• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.10
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• pp.1445-1450
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• 2012

A study was conducted to evaluate effects of alfalfa meal on growth performance and gastrointestinal tract development of growing layer ducks to provide evidence for application of alfalfa meal in the duck industry. Two hundred and fifty-six healthy Shaoxing 7-wk old growing layer ducks were selected and randomly allocated to 1 of 4 dietary treatments based on corn and soybean meal and containing 0, 3, 6, and 9% of alfalfa meal for 8 wks. Each treatment consisted of 4 replicates of 16 ducks each. Briefly, birds were raised in separate compartments, and each compartment consisted of three parts: indoor floor house, adjacent open area and a connecting water area. The results showed: i) Growing ducks fed alfalfa meal diet were not significantly different in average daily gain, feed intake and gain-to-feed ratio from those fed no alfalfa diet (p>0.05). ii) Alfalfa meal increased the ratio crop, gizzard to live weight, caecum to live weight, the caecum index of growing ducks (p<0.05). iii) Villus height in duodenum and jejunum of growing ducks increased significantly with the increase of alfalfa meal levels (p<0.05). Crypt depth in duodenum and jejunum of growing ducks decreased significantly with the increase of alfalfa meal levels (p<0.05). This experiment showed that feeding of alfalfa meal to growing layer ducks could improve gastrointestinal tract growth and small intestinal morphology without effect on performance. This experiment provides evidence that alfalfa meal is a very valuable feedstuff for growing layer ducks.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.1085-1095
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• 2024

Objective: The main objective of this study was to determine available energy and nutritional digestibility of extruded cereals and the effect of extrusion on the nutritional value of feed ingredients, aiming to provide scientific basis for efficient application of extrusion in the diets of growing pigs. Methods: In Exp. 1, 48 crossbred growing pigs (Duroc×Landrace×Yorkshire) with an initial body weight (BW) of 34.6±2.2 kg were selected and fed with eight diets (non-extrusion or extrusion) to determine the digestible energy (DE), metabolizable energy (ME), and nutrients digestibility. Eight diets included extruded grains (barley, wheat, sorghum, or broken rice), while four had unprocessed grains. In Exp. 2, 9 diets were formulated including 4 cereals with extrusion or non-extrusion and a N-free diet. In addition, 9 growing pigs (BW = 22.3±2.8 kg) were fitted with T-cannula in the distal ileum and arranged in a 9×6 Youden square design. Results: Results show that apparent total tract digestibility of gross energy, dry matter, organic meal, ether extract, neutral and acid detergent fiber was not affected by the extrusion process and there was no interaction between cereal type and extrusion treatment on DE, ME. However, the apparent total tract digestibility for crude protein (CP) increased markedly (p<0.05). The standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of all amino acids (AA) except for leucine remarkably increased by extrusion (p<0.05). There was an interaction on the SID of arginine, leucine, isoleucine, methionine, phenylalanine, cystine, and tyrosine in growing pigs between type of grain and extrusion treatment (p<0.05). Conclusion: Extrusion increased the ileal digestibility of CP and most AA in cereals, however, the DE and ME of cereals were not affected in growing pigs.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.62 no.3
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• pp.313-320
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• 2020

This research was performed to investigate the hypothesis that dietary mono-component protease (PRO) might improve growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and carcass characteristics of growing-finishing pigs. A total of eighty-four pigs [Duroc × (Landrace × Yorkshire), 25.3 ± 2.16 kg initial body weight] were randomly assigned to three dietary treatments (7 replicates/treatment; 2 barrows and 2 gilts/replicate) in a randomized complete block design (block = sex). The dietary treatments were prepared as follows; (1) a positive control (PC) as a typical growing-finishing diet based on corn and soybean meal, (2) PC added with 0.015% of PRO (PCPRO), and (3) a negative control (NC) added with 0.015% of PRO (NCPRO). The NC had a lower concentration of crude protein (CP) compared with PC. The PRO was a commercial product that contained 75,000 protease units/g and derived from Nocardiopsis prasina produced in Bacillus licheniformis. Dietary treatments were offered to pigs during growing and finishing periods. Measurements were growth performance, apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutrients, and carcass characteristics. The PCPRO and/or NCPRO increased average daily gain (ADG) and gain to feed ratio (G:F) during growing (p < 0.10), finishing (p < 0.05), and growing-finishing periods (p < 0.10) compared with PC. Furthermore, pigs fed PCPRO and NCPRO had higher (p < 0.05) ATTD of CP and energy during growing and/or finishing periods than those fed PC. In conclusion, the supplementation of PRO in diets improved growth performance and protein digestibility of growing-finishing pigs.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.447-454
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• 2021

