• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.341-351
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• 2019

Background: Standing biomass, litter production, rate of litter decomposition, amount of litter on forest floor, and amount of soil organic carbon distribution were investigated from March 2016 to November 2018 in order to evaluate the ecosystem value through organic carbon distribution in the Pinus densiflora forest at Namsan, Seoul Metropolitan City. Results: The amount of organic carbon in the Pinus densiflora forest was 261.09 ton C ha^-1 during the research period, and fixed organic carbon in plant through net photosynthesis was 3.2 ton C ha^-1 year^-1. The organic carbon in plant was 62.77 ton C ha^-1 (24.04%), in litter on the forest floor was 3.65 ton C ha^-1 (1.40%), and in soil was 194.67 ton C ha^-1 (74.56%). The value of plant, litter on forest floor, and soil organic carbon distribution were each 6,277,000 won ha^-1, 365, 000 won ha^-1, and 19,467,000 won ha^-1. The value per ton of fixed organic carbon in plant through net photosynthesis was 320,000 won ha^-1 year^-1 and the value of ecosystem services stored in carbon in the Namsan forest ecosystem was about 26.1 million won ha^-1 for 3 years. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that the pine forests of Namsan rapidly decompose leaves due to the high atmospheric temperature and accumulate a large amount of organic carbon in the soil to provide climate control regulatory service function.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.7
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• pp.1083-1090
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• 2023

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the short-term effects of dietary selenium supplementation on lactating sows on the physiological response, litter performance, milk composition, and tissue selenium retention in piglets when selenium was provided by different sources and at different levels in a lactation diet. Methods: A total of 48 multiparous sows (Yorkshire×Landrace) with average body weight, backfat thickness, and parity were assigned to one of the four treatments with 12 sows per treatment using a 2×2 factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design. Inorganic or organic Se sources were added to the diet at 0.30 ppm and 0.50 ppm Se. Treatments were as follows: i) IS30, basal diet + inorganic Se 0.30 ppm; ii) IS50, basal diet + inorganic Se 0.50 ppm; iii) OS30, basal diet + organic Se 0.30 ppm; and iv) OS50: basal diet + organic Se 0.50 ppm. Results: At Day 21 of lactation, a high tendency of litter weight (p = 0.08) and litter weight gain (p = 0.09) were observed when sows were fed an organic Se source. The milk Se concentration in the organic Se treatment was higher than that in the inorganic Se treatment at Day 21 of lactation (p<0.05). The serum Se concentrations of sows and piglets at Day 21 of lactation were significantly higher when lactating sows were fed organic Se instead of inorganic Se (p<0.01). During the suckling period, the kidney and muscle Se concentrations of piglets at Day 21 of lactation were significantly higher when the sow dietary Se source was organic (p<0.05). Liver Se concentrations were affected by Se source and level (p<0.05). This also resulted in an interaction response at 21 days of lactation (p<0.05). Conclusion: The supplementation of dietary organic Se in a lactating diet could improve sow feed consumption, piglet performance, milk Se level, and the Se status of sows and piglets.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.289-293
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• 2021

This study was conducted to investigate the distribution of duck production in duck housing as a function of the breeding period. The items in duck production distribution included body weight, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and average duck production. All data were based on eight cycles (June and December, 2017; February, June, August, September, and November, 2018; February, 2019) at Farm Site 1 through 7. The most optimal results in the duck production distribution were observed at Site 1 for weight gain, feed intake, and feed efficiency. This could be explained by the fact that Site 1 was well managed in environmental improvement and sustainability. Based on these data, selective alternatives to improve duck production in duck farms are recommended as follows: first, proper management and recording of litter used as a flooring material are required, and second, continuous management such as temperature, relative humidity and ventilation is needed. Lastly, it is necessary to change duck facilities by introducing environmental management techniques. Furthermore, efforts to improve the overall facilities and management of duck breeding farms through additional field studies are needed in the future.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.568-572
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• 2006

