• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.10
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• pp.1425-1434
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• 2017

Objective: The main objective of this study was to determine the effect of different diets for early-weaned (EW) calves on rumen development, and how this affects fat deposition in the longissimus dorsi of adult Korean Hanwoo beef cattle. Methods: Three EW groups were established (each n = 12) in which two- week-old Hanwoo calves were fed for ten weeks with milk replacer+concentrate (T1), milk replacer+concentrate+roughage (T2), or milk replacer+concentrate+30% starch (T3); a control group (n = 12) was weaned as normal. At six months, 5 calves of each group were slaughtered and their organs were assessed and rumen papillae growth rates were measured. The remaining calves (n = 7 in each group) were raised to 20 months for further analysis. Results: Twenty-month-old EW calves had a higher body weight (BW), backfat thickness (BF), longissimus dorsi muscle area (LMA) and intramuscular fat (IMF) than the control (p<0.05). Organ growth, rumen histology, and gene expression patterns in the 6-month-old calves were positively related to the development of marbling in the loin, as assessed by ultrasound analysis (p<0.05). In the group fed the starch-enriched diet (T3), higher BW, BF, LMA, and IMF were present. The IMF beef quality score of 20-month-old cattle was 1+ for the T2 and T3 diets and 1 for the T1 diet (p<0.05). Conclusion: Papillae development was significantly greater in calves fed on high-concentrate diets and this may have resulted in the improved beef quality in the EW dietary groups compared to the control.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.643-649
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• 2011

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of feeding direct-fed microbials (DFM) on the growth performance and prophylaxis of calf diarrhea during the pre-weaning period as an alternative to antibiotics. A multi-species DFM was formulated including three lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus salivarius Ls29, Pediococcus acidilactia Pa175, and L. plantarum Lp177), three Bacillus strains (B. subtilis T4, B. polymyxa T1 and SM2), one yeast, Saccharomyces boulardii, and a nonpathogenic E. coli Nissle 1917. Lactic acid bacteria and Bacillus strains were selected based on the antibacterial activity against various animal pathogens, especially pathogenic E. coli using agar diffusion methods in vitro. Test and control groups were fed milk replacer and calf starter supplemented with DFM ($10^9$ cfu each of eight species/d/head, n = 29) or with antibiotics (0.1% neomycin sulfate in milk replacer and Colistin 0.08% and Oxyneo 110/110 0.1% in calf starter, n = 15), respectively. Overall fecal score and the incidence rate of diarrhea were reduced in the DFM group compared to the antibiotics one. About 40% of calves in antibiotic group suffered from diarrhea while in DFM group only 14% showed diarrhea. There was no difference in the average daily gain and feed efficiency of two groups. The hematological levels of calves were all within the normal range with no significant difference. In conclusion, the feeding of multispecies DFM during the pre-weaning period could reduce calf diarrhea and there was no difference in the growth performance between the groups, thus showing the potential as an alternative to antibiotics.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.569-582
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• 2004

Current growth in the deer industry is 20% per annum as the demand increases for venison in Europe, including the increased use in Asia of antlers as a natural medicine by humans. The deer industry in Australia has developed rapidly, but farm profitability has fluctuated markedly. The knowledge on deer farming has largely been adopted from New Zealand (NZ) and the United Kingdom (UK) although the environmental conditions in these deer growing countries differ markedly from Australia. The practice used for weaning is one of the key factors influencing the profitability of the industry. However, a wide range in weaning dates are practised by farmers leading to the question of whether deer should be weaned after mating to reduce the stress during weaning or should they be weaned in the pre-rut period to allow does to recover their body condition for the next reproduction cycle. This review examines the effect of weaning time on the performance of does and hinds and the subsequent growth rate of the fawns and calves. Gaps in knowledge of weaning procedures and nutritional management for early weaned deer are identified.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.60 no.12
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• pp.30.1-30.11
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• 2018

Background: Recently, as production costs have been increasing owing to rising feed prices worldwide, shortening the age of slaughter has been recognized as a way to increase farm income. In Korea, the raising period for Hanwoo steers is over 31 months with the delay of weaning and castration stated as one of the reasons for the increase in the raising period. Thus far, studies on age of weaning and castration have been conducted individually, and there have been no studies on the combined effects of weaning and castration ages on the growth performance and carcass characteristics in Hanwoo steers. Methods: Weaning ages were calculated at 80 or 130 days of age, and castration ages were calculated at 90 days and 180 days of age. Calves were allocated to one of the four treatment groups: W80C90 (weaning at 80 days of age and castration at 90 days of age), W80C180, W130C90, and W130C180. Results: For the entire experimental period, weaning and castration ages did not significantly affect growth performance of Hanwoo steers. In addition, weaning and castration ages did not affect the overall yield and quality traits of carcass in Hanwoo steers. Conclusion: Weaning and castration ages had small effects on growth performance and carcass characteristics in Hanwoo steers. Therefore, the early weaning and castration ages are recommended to reduce the slaughter age without any negative effects on meat quality grade.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.123-127
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• 2013

