• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.1689-1694
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• 2004

This study was conducted to develop a novel adjustment factors for 305 days using 138,103 lactation records and 1,770,764 daily records, which were based on environmental circumstances such as herd year, season, age at calving, dry period and lactating stages. The present study showed that the change of persistency of cows at the first parity from total lactacting characteristics was slowly processed, while it was rapidly changed in cows at the second parity stage. Particularly, there was an outstanding difference between the first and second parity cows. Milk yield and composition increased as the age at calving was increased. In addition, milk yield and composition were higher at the first parity on fall compared with others, and those were higher at the more than second parity on fall and winter compared with other parity stages and seasons. The cow of dry group was included into lactating records of more than second parity stage. The data indicated that optimal results arose from 45-70 days of dry period. Milk yield was decreased when dry period was longer or shorter than 45-70 days. The lactating days were divided into 17, 28 and 38 stages to compare the multiplicative correction factors. The factor was effective at 28 stages on the first parity. The total correlation coefficients were 0.93832, 0.95058 and 0.95076 at the present correction factor, 17 stage and 28 stage, respectively. At second parity, the factor was higher in dry group 1 and 3 at 17 stage, and it was higher in dry group 2 at 28 stage compared with others. Therefore, the present study showed that the percent squared bias (PSB), which was calculated from the novel correction factor, was better than previously used correction factors. Also, the present study indicated that the bias of the novel correction factor was improved, and this factor could be more accurate compared with others.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.390-395
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• 2006

This work was conducted to study the effect of rumen-protected choline (RPC) addition on milk performance and blood metabolic parameters in transition dairy cows. In Experiment 1, fourteen Chinese Holstein dairy cows were supplemented with 0 or 20 g/d of RPC from 7 d before expected calving to 21 d post partum. Feeding of RPC tended to increase milk yield and milk protein percentage, while milk fat and lactose percentage were not changed. Plasma concentrations of glucose tended to increase as cows consumed RPC, while plasma concentrations of triglycerides, very low density lipoproteins, cholesterol and nonesterified fatty acids were not significantly different between the two groups. In Experiment 2, thirty-six Chinese Holstein dairy cows were supplemented with 0, 30, 60 or 90 g/d RPC from 15 d before expected calving to 15 d post partum. Feeding of RPC tended to increase yield of milk and 4% fat-corrected milk for all the lactating cows, and milk composition was similar among the four groups. Plasma concentrations of glucose were remained at a higher level in 30 or 60 g/d RPC-supplemented groups, and nonesterified fatty acids were decreased in the 30 g/d group. Concentrations of triglycerides tended to reduce in 30 and 90 g/d RPC-supplemented animals, and cholesterol was reduced in 0 or 30 g/d group. These results suggest that RPC addition tended to increase milk yield and improve blood metabolic parameters during transition dairy cows, and feeding 30 g/d of RPC may be the optimal.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.10
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• pp.1406-1415
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• 2013

The study was conducted to correlate the periparturient immune status in terms of neutrophil functions and cytokine expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cell culture with impending postpartum reproductive disorders in buffaloes. Forty pregnant buffaloes were observed for occurrence of postpartum reproductive disorders (PRD), i.e., metritis, endometritis and delayed uterine involution etc., during one week prepartum to four weeks postpartum period. A representative number (n = 6) of buffaloes that did not develop any PRD were included in group I (healthy, control), while the animals which experienced PRD were assigned into group II (PRD, n = 8). The blood samples were collected at weekly interval from one week prepartum to four weeks postpartum period considering the day of calving as 'd 0'. Differential leucocytes counts, superoxide and hydrogen peroxide production activity in isolated neutrophils and the mRNA expression profile of cytokines i.e., IL-2, IL-4 and IFN-${\gamma}$ in PBMC culture were studied in all the samples. A higher total leucocytes, neutrophil and band cells count along with impaired neutrophil functions i.e., lowered level of production of superoxide and hydrogen peroxide before parturition and during early postpartum period were observed in buffaloes developing PRD. Further, a lower expression of IL-2, IFN-${\gamma}$ and IL-4 mRNA in PBMC culture was observed at calving in buffaloes that subsequently developed PRD at later postpartum. Thus, suppression in neutrophil function and cytokine expression at prepartum to early postpartum period predisposes the buffaloes to develop postpartum reproductive disorders. Hence, monitoring of neutrophils function and cytokine expression profile would be effective to predict certain reproductive disorders at late pregnancy or immediately after parturition in buffaloes. In future, this may be a novel approach for determining suitable management and therapeutic decisions for prevention of commonly occurring reproductive disorders in farm animals.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.479-484
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• 2004

