• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제11권4호
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• pp.416-421
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• 1998

The objective of this study was to investigate the responsiveness of hypophysis and gonads to synthetic GnRH among noncycling Murrah buffalo heifers at 24 months of age. The plasma FSH, LH, estradiol and progesterone levels were measured in blood samples collected at 1 hour before and upto 18th day subsequent to the administration of GnRH ($(200 {\mu}g)$) or saline (2 ml). The pretreatment levels of plasma FSH, LH estradiol and progesterone among GnRH treated heifers (N = 6) were $11.55{\pm}0.57ng/ml$, $0.68{\pm}0.06ng/ml$, $19.84{\pm}0.82pg/ml$ and $0.45{\pm}0.07ng/ml$ respectively. A quick elevation of FSH (p < 0.01) and LH (p < 0.05) within 5 min of GnRH administration was observed in all the heifers. The peak FSH ($74.97{\pm}18.63ng/ml$) and LH ($3.09{\pm}0.54ng/ml$) level was obtained at 30 min of GnRH administration. The elevated level of plasma estradiol on 5th to 18th day, FSH on 7th to 9th day (n = 3) and the progesterone on 13th to 18th day (n = 2) of GnRH injection was obtained. The study indicates that gonads of buffalo heifers at 24 months of age are responsive of GnRH induced gonadotropin release for folliculogenesis and luteal tissue formation

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제16권2호
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• pp.217-221
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• 2003

The present investigation was undertaken to study status of erythrocytic antioxidant enzymes in normal cycling and $\alpha$- tocopherol supplemented anestrus buffalo heifers. The pre-supplementation erythrocytic activities of superoxide dismutase (U/mg Hb), glutathione peroxidase (U/mg Hb) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (U/g Hb) upregulated significantly (p<0.05) in anestrus heifers ($10.08{\pm}0.09$, $14.09{\pm}0.54$, $9.25{\pm}0.29$) when compared to normal cycling ones ($6.93{\pm}0.04$, $11.61{\pm}0.19$, $5.58{\pm}0.26$). The oral supplementation of $\alpha$-tocopherol (a) 3,000 mg per week per animal in anestrus heifers declined erythrocytic superoxide dismutase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities significantly (p<0.01) but led to non-significant increase in erythrocytic glutathione peroxidase activity. Results indicated that supplementation of $\alpha$-tocopherol to anestrus buffalo heifers mitigated the effects of oxidative stress to improve their antioxidant status.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제17권8호
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• pp.1088-1092
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• 2004

The present investigation was undertaken to study the status of plasma antioxidant vitamins in normal cycling and $\alpha$-tocopherol supplemented anestrus buffalo heifers. The pre-supplementation plasma levels ($\mu$mol/L) of vitamin E and $\beta$-carotene were significantly (p<0.05) lower and of vitamin C was significantly (p<0.05) higher in anestrus heifers (4.06$\pm$0.07; 4.56$\pm$0.17; 21.04$\pm$0.21) when compared to normal cycling ones (4.92$\pm$0.05; 6.76$\pm$0.12; 14.24$\pm$0.16). The oral supplementation of$\alpha$-tocopherol at 3,000 mg per week per animal in anestrus heifers resulted in a significant (p<0.01) increase in vitamin E and $\beta$-carotene levels and a significant (p<0.01) decrease in vitamin C concentration. Results indicated that supplementation of $\alpha$-tocopherol to anestrus buffalo heifers improved the antioxidant status by mitigating the harmful effects of free radical induced oxidative stress.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제11권6호
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• pp.680-684
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• 1998

The effect of feeding heifers young Napier grass (7-weeks regrowth) or old Napier (16-weeks regrowth) supplemented with either wilted Desmodium intortum, Sesbania sesban or dried Calliandra calothyrsus leaves on intake and live weight changes was evaluated in a 67-day trial. Thirty-two Friesian heifers with an average live weight of 271 kg and 16.8 months old were randomly allocated to the four diets. The diets were either ad libitum young Napier grass or old Napier grass supplemented with 25% of either Sesbania, Desmodium or Calliandra. There was significant difference in chemical composition between the young and old Napier grass. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed on intake of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein and neutral detergent fibre. The total dry matter intake was 2.77, 2.86, 2.62 kg/100 kg live weight (LW) for Desmodium, Calliandra and Sesbania supplemented diets, respectively. A dry matter intake of 3.11 kg/100 kg LW was observed on the heifers fed young Napier grass. The mean daily gains were 638, 732, 606, and 1,001 g/day for Desmodium, Calliandra, Sesbania supplemented and young Napier grass diets respectively. Low level supplementation rate (1-1.5 kg DM/day) was adequate to maintain good growth rate when the heifers were fed old Napier grass.