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different copper sources (inorganic and organic) on the growth performance, fecal copper excretion, intestinal morphology, and health in growing pigs. A total of 40 growing pigs (30.22 ± 1.92 kg) were randomly assigned to 5 dietary treatments: a basal control diet (CON), 4 experimental diets supplemented with either copper sulfate (CuSO₄), Cu-glycine complex (CuGly), Cu-amino acid complex (CuAA), or Cu-hydroxy-4-methylthio butanoate chelate complex (CuHMB) at 100 ppm, respectively. At the end of the study (28 days), fecal and blood samples were collected, and the pigs were slaughtered to determine the intestinal morphology. During the 28 days of the experimental period, pigs fed the inorganic and organic copper showed a higher average daily gain (p < 0.01) and gain feed ratio (p < 0.01). There were no differences in mineral concentrations of the serum; however, the copper concentration of the feces was lower (p < 0.01) in the CuAA and CuHMB groups. The intestinal morphology and blood profiles did not significantly differ between the groups. In conclusion, the organic copper sources (CuAA and CuHMB) can be used as a growth promoter to replace the CuSO₄ without any negative effects on health in growing pigs and to reduce fecal copper excretion.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.681-685
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• 2000

A computer software was developed in our laboratory to automatically control the pigs environment by the image analysis system (IAS), which monitors and analyzes the pig's behavior and feeds the results back to the computer hardware. Three feeding trials were conducted with growing pigs ($L{\times}Y$) to test the effectiveness of the IAS under various seasons. In all three trials, the open-sided conventional pens with half-slatted floor were used as controls; for the IAS treatment, fully-slatted floors were used in the windowless pens. Experiment 1 was conducted in the winter for 30 d with 24 growing pigs. There were two treatments (Conventional vs. IAS), and three pens (replicates) per treatment. During the growing period, the feed efficiency was significantly (p<0.05) improved by the IAS. In addition, the pigs reared under the IAS during the growing period displayed better growth rate during the finishing period than did the pigs reared under the conventional conditions. Experiment 2 was conducted in the summer for 30 d with 24 growing pigs. The experimental design was the same as Experiment 1. During the finishing period, all the pigs were kept in conventional open-sided pens until their market weights to evaluate their carcass characteristics. During the growing period, the growth rate and feed efficiency of the pigs in the IAS was better than those of the control pigs. In addition, various carcass characteristics were significantly improved by the IAS rearing during the growing period. Experiment 3 was conducted with 30 growing pigs for 30 d in the spring. The experimental design was the same as Experiment 1. No difference was found in growing performance between the control and IAS pigs. It could be concluded that the IAS is effective in providing optimum conditions for the growing pigs in summer and winter seasons. In addition, providing an optimum environment during the growing period results in improved growth rate, feed efficiency, and carcass qualities for the finishing pigs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.10
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• pp.1407-1416
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• 2011

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of genotype (slower-growing vs. fast-growing) and production system (access to outdoors vs. indoor) on the growth performance, carcass yield and meat quality (chemical composition, physicochemical and sensory properties) of chickens. The experiment was performed on 1,040 day-old hybrid male chickens of two genotypes. Slower-growing chickens (Hubbard JA957, certified) and fast-growing chickens (Hubbard F15) were fed identical diets until 65 days of age. Both genotypes (each represented by 520 birds) were divided into two subgroups and were raised in pens on litter with outdoor access or in indoor confinement without outdoor access (four replications per subgroup, each of 65 birds). Until day 21, the birds stayed in the indoor facility, in deep-litter pens. The birds could forage on pasture 12 h daily, commencing at three weeks of age. Stocking density was 0.13 $m^2$ floor space per bird in pens on litter, and 0.8 $m^2$ per bird in grassy yards. Compared with fast-growing, slower-growing chickens were significantly lighter (by 17%), had a lower breast and thigh muscle yield and a higher abdominal fat content, but they were characterized by higher survival rates at 65 days, a higher protein content and a lower fat content of breast meat. Outdoor access had no negative effects on the growth performance, muscle yield, the fatty acid profile and oxidative status of meat lipids. The meat of free-range chickens was darker in color, it had a higher protein content and a better water-holding capacity, but it was less juicy than the meat of birds raised indoors.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.10
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• pp.1460-1464
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• 2001

This study compared the lipid metabolism of white Leghorn layers between the growing and the laying periods. The study was conducted on thirty layers in the growing period (14 weeks old) and in the initial laying period (36 weeks old; 14 weeks from the onset of laying). Results indicated that all plasma lipid traits were significantly different (p<0.05) between the two periods. The estrogen concentration in the laying period was about 3 fold that in the growing period. Triacylglycerol (TG) concentration in the laying period was about 12 fold that in the growing period. The phospholipids, cholesterol, glycerol and non esterified fatty acid (NEFA) in the laying period were also higher than those in the growing period (p<0.05). Lipogenic enzyme activities in the laying period were higher than in the growing period (p<0.05). High-density lipoprotein (HDL) was the largest lipoprotein portion in growing layers. In laying hens, the major lipoprotein portion was very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL). It was also shown that protein is the primary component of HDL and TG is the largest portion of VLDL in both periods. In laying hens, VLDL contained more TG than that in growing layers (p<0.05). The VLDL particle size in laying hens was larger than that in growing layers (p<0.05). This study indicates that the lipid metabolism traits of a layer in the laying period were different from those in the growing period. The lipogenesis related traits in the laying period were markedly greater than in the growing period.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.71-77
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• 2022

