• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제14권7호
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• pp.951-955
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• 2001

The behaviour of 6 Toggenburg and 6 Saanen female goats, grazing on natural vegatation in a modified sub-humid tropical environment of Kenya, was studied during the dry (January and February) and wet (April and May) seasons in 1997. The two exotic breeds grazed for 12 h daily. Observation on feeding, standing, lying and ruminating was done chronometrically at five minute intervals between 0600 and 1800 h. These grazing times were based on the current practice of small holder farmers. During the dry period, the average feeding, standing, lying and ruminating time per 12 h period for Saanens was 5.63, 4.57, 1.80 and 1.50 h respectively while that for Toggenburgs was 7.26, 3.21, 1.53 and 1.96 h, respectively. In the wet(Green) season, the mean feeding, standing, lying and ruminating time for Saanens was found to be 5.08, 4.63, 2.29 and 0.72, respectively.Toggenburgs spent more time feeding (p<0.05) than Saanens in both seasons. It was also observed that standing occured more often in Saanens than the Toggenburgs in the dry season. During the wet period, Saanens ruminated significantly longer than the Toggenburgs. The health status of the animals was determined by analyzing the respiratory frequency, heart rate, rectal temperature, hemoglobin, erythrocytes and leucocytes of the experimental animals. All the clinical and physiological parameters were within the normal physiological range of healthy goats. It was concluded that differences in the grazing behaviour of Saanens and Toggenburgs in the modified tropical environment of Kenya, do exist.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제21권9호
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• pp.1252-1261
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• 2008

Twenty-four yearling Boer$\times$Spanish goats were used in a crossover design experiment to determine effects of tethering on forage selection, intake and digestibility, grazing behavior and energy expenditure (EE) with forage high in nutritive value and low to moderate in mass. Objectives were to determine if tethered goats could be used as a model for study of unrestrained animals and to characterize tethering as a production practice. Four 0.72-ha pastures of wheat (Triticum aestivum) and berseem clover (Trifolium alexandrium) were grazed in December and January. Each pasture hosted six animals, three with free movement and three attached to a 4.11-m tether for access to a circular area of $53.1m^2$. Tethering areas were moved each day. One animal of each treatment and pasture was used to determine forage selection, fecal output or grazing behavior and EE; therefore, there were eight observations per treatment. Mass of forage DM before grazing in Tethered areas averaged 1,280 and 1,130 kg/ha in periods 1 and 2, respectively. The CP concentration in ingesta was greater ((p<0.05) 239 and 209 g/kg; SE = 8.0) and the NDF level was lower (p<0.05) for Free vs. Tethered animals (503 and 538 g/kg; SE = 12.0); in vitro true DM digestion was similar between treatments (0.808 and 0.807 for Free and Tethered, respectively; SE = 0.0096). Intakes of DM (1,013 and 968 g/d; SE = 78.6), NDF (511 and 521 g/d; SE = 39.9) and ME (10.9 and 10.7 MJ/d; SE = 0.90) were similar between treatments, but CP intake was greater (p<0.05) for Free vs. Tethered animals (241 and 203 g/d; SE = 17.2). There were small treatment differences in in vivo apparent digestibility of OM ((p<0.05) 0.780 and 0.814; SE = 0.0049), CP ((p<0.05) 0.800 and 0.817; SE = 0.0067) and NDF ((p<0.09) 0.777 and 0.760 for Free and Tethered, respectively; SE = 0.0078). There were no treatment effects on time spent ruminating or grazing (346 and 347 min/d for Free and Tethered, respectively; SE = 42.5), but EE was considerably greater (p<0.05) for Free vs. Tethered animals (571 and 489 kJ/kg $BW^{0.75}$; SE = 8.9). In conclusion, with forage of high nutritive value and low to moderate in mass, tethering can offer a production advantage over free grazing of less energy used for activity despite similar grazing time. With forage removal considerably less than that available for grazing, effects of tethering on chemical composition of selected forage were small and less than needed to markedly affect digestion. Tethering may offer a means of studying some aspects of grazing by ruminants, but would not seem suitable for energy metabolism.

• 한국초지조사료학회지
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• 제29권4호
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• pp.383-388
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• 2009

본 연구는 혼파초지에서 유 산양을 방목 이용하였을 때의 건물섭취량, 증체량 및 두당 방목초지의 소요면적을 산출하고자 2007년 4월부터 2008년 6월까지 충남대학교 동물사육장내 혼파초지에서 수행하였다. 공시초지는 2006년 9월 21일 orchardgrass (40%) + tall fescue (20%) + perennial ryegrass (10%) + alfalfa (15%) + red clover (15%)를 ha당 30 kg 파종하여 경운초지로 조성한 혼파초지에서 수행하였다. 방목면적은 총 $5,000\;m^2$로 4목구(구당 평균 $1,250\;m^2$)의 윤환 방목으로 12회 방목하였다. 공시축은 Saanen종으로 13두(평균 31.1 kg)를 방목하였다. 방목기간 중 월 별로 조사한 혼파초지의 평균 조단백질 함량은 20.4%, NDF와 ADF 함량은 각각 65.3%와 31.1%이었으며, 건물소화율은 68.9%이었다. 두당 평균 건물섭취량은 1.253 kg 이었으며, 체중 당 3.01%을 섭취하였다. 방목기간 (184일)의 두당 평균 증체량은 17.4 kg이었고, 일당증체량은 98g이었다. 유 산양(체중 50 kg 기준)의 두당 방목초지의 소요면적은 $467.7\;m^2$로 산출되었는데 이를 Animal unit (AU/ha)로 환산하면 약 2.14 AU/ha에 해당하였다.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제20권10호
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• pp.1496-1502
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• 2007

