• Journal of agriculture & life science
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.183-188
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• 2016

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of artificial insemination(AI) frequency on reproductive performance of sows. A total of 48 F1 sows(Yorkshire×Landrace) were allocated to 1 of 4 treatments using completely randomized design(CRD). Four experimental treatments were AI frequency from one to four times(AI1, AI2, AI3, AI4) respectively. Estrus detection was done at approximately 09:00 and 21:00 daily by applying back pressure to females with the presence of a mature boar and the weaning to estrus interval(WEI) of all sows were 5~6 day. Sows detected in estrus were mated at 12 hour after and mating interval was 12 hour by treatments. This experiment demonstrated that the lowest farrowing rate was observed AI3 treatment. Frequency of AI did not influence on reproductive performance when WEI was 5-6 day. No significant differences were observed on litter size, born alive and litter birth weight. Consequently, decreased AI frequency did not have any detrimental effect on reproductive performance when estrus detection was adequate. Decreased AI frequency could reduce cost of production of pigs when sows showed normal reproductive performance.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.418-428
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• 2023

This study was conducted to clarify the daily activity patterns overlap between hikers and mammals from 2015 to 2019 in the Baekdudaegan protected area. To investigate relationship behaviors between hikers and mammals, we set the camera traps on the ridge of the Baekdudaegan protected area. Daily activity patterns of yellow-throated marten (Martes flavigula) and Siberian chipmunk (Eutamias sibiricus) were highly overlapped with hiker total study periods. Moreover, daily activity patterns of Siberian roe deer (Caperohus pygargus) and water deer (Hydropotes inermis) were highly overlapped with hikers only in spring. In winter, daily activity patterns of wild boar (Sus scrofa) were overlapped with hikers. However, leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis), raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides), and Eurasian badger (Meles leucurus) did not significantly overlap with hikers during the study periods. The daily activity patterns of 8 mammals differed by species-specific behavior and temporal characteristics. Overlap of daily activity patterns between mammals and hikers were differed in each season. Differences in daily activity pattern overlap between mammals and humans may lead to differences in human impact on mammal populations. Information on the interaction between hikers and mammals on species-specific and temporal-specific behavior could be basic ecological data for management and conservation of mammal populations and their habitats.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.129-134
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• 2013

A total of 30 Korean native pigs (gilt 15, boar 15) were used to investigate the carcass characteristics, meat quality, amino acid, and fatty acid composition by gender. The carcass weight of boars were significantly higher than gilts, whereas the carcass yield of gilts had significantly higher than boars (p<0.01). Boars had significantly higher moisture contents in loin muscle than gilts, whereas the protein contents of loin muscle had significantly higher in gilts than boars (p<0.01). In the results of meat quality analysis, the cooking loss (p<0.01), shearing force (p<0.05), lightness (L) and yellowness (b) in meat color (p<0.05) were significantly higher, but the pH was significantly lower (p<0.01) in gilts compared with boars. Arginine (p<0.05), alanine, aspartic acid, histidine, leucine, lysine, phenylalanine, serine, threonine and tyrosin (p<0.01) for gilts were significantly higher than those for boars. The results of fatty acid composition showed that gilts had significantly higher contents of C16:1n7, C18:1n9, C20:1n9 (p<0.01) than boars in intramuscular fat, whereas boars had significantly higher contents of C18:2n6, C20:4n6 (p<0.01) and C18:3n3 (p<0.05) than gilts in intramuscular fat.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.77-85
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• 2003

This study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of catalase using xanthine (X)-xanthine oxidase (XO) system on in vitro maturation and fertilization in the pig. When follicular oocytes were cultured with X or XO, the maturation rates were not significantly different between in medium with and without catalase despite of different culture periods. However, significantly (P<0.05) higher maturation rates were obtained in culture with X-XO-catalase system. The rates of degenerated oocytes were increased with culture periods prolonged, and were significantly (P<0.05) higher in medium without that than with catalase at 120 h of culture. On the other hand, the parthenogenetic oocytes were observed with high proportions at 72 h of culture, but were not different between the medium with and without catalase at various times of culture. In another experiment, the frozen-thawed boar spermatozoa treated with X-XO system for in vitro fertilization. The penetration rates were higher in medium with that than without catalase during the in vitro fertilization with none (P<0.05), XO and X+XO. On the other hand, when sperm were treated with none, X, XO and X+XO, lipid peroxidation were produced with higher rates in medium without that than with catalase, and consequently the changes in sperm penetration and lipid peroxidation showed opposite patterns. Under the above all conditions, however, sperm-SH group were higher detected by catalase. When the activity of sperm binding to zona pellucida was evaluated through binding to salt-stored porcine oocytes, sperm binding to zona pellucida in control group were higher than in medium with X, XO and X+XO groups. No significant differences, however, were observed between medium with and without catalase. In conclusion, the exposure of follicular oocytes and spermatozoa to X-XO-catalase system may be caused stimulating in vitro maturation and fertilization in the pig.

