• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.9
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• pp.1223-1226
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• 2004

Previously candidate gene approach revealed estrogen receptor (ESR) locus was associated with increased litter size. In this study, PvuII polymorphisms of ESR gene was detected by PCR-RFLP, and ESR locus was evaluated for its association with reproductive tracts components in the Large $White{\times}Meishan$ ($LW{\times}M$) F2 offspring. Ninety seven gilts with reproductive tracts components records and 136 offspring with performance traits records were genotyped and the results were used to estimate allele substitution effects. The results showed that two alleles (A and B) were identified, and 121 bp fragments were observed for the AA genotype and 65 bp and 56 bp fragments for the BB genotype; the length of uterine body (LUB) of BB gilts were significantly shorter than AA gilts', the additive effect was -1.762 cm; the uterine weight (UW) of AB gilts were significantly lighter than AA gilts' with the additive effect -18.058 g; no significant associations of ESR alleles with ovulation rate (OR), length of uterine horn (LUH), length of uterine cervix (LUC), weight of two ovaries (OW), volume of uterine lumen (VUL), length of oviduct (LO) were observed. BB genotypes gilts need significantly less days to 100 kg ($D_{100kg}$) than AA genotypes (p<0.01), the additive effect was per copy of B allele. Allele B is also favorable for average daily gain (ADG), with additive effect 0.015 kg/d (p<0.05). There was no difference between genotypes for backfat thickness at the 13th rib (SF13), loin meat height (ELMH), and loin meat percentage was estimated (ELMP), individual birth weight (IBW) and teat number (TN).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.10
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• pp.1453-1457
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• 2002

The experiment was conducted to find out the effect of 4 feeding systems on growth, feed intake, eating behavior, lactation performance, gestation period, post-partum heat period, conception rate and parasitic infestation of Black Bengal goat. Twenty four does of approximately 1 year of age were randomly selected for 4 treatment (feeding systems) groups having 6 replications in each. Treatments were stall feeding ($T_1$), tethering ($T_2$), restricted grazing ($T_3$) and grazing ($T_4$). $T_1$ group was housed continuously and adequate amounts of natural grass were supplied for ad libitum feeding. $T_2$ group was tethered for grazing natural grass from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. being moved at one hour intervals. Goats of $T_3$ group were allowed grazing from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. $T_4$ group was grazed from 8 a. m. to 4 p.m. Concentrate supplement was given at the rate of 150 g per day per goat for all of the treatment groups. Duration of experiment was 219 days. Daily live weight gain was significantly (p<0.05) higher in case of stall fed goats than that of others. DM intake also significantly (p<0.05) differed among the treatment groups and was 3.40 3.95, 3.76 and 4.05 per cent of their live weight for stall feeding, tethering, restricted grazing and grazing groups, respectively. Rate of rumination was significantly (p<0.05) higher in case of tethering group of goats than that of others. Birth weight of kids, milk yield, lactation period and post-partum heat period were significantly higher in case of stall fed goats than others. Tethering group showed significantly (p<0.05) higher litter size than others. Infestation rate of Fasciola was significantly (p<0.05) higher in the grazing group. In conclusion, it may be stated that among these feeding groups overall performance of stall fed goats was more satisfactory, and that the tethering group showed better performance than the others.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.533-537
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• 2004

The experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that supplementing diets of lactating first parity sows with a mixture of carbohydrases (CS) improves lactation performance and second parity reproductive performance. The CS used in this study contained 7 units/g of $\alpha$-1,6-galactosidase, 22 units/g of $\beta$-1,4-mannanase, $\beta$-1,4-mannosidase and trace amounts of other enzymes. Twenty primiparous sows (Newsham Hybrid) were allotted to either the control group (no CS supplement) or the CS group (0.1% CS supplement) and fed the experimental diets during 21 d lactation period. Sows and nursing pigs were weighed at birth and weekly until weaning. Days of weaning-to-estrus were recorded. Sows had free access to feed and water. Feed intake of sows was measured daily. During the second parity gestation and lactation, all the sows were fed the same gestation and lactation diets and their reproductive performance was measured. During the second parity, there were 14 sows (7 sows per group) remained productive. For the first lactation, maternal body weight loss of the CS group was smaller (p<0.05) than that of the control group. There was no difference in litter weight gain between two groups. Voluntary feed intake of sows did not differ between the two groups. Days of weaning-to-estrus of the CS group were smaller (p<0.05) than those of the control group. In the second parity, there was no difference in the reproductive performance between the two groups. In conclusion, supplementing CS in the diet of lactating sows during the first parity decreased body weight loss and days of weaning-to-estrus of sows. However, these effects of the CS supplementation in the first parity were not successfully carried over to the second parity.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.891-898
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• 2023