• 한국가축번식학회지
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.81-87
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• 1998

This experiment was carried out with 12 Korean native heifers(8~12month old, body weight, 160~240kg) raised at a farm of Chang-Soo Livestock Cooperatives to evaluate the effects of rGH(recombinant growth hormone) on serum concentrations of growth hormone, estrogen, and IGF-I, weight gain, teat volume gain and processing enzyme activity of IGF-I, binding protein III at 28 day intervals. Animals used were injected with 250mg rGH at 14 day intervals from December to Ferbruary in 1994. The significant difference was found in the group of treatment on the 4th week in the endogenous GH(p<.01) and 8th week in estrogen and IGF-I(p<.05) after injectin of rGH in Korean native heifers. There were significant differences between control group and treatment group in weight and teat volume on 8th week after treatment(p<.05). Processing enzyme activity before injection of rGH were low. However, heifers injected with 250mg of rGH showed that processing enzyme activity of IGF binding protein was highly increased throughout the experiment. Present results suggest that injection of exogenous rGH to heifers can increase the growth performance and udder development of Korean native heifers by the endogenous hormonal changes.

• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제4권1호
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• pp.41-45
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• 1989

Total thirty of flushing were attempted on day 4 to 15 of estrus cycle with S heifers and 9 cows by nonsurgical method. The flushed or recovered rate among flushings was 86.7% (26/30) or 88.5% (23/26), respectively. There was no difference in the recovered rate between heifers (85.7%,6/7) and cows (89.5%, 17119). The embryo was recovered on day 4 to 15 of estrus cycle from the donors in natural heat without any technical difficulties.The I2FG Foley catheter used for pubertal heifers had sometimes plug in it with uterine mucus during flushing of uterine horn. But the problem could be overcomed by pumping the catherter with fluthing solution or by changing the catheter. Three normal embryos were recovered from 3 pubertal (10-11 month old) heifers. The rate of normal and abnormal eggs was 60.9% (14123) and 39.1% (9/23), respectively. The abnormal eggs were on degenerating except one unfertilized egg and were mostly recovered from heifers or cows flushed consecutively during the estrus cycle. The developmental states of normal embryos were l6-cells on day 5, 32-cells on day 6, compacted-morula on day 7, early-to expanded-blastocyst on day 8-to 9, and hatching-to hatched-blastocyst on day 10 to 11 of estrus cycle. The stage of embryos on day 8 to 10 showed varities among donors. On day 8 to 9 of estrus cycle hatching-blas tocyst was recovered from some donors.

• 한국축산시설환경학회지
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.21-26
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• 2014

The goal of this study was to investigate acoustic characteristic of feed anticipating calls of heifers and cows. 6 cows and 6 heifers housed in a pen ($6.0m{\times}10.0m$) which was bedded with sawdust and straw. They were fed a standard ration of commercial concentrate and hay was ad libitum. The calls of heifers and cows were divided into Type 1 and Type 2 which were classified based on the shapes of waveform and spectrograms, respectively. There was difference in the fundamental frequency (P < 0.0001) and $1^{st}$ formant (P < 0.0077) among the calls. Acoustic parameters with the exception of fundamental frequency and $1^{st}$ formant were no difference between cows' calls and heifers' calls (P > 0.05). Duration of cows' calls was lower than that of heifers' calls, whereas the intensity of Type 1 calls was higher than that of Type 2 calls (P > 0.05).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제19권11호
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• pp.1566-1573
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• 2006

