• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.949-955
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• 2019

Objective: The present study was to investigate the association of polymorphisms in exon-9 of the bone morphogenetic protein receptor-1B (BMPR-1B) gene (C864T) with litter size in 240 Dorset, 232 Mongolian, and 124 Small Tail Han ewes. Methods: Blood samples were collected from 596 ewes and genomic DNA was extracted using the phenol: chloroform extraction method. The 304-bp amplified polymerase chain reaction product was analyzed for polymorphism by single-strand conformation polymorphism method. The genotypic frequency and allele frequency of BMPR-1B gene exon-9 were computed after sequence alignment. The ${\chi}^2$ independence test was used to analyze the association of genotypic frequency and litter size traits with in each ewe breed, where the phenotype was directly treated as category. Results: The results indicated two different banding patterns AA and AB for this fragment, with the most frequent genotype and allele of AA and A. Calculated Chi-square test for BMPR-1B gene exon-9 was found to be more than that of p value at the 5% level of significance, indicating that the population under study was in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for all ewes. The ${\chi}^2$ independence test analyses indicated litter size differences between genotypes was not the same for each breed. The 304-bp nucleotide sequence was subjected to BLAST analysis, and the C864T mutation significantly affected litter size in singletons, twins and multiples. The heterozygosity in exon-9 of BMPR-1B gene could increase litter size for all the studied ewes. Conclusion: Consequently, it appears that the polymorphism BMPR-1B gene exon-9 detected in this study may have potential use in marker assisted selection for litter size in Dorset, Mongolian, and Small Tail Han ewes.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.23-29
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• 2018

The litter production, the nutrient concentration of each component of litterfall, and the amounts of nutrient into the forest floor via litterfall were assessed for 5 years from January 2009 through December 2013 in a Pinus densiflora forest in Mt. Worak National Park. The average amounts of leaf litter, branch and bark, reproductive organs(flowers and cones), and miscellaneous categories for 5 years were $1.940{\pm}0.21$, $0.505{\pm}0.15$, $0.259{\pm}0.09$, and $0.737{\pm}0.14t\;ha^{-1}yr^{-1}$, respectively. The average percentage of leaf litter, branch and bark, reproductive organs and miscellaneous categories for 5 years were 56.4, 14.7, 7.5, and 21.4%, respectively. The amounts of total litterfall in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 were 2.810, 3.796, 3.268, 3.284, and $4.045ton\;ha^{-1}yr^{-1}$, respectively. The average amounts of litterfall for 5 years were $3.441{\pm}0.4ton\;ha^{-1}yr^{-1}$. The average amounts of N, P, K, Ca, and Mg returned to the forest floor via litterfall for 5 years in this Pinus densiflora forest were $22.73{\pm}4.92$, $1.05{\pm}0.42$, $4.26{\pm}1.69$, $8.48{\pm}4.62$, and $2.42{\pm}1.01kg\;ha^{-1}yr^{-1}$, respectively.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.188-196
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• 2010

The objective of this study was to characterize the litter sizes in Huanghuai goats with high prolificacy (HP, five or more kids born per litter on at least one occasion), and to compare their peripheral blood concentrations of progesterone and estradiol with those of goats with poor prolificacy (PP, up to three kids born per litter on any occasion). The circulating concentrations of progesterone and estradiol were measured by radioimmunoassay from daily blood samples taken during natural estrus cycles and at 1-5 days after ovariectomy. Estrus was synchronized using two doses of a prostaglandin analog. Litter size for the HP goats increased up to a parity of five and decreased thereafter. The percentage of goats with litter sizes of $\geq$4 from parities 3 to 6 ranged from 44.5% to 58.3%. Although small differences in litter size were obtained for goats of parities three, four and six relative to five, parity five does had the highest mean litter size. Progesterone concentrations began to rise earlier and were higher in the HP than in the PP goats on most days of the luteal phase, but not during the follicular phase of the cycle or after ovariectomy. There was a significant difference between the two groups (p<0.05) in the magnitude of the progesterone plateau. Mean estradiol concentrations in the HP group remained significantly higher than in the PP group (p<0.05) during the estrus cycle. There were two estradiol peaks in the HP goats during the early luteal phase, but only one in the PP group. Measurements of individual corpora lutea (CL) in vitro showed that there was a greater prevalence of small CL (<6 mm in diameter) in the HP group than in the PP group (p<0.05). After ovariectomy, the estradiol level on day 1 was significantly higher than at the nadir during the estrus cycle in both the HP (p<0.01) and PP (p<0.05) goats, while levels decreased by 12.3% and 26.2% respectively compared with the mid-luteal period in HP and PP goats (p<0.05). The overall mean estradiol concentrations in HP goats were lower than in the PP group, but no significant differences were found between groups at 1-5 days after ovariectomy.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.682-688
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• 1999

