• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.31-38
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• 2008

Ammonia gas is one of the malodorous gases from swine production facilities, such as manure storage tank, manure fermentation facilities, and livestock houses, etc. Ammonia gas from swine house is being emitted at relatively low concentrations throughout the year. Therefore, livestock facilities were continuously ventilated to supply fresh air for respiration of the animals internal the livestock facilities. The swine facilities need very high ventilation rate to control the inside environmental conditions. The deodorization system of the livestock facilities must be developed considering the ventilation rates. The odor abatement system was installed in order to improve the internal environment of the naturally ventilated growing-finishing pig house. The system which distributes the deodorized air into inner space of the swine house by using plastic duct was installed. Since the internal environment, effected by the operation of the odor abatement system, is monitored by closing the winch curtain installed on the side wall of the pig house, the experiment was practiced at the season when the internal environment becomes aggravated, winter. The effects on the improvement in the internal environment of swine house by operating the odor abatement system are as follows ; 1. By re-distributing the air which was deodorized by the odor abatement system installed in the pig house, the result showed that the concentration of ammonia gas is decreased approximately 33.3% compared with that before operating odor abatement system. 2. The effect on the pig house's ammonia gas reduction was found that the ventilation rate was less than $0.5m^3$/min head. The effect of the operation of the odor abatement system showed to be scarce when the ventilation rate increases because of the influx of external fresh air makes the quantity of diluted air more than those of the odor abatement system. 3. The perishment rate of the pigs which were brooded until slaughtering decreased about 3.8% by operating the odor abatement system in the growing-finishing pig house. Also, after operating the odor abatement system, the stinging of the eyes, suspension dust, etc were decreased when going into swine house for management.

• Journal of agriculture & life science
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.163-168
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• 2012

The objective of this study is to quantify the levels of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide inmechanically ventilated slurry-pit swine house according to pig's growth stage and seasonal condition. Mean concentrations of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide in the housing room of gestation/farrowing pigs were 5.60 (${\pm}2.48$) ppm and 178.4 (${\pm}204.8$) ppb in spring, 2.51 (${\pm}3.08$) ppm and 86.6 (${\pm}112.5$) ppb in summer, 4.96 (${\pm}2.84$) ppm and 182.3 (${\pm}242.6$) ppb in autumn, and 6.82 (${\pm}3.42$) ppm and 206.3 (${\pm}356.8$) ppb in winter, respectively. Mean concentrations of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide in the housing room of nursery pigs were 7.18 (${\pm}3.26$) ppm and 486.0 (${\pm}190.2$) ppb in spring, 4.23 (${\pm}2.95$) ppm and 206.4 (${\pm}186.9$) ppb in summer, 7.02 (${\pm}2.65$) ppm and 465.4 (${\pm}156.8$) ppb in autumn, and 9.25 (${\pm}3.68$) ppm and 618.4 (${\pm}298.3$) ppb in winter, respectively. Mean concentrations of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide in the housing room of growing/fattening pigs were 9.26 (${\pm}3.02$) ppm and 604.4 (${\pm}186.8$) ppb in spring, 6.78 (${\pm}3.88$) ppm and 312.5 (${\pm}215.4$) ppb in summer, 9.34 (${\pm}2.14$) ppm and 578.2 (${\pm}248.1$) ppb in autumn, and 14.65 (${\pm}3.15$) ppm and 825.3 (${\pm}316.9$) ppb in winter, respectively. As a result, mean concentrations of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide in terms of pig's growth stage were highest in growing/fattening housing room followed by nursery housing room and gestation/farrowing housing room (p<0.05). The swine house showed the highest levels of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide in winter followed by spring, autumn and summer. However, there was no significant difference of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide among seasons (p>0.05).

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.167-174
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• 2008

This survey was conducted to investigate housing types of Korean native cattle and beef cattle farms in Korea. The farm sized over 50 heads of cattle, 7,433 farms were surveyed. Regarding housing types for Korean native cattle and beef cattle, litter barn, freestall, mooring+litter ground and others accounted for 87.1, 9.8, 3.0, and 2.9 %, respectively. Most of Korean native cattle and beef cattle farms (94.7%) used litter floor rather than scraper. As for roof types, slate, panel, iron plate, galvanized plate, colored iron plate and sunlight represented 32.2, 13.7, 12.2, 10.2, 9.7, and 8.9 %, respectively. Open side wall type and winch curtain were 55.6, and 47.6 %, respectively. Bigger farms seemed to used more winch curtain than open style. Utilization period of automatic feeder, waterer, electric facility, and cooling facility was 6.7, 8.0, 8.5, and 6.0 years, respectively.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.8
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• pp.200-206
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• 2019