The effect of dietary lysine supplementation on the performance of crossbred lactating sows (n = 49, total 92 litters) and suckling piglets during the warm and cool seasons was studied. Sows were randomly allocated to one of two experimental diets, which were fed throughout a 28-day lactation period. Two diets were formulated based on corn-soybean meal with 6% wheat bran, containing 15% crude protein, and with or without 0.25% lysine-HCl supplementation. No interaction was observed between season and dietary lysine supplementation. Dietary lysine supplementation significantly (p<0.05) increased weaning weight (7.11 vs. 6.46 kg) and daily gain (0.20 vs. 0.18 kg) of piglets. During the warm season lactating sows had significantly lower feed intake (3.78 vs. 6.11 kg, p<0.01), higher weight loss (19.81 vs. 9.73 kg, p<0.01) and backfat loss (0.23 vs. 0.06 cm, p<0.01), longer interval from weaning to estrus (9.32 vs. 6.21 days, p<0.05), lower litter weight gain (42.13 vs. 52.90 kg, p<0.01) and lower daily gain (0.17 vs. 0.21 kg, p<0.01) than lactating sows during the cool season. The results indicate that the influences of dietary treatment and season were independent. The 15.0% CP lactation diet with 0.25% lysine-HCl supplementation did not improve the performance of lactating sows and litter piglets, which was impaired by the warm season.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.249-254
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• 2016

It is imperious to know the reproductive parameters of the subsisting swine breed for profitable farming in Bangladesh. This study was designed to compare the reproductive parameters of sows at hilly areas between the local and crossbred at farm and backyard level. A total of 116 breedable sows were included. The data on age at puberty, litter size, birth weight, weaning weight, gestation length, interval between farrowing and number of piglets born per sow in local and crossbred sows were determined and direct questionnaire method was used for data collection. The present study revealed that age at puberty between farm and backyard system of crossbred sows was $8.88{\pm}0.153$ and $9.85{\pm}0.221$ months, respectively. The farrowing interval was shorter in crossbred sows which were kept in farming system rather than backyard system. The interval between farrowing and onset of estrus was shorter in crossbred sows. The gestation length was almost similar between backyard and farm condition. The number of litter size per sow per farrowing was $8.45{\pm}0.41$ in crossbred and $7.17{\pm}0.250$ in local pigs at backyard system. The birth weight and weaning weight were more in farm conditions than backyard system. The age at puberty in local breed was lower than the crossbred and litter size was $8.45{\pm}0.407$ in crossbred which was higher than local breed $7.17{\pm}0.250$ in backyard system. These results suggest that reproductive parameters of local sow need to be improved for better production and crossbred sows should be reared for obtaining desired productivity.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.377-382
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• 2002

This study was carried out for the simultaneous genetic evaluation of swine breeds from the seedstock farms in Korea. The performance tested production records of 96,842 heads and the litter records of 90,396 litters from 1995 to 2001 were analyzed to estimate the breeding values and the breed effects of days to 90kg, daily gain, back fat thickness, loin muscle area, lean meat percent, total litter size and number born alive from Landrace, Yorkshire and Duroc. Estimated breed effects of traits had shown the characteristics of the breeds. Landrace was superior in back fat thickness and lean meat percent to other breeds. Yorkshire had shown good performance in lean meat percent, loin muscle area, total litter size and number born alive. Duroc was superior to the other breeds in days to 90kg and daily gain. Conclusively, the multi-breed genetic evaluation would result in higher connectedness and provide convenience for the routine genetic evaluation process of swine performance and reproduction test.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.1491-1495
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• 2004

Small Tail Han Sheep has significant characteristics of high prolificacy and non-seasonal ovulatory activity and is an excellent local sheep breed in P. R. China. Recently a novel member of the transforming growth factor $\beta$ (TGF$\beta$) superfamily termed bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15) was shown to be specifically expressed in oocytes and to be essential for female fertility. Therefore, BMP15 is a candidate gene for reproductive performance of Small Tail Han Sheep. The whole genomic nucleotide sequence of BMP15 gene in Small Tail Han Sheep was searched for polymorphisms by PCR-SSCP and direct sequencing, and only one polymorphism was found. The polymorphism was a result of a 3 base pair deletion, which eliminated a single Leu codon (CTT). The allelic frequencies for A (without deletion) and B (with a codon deletion) are 0.73 and 0.27 respectively. The effects of BMP15 genotype on litter size were evaluated using the least squares model. This indicated that there was a significant association between litter size of Small Tail Han Sheep and a deletion in BMP15 gene (p=0.02<0.05). Small Tail Han Sheep ewes with AA and AB genotype produce on average 0.5 and 0.3 more lambs per litter than those ewes with BB genotype.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.191-199
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• 2023