The roles of melatonin in the control of deiodinase (MD) activity in cashmere goat skin and associated cashmere fibre growth were investigated. Eighteen half-sib Chinese Inner Mongolia cashmere wethers were allocated randomly to two groups (n = 9/group). One group was implanted subcutaneously with melatonin (2 mg/kg BW) at three 2-monthly intervals while the other group served as a control. All goats were maintained under natural photoperiodic conditions and were grazed on natural pasture. The plasma melatonin concentration showed a significant difference (p<0.01) between the implant group (M) and the control group (C) but plasma $T_4$ (or $T_3$) showed no significant difference (p>0.05). The monodeiodinase type II (MDII) activity in skin tended to increase gradually from the summer solstice to November. During July and August, the activity of MDII for the M group was higher (p<0.05) than that of the C group; also during this period, there was a significant positive correlation between MDII activity of skin and cashmere fibre growth rate. The monodeiodinase type III (MDIII) activity and the ratio of MDIII and MDII tended to decrease from the summer solstice to November. The ratio of MDIII and MDII for the M group was lower (p<0.05) than that of the C group in July and August. The cashmere fibre growth rate of the M group was significantly greater than that of the C group in July (p<0.01), August (p<0.001) and September (p<0.05). The cashmere fibre diameter and guard hair and body weight were not influenced (p>0.05) by melatonin implantation. The results demonstrate that melatonin plays an important role in the regulation of skin MD activity. Simultaneously, the cashmere fibre elongation stimulated by melatonin may result from enhanced MDII activity during a period of two months after melatonin treatment.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.351-357
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• 2011

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of castration on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of goat kids. Fourteen Boer-cross buck and wether goat kids (n = 7; initial body weight (BW) $38.0{\pm}0.35\;kg$ and $34.8{\pm}0.35\;kg$, for bucks and wethers, respectively) were grazed on annual Marshall ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) for 56 days. Body weights were recorded after 4 h withdrawal from feed and water for two consecutive days, every 2 wk. After d 56, animals were harvested and hot carcass weight (HCW), cold carcass weight (CCW), dressing percent (DP), kidney and pelvic fat (KPF), longissimus muscle (LM) area, back fat (BF), and other carcass parameters were measured. Day 0 BW was used as a covariate for analyses. However, bucks were heavier than wethers at d 15 (p = 0.09), 42 (p = 0.001) and 56 (p = 0.001). Bucks had higher ADG (146 vs. 74 g/d; p = 0.001), HCW (21.2 vs. 18.8 kg; p = 0.06) and CCW (20.3 vs. 17.9 kg; p = 0.04) when compared with wether goats. Dressing percentage (51 vs. 47%; p = 0.06), KPF (0.44 vs. 0.16%; p = 0.02) and BF (0.41 vs. 0.21 cm; p = 0.05) were higher in wethers vs bucks, respectively; however, USDA live or carcass grades were similar. Longissimus muscle tissue from wethers and bucks were similar in darkness ($L^*$) and redness ($a^*$), but wethers had more (p = 0.02) yellow tint ($b^*$). Palmitic (C16:0), stearic (C18:0) and oleic (C18:1) acids were higher (p = 0.001) in muscle tissue from wethers compared to bucks. The saturated fatty acid (SFA) and monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) contents of muscle tissue were lower (p = 0.001) for bucks with no difference in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Longissimus muscle initial temperature was higher in bucks (p<0.04) and pH change post-mortem was similar for bucks and wethers. These results indicated that castration of young market goats reduced growth performance and produced carcasses with more fat and higher SFA.