Objective: This study aimed to determine the effect of crude oligosaccharide extract from coconut milk meal (CMM) and spent tea leaves (ST) on the performance and gut development of broiler chickens. Methods: A total of 240 one-day-old unsexed broiler chicks (ROSS 308) were raised on litter-floored pens and had ad libitum access to water for 42 days. The experiment was conducted on chicks fed with basal diet (CON), commercial mannan-oligosaccharides (MOS), crude oligosaccharide extract from CMM, and crude oligosaccharide extract from ST. The experimental diets were supplemented with 2 and 1 g/kg oligosaccharides during the starter and grower periods, respectively. Results: The body weight gain (BWG) of birds in the MOS group was higher than that of birds in the other groups (p<0.05) in the starter period. However, during the grower period, ST significantly improved the BWG compared to the MOS (p<0.05). MOS, CMM, and ST showed no influence on the carcass and visceral organ weight and the weight and length of intestine (p>0.05). The digestibility of gross energy was greater (p<0.05) in the CMM group than in the CON group during the grower period. Morphological changes were absent in the dietary treatments (p>0.05). Conclusion: The improvements in the growth performance were partly driven by nutrient digestibility of such oligosaccharides having prebiotic properties. This result can indicate that supplementing broiler diets with crude oligosaccharides from CMM and ST had no negative effect on the growth performance and gut development of broilers.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2015

This study assessed the impacts of grazing and barn feeding on the reproductive performance of black goats and the growth performance of goatlings to gather basic data for the establishment of an ideal goat-breeding system. A total of 36 Korean black goats were grouped by feeding system (a pasture grazing group and a barn feeding group, n=18) over the 8-month study period from April to November 2011. The difference between the singleton pregnancy rate of the grazing group, measured at 31.5%, and the barn-feeding group's 37.0% was not statistically significant. Also, breeding type did not yield any meaningful differences, with 1.76 live births recorded for the grazing group and 1.69 recorded for the barn-feeding group. In regard to weaner goats, the grazing group showed a higher number compared to the barn-feeding group (p=0.11). The birth weight of the grazing group was measured at 2.3 kg, while that of the barn-feeding group was 2.29 kg, with breeding type yielding no significant differences. The grazing group's weight at 90 days of age was 9.97 kg, which was higher than the barn-feeding group's 9.45 kg (p=0.09). The grazing group showed higher daily weight gain during the lactation period than the barn-feeding group (p=0.13). Overall, with breeding type considered, the grazing group did not show significant differences in terms of the number of live births and birth weights compared to the barn-feeding group; however, the grazing group showed better outcomes in terms of daily weight gain. As it has been shown that grazing satisfies the physiological needs of goats more effectively than barn feeding, we believe that it contributes to the farming of healthy goats.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.12
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• pp.1948-1956
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• 2022

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of selenium (Se) source and level on the physiological response, reproductive performance, serum Se level, and milk composition in gestating sows. Methods: A total of 54 multiparous sows (Yorkshire×Landrace) with average body weight (BW), backfat thickness (BF), and parity were assigned to one of five treatments with 10 or 11 sows per treatment using a 2×2 factorial arrangement with one additional treatment in a completely randomized design. Inorganic or organic Se (IS or OS) sources were added to the diet at 0.30 ppm and 0.50 ppm Se. A non-Se-fortified corn-soybean meal basal diet served as a negative control. Treatments were as follows: i) Control: corn-soybean based diet, ii) IS30: control+inorganic Se 0.30 ppm, iii) IS50: control+inorganic Se 0.50 ppm, iv) OS30: control+ organic Se ppm, and v) OS50: control+organic Se 0.50 ppm. Results: At day 21 of lactation, piglet weight and weight gain in the OS treatments were higher than those in the IS treatments (p<0.05). Meanwhile, adding 0.5 ppm Se also resulted in the same significant differences in piglet BW and weight gain (p<0.05). Colostrum and milk Se concentrations increased (p<0.05) with Se level for both Se sources but were greater when sows were fed organic Se (p<0.05). Except for 24 hours postpartum, the Se concentrations were higher when sows were fed organic Se (p<0.05). Sow serum Se content was greater as Se levels increased from 0.3 ppm to 0.5 ppm at day 110 of gestation, 24 hours postpartum and day 21 of lactation (p<0.05). The pig serum Se concentration increased as the dietary Se level increased (p<0.05) and was higher when the sow dietary Se source was organic (p<0.05). Organic Se 0.5 ppm also had the highest serum Se level at two measured points (p<0.05). Conclusion: Consequently, supplementation with organic Se or 0.5 ppm Se in a gestating diet could improve piglet performance, the Se status of sows and piglets and milk composition, but organic Se at 0.5 ppm is optimal.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.1501-1509
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• 2003