Korea is introducing new animal welfare rearing standards for swine farmers in order to improve the breeding environment of livestock on Korean farms, Korea is establishing a policy to apply to all new farms in 2019 and to all existing farms in 2025. These guidelines are limiting stall breeding of sows after 4 weeks of pregnancy, the light intensity should be above 40lux, the ammonia level should be below 25ppm and the breeding density area should be increased from $1.4m^2$ to $2.25m^2$. In Europe, where animal welfare has been studied and applied for nearly 100 years, the facility specifications and management manuals are available and provided to farmers to introduce proper animal welfare for pigs and to enhance the convenience and utility of farmers who are converting to raising pigs. The EU has established independent standards for each country, and the EU has set the standards for floor facilities to improve animal welfare on pig farms and as applied by farmers. Yet in Korea, there are no methods and techniques for breeding methods that do not use an ordinary stall, except on a few leading farms. There has been no research on the welfare of sows so that farmer could improve sows' living conditions. Thus, farmers can minimize the difficulty of implementing the changing government policies, and they must develop farm turnover policies and specification management manuals to cope with the introduced regulations on sow group housing. We suggest that conducting research and evaluating the level of sows' welfare are important for farmers.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.12
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• pp.1640-1647
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• 2009

Two field studies were conducted to determine the efficacy of difructose anhydride III (DFA III) as a supplement in colostrum replacer (CR) for improving the general health status (judged on the basis of incidence of enteritis, bronchitis, and pneumonia) of group-housed suckling Japanese Black calves. In a preliminary study, CR supplemented with DFA III (6 g) was orally administered within 24 h of calving to eight individually reared calves fed colostrum (DFA III group) (Exp. 1). Subsequently, CR supplemented with DFA III (6 g) was orally administered twice within 2 and 12 h of calving to four calves (DFA III group) that were not fed colostrum (Exp. 2). In both experiments, the health status of the calves was assessed during the preweaning period. In Exp. 2, hematological and blood-chemistry parameters were analyzed 24 h after the second administration of CR and at 1 wk and 1 month after calving. The results were compared between the DFA III and control groups (without DFA III supplementation; Exp. 1: n = 10, Exp. 2: n = 4). In Exp. 1, the number of calves requiring medications for the treatment of enteritis, bronchitis, and pneumonia during the preweaning period was significantly (p<0.05) lower in the DFA III group than in the control group. In Exp. 2, supplementation of DFA III did not influence the gain in body weight of calves during the pre-weaning period. Calves in the DFA III group tended to require medications for a shorter duration than those in the control group (DFA III: 10.3 d/calf, control: 21.3 d/calf; p = 0.07). Significant differences (p<0.05) in the level of mean corpuscular hemoglobin, total protein, total cholesterol, and immunoglobulin (Ig)G were observed between the DFA III and control groups. These differences probably reflect the health and nutritional status of the calves. Additionally, the serum iron and lactoferrin concentrations at 24 h and 1 wk after calving, respectively, differed significantly between the 2 groups. These concentrations might reflect the incidence of infections after calving. The present study revealed that the administration of DFA III as a CR supplement may prevent diseases in group-housed calves during the pre-weaning period.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.151-156
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• 2012

Studies of non-cage or alternative systems have been discussing in EU because the EU has banned use of conventional cages for laying hens since 2012. This survey was carried out the information related to laying hens' welfare in Korea. Laying hens' breeding systems divided into deep litter, free range and alternative system, and livestock housings divided into windowless housing and open-type housing. The ratios of trough and bell feeder types were 37.5% and 62.5%, respectively. The ratios of nipple, trough, and bucket in waterer types 75%, 12.5%, and 12.5%, respectively. What stocking density is the most appropriate for production and welfare has been aroused. All laying hen farms met the required standards of stocking density ranged from 3.4 birds/$m^2$ to 7.6 birds/$m^2$ in this survey. According to welfare standards for laying hens, perch length should not be less than 15 cm. However, most laying hen farms did not satisfied the standards. We believe that presentdata contribute to develop alternative systems and to improve animal welfare in Korea.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.615-635
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• 1996

The animal industry must be environmentally sound to ensure its long-term sustainable growth. Livestock wastes mostly manure, can be a valuable resource as well as a potential hazard to environment. The first option of manure management is developing an 'environmentally sound' feeding program and feeds so there are less excreted nutrients that need to be managed. Once the manure is produced it can be best utilized as a fertilizer of a soil conditioner. In many countries the amount of manure that can be spread on land depends on the nutrient requirements of the crop being grown. The laws specify maximum application rates and not animal stocking rates. Farmer who reduce the N and P component of manure can release pressure on the environment without having to reduce the number of animals. There are alternative system for housing and manure treatment which generate manure that are easier to handle and have less pollutants or more economic value. Treated animal waste may also be used as a feedstuff or fuel source. Most of the options of waste management result in increased costs to implement. It is necessary to assess the economics in order to find an acceptable compromise between the increased costs and the benefit to the environment. Animal welfare is also becoming more and more of an issue and it will lead to systems where animals are kept in less confined environment. The new system will have a great impact in the waste management system in the future.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.1042-1055
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• 2020