The study was conducted to assess the effect of milk production, parity, stage of lactation, season and individual milk components themselves on milk urea nitrogen (MUN) concentration and other milk components of 3,219 Holstein dairy cows in Korean dairy farms. The MUN concentrations in Korean dairy cows were estimated to 16.68$\pm$5.87 mg/dl. Milk yield was negatively correlated with fat and protein contents and somatic cell counts (SCC) in milk (p<0.01). The increasing MUN concentration has positive correlation with yield and fat content. By increasing somatic cell, milk yield was reduced and MUN level was increased. Cows in spring and winter produced more milk over 1.43 and 0.93 kg/day, respectively, than cows in summer (p<0.01). Milk urea nitrogen concentrations of milk produced in summer and fall were significantly lower (p<0.01) than those in spring and winter. Both MUN concentration and somatic cell counts were highest in winter. Milk yield was lower (p<0.01) in the first calving than other calving time and was tended to increase until the fifth parity and then decrease. Milk urea nitrogen and SCC were not related to parity of cows in this study. Milk yield and SCC were positively related to lactation period while MUN concentrations and milk fat and protein contents were negatively influenced by stage of lactation. In the present study, the relationship between MUN and reproduction of dairy cows was also investigated. Cow produced milk in high MUN concentrations (greater than 18 mg/dl) had more open days than cows in MUN concentrations less than 18 mg/dl. However, no significant difference between MUN concentration levels and frequency of artificial insemination was found in this study. It is suggested that although MUN values for nutritional management and measures of production or reproduction are used, non-nutritional factors should be considered.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.25-31
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• 1984

The effects of progesterone releasing intravaginal device (PRID) on the fertility levels in dairy cows were studied in 2 experiments. In experiment I, 70 lactating cows at 45 days postpartum were allotted to 3 groups and the treatments imposed were either： 1: Untreated control, 2: PRID with a capsule containing long of oestradiol benzoate (ODB) attached, inserted for 12 days, 3: PRID inserted for 12 days with long of prostaglandin F$\_$2${\alpha}$/ administration 24 h before PRID removal. Treated cows were inseminated 56 h after PRID removal and at an observed oestrus during the subsequent 48-day period. The control group was inseminated at an observed oestrus during this 60-day period. In experiment II, 60 ovarian disorder cows were divided into 5 groups and PRID+ODB inserted for 12 days. 1: atrophied ovary, 2: smooth ovary, 3: persistent corpus luteum, 4: follicular cyst, 5: luteal cyst. Treated cows were inseminated 56 h after PRID removal and at an observed oestrus over a period from the first insemination to 46 days. The results obtained were as follows: 1. The device produced a vaginal discharge in some animals. In experimenet I : 2. For treatments 2 and 3, respectively, conception rates to the fixed time insemination were 45% and 52%. 3. The conception rates of cows inseminated to the fixed time insemination and at an observed oestrus during a 60-day period were 65%, 86% and 91% for control, treatment 2 and 3, respectively. 4. Mean interval from calving to conception and inseminations per conception were 133, 91 and 86 days and 2.4, 2.1 and 1.9 for control, treatments 2 and 3, respectively. In experiment II； 5. The conception rates to the fixed time insemination for each group 20, 50, 70, 20 and 50%, respectively. 6. The total conception rates for the 48 days period of each group were 60, 70, 100, 60 and 90%, respectively. 7. The inseminations per conception of each group were 2.8, 2.1, 1.4, 2.7 and 1.9, respectively.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.33-37
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• 2012

This study was performed to evaluate the rate of twin pregnancy and parturition in dairy cows. Calving records of Holstein dairy cows from 1998 to 2009 comprising Goyang and Paju cities herd with 20,990 calving events representing 820 twin births were used to evaluate twinning rate, calf sex ratio, periods of pregnancy and complication after parturition in single and twin births. Overall, the reported twinning rate was 3.9% in Holstein dairy cows. Rate of bicornual pregnancy (75%) was larger than that of unicornual pregnancy (25%) among cows having twin. Regardless of parity, the greatest twinning rate was observed in fall season from September to November. Calf sex ratios (male, M; female, F) were 48.0% FM, 28.9% MM, 21.5% FF and 0.9% mummifications for twin calves. Parturition type among cows having twins included normal (4.7%), premature (66.9%), delayed (9.2%), abortion (18.4%) and mummification (0.8%). The period of pregnancy in twin pregnancy (mean 272.6 days) was shorter than single pregnancy (mean 278.1 days). The retained placenta after parturition was over fourth times such as twin parturition (34.8%) higher than single parturition (8.5%) and the abomasal displacement was over two times such as twin parturition (10.2%) higher than single parturition (4.9%). The distribution of twin pregnancy with parities was high rate during the 2~3 parities. The prevalence of complication such as retained placenta and abomasal displacement with twin parturition revealed higher than single parturition.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.293-301
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• 2004