The simultaneous addition of xylanase (5,600 EXU/kg) and phytase (500 FTU/kg) feed enzymes to wheat-based broiler diets was investigated. Starter, grower and finisher diets, with three tiers of nutrient specifications, were fed to 1,440 broiler chicks kept on deep litter from 1-42 days post-hatch, without and with xylanase plus phytase, to determine the effects of diet type and enzyme supplementation on growth performance. The nutrient specifications of type A diets were standard; energy density and protein/amino acid levels were reduced on a least-cost basis to formulate type B diets and further reduced to type C diets. Phosphorus (P) and calcium (Ca) levels were adjusted in supplemented diets. From 1-42 days post-hatch, diet type significantly influenced growth performance. Birds on type C diets had lower growth rates (2,429 vs. 2,631 g/bird; p<0.001), higher feed intakes (4,753 vs. 4,534 g/bird; p<0.005) and less efficient feed conversion (1.96 vs. 1.72; p<0.001) than birds offered type A diets. Enzyme supplementation increased growth rates by 3.2% (2,580 vs. 2,501 g/bird; p<0.005) and improved feed efficiency by 2.7% (1.80 vs. 1.85; p<0.05) over the entire feeding period. There were no interactions between diet type and enzyme supplementation. At 21 days, 5 out of 30 birds per pen were transferred to cages to ascertain treatment effect on apparent metabolisable energy (AME) and nitrogen (N) retention. Xylanase plus phytase enhanced AME (13.48 to 13.91 MJ/kg DM; p<0.001) and N retention (56.3 to 59.7%; p<0.005). Carcass and breast weights of the caged birds were determined following commercial processing. Diet type significantly influenced breast weight, carcass weight and yield. Birds offered Type A diets, in comparison to Type C diets, supported heavier breast (467 vs. 424 g; p<0.001) and carcass weights (1,868 vs. 1,699 g; p<0.001) with superior carcass yields (71.8 vs. 70.6%; p<0.005). Enzyme addition increased carcass weight by 3.9% (1,752 vs. 1,821 g; p<0.005) and breast weight by 5.8% (431 vs. 456 g; p<0.01) without influencing yields. Feed ingredient costs per kg live weight gain and per kg carcass weight indicated that enzyme addition was economically feasible, where supplementation of Type A diets generated the most effective results. Importantly, soluble and total non-starch polysaccharide and phytate contents of the wheat used were typical by local standards. This study confirms the potential of supplementing wheat-based broiler diets with xylanase plus phytase but further investigations are required to define the most appropriate inclusion rates and dietary nutrient specifications in this context.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.141-149
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• 2015

The data of Duroc swine species that were born from 2000 to 2014 excluding missing ones collected by Korea National Institute of Animal Science were used in the present study. After removing missing data we used 9756 of productions data and 1728 of reproductive reference of breeding research to study the level of inbreeding and to investigate the impact on the reproductive traits, production traits. The correlation of reproductive traits and inbreeding coefficient are -0.07, -0.08 for total number pigs born, number of pigs born alive respectively and birth weight per litter is -0.10, number of pigs born alive per litter to 21days is -0.06 and body weight per litter to 21days is -0.09. The correlation coefficients of the inbreeding coefficients of reproductive traits are shown within 10% with negative correlation (P < 0.05). Days of 90kg and Backfat in the correlation coefficient and inbreeding coefficient production traits were not observed significant correlations, Average daily gain was investigated by the positive correlation of 0.05. According to the above results, the inbreeding level gave a negative effect on the improvement of the breed traits, investigating a relatively high compared to a negative effect on other traits. But overall correlation degree is less than 10% was observed. This inbreeding coefficient has not been clearly observed due to degeneration of the average inbreeding coefficients of these generations was maintained within 10% of the population. The scale of the experimental group was about 150 degree pig husbandry is very small compared to the advanced countries. However, the level of inbreeding in the population group with the appropriate mating combinations is maintained below 10% of population is thought to be small and can minimize the effects of inbreeding degeneration. further testing utilizing this selection is constantly considered to be necessary.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.11
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• pp.1666-1672
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• 2003