Thirty nine pregnant Javanese thin-tail ewes (20 and 19 carried a single and multiple [2 to 3] fetuses, respectively), and six nonpregnant ewes as controls were used to measure maternal serum hormone and blood metabolite concentrations as predictors of number of fetuses carried during pregnancy. Serum hormones (progesterone, estradiol, triiodothyronine, and cortisol) and blood metabolites (b-hydroxy butyric acid [BHBA], and blood urea nitrogen [BUN]) were determined every four weeks during pregnancy and were used to predict litter size by discriminant analysis. The results of data analysis indicated that serum progesterone and estradiol concentrations at weeks 8, 12, 16 of pregnancy could be used to predict the number of fetuses carried with precision of 86.7 to 95.6%. Serum triiodothyronine, cortisol, BHBA, and BUN concentrations during pregnancy, however, were not good predictors of the number of fetuses carried. Serum progesterone and estradiol concentrations as early as 8 weeks of pregnancy in sheep could predict the number of fetuses carried with 86.7% precision.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.6-9
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• 2000

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of lower numbers of sperm $(3{\times}10^9)$ per dose liquid semen and type of semen used in artificial insemination (AI) on sow reproductive performance in subtropical area. Semen was supplied by two commercial AI centers. A total of 671 female pigs from seven farms were inseminated with either $3{\times}10^9$ or $5{\times}10^9$ sperm per dose. Two types of semen were used: heterospermic semen from two boars of the same breed and homospermic semen from a single boar. After insemination, conception rate, farrowing rate, total litter size, and number of dead piglets were recorded. The analysis of variance indicated that there was no significant effect of interactions between pig farm, type of semen, or number of sperm on any of the traits measured. There were significant differences in conception rate, farrowing rate, and total litter size among pig farms (p<0.05). The effect of number of sperm per dose liquid semen ($3{\times}10^9$ or $5{\times}10^9$) was not significant. Sows inseminated with homospermic semen showed significantly higher conception and farrowing rates but significantly lower total litter size (p<0.05). In conclusion, the number of sperm per dose liquid semen for AI could be lowered to $3{\times}10^9 $ without affecting reproductive performance in subtropical areas like Taiwan.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.12-23
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• 2018

Quantitative information on biomass and available nutrients are essential for developing sustainable forest management strategies to regulate atmospheric carbon. An attempt was made at Chilapatta Reserve Forest in Duars region of West Bengal to quantify its above and below ground carbon along with available "N", "P" and "K" in the soil. Stratified random nested quadrats were marked for soil, biomass and litter sampling. Indirect or non-destructive procedures were employed for biomass estimation. The amount of these available nutrients and organic carbon quantified in soil indicates that the forest soil is high in organic carbon and available "K" and medium in phosphorus and nitrogen. The biomass, soil carbon and total carbon (soil C＋C in plant biomass) in the forest was 1,995.98, 75.83 and $973.65Mg\;ha^{-1}$. More than 90% of the carbon accumulated in the forest was contributed by the trees. The annual litter production of the forest was $5.37Mg\;ha^{-1}$. Carbon accumulation is intricately linked with site quality factors. The estimated biomass of $1,995.98Mg{\cdot}ha^{-1}$ clearly indicates this. The site quality factor i.e. tropical moist deciduous with optimum availability of soil nutrients, heavy precipitation, high mean monthly relative humidity and optimum temperature range supported luxuriant growth which was realized as higher biomass accumulation and hence higher carbon accumulated.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.207-212
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• 2004