African swine fever (ASF) is a fatal viral disease in pigs, with a short incubation period and causing immediate death. Few studies exist on the Asian epidemic ASF virus (ASFV) challenge in older pigs, including growing and fattening pigs and sows. We aimed to investigate clinical outcomes, pathomorphological lesions, and viral distribution in organs of 3-month-old growing pigs that were inoculated with the ASFV isolated in Vietnam. The clinical outcomes were recorded daily, and the dead or euthanized pigs immediately underwent necropsy. Viral loads were determined in 10 major organs using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The average incubation period in growing pigs was more delayed (5.2±0.9 dpi) than that in weaned pigs, and the clinical signs were milder in growing pigs than in weaned pigs. The digestive and respiratory clinical signs in growing pigs showed at the end period of life, but these were observed at an early stage of infection in weaned pigs. The pathomorphological features were severe and nonspecific with hemorrhagic lesions in various organs. The viral loads in organs from growing pigs were higher than those from piglets, and the number of viral copies was related to gross lesions in the tonsil and intestine. In the absence of vaccines against ASF, early clinical detection is important for preventing the spread of the virus. Our findings elucidated that the clinical signs and gross lesions in growing pigs differed from those in weaned pigs, which provide valuable information for diagnosis of pigs with suspected ASF infection.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.795-801
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• 2000

A total of 120 growing crossbred pigs ($Landrace{\times}Large$ $White{\times}Duroc$) with equal numbers of barrows and gilts were used in the feeding trial in a $2{\times}3$ factorial arrangement (gender by feeding regimens) to investigate the effect of phase feeding on growth performance during the 25 to 58 kg body weight growth stage, and 6 pigs (three of each sex) were used in a metabolic trial. The growing period was divided into two phases and 4 different CP diets were used to make 3 different feeding regimens (GE18-GL18; 18% CP diets for both early and later growing period, GE18-GL16; 18% CP diet for early and 16% CP diet for later growing period, GE19-GL17; 19% CP diet for early and 17% CP diet for later growing period). There were no significant differences in growth performance among treatments during the entire growing period. However, during the later growing period, feed intake of barrows was significantly higher than that of gilts (p<0.05). Average daily gain of barrows was higher than that of gilts (p>0.05). Based on the result, growth performance differences between barrows and gilts appeared to begin after 40 kg of body weight. There was no significant difference in digestibility among treatments or between sexes. During the early growing period the 18% CP diet showed better digestibility than the 19% CP diet. However, during the later growing period, the 18% and 17% CP diets exhibited similar digestibilities, although 16% CP diet showed slightly lower digestibility than 18% and 17% CP diets. During the early growing period, fecal N and P excretion of pigs fed the 19% CP were higher than that of those fed the 18% CP diet. During later growing period, fecal N and P excretion by those receiving the two phase feeding compared to single phase feeding was reduced by 10.2% and 2.0%, respectively. In the gilts, the cost reduction by two phase feeding (GE18-GL16) compared to single feeding was around 3.81%, but that of barrows was only 0.52%. The results suggested that the same nutrient levels could be applied to barrows and gilts during the growing period. Also, this study suggested the optimum protein and lysine level for early and later growing pigs to be 18% CP, 1.0% lysine and 16% CP, 0.8% lysine, respectively. Feeding two diets to growing pigs, i.e., two-phase feeding, would be more appropriate than feeding a single diet on economic and environmental considerations.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.234-238
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• 2019

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary protease on growth performance, blood constituents, and carcass characteristics of growing-finishing pigs. A total of 48 growing pigs (initial body weight, $34.8{\pm}0.62kg$) were randomly assigned to 2 dietary treatments (6 pigs/pen; 4 replicates/treatment). The treatments were a diet based on corn and soybean meal (CON) and CON supplemented with 0.01 % of protease (PRO). Pigs were fed respective dietary treatments with a 2-phase feeding program for 12 weeks. Pigs fed PRO had higher average daily gain (ADG; phase I, 866.38 vs. 821.75 g/d; overall, 910.96 vs. 866.30 g/d; p < 0.05) and gain to feed ratio (G:F; phase I, 0.345 vs. 0.363 g/g; p < 0.05) than those fed CON. However, there were no differences on blood constituents and carcass characteristics between CON and PRO of growing-finishing pigs. In conclusion, dietary protease supplementation in the typical diet for growing-finishing pigs improved growth rate.