The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of an alumninosilicate clay, marketed under the trade name Biotite V, to improve growing-finishing pig performance and to determine its effects on nutrient digestibility and excretion. Sixty crossbred pigs (22.3${\pm}2.7kg$, Camborough 15 Line female${\times}$Canabred sire) were assigned on the basis of sex, weight and litter to one of four dietary treatments in a $2{\times}4$ (two sexes and four treatments) factorial design experiment. The experimental diets were based on barley and soybean meal and contained 0, 0.25, 0.5 or 0.75% biotite during the growing period (22.3-60.5 kg) and 0, 0.5, 1.0 or 1.5% biotite during the finishing period (60.5-110.3 kg). Each pig was allowed access to its own individual feeder for 30 min twice daily (07:00 and 15:00 h). Individual pig body weight, feed consumption and feed conversion were recorded weekly. The pigs were slaughtered at a commercial abattoir when they reached an average weight of 110.3 kg. Carcass weight was recorded and dressing percentage calculated. Carcass fat and lean measurements were obtained with a Destron PG 100 probe between the 3rd and 4th last ribs, 70 mm of the midline. Total tract digestibility coefficients for dry matter, energy, nitrogen and phosphorus were determined using three males and three females per treatment starting at an average weight of $52.2{\pm}3.8kg$. These pigs were housed under identical conditions as those used in the growing stage and were fed the same diets modified only by the addition of 0.5% chromic oxide as a digestibility marker. Over the entire experimental period (22.3-110.3 kg), daily gain was unaffected (p>0.05) by the inclusion of biotite in the diet. There was a cubic response for feed intake (p=0.06) and a quadratic response (p=0.07) for feed conversion due to biotite. Feeding biotite produced no significant (p>0.05) linear or quadratic effects on any of the carcass traits measured. Dry matter digestibility decreased linearly (p=0.02) with increasing levels of biotite in the diet. However, digestibility coefficients for energy, nitrogen and phosphorus were unaffected (p<0.05) by biotite inclusion. Lactobacilli and enterobacteria numbers were unaffected by inclusion of biotite while Salmonella was not detected in any of the fecal samples. The overall results of this experiment indicate that biotite inclusion did not reduce fecal excretion of nitrogen or phosphorus and failed to improve nutrient digestibility. Neither growth rate nor carcass quality was improved while a modest improvement in feed conversion was observed at lower levels of inclusion. Based on the results of this experiment, it would be difficult to justify the routine inclusion of biotite in diets fed to grower-finisher pigs. Whether or not a greater response would have been obtained with pigs of a lower health status is unknown.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.63 no.5
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• pp.1076-1085
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• 2021

The study was conducted to evaluate the effects of spray-dried plasma (SDP) supplementation during late gestation and lactation on productive performance and immune responses of sows and their litters. Twelve sows (227.78 ± 2.16 kg average body weight; 2.0 average parity) were randomly allotted to two dietary treatments: a basal diet (CON) and the basal diet supplemented with 1% SDP. Sows were fed experimental diets from d 30 before farrowing to weaning of their piglets. Blood samples were collected from sows on d 1, 3, and 7 of lactation and from two randomly selected nursing pigs per litter on d 3 and 7 after birth, and d 1, 3, and 7 after weaning. Productive performance and immune responses of sows and their piglets were measured. There was a trend of less body weight loss in sows supplemented with SDP (p < 0.10) during the lactation period and a trend of greater (p < 0.10) average daily gain in SDP piglets compared to those in the CON group. Sows in the SDP group tended to have lower (p < 0.10) serum concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), and cortisol on d 3 and lower serum concentration of TNF-α on d 7 compared with sows in CON group. In comparison with CON piglets, piglets from SDP sows tended to have lower (p < 0.10) serum concentrations of TNF-α, TGF-β1, and cortisol on d 7 after birth, lower (p < 0.10) serum TNF-α and C-reactive protein on d 3 and 7 after weaning, and greater (p < 0.10) average daily gain after weaning. Moreover, weaned pigs from sows fed SDP had significantly lower (p < 0.05) serum concentrations of cortisol and TGF-β1 on d 3 and 7 postweaning, respectively, than CON piglets. In conclusion, SDP supplementation in sow diets from late gestation to weaning improved the productive performance of sows and their offspring; the beneficial effects of SDP may be mediated in part through modulation of immune responses of both sows and piglets.