• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.737-742
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• 2004

Garole, a prolific small sized sheep breed of West Bengal, was introduced in the Mutton project of the Institute in 1997 to explore the possibility of incorporating fecundity gene(s) into monotocus Malpura sheep of Rajasthan. Results of reproduction and production traits in respect of Garole${\times}$Malpura (G${\times}$M) half-breds have been obtained. Of 35 lambing obtained so far from the ewes of Garole${\times}$Malpura, 45.71% were twin lambing, whereas, Malpura sheep produced mostly single lamb except 2.55% twin lambing on an average. Other reproduction traits in G${\times}$M ewes such as lambing rate, litter size at birth and weaning were considerably improved over Malpura ewes. Results revealed that the fecundity genes responsible for increasing ovulation rate and litter size have been incorporated in to the G${\times}$M genotype and it might prove a valuable germ plasm towards evolving a new prolific strain of sheep. Interestingly, survivability of G${\times}$M half-breds was almost at par with the local Malpura sheep in harsh climatic conditions of semi-arid tropics. The body weights at different ages of G${\times}$M half-breds were on little lower side compared to contemporary Malpura lambs. Average kilogram of lambs weaned/ewe lambed in Malpura and G${\times}$M genetic group was 11.86 and 11.07 kg respectively. In view of minimizing the differences in body weights and kg of lambs weaned/ewe lambed between the two genetic groups, G${\times}$M ewes has to be backcrossed with Malpura rams to raise the inheritance of latter up to 75% level. However, further research is needed to reach on certain conclusions regarding net returns from such crosses.

• Asian Journal of Turfgrass Science
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.105-115
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• 1996

To find out the mineral cycles of calcium, magnesium and sodium in dynamic grassland cosystems in a steady state condition, this investigation was conducted along the northwest side on Mt. Kwanak. The experimental results may he suromarized on the communities of a Zoysia japonica and a Miscanthus sinesis as follows. As compared with some properties of the surface soils among two semi-natural grasslands, cal- cium (Ca) was greater quantity in a Zoysia japonica, whereas, in a Miscanthus sicensis, sodium (Na)and magnesium (Mg) were greater in Mt. Kwanak. For the case of steady production and release, the ratio of annual mineral production to the amount accumulated on the top of mineral soil in a steady state provides the estimates of release constant k. The release constants of Ca, Mg and Na of the litter were 0.42, 0.25 and 0.29 in the Zoysia japonica grassland, and were 0.41, 0.54 arid 0.62 in the Miscanthus sinensis grassland, respect- ively. The half times of Ca, Mg and Na required for the release or accumulation of the litter on the grassland were 1.65, 2.77 and 2.39 in the Zoysia japonica, and were 1.69, 1.28 and 1.12 in the Miscauthus sinensis, respectively. The increasing order of the turnover parameters of the elements was Ca, Na and Mg in the Zoysia japonica grassland, and was Na, Mg and Ca in the Miscanthus Si nens is grassland. The amounts of annual cycles for Ca, Mg, Na in the grassland ecosystem under the steady-state conditions were 1.29, 0.20 and 0.12 g /m$^2$ in the Zoysia japonica grassland and 3.91, 1.04 and 0.61 g /m$^2$ in the Miscanthus sinensis grassland.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 2001

This research was carried out to determine the quantity and characteristics of broiler excreta produced in different age and different types of broiler house. Daily feed intakes of broiler chicks ranged over 160.1~165g/d in the sixth week of age. Female and male broiler consumed 211.3 and 252.9 $m\ell$/d of water in the period, respectively. The amount of excreta produced by female and male broiler was 164.3 and 176.3g/d/bid in the sixth week, but average daily excreta production from birth to the sixth week of age was 90.5g/bird. Accumulated excreta production of broiler per bird in the sixth week was 3,800g. The contents of N, $P_2O_5$ and $K_2O$ in broiler excreta were 4.49, 1.28 and 2.02% in DM basis, respectively. The average moisture contents of litter produced from windowless broiler house, open-sided and vinyl house type broiler house were 18.3, 29.7 and 30.1%, respectively.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.12
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• pp.1785-1795
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• 2023

Objective: This study was to estimate heritabilities, additive genetic correlations, and phenotypic correlations between number of piglets born alive (NBA), litter birth weight (LTBW), number of piglets weaned (NPW) and litter weaning weight (LTWW) in different parities of Landrace (L), Yorkshire (Y), Landrace×Yorkshire (LY), and Yorkshire×Landrace (YL) sows in a commercial swine operation in Northern Thailand. Methods: Two models were utilized, a single trait repeatability model (RM) and a multiple trait animal model (MTM). The RM assumed reproductive records from different parities to be repeated values of the same trait, whereas the MTM assumed these records to be different traits. The two models accounted for the fixed effects of farrowing year-season, genetic group of the sow, heterosis, and age at first farrowing, and the random effects of sow, boar, and residual. Results: Heritability estimates from RM were 0.02±0.01 for NBA, 0.10±0.01 for LTBW, 0.04±0.01 for NPW, and 0.11±0.01 for LTWW. Heritability estimates from MTM fluctuated across parities, ranging from 0.04±0.01 in parity 2 to 0.09±0.02 in parity 4 for NBA, 0.07±0.02 in parity 2 to 0.16±0.02 in parity 3 for LTBW, 0.04±0.02 in parity 4 to 0.08±0.01 in parity 1 for NPW, and 0.16±0.02 in parity 1 to 0.20±0.02 in parity 2 for LTWW. Additive genetic correlation estimates from MTM were also variable, ranging from 0.29±0.24 between NBA in parity 1 and NBA in parity 2 to 0.99±0.05 between LTWW in parity 3 and LTWW in parity 4. Conclusion: The findings of this study highlight the advantage of using MTM for the genetic improvement of reproductive traits in swine and contribute to the development of sustainable swine breeding programs in Thailand.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.678-688
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• 2024

