• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.63 no.6
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• pp.117-129
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• 2021

The movement of animals is one of the primary factors that influence the variation of livestock emissions. This study evaluated the relationship between animal activity and three major emissions, PM₁₀, PM_2.5, and ammonia gas, in weaning, growing, and fattening pig houses through continuous monitoring of the animal activity. The movement score of animals was quantified by the developed image analysis algorithm using 10-second video clips taken in the pig houses. The calculated movement scores were validated by comparison with six activity levels graded by an expert group. A comparison between PMs measurement and the movement scores demonstrated that an increase of the PMs concentrations was obviously followed by increased movement scores, for example, when feeding started. The PM₁₀ concentrations were more affected by the animal activity compared to the PM_2.5 concentrations, which were related to the inflow of external PM_2.5 due to ventilation. The PM₁₀ concentrations in the fattening house were 1.3 times higher than those in the weaning house because of the size of pigs while weaning pigs were more active and moved frequently compared to fattening pigs showing 2.45 times higher movement scores. The results also indicated that indoor ammonia concentration was not significantly influenced by animal activity. This study is significant in the sense that it could provide realistic emission factors of pig farms considering animal's daily activity levels if further monitoring is carried out continuously.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.253-260
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• 2024

Objective: The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the effects of once-a-day milk feeding on growth performance and routine behavior of preweaning dairy calves. Methods: At 22nd day of age, twenty-four Holstein calves were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups (n = 12/treatment) based on milk feeding frequency (MF): i) 3 L of milk feeding two times a day; ii) 6 L of milk feeding once a day. The milk feeding amount was reduced to half for all calves between 56 and 60 days of age and weaning was done at 60 days of age. To determine the increase in weight and structural measurements, each calf was weighed and measured at 3 weeks of age and then at weaning. The daily behavioral activity of each calf was assessed from the 22nd day of age till weaning (60th day of age) through Nederlandsche Apparatenfabriek (NEDAP) software providing real-time data through a logger fitted on the calf's foot. Results: There was no interaction (p≥0.17) between MF and sex of the calves for routine behavioral parameters, body weight and structural measurements. Similarly, there was no effect of MF on routine behavioral parameters, body weight and structural measurements. However, the sex of the calves affected body weight gain in calves. Male calves had 27% greater total body weight and average daily gain than female calves. There was no effect of the sex of the calves on behavioral measurements. Collectively, in the current study, no negative effects of a once-a-day milk feeding regimen were found on routine behavioral and growth parameters of preweaning calves in group housing. Conclusion: Once-a-day milk feeding can be safely adopted in preweaning calves from 22nd day of age.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.11
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• pp.1574-1580
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• 2009

To evaluate the effect of different housing systems on sow behavior, 80 gilts were randomly allocated at puberty to four treatments: i) sow stall in gestation followed by farrowing crate (SC), ii) group housing with individual feeding in gestation followed by farrowing crate (GC), iii) ESF (Electronic Sow Feeding) system in gestation followed by farrowing crate (EC), and iv) ESF system followed by group farrowing pen (EG). Behavioral observations were carried out on a total of 16 animals per treatment at the following stages: first day of allocation to housing treatment, day of service, 80 days after service, 109 days after service on entry to farrowing accommodation, 24 h before farrowing, day of farrowing, 14, 27 and 28 days after farrowing, at weaning. On each occasion, individual animals were observed for a 24 period with one minute time sampling. There were significant differences (p<0.001) between stages of the reproductive cycle for all the behavior patterns in all treatments. On the first day in experimental housing treatments, sows spent more time rooting and dog-sitting. Activity and investigatory behavior decreased as pregnancy progressed. An activity peak was apparent just before farrowing, followed by a high level of inactivity on the day of farrowing. Time spent active, eating and drinking increased as lactation progressed, and greatest activity and locomotion was seen immediately following weaning. There were significant differences between housing treatments (p<0.01) for standing, moving, eating, drinking, dog-sitting and lying. During pregnancy SC sows spent more time standing, rooting, drinking and dog sitting, while EC sows spent less time rooting and drinking and more time lying. During lactation, GC sows spent more time standing, moving and eating, less time dog sitting and lateral lying. Nursing frequency was reduced in GC sows (p<0.001). The maternal and piglet behaviors were influenced strongly by environment during lactation. However, it was also shown that previous housing history can influence the maternal behavior in the pre-farrowing stage and during early lactation.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.77-82
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• 2009