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and genes associated with nine reproduction and morphological traits in three breed populations of Chinese goats. Methods: The genome-wide association of nine reproduction and morphological traits (litter size, nipple number, wattle, skin color, coat color, black dorsal line, beard, beard length, and hind leg hair) were analyzed in three Chinese native goat breeds (n = 336) using an Illumina Goat SNP50 Beadchip. Results: A total of 17 genome-wide or chromosome-wide significant SNPs associated with one reproduction trait (litter size) and six morphological traits (wattle, coat color, black dorsal line, beard, beard length, and hind leg hair) were identified in three Chinese native goat breeds, and the candidate genes were annotated. The significant SNPs and corresponding putative candidate genes for each trait are as follows: two SNPs located on chromosomes 6 (CSN3) and 24 (TCF4) for litter size trait; two SNPs located on chromosome 9 (KATNA1) and 1 (UBASH3A) for wattle trait; three SNPs located on chromosome 26 (SORCS3), 24 (DYM), and 20 (PDE4D) for coat color trait; two SNPs located on chromosome 18 (TCF25) and 15 (CLMP) for black dorsal line trait; four SNPs located on chromosome 8, 2 (PAX3), 5 (PIK3C2G), and 28 (PLA2G12B and OIT3) for beard trait; one SNP located on chromosome 18 (KCNG4) for beard length trait; three SNPs located on chromosome 17 (GLRB and GRIA2), 28 (PGBD5), and 4 for hind leg hair trait. In contrast, there were no SNPs identified for nipple number and skin color. Conclusion: The significant SNPs or genes identified in this study provided novel insights into the genetic mechanism underlying important reproduction and morphological traits of three local goat breeds in Southern China as well as further potential applications for breeding goats.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.10
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• pp.1628-1634
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• 2022

Objective: This study focused on the effect of dietary metallo-protease and Bacillus velezensis CE 100 on growth performance, carcass parameters, intestinal microflora, footpad dermatitis (FPD), and manure odor in broiler chickens. Methods: One hundred-ten (two-day-old Ross 308) broiler chicks were randomly assigned to five groups with two replicate pens. The dietary treatments were divided to control, metallo-protease groups (A1, added with 0.1%; A2, added with 0.2%) and B. velezensis CE 100 groups (B1, added with 0.5%; B2, added with 1.0%). Results: The feed intake was decreased in A1 and B2 compared to the other group (p<0.05). The liver weight was lower in B2 than in A2 (p<0.05). The Salmonella in the cecum was decreased in A2 compared to control and A1 (p<0.05). However, the lactic acid bacteria were increased in all treatments (p<0.05). The litter moisture content was decreased in A2, B1, and B2 (p<0.05). The litter quality visual score was increased in all treatments (p<0.05). The FPD score and prevalence were reduced in all treatments (p<0.05). The (CH₃)₂S emission was decreased in all treatments (p<0.05). Conclusion: The present study indicated that both additives improve litter quality and reduce the incidence of FPD. These findings suggest that dietary metallo-protease and B. velezensis CE 100 have the potential to improve the broiler chickens' welfare.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.12
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• pp.1880-1888
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• 2023

Objective: The present experiment aimed to determine standardized ileal digestible (SID) lysine (Lys) requirements for pregnant sows individually housed under commercial farm conditions. Methods: Two hundred multiparous sows (parity = 5.1±2.0) on day 42 of gestation were randomly allocated to five dietary treatments with a balanced parity. Experimental diets were formulated to contain 0.22%, 0.32%, 0.42%, 0.52%, and 0.62% of SID Lys for the mid-gestation period (days 42 to 76) and 0.36%, 0.46%, 0.56%, 0.66%, and 0.76% of SID Lys for the late gestation period (days 77 to 103). All indispensable amino acids except Lys were provided at 110% of their requirement estimates. Daily feed allowance per sow was determined based on the back-fat thickness and body condition score at the second pregnancy check and on day 90 of gestation. Three different statistical models were used to estimate the SID Lys requirement. Results: Total born piglets alive per litter increased linearly and quadratically (p<0.001) as dietary SID Lys increased. For total born piglets alive per litter, the SID Lys requirement estimates ranged from 9.69 to 12.4 g/d for the mid-gestation period (1.19 to 1.52 g/Mcal metabolizable energy; 0.39% to 0.49%) and 14.6 to 17.4 g/d for the late gestation period (1.62 to 1.93 g/Mcal metabolizable energy; 0.52% to 0.62%). Conclusion: The mean values of the SID Lys requirement for the mid-gestation period and the late gestation period are 11.1 and 16.1 g/d (1.36 and 1.79 g/Mcal metabolizable energy; 0.44% and 0.58%), respectively, for maximal total born piglets alive per litter.