• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.161-166
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• 2014

We conducted investigations of the information and welfare of cattle in Korea. The livestock housing of conventional cattle farms and organic cattle farms were open side wall type with winch curtain and used litter floor. The stocking density of conventional (ranging from $10head/m^2$ to $12.5head/m^2$) and organic cattle farms (ranging from $10head/m^2$ to $16.7head/m^2$) met the demand for conventional or organic standards, respectively. The galvanized plate and sunlight plate were used as the roof material in all of farms. Especially, additional areas were provided to produce forage or to improve animal welfare in organic cattle farms. Thus we believe that present data contribute to develop the animal welfare certification for cattle and to improve animal welfare in Korea.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.114-120
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• 2024

Background: The Hanwoo industry must develop technologies that can increase the production of preferred cuts to match changing consumer trends. In this study, we aimed to estimate the genetic parameters for carcass traits (carcass weight, eye muscle area, back fat thickness, and intramuscular fat) and primal cut traits (tenderloin, loin, strip loin, neck, clod, top round, bottom round, brisket, shank, and rib) in a Hanwoo population to obtain basic data for improving primal cut productivity. Methods: Data from 1,905 Hanwoo steers, including carcass traits and primal cut weights, were collected. Genetic parameters were estimated using REMLF90 in a multi-trait analysis. Results: High heritability was found for carcass weight (0.52) and strip loin yield (0.63). Genetic correlations between carcass weight and primal cut weights ranged from 0.52 to 0.93. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the significant potential for genetic improvement in Hanwoo cattle through selective breeding, particularly for traits with high heritability and genetic correlations. These findings provide crucial insights into optimizing breeding programs to improve Hanwoo cattle production efficiency.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.221-226
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• 2016

The animal welfare issues in cattle breeding include breeding environment, elimination, and castration. Among these, castration is unavoidable because it decreases cattle aggressiveness, improves meat quality, and enhances feed efficiency. In this study, the degree of stress associated with various methods of castration treatment was investigated for animal welfare in Hanwoo breeding. Cortisol levels dramatically increased right after castration in both the SoF and SoV groups. However, the increase in the SoF group was significantly (P<0.05) higher than that in the SoV group, and the range of decrease was also smaller. Among the behavioral characteristics, standing was significantly (P<0.05) higher in the SoV ($374.93{\pm}21.51$) and SoF ($379.93{\pm}21.30$) groups based on the behavioral time (min/12 hours) compared to that in the NC group ($359.37{\pm}19.69$). The SoF and SoV groups did not show any significant (P<0.05) difference. In terms of behavioral frequency, the NC group demonstrated a significantly (P<0.05) high frequency of drinking, self-grooming, scratching, and rubbing, and a significantly (P<0.05) less frequency of fighting behavior. The feeding time significantly (P<0.05) decreased in the SoV and SoF groups, and their frequencies of pairwise grooming were significantly (P<0.05) less. Based on the results, the cattle experienced less stress during castration by a veterinarian than during treatment using a move-stop.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.203-209
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• 2005

Real time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is currently considered as the most sensitive method to detect low abundant DNAs in samples. Compared to conventional PCR, real-time PCR has a high reliability because of excluding false-positive results and can allow a simultaneous faster detection and quantification of target DNAs. This study was carried out to identify the Hanwoo (Korean native cattle) beef by genotyping after DNA extraction of commercial beef in 41 restaurants. Since Hanwoo, Holstein and imported cattle meat have different patterns in the MC1R gene associated with the coat colors of cattles (C-type, C/T-type or T-type), we could identify the genotype using real-time PCR The result of real-time PCR assay for beef samples in 41 restaurants which are asserted to sell Hanwoo beef only, showed that 29 of 41 samples were Hanwoo beef gene type (T-type) and 12 of 41 samples were Holstein or imported cattle gene type (C-type or C/T-type). Therefore, the proportion of Han-woo beef was $70.7\%$ and the proportion of Holstein or imported cattle meat was $29.3\%(C/T-type; 12.2\%,\;C-type; 17.1\%)$.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.7
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• pp.1057-1067
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• 2020

Objective: This study evaluated the effect of pedigree errors (PEs) on the accuracy of estimated breeding value (EBV) and genetic gain for carcass traits in Korean Hanwoo cattle. Methods: The raw data set was based on the pedigree records of Korean Hanwoo cattle. The animals' information was obtained using Hanwoo registration records from Korean animal improvement association database. The record comprised of 46,704 animals, where the number of the sires used was 1,298 and the dams were 38,366 animals. The traits considered were carcass weight (CWT), eye muscle area (EMA), back fat thickness (BFT), and marbling score (MS). Errors were introduced in the pedigree dataset through randomly assigning sires to all progenies. The error rates substituted were 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, and 80%, respectively. A simulation was performed to produce a population of 1,650 animals from the pedigree data. A restricted maximum likelihood based animal model was applied to estimate the EBV, accuracy of the EBV, expected genetic gain, variance components, and heritability (h²) estimates for carcass traits. Correlation of the simulated data under PEs was also estimated using Pearson's method. Results: The results showed that the carcass traits per slaughter year were not consistent. The average CWT, EMA, BFT, and MS were 342.60 kg, 78.76 ㎠, 8.63 mm, and 3.31, respectively. When errors were introduced in the pedigree, the accuracy of EBV, genetic gain and h² of carcass traits was reduced in this study. In addition, the correlation of the simulation was slightly affected under PEs. Conclusion: This study reveals the effect of PEs on the accuracy of EBV and genetic parameters for carcass traits, which provides valuable information for further study in Korean Hanwoo cattle.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.63 no.5
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• pp.1064-1075
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• 2021