Salmonella (S.) Typhimurium infection in pigs is a major source of human foodborne salmonellosis. Recently, the swine industry in Korea has been suffered from salmonellosis causing severe economic loss to farms. Organic acids have antibacterial activity which prevents bacteria from multiplying by reducing the pH in the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of the present study is to evaluate whether $Salstop^{(R)}$ mixed with organic acids is able to have influence on growth performance and whether it prevents against S. Typhimurium in weaning pigs. Four experimental treatments were examined: general diet added with 0.3% of $Salstop^{(R)}$ after S. Typhimurium ($1.0{\times}10^{10}CFU/ml$) challenge, group A; commercial feed after Salmonella ($1.0{\times}10^{10}CFU/ml$) challenge, group B; commercial feed and $Salstop^{(R)}$, group C; commercial feed, Group D. At the end of the study, no significant differences in daily body weight gain and feed intake were observed between groups treated with $Salstop^{(R)}$ and groups treated without, whereas feed conversion ratio (FCR) tended to be improved in groups treated with $Salstop^{(R)}$ between days 1 to 14. Serological and microbiological evolution of the infection were examined by ELISA and microbiological culture from serums and fecal samples, respectively. In groups that challenged by S. Typhimuriums, the group without $Salstop^{(R)}$ showed higher prevalence and bacterial shedding compared to the groups treated with $Salstop^{(R)}$. Our results suggest that the administration of $Salstop^{(R)}$ could be used to promote feed efficiency and to reduce the prevalence of salmonellosis in weaners.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.98-105
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• 2010

A total of 16 crossbred post-weaning pigs (10.64${\pm}$0.27 kg BW) were individually penned and assigned to one of two treatments to investigate the influences of diquat-induced oxidative stress on performance and arginine metabolism. Pigs in the oxidative stress group were injected intra-peritoneally with 10 mg/kg BW of diquat, while the control group were injected with isotonic saline. All pigs were fed ad libitum. The experiment lasted for 7 days. The results indicated that compared with control treatment, oxidative stress induced by diquat significantly decreased average daily gain, intake and feed conversion. The treatment decreased activities of antioxidant enzymes, increased concentration of malondialdehyde in plasma, increased cationic amino acid transporter-1 mRNA level and activity of ornithine aminotransferase and concentrations of arginine and citrulline in the jejunum, decreased the concentrations of arginine in plasma and kidney, and decreased induced nitric oxide synthase mRNA level. It is concluded that oxidative stress induced by diquat can influence absorption and metabolism of arginine and consequently modify the requirement of arginine for post-weaning pigs.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.246-254
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• 1986

Weanling female Sprague Dawley rats were fed d diets containing 22mg pyridoxine. BCI/kg diet (control diet) and l.2mg pyridoxine. BCI/kg diet (deficient diet). One control group and one defi­c dent group were fed their diet throughout growth, g gestation and lactation. After the pups were born and weaned, the deficient group was divided into two groups. One switched to control diet(supple­I mented group) and the other continued the same d deficient diet( deficient group) until 10 week -old. The liver mitochondrial and cytosolic asparate a aminotransferase activity and pyridoxal phosphate content were determined in offspring rats. The aspartate aminotransferase activities in both liver mito$\phi$ondrial and cytosolic fractions of den­d cient group were significantly lower than those of controls, but there were no significant differences between two groups after addition of 1O^{-4}M pyri­d do뼈I phosphate to the medium. By pyridoxine s supplementation after weaning, the reduced aspar­a tate aminotnmsferase activities were only partialy I restored to control levels. The pyridoxal phospha­t te content of deficient group in Iiver mitochondr­ial and cytosoIic fractions were alo significantly different from those of controls, but readily restored by dietary supplementation. These results suggest that there is a quantitative and a qualitative changes of aspartate amino trans­f ferase and pyridoxal phosphate in liver mitochon­d drial and cytosolic fraction by long-term pyrido­x xine deficiency and these reductions can partially recovered by dietary pyridoxine supplementation after weaning.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.16-22
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• 2016

The intestinal environment plays a critical role in maintaining swine health. Many factors such as diet, microbiota, and host intestinal immune response influence the intestinal environment. Intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) is an important apical brush border enzyme that is influenced by these factors. IAP dephosphorylates bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS), unmethylated cytosine-guanosine dinucleotides, and flagellin, reducing bacterial toxicity and consequently regulating toll-like receptors (TLRs) activation and inflammation. It also desphosphorylates extracellular nucleotides such as uridine diphosphate and adenosine triphosphate, consequently reducing inflammation, modulating, and preserving the homeostasis of the intestinal microbiota. The apical localization of IAP on the epithelial surface reveals its role on LPS (from luminal bacteria) detoxification. As the expression of IAP is reported to be downregulated in piglets at weaning, LPS from commensal and pathogenic gram-negative bacteria could increase inflammatory processes by TLR-4 activation, increasing diarrhea events during this phase. Although some studies had reported potential IAP roles to promote gut health, investigations about exogenous IAP effects or feed additives modulating IAP expression and activity yet are necessary. However, we discussed in this paper that the critical assessment reported can suggest that exogenous IAP or feed additives that could increase its expression could show beneficial effects to reduce diarrhea events during the post weaning phase. Therefore, the main goals of this review are to discuss IAP's role in intestinal inflammatory processes and present feed additives used as growth promoters that may modulate IAP expression and activity to promote gut health in piglets.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.15 no.6 s.73
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• pp.979-986
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• 2005