Objective: Reduced crude protein (CP) diets offer potential benefits such as optimized feed efficiency, reduced expenses, and lower environmental impact. The objective of this study was to evaluate black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) meal on a low-protein diet for duck performance, blood biochemical, intestinal morphology, gastrointestinal development, and litter. Methods: The experiment was conducted for 42 days. A total of 210-day-old male hybrid ducklings (5 replicate pens, 7 ducks per pen) were randomly assigned to 6 dietary treatments (3×2 factorial arrangements) in randomized design. The factors were CP level (18%, 16%, 14%) and protein source feed soybean meals (SBM), black soldier fly larvae meals (BSFLM). Results: Reduced dietary CP levels significantly decreased growth performance, feed intake, the percentage of nitrogen, pH (p<0.05), and tended to suppress ammonia in litter (p = 0.088); increased lipid concentration; and enhanced relative weight of gastrointestinal tracts (p<0.05). In addition, dietary BSFL as a source of protein feed significantly increased lipid concentration and impacted lowering villus height and crypt depth on jejunum (p<0.05). Conclusion: In conclusion, the use of BSFLM in a low-protein diet was found to have a detrimental effect on growth performance. However, the reduction of 2% CP levels in SBM did not have a significant impact on growth performance but decreased nitrogen and ammonia concentrations.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.43-48
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• 2005

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of mineral extract from granite on the performance, ammonia production from the litter, components of blood, Newcastle Disease (ND) titer and intestinal microflora in broiler chickens. Nine hundred sixty one-day-old broiler chickens (Ross) were assigned to five treatments: C; control, Zeolite; control + zeolite 1$\%$, AM10: control + active mineral water $10\%$ adsorbed zeolite $1\%$, AM20; control + active mineral water $20\%$ adsorbed zeolite $1\%$ and AM30; control + active mineral water $30\%$ adsorbed zeolite $1\%$. Each treatment consisted of four replicates with 48 broiler chicks for feeding trial. In order to test the effect of ND vaccine on the components of blood, ND titer and intestinal microflora, a separate group of 48 broiler chicks were assigned to the same 5 treatment as the feeding trial plus one negative control (No ND vaccine). Weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion and mortality were not significantly affected by dietary treatments but AM30 tended to be higher than other treatments in weight gain and feed intake, especially during later period (4 to 5 weeks of age). Ammonia production from the litter of AM30 treatment was significantly (P<0.01) lower than the control. Components of blood and ND titer in serum of broiler chickens were not significantly affected by treatments but MCHC (mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration) of blood was significantly lower (P<0.05) in Zeolite treatment compared to others. The colony forming unit (CFU) of Clostridium perfringens in the small intestinal content of all zeolite and AM treated groups was significantly (P<0.01) lower than the control while the CFU of Escherichia coli was not significantly affected. The CFU of Lactobacilli in AM30 treatment was significantly (P<0.05) higher than the control. In conclusion, dietary supplement of active mineral water adsorbed to zeolite at $30\%$ level (AM30) tended to improve growth performance of broiler chickens and significantly reduced ammonia production from the litter. It also significantly increased CFU of intestinal Lactobacilli.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.347-356
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• 2013

To provide the information for the wetland management considering the water treatment ability of macrophytes, the growth characteristics and primary production by reed (Phragmites australis) and cattail (Typha angustifolia), and the decomposition rate of organic matter produced were investigated in two sub-wetlands (Banweol and Donhwa wetlands) of the Sihwa Constructed Wetland (CW) with different chemistry of inflows. The shoot height of P. australis and Typha angustifolia began to increase in March, and reached its peaks in July and August (340cm and 320cm, respectively). The shoot density of P. australis ranging $100{\sim}170EA/m^2$ was higher than that of T. angustifolia (max. $78EA/m^2$). Standing biomass of P. australis ranged from $1,350{\sim}1,980gDM/m^2$, with maximal biomass in Banwol Upper Wetland. And it was larger in upper wetlands than lower wetlands. On the other hand standing biomass of T. angustifolia ($1,940gDM/m^2$) was similar to that of P. australis in Banwol Upper Wetland. Primary productivity of P. australis was in the order of Banwol Upper Wetland ($2,050gDM/m^2/yr$) > Donghwa Lower Wetland ($1,840gDM/m^2/yr$) > Banwol Lowerr Wetland ($1,570gDM/m^2/yr$) ${\fallingdotseq}$ Donghwa Lower Wetland ($1,540gDM/m^2/yr$), and that of T. angustifolia ($2,210gDM/m^2/yr$) was higher than P. australis. Annual production of organic matter produced by P. australis and T. angustifolia was 845 ton DM/yr (423 ton C/yr), and about 90% was comprised of that by P. australis. From the litter decomposition rate (k) (P. australis: leaf 0.0062/day, stem 0.0018/day; T. angustifolia: leaf 0.0031/day, stem 0.0018/day), leaf was rapid degraded compare to stem in both P. australis and T. angustifolia. The litter decomposition rate of leaf was two times rapid P. australis than T. angustifolia, whereas that of stem was same in both. Annual litter decomposition amount of P. australis than T. angustifolia was 285 ton C/yr(67.3% of organic matter produced by macrophytes), indicating that 32.7% of organic matter produced by macrophytes is accumulated in the Sihwa CW.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.7
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• pp.917-922
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• 2008