Ruminal digestion of dry matter (DM) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) of processed (ensiled, deepstacked or composted) broiler litter (BL) was determined in situ and in vitro, and compared with rice straw (RS). DM disappearances at 24 and 48 h and digestion of differently processed BL were higher than those of RS. Compared with RS, processed BL was low in NDF disappearance at 72 h incubation, digestion rate ($K_dB$) and digestibility at 0.025 of passage rate; however, deepstacked BL was similar in these NDF characteristics. Processing of BL affected ruminal digestion of nutrients such as DM and NDF adversely. NDF of composted BL, especially, was the most indigestible. This in situ nutritional evaluation indicated that deepstacked BL, the most widely used form of BL, was superior in DM characteristics (fractions, ruminal disappearance and digestibility) and similar in NDF characteristics (ruminal disappearance and digestibility) to RS.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.179-183
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• 2002

The fragment in intron I of FSH-${\beta}$ gene was amplified by PCR. According to the polymorphism, we analyzed the distribution of FSH-${\beta}$ retroposon in different pig breeds; its inheritance pattern in Large White${\times}$Meishan reference family; and the association of FSH-${\beta}$ retroposon with litter size, female reproductive organs measurement, ultrasonic backfat and other traits. The results showed that almost each Chinese indigenous pig had the retroposon, while foreign pig breeds rarely had; the frequencies of porcine FSH-${\beta}$ retroposon were strongly associated with breeds (p<0.01); the pattern of inheritance was consistent with Mendelian fashion; total number born (TNB) and number born alive (NBA) were increased per FSH-${\beta}$ retroposon (p<0.01) with additive effects of 1.2-1.8 and 1.4-1.8 pigs/litter, respectively; between the FSH-${\beta}$ retroposon carriers and non-carriers, there was an insignificant difference in the measurement of female reproductive organs, body weight at birth, backfat thickness, loin meat height, lean meat percentage, teat number, days to 100 kg, and average daily gain.

• The Korean Journal of Food & Health Convergence
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.11-16
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• 2020

Footpad dermatitis (FPD) can be considered as a threat for poultry production due to it causes losses due to condemnation in slaughterhouse. The prevalence and the severity of FPD in broiler breeders increase over time with development of poultry industry. The condition is produced by multifactorial including include drinker design and management, diet composition, house (temperature and humidity levels), litter (type, quality, and quantity) and gut health. Bacterial infections can be associated. FPD lesions can develop in less than a week. FPD is a variable size of inflammatory lesion of the footpad in commercial poultry characterized by necrotic lesions on the plantar surface of the footpad of poultry. These lesions can be exposed after removal of fecal mass and litter stuck on it. There are considerable and numerous interactions between the environment and the genetic traits. Prevention depends mainly on improvement of litter condition. Genetic selection against footpad dermatitis must be contributed to reduce pain and suffering for particular bird experiencing contact dermatitis as well as to avoid economic losses. The objective of this review is to collect different literature written about FPD to be available to students, researchers and veterinarian in poultry practical.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.261-265
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• 2009

Litter production, nutrient concentration of each component of litterfall and amount of nutrients input to forest floor via litterfall were investigated for three years from May 2005 through April 2008 in Pinus densiflora forest at Mt. Worak National Park. Amount of litterfall in 2005, 2006, 2007 were 3.070, 3.066, 3.099 ton $ha^{-1}yr^{-1}$, respectively. Average amount of litterfall for three years was $3.078{\pm}0.018\;ton\;ha^{-1}yr^{-1}$. Average percentage of leaf litter, branch and bark, reproductive organ and the miscellaneous for three years were 61.9, 10.4, 5.2, 22.5%, respectively. Average amount of N, P, K, Ca and Mg returned to forest floor via litterfall for three years in this P. densiflora forest were 18.014, 0.878, 4.240, 7.349 and 2.172 kg $ha^{-1}yr^{-1}$, respectively.