Recently, a high level of dietary crude protein (CP) has become of interest as a possible practice to improve the carcass quality of beef cattle, and its level has been increasing in the field. However, there is little scientific evidence that supports this. This study was conducted to test whether a high dietary CP level would improve growth performance, body metabolism, and carcass traits in Hanwoo beef cattle. A total of 32 Hanwoo finishing beef cattle (18 multiparous cows, six heifers, and eight steers) participated in a 12-weeks feeding trial. Two kinds of total mixed rations were prepared to contain two different CP; 156 g/kg for the control (CON) and 173 g/kg of CP for the treatment (HCP), while maintaining a similar level of metabolizable energy. The experiment was ended when more than half of the steers reached the target body weight (730 kg). Blood was collected at the end of the experiment. After harvesting, the carcass trait was evaluated at the slaughterhouse according to Korean standards. The carcass yield score and grade were also calculated based on revised criteria. Overall, dry matter intake, average daily gain, blood metabolites concentration, and the carcass traits, except for backfat thickness and the yield score, did not differ between the treatments. The HCP had lower backfat thickness than those of CON. There was no difference in the carcass yield grade, but the yield score was higher in the HCP treatment. According to the newly revised carcass grading criteria, both yield score and grade were higher in HCP than in CON. Increasing CP supply decreased the carcass's backfat thickness without altering growth performance and body metabolism, resulting in improved yield score and grade. Therefore, feeding a high CP diet may be beneficial in the farm income, although it may also increase feed cost and nitrogen excretion to the environment.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.550-556
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• 2009

Two experiments were carried out to investigate the relationship of slaughter age and carcass traits of Hanwoo cattle. A total number of 11,284 heads of cattle (4,624 bulls, 6,120 steers, and 540 females) were used in the experiment (Exp.) 1. In the Exp. 2, 3,887 heads of steers slaughtered at age of 24-36 mon were used. After 24 h post-slaughter chilling, the carcasses were weighed and evaluated by an official grader of carcass traits according to the Korean carcass grading standard. Backfat thickness was the main variable in yield index and grade whereas marbling score was the main variable in carcass quality grade. Meat color was an important factor affecting carcass quality grade of bulls; fat color was an important factor affecting those of steers and females; and maturity was an important factor affecting that of females. After 24-mon-old, extension of slaughter age did not automatically increase the quantity and quality of meat. However, 29 mon of age can be regarded as the optimum time to slaughter steers to attain the highest take home money for farmers.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.247-250
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• 2010

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.239-245
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• 2006

This study examined whether adult bovine muscle satellite cells from 30-month-old Hanwoo cattle are multipotential. The satellite cells were found to have the potential to proliferate and differentiate into myoblasts with the formation of multinucleated cells. In addition, treatment with the peroxisome proliferator activating receptor-${\gamma}$ ($PPAR{\gamma}$) agonist, rosiglitazone, promoted their trans-differentiation into adipocytes with significant increases in glycerol accumulation and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity. Western blot analysis revealed that increased levels of the adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein, $PPAR{\gamma}$ and of CCAAT/enhancerbinding protein were closely related to rosiglitazoneinduced differentiation of the cells. These findings demonstrate that satellite cells from adult Hanwoo cattle are multipotent, and that their trans-differentiation into adipocytes can be induced by rosiglitazone.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.443-448
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• 2012

This study was conducted to investigate changes of blood metabolites and enzyme activities at different slaughter ages of Hanwoo cattle. Blood samples were taken from six hundred thirty two steers (24~33 months of age) and one hundred twenty eight bulls (17~24 months of age) by venipuncture from caudal vein immediately prior to slaughter. Glucose concentrations were linearly increased (P<0.001) with increases of the slaughter age in steers, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentrations were linearly decreased (P<0.001) with increases of the slaughter age in steers. Likewise, glucose and albumin concentrations in bulls were linearly decreased (P=0.009 and P<0.001, respectively) with increases of the slaughter age. BUN, cholesterol, triglycerides, and total cholesterol concentrations were linearly increased (P<0.001, 0.018 and 0.002, respectively), and creatinine concentrations were quadratically increased (P=0.009) with increases of the slaughter age. Activity of gamma glutamyltransferase (${\gamma}$-GT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) was linearly increased (P<0.001) with increases of the slaughter age in both steers and bulls, whereas alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was not affected by increasing slaughter age. In addition, the concentrations of ${\gamma}$-GT and AST were higher (P<0.05) for bulls than those of steers at 24 months of age. Increased levels of ${\gamma}$-GT and AST indicate impaired liver function; it may be associated with increases of concentrate level which is a concomitant of the extended fattening periods in Hanwoo feeding. In conclusion, the results in the present study may be one of the useful information for diagnosis of the metabolic disorder in Hanwoo cattle.