The study was conducted on 30 true acyclic Sahiwal cows (15 cows, ${\geq}90$ days postpartum; 15 postpubertal heifers, ${\geq}30$ months of age) and a similar 20 untreated controls (10 cows, 10 heifers). An 'Eazi' breed Controlled Internal Drug Release (CIDR) device (containing 1.38 g progesterone) was inserted intravaginally for 7 days (days 0 to 7) followed by 500 IU eCG i.m. at CIDR removal in all the treated animals. Heifers also received 5 mg oestradiol valerate i.m at CIDR insertion. The reproductive performance of these animals was recorded in terms of oestrus induction response, conception and pregnancy rates. Plasma progesterone ($P_4$) and oestradiol-$17{\beta}$ ($E_2$) profiles of 4 representative animals from each treatment group before, during and after CIDR treatment were also monitored. An oestrus induction response of 100% was observed in treated cows and heifers. The majority of cows (53.3%) and heifers (60%) were induced to oestrus within 24-36 and 36-48 h, respectively after CIDR withdrawal; with mean intervals of $44{\pm}3.18$ and $48{\pm}2.35h$, respectively. The conception rate at induced oestrus was higher in cows (40%) than heifers (20%). The final pregnancy rates after 2 subsequent oestruses were 80 and 60% in cows and heifers, respectively (overall 70% for all treated animals). In comparison, only 10% of control animals (2 cows only, 2/20) showed oestrus and become pregnant (10%) during theentire study period. The pretreatment (day 0) mean plasma P4 levels were statistically (p>0.05) similar in cows and heifers ($0.40{\pm}0.04$ and $0.49{\pm}0.11ng/ml$, respectively). The peak $P_4$ levels were observed on day 1 in cows ($13.94{\pm}1.41ng/ml$) and day 2 in heifers ($19.15{\pm}3.30ng/ml$) with a progressive decline up to the day of CIDR withdrawal ($3.35{\pm}0.92$ and $8.79{\pm}1.71ng/ml$, respectively). Mean $P_4$ levels on day 9 and 10 in cows and heifers did not differ significantly from their respective day 0 values and the lowest values were recorded on day 10 both in cows and heifers ($0.13{\pm}0.03$ and $0.14{\pm}0.02ng/ml$, respectively). Wide variations in individual pretreatment $E_2$ levels were observed both in the cows (range = 4-26, mean = $13.00{\pm}4.65pg/ml$) and heifers (range = 10-14, mean = $11.50{\pm}0.96pg/ml$). Thereafter also, $E_2$ levels in cows showed variation and reached a peak level ($53.50{\pm}2.99pg/ml$) on day 8. In heifers, peak mean $E_2$ level ($111.25{\pm}39.81pg/ml$) was recorded on day 1, followed by a non-significant decline on day 2, a significant fall on day 6 and a non-significant increase on day 9 and 10. However, mean $E_2$ levels on days 7 (p<0.05), 8 and 9 (p<0.01) were significantly higher in cows compared to heifers. The post-CIDR withdrawal mean highest $P_4$ and lowest $E_2$ levels coincided with the period when the majority of animals were induced to oestrus. CIDR and eCG treatment resulted in effective induction of oestrus with satisfactory pregnancy rates in true acyclic Sahiwal cows and heifers.

• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제30권4호
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• pp.265-270
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• 2015

Growth rate during rearing, which varies depending on provided nutrition, has been related with age at $1^{st}$ calving (AFC). This study investigated the effect of upgrowth parameters during the rearing period on the reproduction of nulliparous Holstein heifers. The study comprised 77 successively born heifers from the same herd. Growth rate and fertility traits were measured during rearing and fertility parameters were recorded in lactations 1. Growth parameters (body weight, height, heart girth and body length) were measured at the approximate birth time, 270 and 450 d of age. Reproduction data collected included age at $1^{st}$ breeding, number of services per conception (S/C), pregnancy rate to $1^{st}$ artificial insemination, AFC. Animals were subsequently divided into 4 AFC groups for analysis: <23 mo, 23~25 mo, 26~30 mo and >30 mo. The AFC reflected both upgrowth rate and heifer reproduction, with later calving heifers smaller. Increased skeletal growth (at 270 and 450 d) was related with a reduced AFC (p<0.05). Early calving animals (<23 mo) had the best reproduction as nulliparous heifers, with most conceiving at first service (87.5%). Fertility in the first lactation was the worst in the oldest AFC group (>30 mo). In the 1st lactation period, a number of services per conception ($3.1{\pm}0.3$) increased with increasing AFC (>30 mo). Sub-optimal upgrowth related with an increased AFC could be mitigated by improved monitoring of replacement heifers during the rearing period.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제31권8호
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• pp.1230-1237
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• 2018

Objective: The present study was undertaken to determine an optimal balance between the amount of physically effective neutral detergent fiber (peNDF) to metabolizable glucose (MG) on rumen fermentation, blood metabolites and growth performance of 8 to 10-month-old heifers. Methods: A total of 15 healthy Holstein heifers weighing an average of 256 kg (8 month of age) were randomly assigned to three groups of five. Treatment diets consisted of the following three $peNDF_{8.0}/MG$ levels: 1.46 (Treatment A), 1.74 (Treatment B), and 2.08 (Treatment C). Results: The results showed that the ratio of $peNDF_{8.0}/MG$ affected rumen fermentation, blood metabolites and growth performance of heifers. The average daily gain of heifers tended to decrease as the ratio of $peNDF_{8.0}/MG$ increased (p = 0.07). The concentrations of blood urea nitrogen, triglyceride, and cholesterol increased significantly (p<0.05), while the high-density lipoprotein concentration decreased (p<0.05). After feeding 2 h and 4 h, insulin concentration in Treatment A was greater than Treatment C (p<0.05). Propionate concentration had decreasing trend (p = 0.07); acetate to propionate ratio and non-glucogenic to glucogenic volatile fatty acid (NGR) increased significantly (p<0.05). In addition, the digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber decreased significantly (p<0.05). Conclusion: The present investigation indicated that dietary $peNDF_{8.0}/MG$ ratio can affect the growth and development, blood metabolites, rumen fermentation and apparent digestibility of heifers, and the optimal dietary $peNDF_{8.0}/MG$ ratio for 8 to 10-month-old heifers in the present study was 1.46.