• Current Research on Agriculture and Life Sciences
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• v.8
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• pp.45-50
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• 1990

This study was carried out ot investigate the effects of fetal calf serum (FCS) and gonadotropins supplemented to the medium on maturation and fertilization in vitro of porcine follcular oocytes. Ovaries were obtained from gilts at local slaughter-house. Oocyte-cumulus complexes were recovered by puncturing the ovarian follicles(3~5 mm in diameter). The complexes from individual ovaries were pooled in a $0.4m{\ell}$ droplet of medium covered with paraffin oil, then washed twice in fresh droplet and cultured for 36hrs in culture media according to experimental conditions. Boar epididymal spermatozoa were capacitated by preincubation for 4hrs in m-KRB medium and the preincubated spermatozoa were insemenated in the fertilization medium containing the cultured oocytes. The results obtained in this study are summarized as follows: 1. The maturation rates of oocytes cultured in m-KRB and m-KRB supplemented to 10% FCS were 82 and 37%, respectively. When PMSG, hCG. and PMSGt hcG($10Iu/m{\ell}$) were added to the media supplemented to 10% FCS, the maturation rates were 66, 58 and 68%, respectively. 2. Expansion of cumulus cells was not occured in m-KRB and m-KRB supplemented to 10% FCS. However, when PMSG, hCG and PMSG+hCG($10Iu/m{\ell}$) were added to m-KRB supplemented to 10% FCS, the expansion rates of cumulus cell layers were 92, 13 and 91%, respectively. 3. When oocytes were mltured in m-KRB, the rates of penetration and formation of male pronucle: were 93 and 7%, respectively. By adding FCS and gonadotropin to m-KRB, the penetration and formation of male pronuclei were 100 80%, respectively.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2007

This study was conducted to examine the role of intact cumulus cells during in vitro fertilization (IVF) on sperm penetration, male pronuclear (MPN) formation and subsequent embryo development of oocytes matured and fertilized in vitro. Cumulus-oocyte complexes obtained from the slaughtered gilt ovaries were matured for 44 h in TCM199 containing 10% porcine follicular fluid, epidermal growth factor and hormones. After maturation culture, denuded oocytes or oocytes with intact cumulus cells were coincubated with frozen-thawed boar semen for 8h in a modified tris-buffered medium containing 5mM caffeine and 10mM calcium chloride. Putative zygotes were fixed and examined for sperm penetration and MPN formation (Experiments $1{\sim}3$), or cultured in North Carolina State University-23 medium fo. 156 h (Experiment 3). In Experiment 1, sperm penetration was examined after insemination of denuded oocytes and oocytes with intact cumulus cells at the concentration of $7.5{\times}10^5$ sperm/ml. Optimal sperm concentration for IVF of cumulus-intact oocytes was determined in Experiment 2 by inseminating intact oocytes with $2{\sim}5{\times}10^6$ sperm/ml. In Experiment 3, denuded or intact oocytes were inseminated at the concentrations of $7.5{\times}10^5$ and $4.0{\times}10^6$ sperm/ml, respectively, and in vitro embryo development was compared. Sperm penetration was significantly (p<0.01) decreased in cumulus-intact oocytes compared to denuded oocytes (35.2% vs. 77.4%). Based on the rates of sperm penetration and normal fertilization, the concentration of $4.0{\times}10^6$ sperm/ml was optimal for the IVF of intact oocytes compared to other sperm concentrations. The presence of intact cumulus cells during IVF significantly (p<0.05) improved embryo cleavage (48.8% vs. 58.9%), blastocyst (BL) formation (11.0% vs. 22.8%) and embryo cell number $(22{\pm}2\;vs.\;29{\pm}2\;cells)$ compared to denuded oocytes. In conclusion, these results suggest that intact cumulus cells during IVF inhibit sperm penetration but improve embryo cleavage, BL formation and embryo cell number of porcine embryos produced in vitro.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.7
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• pp.925-937
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• 2016

In the last few decades, transgenic animal technology has witnessed an increasingly wide application in animal breeding. Reproductive traits are economically important to the pig industry. It has been shown that the bone morphogenetic protein receptor type IB (BMPR1B) A746G polymorphism is responsible for the fertility in sheep. However, this causal mutation exits exclusively in sheep and goat. In this study, we attempted to create transgenic pigs by introducing this mutation with the aim to improve reproductive traits in pigs. We successfully constructed a vector containing porcine BMPR1B coding sequence (CDS) with the mutant G allele of A746G mutation. In total, we obtained 24 cloned male piglets using handmade cloning (HMC) technique, and 12 individuals survived till maturation. A set of polymerase chain reactions indicated that 11 of 12 matured boars were transgene-positive individuals, and that the transgenic vector was most likely disrupted during cloning. Of 11 positive pigs, one (No. 11) lost a part of the terminator region but had the intact promoter and the CDS regions. cDNA sequencing showed that the introduced allele (746G) was expressed in multiple tissues of transgene-positive offspring of No.11. Western blot analysis revealed that BMPR1B protein expression in multiple tissues of transgene-positive $F_1$ piglets was 0.5 to 2-fold higher than that in the transgene-negative siblings. The No. 11 boar showed normal litter size performance as normal pigs from the same breed. Transgene-positive $F_1$ boars produced by No. 11 had higher semen volume, sperm concentration and total sperm per ejaculate than the negative siblings, although the differences did not reached statistical significance. Transgene-positive $F_1$ sows had similar litter size performance to the negative siblings, and more data are needed to adequately assess the litter size performance. In conclusion, we obtained 24 cloned transgenic pigs with the modified porcine BMPR1B CDS using HMC. cDNA sequencing and western blot indicated that the exogenous BMPR1B CDS was successfully expressed in host pigs. The transgenic pigs showed normal litter size performance. However, no significant differences in litter size were found between transgene-positive and negative sows. Our study provides new insight into producing cloned transgenic livestock related to reproductive traits.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.917-924
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• 2004