• 한국초지조사료학회지
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• 제36권2호
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• pp.109-114
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• 2016

본 연구는 산지초지에서 흑염소 방목 시 건물 채식량과 사초 생산량의 분석을 통해 적정 방목 강도와 초지 건물 수량 및 일당증체량의 계절별 변화를 비교 분석하여 산지 초지 활용성 제고에 대한 기초 자료를 제공하기 위해 수행되었다. 공시가축은 평균 $23.33{\pm}2.15kg$의 4개월 령 거세 흑염소 10두였다. 보충사료의 급여수준은 체중 1%로 고정 급여하여 실험을 수행하였다. 산지 초지를 이용한 흑염소 방목지의 경우 계절별 사료 가치는 대부분 비교적 안정적으로 유지되었다. 조단백질 함량은 10월에($22.71{\pm}0.25%$) 가장 높았으며, 월별 조단백질 함량에 대한 유의적인 차이가 인정되었다(p<0.05). 방목지의 사초 건물수량의 경우, 5월~6월에($1718.7{\pm}207.5-1672.0{\pm}422.8kg/ha$) 가장 높은 수량을 보였으나 여름철 하고현상으로 인해 7월($1,356.0{\pm}103.8kg/ha$)에 생산성이 급격히 감소하였다. 계절별에 따른 흑염소 방목 시 일당 증체량은 실험 기간 중 6월에 $99.5{\pm}6.4d/g$으로 가장 높은 값을 나타냈다. 결과적으로 연중 방목 시 월별 사초 생산성은 변동이 있으나, 흑염소의 건물 채식량은 성장에 따라 증가하기 때문에 월별 방목 적정 두수의 조절이 필요할 것으로 판단되었다. 계절별 방목 강도 설정은 초지의 계절별 생산성과 채식량을 기준으로 분석되었으며, 5월(65두/ha)에 가장 높은 값을 나타냈다. 본 실험 기간 동안의 평균 방목 강도는 39두/ha이며 계절별로 이를 초과하거나 부족할 시 보충 사료의 가감을 통하여 적정 방목 강도를 유지하는 것이 바람직하다고 사료된다.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제22권8호
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• pp.1140-1150
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• 2009

Forage diets provide good quality carcasses in sheep but very little is known in tropical goats. An experiment was designed with Creole male goats using grass-based systems to assess carcass yield, scores, cuts and composition. After weaning (84 d, 9.2 kg LW) two modes of forage feeding were compared with two replicates of each. Feeding groups were: PF for animals reared at pasture (n = 62) and IF when reared indoors (n = 60). Given that forage finishing will result in low ADG it appeared necessary to study different fattening lengths. The kids were equally divided into 4 groups: group A (n = 32), 4mo after weaning; group B (n = 32), 4mo after A; group C (n = 30), 3mo after B and group D (n = 28), 2mo after C. The animals grazed (in two sub-flocks) on irrigated tropical pastures managed in a rotational system (28 d of re-growth) at a mean stocking rate of 1,200 kg/ha/yr LW. The IF groups were reared in collective pens on a slatted floor (2 replicates of 7 or 8 kids each). They were fed the same stand of tropical grass (25% DM, 12% CP) as that of pasture that was cut daily and provided ad libitum. The ADG (-10%), the weights of omental fat (-60%) and fat in shoulder (-18%), the ultimate pH of carcass (-12%), the meat colour score (-24%), the ""parameter accounting for redness (12%) and the DM and lipid contents (-4%) were significantly lower (p<0.05) in PF than in IF, while the liver was heavier (+23%, p<0.05). Feeding conditions seemed to be similar, thus, differences could be related to gastrointestinal parasitism in the PF system and hypotheses are discussed. Increasing the fattening duration, resulted in significant difference (p<0.01) in many traits: the weights at slaughter and of carcass increased by 40% and 60% from groups A to D and consequently the weights of body compartments and carcass cuts (1.5 to 2.0 fold more). When the results were presented as percentage of empty body weight and carcass weight, these preliminary results (carcass weight 9kg and yield 53%, muscle proportion 70%) and qualitative parameters (low fat score 2/5, fat proportion 5%), seem to be a good incentive for the sector to develop a niche market to meet consumer lean meat expectations. The indoors system could be implemented where there was low availability of grazing areas or problems of dog attacks.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.203-210
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• 1996

A 13-month study was conducted to determine the monthly variation of crude protein(CP), cell contents(CC), fiber fractions and mineral concentrations of paragrass [Brachiaria mutica (Forsk.) Stapf.] and stargrass (Cynodon plectostachyum Pilger) and to estimate the correlations among the nutrient fractions and climatic factors. The forage samples collected by hand plucking were found to contain CP and mineral concentrations. i.e. calcium(Ca), magnesium(Mg), potassium(K) and zinc(Zn) above the critical levels based on ruminant veeds. Monthly differences(p<0.05) were observed in all CP, CC, neutral detergent fiber(NDF), acid detergent fiber(ADF), hemicellulose(HE), cellulose(CE) and acid detergent lignin(ADL) between the two grass species. Monthly differences(p<0.05) were also observed in all concentrations of forage Ca, K, phosphorus(P), copper(Cu) and Zn except in Mg of both grasses and K of stargrass. Species differences(p<0.05) were observed in all nutrient fractions except Mg and K concentrations. Rainfall had positive correlations to CP, P(p<0.01) and CC(p<0.05); it had negative correlations to NDF(p<0.05). ADF, CE, Ca, Cu and Zn(p<0.01). Temperature, humidity and daylength had also some correlations to various nutrient fractions.