• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.43-50
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• 2009

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of nitrogen (N) application level and regrowth period on the fatty acid (FA) concentration and forage production of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schr.) and bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.). N was applied at 0, 50 and 100 kg/ha, and swards were cut after regrowth periods (15d, 30d and 45d). Concentrations of Individual FA were determined by gas chromatography. FA composition of tall fescue contains a high proportion ($87{\sim}88%$) of total FA contents as palmitic (C16:0), linoleic (C18:2) and linolenic acid (C18:3). The FA composition was not affected by N application, but a longer regrowth period significantly (p<0.05) decreased the composition of linolenic acid (C18:3) and increased those of linoleic acid (C18:2). The FA composition of bermudagrass was not affected by N application, but a longer regrowth period significantly (p<0.001) decreased the composition of linoleic (C18:2) and linolenic acid (C18:3). Linoleic and linolenic acfd of tall fescue were higher than those of bermudagrass. Dry matter (DM) yield of bermudagrass was significantly (P<0.05) affected by N application level and regrowth period. DM yield was higher at high N application and was higher at longer regrowth period. The crude protein concentration was higher at high N application and was low at longer regrowth period. Application of nitrogen fertilizer Increases dry matter (DM) yield and crude protein (CP) content of bermudagrass. These studies demonstrate opportunities to affect the FA concentration and composition of FA in forage through management strategies, which could affect milk FA composition.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.62 no.6
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• pp.777-789
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• 2020

Intense artificial selection has been imposed to Luzhong mutton sheep population in the past years. Improvements on growth and reproductive performance are two breeding goals in the present herd. Although some progresses were phenotypically observed possibly due to inbreeding induced by strong selection in terms of these traits, the genomic evaluation was poorly understood. Therefore, a high-density SNP array was used to characterize the pattern of runs of homozygosity (ROH), estimate inbreeding and inbreeding depressions on early growth performance and litter size based upon ROH, and scan positive selection signatures of recent population. Consequently, a low inbreeding level was observed which had negative effects on litter size, but not on early growth performance. And 160 genes were under selection, of which some were reported to be linked to several traits of sheep including body weight, litter size, carcass and meat quality, milk yield and composition, fiber quality and health, and the top genes were associated with growth (growth hormone [GH]- growth hormone receptor [GHR]- Insulin-like growth factor 1 [IGF1] axis) and litter size (bone morphogenic proteins [BMPs]-associated). The effectiveness of previous breeding measures was highlighted, but purging selection was proposed to alleviate the inbreeding depression on litter size, providing some genomic insights to breeding management of Luzhong mutton sheep.