• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.1615-1634
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• 2004

A review was undertaken to obtain information on the sustainability of pig free-range production systems including the management, performance and health of pigs in the system. Modern outdoor rearing systems requires simple portable and flexible housing with low cost fencing. Local pig breeds and outdoor-adapted breeds for certain environment are generally more suitable for free-range systems. Free-range farms should be located in a low rainfall area and paddocks should be relatively flat, with light topsoil overlying free-draining subsoil with the absence of sharp stones that can cause foot damage. Huts or shelters are crucial for protecting pigs from direct sun burn and heat stress, especially when shade from trees and other facilities is not available. Pigs commonly graze on strip pastures and are rotated between paddocks. The zones of thermal comfort for the sow and piglet differ markedly; between 12-22$^{\circ}C$ for the sow and 30-37$^{\circ}C$ for piglets. Offering wallows for free-range pigs meets their behavioural requirements, and also overcomes the effects of high ambient temperatures on feed intake. Pigs can increase their evaporative heat loss via an increase in the proportion of wet skin by using a wallow, or through water drips and spray. Mud from wallows can also coat the skin of pigs, preventing sunburn. Under grazing conditions, it is difficult to control the fibre intake of pigs although a high energy, low fibre diet can be used. In some countries outdoor sows are fitted with nose rings to prevent them from uprooting the grass. This reduces nutrient leaching of the land due to less rooting. In general, free-range pigs have a higher mortality compared to intensively housed pigs. Many factors can contribute to the death of the piglet including crushing, disease, heat stress and poor nutrition. With successful management, free-range pigs can have similar production to door pigs, although the growth rate of the litters is affected by season. Piglets grow quicker indoors during the cold season compared to outdoor systems. Pigs reared outdoors show calmer behaviour. Aggressive interactions during feeding are lower compared to indoor pigs while outdoor sows are more active than indoor sows. Outdoor pigs have a higher parasite burden, which increases the nutrient requirement for maintenance and reduces their feed utilization efficiency. Parasite infections in free-range pigs also risks the image of free-range pork as a clean and safe product. Diseases can be controlled to a certain degree by grazing management. Frequent rotation is required although most farmers are keeping their pigs for a longer period before rotating. The concept of using pasture species to minimise nematode infections in grazing pigs looks promising. Plants that can be grown locally and used as part of the normal feeding regime are most likely to be acceptable to farmers, particularly organic farmers. However, one of the key concerns from the public for free-range pig production system is the impact on the environment. In the past, the pigs were held in the same paddock at a high stocking rate, which resulted in damage to the vegetation, nutrient loading in the soil, nitrate leaching and gas emission. To avoid this, outdoor pigs should be integrated in the cropping pasture system, the stock should be mobile and stocking rate related to the amount of feed given to the animals.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.501-512
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• 2005