Using PCR-RFLP haplotyping for the mitochondrial DNA(mtDNA) fragment containing the NADH dehydrogenase 2 gene(ND2) and three tRNA genes(tRNA-Met, tRNA-Trp and tRNA-Ala), we characterized the genetic diversity of five pig breeds including Jeju native pigs. mtDNA polymorphisms showing distinct cleavage patterns were found in the pig breeds. Two digestion patterns were detected when HaeIII- and Hinfl-RFLP, and four in the Tsp5091-RFLP analyses. Combining the three restriction enzyme digestion patterns found in five different pig breeds, four mtDNA haplotypes were observed and the haplotype frequencies were significantly different by the pig breeds. A monomorphic haplotype, mtWB, was observed in both Korean wild boars and Large White pigs. Both Duroc and Landrace pigs contained two haplotypes suggesting their multiple maternal lineages. Jeju native pig has two haplotypes(mtJN and mtJD). Of these, mtJN is identified as a Jeju native pig specific haplotype. This study suggested that more than two progenitor populations have been taken part in the domestication process of the Jeju native pig population, and/or probably subsequent crossing with other pig breeds from near east Asia. Unlike with our prediction, there was no direct evidence under molecular levels on the maternal introgression of Korean wild boar in the domestication of Jeju native pigs. In conclusion, specificity of mtDNA haplotypes related to pig breeds win be useful for identifying the maternal lineage as wen as constructing the genealogical pedigree in pigs.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.703-710
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to detect association between genetic variation and economic trait in the porcine heart type fatty acid-binding protein gene as a candidate gene for the traits related with growth and meat quality in pigs. The H-FABP is a 15-kDa protein expressed in several tissues with high demand for fat metabolism such as cardiac and skeletal muscle and lactating mammary gland. H-FABP is small intracellular protein involved in fatty acid transport from the plasma membrane to the site of $\beta$-oxidation and/or triacylglycerol or phospholipid synthesis. In this study, H-FABP PCR-RFLP was performed in F$_2$ population composed of 214 individuals from an intercross between Korean Native Boars and Landrace sows. PCR products from two primer sets within H-FABP gene were amplified in 850bp and 700bp. Digestion of PCR products with the restriction digestion enzymes HaeⅢ and HinfⅠ, revealed fragment length polymorphisms(RFLPs). The genotype frequencies from H-FABP/HaeⅢ was .29 for genotype DD, .53 for genotype Dd, and .15 for genotype dd, respectively. The genotype frequencies of HH, Hh, and hh from H-FABP/HinfⅠ was .38, .41 and .20, respectively, in the population. Relationships between their genotypes and economic traits were estimated. In H-FABP/HaeⅢ locus, there were specific genotypes(Dd and dd) associated with economic traits such as body weights at 3, 5, 12, and 30 week of age (p〈.05 to .001). The ‘d’ allele was associated with gaining of body weight. In H-FABP/HinfⅠ locus, Genotypes of HH and Hh associated with growth traits such as body weights at 5, 12, and 30 week of age (p〈.05 or p〈.001) and back fat thickness, body fat including abdominal and trimmed fat (p〈.001) and intramuscular fat(p〈.05) The ‘H’ allele was positively associated with gaining of body weight and fatness deposition. In conclusion, a significant association of the H-FABP gene from its genetic variation was found on body weight, intramuscular fat and backfat thickness.

• ANNALS OF ANIMAL RESOURCE SCIENCES
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.150-157
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• 2018

The Zygote arrest 1 (ZAR1) gene is known to affect early embryonic development in various vertebrates. In this study, we performed the association analysis to check whether there is any significant relationship between semen kinematic characteristics and the ZAR1 gene. To determine semen kinematic characteristics, we measured motility (MOT), straight-line velocity (VSL), curvilinear velocity (VCL), average path velocity (VAP), linearity (LIN), straightness (STR), amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH), and beat cross frequency (BCF) of spermatozoa in boars. In order to detect single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), we extracted genomic DNA from multiple Duroc boars, and then subsequently used them in sequencing reactions. As a result, three SNPs were detected in the intronic region of ZAR1 gene (g.2435T>C in intron 2, g.2605G>A and g.4633A>C in intron 3 ). SNPs g.2435T>C and g.2605G>A were significantly associated with MOT (p<0.01) and VSL (p<0.05), and g.4633A