A disintegrin-like and metalloprotease (reprolysin type) with thrombospondin type 1 motif (ADAMTS1) plays a critical role in follicular rupture and represents a major advance in the proteolytic events that control ovulation. In this study, a 9,026-bp DNA sequence containing the full coding region, all 8 introns and part of the 5'and 3' untranslated region of the porcine ADAMTS1 gene was obtained. Analysis of the ADAMTS1 gene using the porcine radiation hybrid panel indicated that pig ADAMTS1 is closely linkage with microsatellite marker S0215, located on SSC13q49. The open reading frame of its cDNA covered 2,844 bp and encoded 947 amino acids. The coding region of porcine ADAMTS1 as determined by sequence alignments shared 85% and 81% identity with human and mouse cDNAs, respectively. The deduced protein contained 947 amino acids showing 85% sequence similarity both to the human and mouse proteins, respectively. Comparative sequencing of three pig breeds revealed one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) within exon 7 of which a G-C substitution at position 6006 changes a codon for arginine into a codon for proline. The substitution was situated within a PvuII recognition site and developed as a PCR-RFLP marker for further use in population variation investigations and association analysis with litter size. Allele frequencies of this SNP were investigated in seven pig breeds/lines. An association analysis in a new Qingping female line suggested that different ADAMTS1 genotypes have significant differences in litter size (p<0.01).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.881-887
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• 2018

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary cashew nut testa (CNT) as an alternative feed ingredient to wheat bran on reproductive performance, litter performance, milk composition, and blood profiles of gestating sows. Methods: Forth multiparous sows ($Yorkshire{\times}Landrace$) were fed experimental diets starting at 35 days of pregnancy and an initial average body weight (BW) of $211.53{\pm}8.86kg$. Each sow was assigned to a treatment based on BW, backfat thickness (BF) and parity with 10 sows per treatment. Treatments were as follows: i) corn-soybean meal based diet with 6% of wheat bran (C0); ii) basal diet with 2% of CNT and 4% of wheat bran (C2); iii) basal diet with 4% of CNT and 2% of wheat bran (C4); and iv) basal diet with 6% of CNT (C6). Results: There were no statistically significant differences in BW and BF of gestating sows throughout the experimental period. However, changes in BF (p = 0.09) and the daily feed intake of sows (p = 0.09) tended to linearly increase during the lactation period. The weaning to estrus interval (WEI) showed a quadratic response to CNT treatment (p = 0.02), and the C2 diet showed the shortest WEI. Litter birth weight (p = 0.04) and piglet birth weight (p = 0.06) were linearly decreased with increase in CNT. Furthermore, there had no significant differences in piglet weight and litter weight in 21 day. Insulin concentration at day 70 of gestation was linearly reduced with increasing CNT level in diets (p = 0.03). Conclusion: When 6% CNT replaced wheat bran in gestating sow diets, there were no negative effects on sow performance, but litter birth weight and piglet birth weight were decreased when CNT level increased in gestating sow diets.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.335-346
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• 2015

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of dietary rosemary on performance, microflora population in cecum and noxious gas emission from litter of broiler. A total of 216 broiler chicks at 7 days old were fed the commercial diet (control), added 0.5% level of dried rosemary leaves (5 g/kg diet, T1) and 1.0% level of dried rosemary leaves (10 g/kg diet, T2) for 4 weeks. The body weight gain and feed conversion ratio were improved by feeding rosemary at 7 to 35 days of age (P<0.05), but there was no difference between T1 and T2. Amount of feed intake and mortality were not different among the three group. There was an increase in the microflora population of Lactobacillus (P<0.05) and decreased in E. coli and salmonella (P<0.05) in the cecum contents at 21 and 35 days of age. Emission of ammonia gas from litter was significantly decreased by supplementary rosemary at 21 to 35 days of age (P<0.05), but there was no difference between T1 and T2. These results indicated that feeding 0.5 to 1.0% level of dried rosemary leaves during broiler production improved in the body weight gain and feed conversion ratio because of increasing nutrient digestibility from feed, also increase in intestinal beneficial bacteria and decrease in harmful bacteria in the cecum contents, and decreasing emission of ammonia gas from litter.