The objective of this study was to compare the effects of the levels of inbreeding on body weight traits between two breed populations, Hanwoo and Korea Brindle cattle. Birth weight (BW), weaning weight (WW), body weight at 6 months of age (W6) and yearling weight (YW). Records of 1,745 calves (1,513 from Hanwoo, and 232 from Korea Brindle calves) were collected from Livestock Research Institutes in Kangwon, Gyeongbuk and Chungbuk provinces. The least squares means (LSM) and their standard errors for BW, WW, W6 and YW were $25.4{\pm}0.1$ kg, $81.0{\pm}1.8$ kg, $146.1{\pm}3.7$ kg and $291.5{\pm}2.4$ kg, respectively in Hanwoo calves and $22.6{\pm}0.3$ kg, $79.9{\pm}2.3$ kg, $137.6{\pm}4.6$ kg and $249.3{\pm}6.6$ kg, respectively in Korea Brindle calves. Pedigree data showed that 14.8% (316 out of 2131) of Hanwoo was inbred and the average inbreeding coefficient was 0.0209 (2.09%). Inbreeding coefficients of ten calves out of 316 total inbred Hanwoo calves were 12.5% or higher, whereas those of the other 306 calves were less than 12.5%. In both breeds, calves were divided into three groups of inbreeding classes - highly inbred group($F{\geq}0.125$), lowly to medially inbred group(0

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.1484-1490
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• 2004

Mitochondrial DNA haplotypes from the displacement-loop (D-loop) region (436 bp) were genotyped and sequenced in Japanese Black beef cattle raised in the same herd. Correlation coefficients between mitochondrial DNA haplotypes, maternal lineage, birth weight, preweaning average daily gain, weaning weight, post weaning average daily gain and yearling weight were computed. The objective was to study the relationship between maternal and postnatal growth traits and to investigate if postnatal growth of calves to yearling age could be accurately predicted from mitochondrial DNA haplotypes. Results of the phylogenetic analysis revealed 17 maternal lineages and four mitochondrial DNA haplotypes. There were strong, positive and highly significant (p<0.001) correlations among maternal traits ranging from 0.52 to 0.98. Similarly, among postnatal growth traits, most of the correlations were also strong, positive and highly significant (p<0.001); the highest correlation of 0.94 was between preweaning average daily gain and weaning weight. However, correlations between mitochondrial DNA haplotypes and postnatal growth traits were very low, mostly negative and non-significant (p>0.05) ranging from -0.05 to 0.1. Prediction of postnatal growth from mitochondrial DNA yielded very low $R^{2}$ values ranging from 0.002 to 0.019. It was concluded that mitochondrial DNA polymorphism has no significant association with postnatal growth from birth to yearling age, and by implication, nuclear rather than cytoplasmic DNA, accounts for most of the genetic variation observed in postnatal growth of Japanese Black cattle. Therefore, mitochondrial DNA genotyping at an early age has no bearing on the accurate prediction of the future growth performance of calves.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.93-101
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• 2000

This study was carried out to investigate the epidemiological prevalence of diseases from birth to weaning in 268 Koeran native calves which was delivered from three stock farm in Chonbuk area. We examined body weight gain, incidence rate of diseases and mortality rate in relation to age, season, environmental temperature and rearing management conditions for one year. The results of this experiment were as follows: Birth weight and body weight gain of Korean native calves born of primiparae were lower than those of multiparae. Body weight gain of diseased calves was lower than normal calves. Of 268 delivered calves, 242 calves(90.3%) were affected with gastronistestinal and/or respiratory diseases. The prevalence of the diseases were gastronitestinal disease(54.1%), gastronitestinal and respiratory disease(21.6%), and respiratory disease(14.5%). Of 242 diseased calves, 33 calves(13.6%) were occurred gastronitestinal disease and respiratory disease at different time respectively. Of 268 delivered calves, 126 calves were died(47%). The prevalence of the death were gastronitestinal disease(31.4%), gastronitestinal and respiratory disease(14.5%), and respiratory disease(1.1%). 81% of the diseases and 76.2% of the death were occurred in winter and a change of season(December to May). 59.1% of the diseases and 52.4% of the death were occurred at atmospheric temperatures below 1$0^{\circ}C$. 91.7% of the diseased calves and 96.8% of the dead calves were born of primiparae. 77.2% of the gastronitestinal disease were occurred within 2 weeks old, and the incidence was decreased with increasing age. Whereas the incidence of respiratory disease was incidence with ageing, and 69.2% of the respiratory disease were occurred between 2 weeks and 5 weeks old. And 62% of the gastronitestinal and respiratory disease wre occurred between 1 week and 3 weeks old. 65.1% of the dead calves were died within 2 weeks old. The morbidity and population mortality rate in each farm stock were 56.5%-104.9%, and 14.5%-64.2%, respectively.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.9
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• pp.1371-1377
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• 2002