Lead (Pb) exposure during development can produce neurological deficits. In this study, the effect of Pb exposure during neonatal development via lactation on anxiety of brain function was investigated. Long-Evans strain rats were raised through two generations. At the birth of the second generation, the dams were subdivided into two groups and supplied drinking water containing either $0.2\%$ Pb (Pb-treated group) or sodium (Na, Control group) acetate until weaning. Rats were sacrificed at 3 (weaning) and 11 weeks (maturity) for brain Pb and fatty acid analysis. Motor activity and elevated plus maze tests were initiated at 9 weeks. The brains in the Pb-treated group at weaning and maturity contained 1486$\pm$98 and $270{\pm}46$ ng Pb/g, respectively The control group showed the background level of Pb ($3.7{\pm}1.0_{ng}$ Pb/g) in both ages. The alterations in brain fatty acid composition induced by Pb exposure were more evident in 3 wks old than 11 wks old. For example, in 3 wks old, the percentages of $18:2_{n-6}$, $20:2_{n-6}$ and $18:2_{n-6}$ were decreased in the Pb-treated group with an increase in $20:4_{n-6}$ In motor activity test, there was a tendency of hyperactivity in the Pb-treated group compared with the control group but the difference was not significant. In elevated plus maze test, the Pb-treated group showed fewer numbers of visits to the open arms (P < 0.05), indicating that Pb exposure may lead to anxiogenic effect.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.8
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• pp.1403-1414
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• 2021

Objective: This study explored the mechanism of the Kelch-like erythroid cell-derived protein with CNC homology-associated protein 1 (Keap1)-nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway under conditions of zearalenone (ZEA)-induced oxidative stress in the duodenum of post-weaning gilts. Methods: Forty post-weaning gilts were randomly allocated to four groups and fed diets supplemented with 0, 0.5, 1.0, or 1.5 mg/kg ZEA. Results: The results showed significant reductions in the activity of the antioxidant enzymes total superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase and increases the malondialdehyde content with increasing concentrations of dietary ZEA. Immunohistochemical analysis supported these findings by showing a significantly increased expression of Nrf2 and glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPX1) with increasing concentrations of ZEA. The relative mRNA and protein expression of Nrf2, GPX1 increased linearly (p<0.05) and quadratically (p<0.05), which was consistent with the immunohistochemical results. The relative mRNA expression of Keap1 decreased linearly (p<0.05) and quadratically (p<0.05) in the duodenum as the ZEA concentration increased in the diet. The relative mRNA expression of modifier subunit of glutamate-cysteine ligase (GCLM) increased quadratically (p<0.05) in all ZEA treatment groups and the relative mRNA expression of quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) catalytic subunit of glutamate-cysteine ligase decreased linearly (p<0.05) and quadratically (p<0.05) in the ZEA1.0 group and ZEA1.5 group. The relative protein expression of Keap1 and GCLM decreased quadratically (p<0.05) in the duodenum as the ZEA concentration increased in the diet, respectively. The relative protein expression of NQO1 increased linearly (p<0.05) and quadratically (p<0.05) in all ZEA treatment groups in the duodenum. Conclusion: These findings suggest that ZEA regulates the expression of key factors of the Keap1-Nrf2 signaling pathway in the duodenum, which enables resistance to ZEA-induced oxidative stress. Further studies are needed to examine the effects of ZEA induced oxidative stress on other tissues and organs in post-weaning gilts.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.352-360
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• 2014

We evaluated the growth performance, biochemical characteristics, and immune responses in weaning pigs given a diet containing MR-1 (0.2%/feed) or antibiotics (0.1%/feed) for 45 days. In vitro study showed that MR-1 has antibacterial activity against a variety of strains of pathogenic bacteria, especially a strain of cattle-derived Escherichia coli K99 (E. coli K99) by agar diffusion assay. In the in vivo model, 0.2% MR-1-given group clearly ameliorated the weight gain and feed efficiency in the growth performance of weaning pigs compared to the basal diet group (p<0.05). Additionally, 0.2% MR-1 induced an elevation in the levels of mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and showed a similar pattern ($TNF{\alpha}$ and $IFN{\gamma}$ production) to the antibiotic treated pigs. Taken together, we suggest that 0.2% MR-1 makes probiotics an alternative to antibiotics in weaning pigs.