We investigated the effect of reproductive herd health program (RHHP) on the reproductive performance in high yielding dairy herds. Data collected from 205 lactations at Boeun County, Chungbuk from April 2001 to Dec. 2003 included postpartum reproductive and metabolic diseases, body condition score (BCS), reproductive performance and milking records. First we compared the reproductive performance of cows without RHHP (pre-RHHP group) and cows with RHHP (RHHP group). Intervals from calving to first service (99.6 vs. 81.8 days) and to conception (160.3 vs. 131.8 days) were shorter in the RHHP group than in the pre-RHHP group. Secondly, we determined the effect of milk yield (305 days) on the occurrence of postpartum diseases, BCS changes, and reproductive performance in cows under RHHP. The occurrence of metritis and metabolic diseases were greater in the over-10,000 kg group than in the under-10,000 kg group. The over-10,000 kg group lost more body condition than the under-10,000 kg group from calving to month 3 postpartum. Nevertheless, reproductive performance did not differ between the two groups. These results indicate that reproductive performance can be improved by the application of RHHP in high yielding dairy herds and that reproductive performance in the cows under RHHP are not affected by high milk yielding.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.117-126
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• 1987

The effect of selenium and vitamin E on the incidence of retained fetal membranes(RFM) was evaluated in dairy cows raised in Kyonggi-do province from July through September 1985. Sodium selenite(0.1mg/kg of body weight) and vitamin E (1,000 IU) were simultaneously injected 21 days prior to the expected calving day to Holstein cows and the incidence in the treated group was compared with that in the non-treated control group. Serum levels of selenium, vitamin E, calcium, inorganic phosphorus and magnesium were also determined in the treated and the non-treated groups to compare the status of vitamin E and other minerals during periparturient period in the cows with RFM and the normal ones. The incidence of RFM was 34.5% in cows of the non-treated group (29 heads), whereas it was significantly reduced to 9.7% in cows of the treated group (31 heads) (p<0.05). Data for serum mineral concentrations showed that the prepartal inorganic phosphorus concentration was significantly lower in the RFM than in the not-retained group(p<0.01). As a result, the prepartal Ca/P ratio was significantly higher in the RFM group(p<0.01). It appears that a single injection of 0.1mg of sodium selenite per kg body weight and 1,000 IU of vitamin E 21 days prior to the expected calving day is an effective prophylactic for prevention of RFM, and that RFM may be related to imbalances in calcium and phosphorus metabolism.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.141-146
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• 2012

Calving records of Holstein dairy cows from 2005 to 2010 comprising Goyang and Paju cities herd with 2,362 calving events representing 240 twin births were used to evaluate the effect of abomasal displacement and retained placenta after single or twin births on fertility. In retained placenta cows, the period of twin pregnancy (mean 270.5 days) was shorter than that of single pregnancy (mean 274.8 days), however first artificial insemination period (twin: mean 107.4 days, single: mean 92.0 days), non-pregnant period (twin: 154.8 days, single: 132.2 days), and number of insemination (twin: mean 2.00 times, single: mean 1.87 times) of twin pregnancy were increased as compared with single pregnancy. In abomasal displacement cows, first artificial insemination period (twin: mean 122.9 days, single: mean 106.0 days), non-pregnant period (twin: 172.4 days, single: 152.0 days), and number of insemination (twin: mean 2.16 times, single: mean 1.89 times) of twin pregnancy were increased as compared with single pregnancy. The prevalence of complication such as retained placenta, abomasal displacement with single or twin births increased first artificial insemination period, non-pregnant period, and number of insemination period.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.87-93
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• 2012

The purpose of this experiment is to compare the pregnancy rate (PR) according to the state of the ovaries and uterus, according to the number of embryos transferred from cows and heifers and to investigate the method of artificial twin induction with Hanwoo $in$ $vitro$ fertilized (IVF) embryos by embryo transfer (ET). Looking at the PR according to the condition of the ovaries and uterus, the result was not influenced by the condition of the ovaries, but was significantly influenced by the state of the uterus. The PR according to the number of embryos transferred from cows was 36.8%, 53.0%, 50.5% for 1, 2, and 3 embryos respectively, and although there was a higher frequency of twin calves with 3 embryos than with 2, the calving rate was the highest with 2 embryos. In case of heifers, the transfer of 1 embryo showed the best pregnancy and calving rate, and although the PR was similar with 2 embryos (67.7 versus 66.4), in case of 2 embryos transferred there was high frequency of embryonic loss( 6.1%) occurred when a cow was diagnosed at 28 and 53 d after ET, total loss (21.3%; sum of fetal death, abortion and stillbirth after pregnant diagnosis at 60 day).