Objective: The ecosystem of an animal farm is composed of various elements, such as animals, farmers, plants, feed, soil, and microorganisms. A domesticated animal's health is largely connected with the reservoir of bacteria and viruses in animal farms. Although a few studies have focused on exploring the gut microbiome of animals, communities of microbiota and viruses in feedlots have not been thoroughly investigated. Methods: Here, we collected feces and dust samples (4 groups: cattle feces, C_F; horse feces, H_F; cattle dust, C_D; and horse dust, H_D) from cattle and horse farms sharing the same housing and investigated their microbiome/virome communities by Illumina sequencing. Results: Dust groups (C_D and H_D) showed higher microbial diversity than feces groups (C_F and H_F) regardless of animal species. From the microbial community analysis, all the samples from the four groups have major phyla such as Proteobacteria (min 37.1% to max 42.8%), Firmicutes (19.1% to 24.9%), Bacteroidetes (10.6% to 22.1%), and Actinobacteria (6.1% to 20.5%). The abundance of Streptococcus, which commonly recognized as equine pathogens, was significantly higher in the horse group (H_D and H_F). Over 99% among the classified virome reads were classified as Caudovirales, a group of tailed bacteriophages, in all four groups. Foot-and-mouth disease virus and equine adenovirus, which cause deadly diseases in cattle and horse, respectively, were not detected. Conclusion: Our results will provide baseline information to understand different gut and environmental microbial ecology between two livestock species.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.428-434
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• 2015

A stockperson has a significant influence on the productivity and welfare of his animals depending on his stockmanship competence. In this study, stockmanship competence (SC) is defined as the capacity of the stockperson to ensure the welfare of his animals by providing his animals' needs. The study was conducted to evaluate the SC of backyard goat raisers and examine its relationship to goat productivity and economic profitability. There were 101 respondents for this study who have all undertaken farmer livestock school on integrated goat management (FLS-IGM). Interview was conducted in Region I, Philippines on September 3 to 30, 2012 and March 4 to 17, 2013. Data on SC, goat productivity and farmer's income were gathered. Questions regarding SC were formulated based on the Philippine Recommendations for Goat Production and from other scientific literature. Housing, feeding, breeding and health and husbandry management were the indicators used in computing stockmanship competence index score (SCIS). Pearson correlation using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) was carried out to analyse the relationship between SCIS, productivity and income. Based from the results of the study, a majority of the respondents raised native and upgraded goats. The computed mean SCIS before and after undergoing FLS-IGM were 38.52% and 75.81% respectively, a percentage difference of 65.23%. Both index scores resulted in significant differences in productivity and income. The median mature weight and mortality rate of goats before FLS-IGM was 14 kg and 30% respectively. After FLS-IGM, median mature weight was 19 kg and mortality rate decreased from 30% to 11.11%. Likewise, fewer goat diseases were observed by farmers who were able to undergo FLS-IGM. With regard to income, there was a 127.34% difference on the median net income derived by farmers. Result implies that improved SC could lead not only to increased productivity and income of backyard goat raisers but also to better animal welfare.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.767-777
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• 2014

Characterizing local chicken types and their mostly rural production systems is prerequisite for designing and implementing development and conservation programs. This study evaluated the management practices of small-scale chicken keepers and the phenotypic and production traits of their chickens in Oman, where conservation programs for local livestock breeds have currently started. Free-range scavenging was the dominant production system, and logistic regression analysis showed that socio-economic factors such as training in poultry keeping, household income, income from farming and gender of chicken owners influenced feeding, housing, and health care practices (p<0.05). A large variation in plumage and shank colors, comb types and other phenotypic traits within and between Omani chicken populations were observed. Male and female body weight differed (p<0.05), being $1.3{\pm}0.65$ kg and $1.1{\pm}0.86$ kg respectively. Flock size averaged $22{\pm}7.7$ birds per household with 4.8 hens per cock. Clutch size was $12.3{\pm}2.85$ and annual production $64.5{\pm}2.85$ eggs per hen. Egg hatchability averaged $88{\pm}6.0%$ and annual chicken mortality across all age and sex categories was $16{\pm}1.4%$. The strong involvement of women in chicken keeping makes them key stakeholders in future development and conservation programs, but the latter should be preceded by a comprehensive study of the genetic diversity of the Omani chicken populations.