal fetuses received from the Registry of Congenital Malformation of Seoul National University Hospital. The specimens consisted of nineteen embryos and sixty-six fetuses. The photomicrographs from mid-segittal sections of embryos were used for angular measurement, and the lateral cephalograms taken with soft X-ray were also measured in liners and angular aspects. All of the anatomical landmarks for the tracing of the photomicrographs and cephalograms were referred to the previous reports on literature. The sequential changes of prenatal craniofacial dimensions and agles were analysed statistically and discussed on the focus about the developmental growth directions of human ore-facial structure arised from heterogeneous origins. The results are as follows, 1) Cranial base angle was almost formed at about 6 weeks old embryos with the average angle of $127.4{\pm}6.33^{\circ}$ (n=3) and it was almost constant onwards. 2) The linear increase rates of anterior cranial base length and anterior facial height exceeded those of the posterior cranial base length and posterior facial height, and the maxilla grows more rapidly on the horizontal dimension than the vertical dmension during the fetal period. 3) The angular relationship between the anterior cranial base and palatal plane decreasedslightly during the fetal period, disclosing $11^{\circ}$ at 12th week gestation and $5^{\circ}$ at 41th weeks gestation. 4) Genial angle was maintained almost constantly at about $130^{\circ}$ during the fetal period from 12 weeks to 41 weeks of gestation.

• Journal of applied mathematics & informatics
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.597-606
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• 1998

In the present study we consider a mathematical model of a non-interactive type autotroph-herbivore system in which the amount of autotroph biomass consumed by the herbivore is assumed to follow a Holling type II functional response. We have also incorpo-rated discrete time delays in the numerical response term to represent a delay due to gestation and in the recycling term which represent a delay due to gestation and in the recycling term which represents the time required for bacterial decomposition. We have derived con-dition for global asymptotic stability of the model in the absence of delays. Conditions for delay-induced asymptotic stability of the steady state are also derived. The length of the delay preserving stability has been estimated and interpreted ecologically.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.62 no.6
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• pp.875-883
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• 2020

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of group-housing facility (GHF), compared to an individual confinement stall (CON), on the reproductive performance, behavior, and stress hormones of gestating sows. A total of 50 primiparous sows (Landrace × Yorkshire) were randomly allocated into either CON (n = 25) or GHF (n = 25) during the gestation period. One week before parturition, the sows were transferred into conventional farrowing crates, and cross-fostering was conducted within 1 d of delivery. Blood was collected for analyses of stress indices at 75 d of gestation and postpartum. Reproductive performance was estimated during the period of birth to weaning. Behavior patterns were identified at 90 d of gestation. Litter size was not different between the CON and GHF treatments. Weaning to estrus interval, however, tended to be lower in the GHF than in the CON (p < 0.1). Activity, treating, belly nosing, and exploring behaviors were observed only in the GHF group, whereas rubbing was shown only with the CON. Serum cortisol concentration was lower in the GHF than in the CON at 75 d of gestation (p < 0.05). Sows housed in the GHF showed lower epinephrine and norepinephrine concentrations than those housed in the CON at postpartum (p < 0.05). The GHF sows demonstrated more natural behavior characteristics associated with stress relief than the CON sows with no adverse effects on reproductive performance. Therefore, these results suggest that GHF could be applied as an alternative housing facility to improve animal welfare on swine farms.