During a 5-yr period, 1994-1998, pre-weaning and weaning data were collected on 591 calves produced by mating either straightbred Jersey, straightbred Limousin or $F_1$ (Limousin${\times}$Jersey) bulls to mature purebred Jersey or Limousin cows. Traits recorded included birth and weaning weight, height, length, girth, fat depth and a measure of muscle (ratio of stifle to hip width expressed as a percentage). All traits were analyzed assuming a model with sire and dam random effects that included effects of year and date of birth, sex, breed and year${\times}$sex interaction. Main effects were generally significant with few exceptions. Direct genetic effects were large for weight, height, girth and muscle with a breed trend from purebred Jersey (small) to purebred Limousin (large). At weaning, the maternal effect of the Jersey dam was positive for weight (10.9${\pm}$4.9 kg), girth (3.7${\pm}$1.0 cm) and muscle (6.0${\pm}$0.9%). Heterosis was highly significant and positive only for fat depth (1.5${\pm}$0.2 mm) with the $F_1$ progeny being the fattest, followed by the backcrosses, then purebred Jersey and purebred Limousin. Also, significant (p<0.001) but negative heterosis was observed for weight, girth and muscle. The change in ranking for fat depth relative to other traits is a reflection of the large heterotic effects relative to direct effects on fat depth. Epistatic effects were not significant on any trait at birth or weaning. This study has indicated the possibility of exploiting the positive heterotic and maternal effects for fat depth and muscularity to meet specific meat quality and quantity demand by consumers.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.810-817
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• 2023

Objective: The aim was to compare the behavioral response to full separation of cows and calves maintained together for 100 days or 24 h. Methods: Twelve Holstein-Friesian cow-calf pairs were enrolled into either treatment or industry groups (n = 6 cow-calf pairs/group). The treatment cows and calves were maintained on pasture together for 106±8.6 d and temporarily separated twice a day for milking. The Industry cows and their calves, were separated within 24 h postpartum. Triaxial accelerometer neck-mounted sensors were fitted to cows 3 weeks before separation to measure hourly rumination and activity. Before separation, cow and calf behavior was observed by scan sampling for 15 min. During the separation process, frequency of vocalizations and turn arounds were recorded. At separation, cows were moved to an observation pen where behavior was recorded for 3 d. A CCTV camera was used to record video footage of cows within the observation pens and behavior was documented from the videos in 15 min intervals across the 3 d. Results: Before separation, industry calves were more likely to be near their mother than Treatment calves. During the separation process, vocalization and turn around behavior was similar between groups. After full separation, treatment cows vocalized three times more than industry cows. However, the frequency of time spent close to barrier, standing, lying, walking, and eating were similar between industry and treatment cows. Treatment cows had greater rumination duration, and were more active, than industry cows. Conclusion: These findings suggest a similar behavioral response to full calf separation and greater occurrence of vocalizations, from cows maintained in a long-term, pasture-based, cow-calf rearing system when ompared to cows separated within 24 h. However, further work is required to assess the impact of full separation on calf behavior.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.567-570
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• 1995

Data from 178 Jersey calves born at Livestock Experiment Station were analyzed to obtain estimates of heritability, genetic and phenotypic correlations of some growth traits. Sex-specific variance and covariance components were estimated for birth weight (BWT), 180-d weight (WWT), 365-d weight (YWT), birth to weaning daily gain (BWG), weaning to yearling daily gain (WYG) and brith to yearling gain (BYG). Heritabilities, genetic and phenotypic correlations were generally higher in males than females. Heritabilities estimated for males and females respectively were 0.98 and 0.49 for BWT; 0.70 and 0.76 for WWT; 0.71 and 0.26 for YWT. Genetic correlations were higher than phenotypic correlations in all the treats studied.