In Exp. 1, a total of forty eight multiparous sows were used in a 21-d performance assay. All litters were standardized at eleven piglets within 24h of parturition. Sows were fed one of the four experimental diets 1) CON(basal diet; Control), 2) MP1(basal diet added 0.05% of medicinal plant mixtures), 3) MP2 (basal diet added 0.1% of medicinal plant mixtures) and 4) MP3(basal diet added 0.2% of medicinal plant mixtures). Backfat thickness difference from farrowing to weaning was tended to increase in CON treatment compared to those of medicinal plants mixture(MP) treatments. However, there were not significant differences among the treatments(P>0.05). Sow’s ADFI was increased in sows fed MP2 treatment compared to MP3 treatment(P<0.05). Piglet weight gain was tended to increase in MP1 treatment compared to CON treatment(P<0.05). The glucose concentration of MP3 treatment was higher that of CON treatment(P<0.05). Exp. 2, a total of one hundred twenty weaning pigs ($L{\time}Y{\time}D$, 4.70$\pm$0.63kg average initial body weight) were used in a 20-d performance assay. Weanling pigs were fed treatments diets included 1) CON(basal diet; Control), 2) MP0.05(basal diet added 0.05% of medicinal plant mixtures), 3) MP0.1(basal diet added 0.1% of medicinal plant mixtures) and 4) MP0.15(basal diet added 0.15% of medicinal plant mixtures). Through entire experimental period, as MP increased in the diets, there was an increase in ADG(linear, P<0.067), improvement gain/feed(linear, P<0.018) and a decrease in ADFI (linear, P<0.008). DM digestibility was significantly increased with addition of MP(linear, P<0.004; quadratic, P<0.030). In conclusion, sows fed MP2 had showed less body weight loss and increased weight gain for suckling piglet. In weaning pigs, as supplementation MP from 0.05 to 0.1% in diet had improved growth performance and DM digestibility.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.9-14
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to estimate heritabilities and genetic correlations for reproductive and productive traits and to apply their estimates to selection strategies in a swine population. Reproductive and productive traits considered in this study were number of born alive piglet (NBA), number of weaned piglet (NW), loin eye area (LEA), days to 90 kg (D90KG), back fat thickness (BF), and lean meat content (LEAN). Data were collected from 9,886 litters on 2,447 sows for reproductive traits and 10,181 gilts and boars for productive traits from Jan. 2000 to Dec. 2008 in a swine GGP farm. The statistical model to estimate genetic parameters for considering traits was a multiple traits animal model with including animal and maternal additive effects and litter effects on reproductive traits and animal additive effects on productive traits as random as well as some of fixed effects. For estimating (co) variance components of several random effects, restricted maximum likelihood methodology was used on this assumed model. The estimated heritabilities by animal additive effects and maternal effects were 0.07 and 0.02 for NBA and 0.03 and 0.02 for NW, respectively. Genetic correlation estimate for direct genetic effects between NBA and NW was 0.14. Heritability estimates for direct genetic effects were 0.19, 0.39, 0.36, and 0.43 for LEA, D90KG, BF and LEAN, respectively. The genetic correlation of LEA with LEAN was 0.35. Productive traits were antagonistically correlated with reproductive traits. From these results it is concluded that, if selection is done for strong positive effects of reproductive traits, then this would decline productive performance.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.399-406
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• 2010

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary ginger and Scutellaria on antioxidant capacity and IgG concentration in plasma and colostrum of sows. Twenty-four sows (Landrace $\times$ Yorkshire) in parity 2 were assigned to 3 treatment groups (8 sows per treatment) from 30 day before farrowing up to weaning on day 21 after farrowing. The treatment diets included 1) CON (Basal diet), 2) GDP (0.3% ginger dry powder was used as the replacement of wheat in basal diet) and 3) SDP (0.3% Scutellaria dry powder was used as the replacement of wheat in basal diet). No differences were found in antioxidant capacity and IgG concentration in plasma of sows among all the three treatments. Antioxidant capacity in colostrum was not affected by replacement of ginger and Scutellaria dry powder. IgG and protein concentration in colostrum was significantly higher (P<0.05) in GDP than that in CON and SDP. However, fat and lactose concentration were not affected by treatments. The total amino acid concentration in colostrum was significantly higher (P<0.05) in GDP than that in CON and SDP. Plasma antioxidant capacity was not affected by treatments in piglet on 0 day and 21 day, but tended to increase by supplementation of ginger. On 0 day, plasma IgG in piglet was not detected by replacement of ginger and Scutellaria dry powder. However, plasma IgG concentration in piglets on 21 day was significantly higher (P<0.05) in GDP than that in CON and SDP. These results indicate that colostrum IgG concentration in sows and plasma IgG concentration in piglets were improved by feeding ginger dry powder 30 days before farrowing in comparison to basal diet.

• Journal of agriculture & life science
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.127-136
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• 2019

Today, as the specification of pigs increases, it is important to develop eco-friendly livestock feeds that do not add antibiotics to highly utilizable materials as feed resources, and to produce functional eco-friendly pork and processed products. The purpose of this study was to establish Rubus occidentalis (RO) byproducts containing various amounts of physiologically active substances such as anticancer, anti - inflammation and antioxidant as a raw material for pig feed. The multifaceted efficacy of the RO fermented fodder (ROFF) was confirmed by the nutrient transport factors and antioxidant activity of Berkshire pigs. ROFF was added 0.3% to the general diet and the efficacy was confirmed by feeding diets to Berkshire pigs according to each weight for 43~73 days. As a result, the total cholesterol (TC), LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) and HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels were decreased or were increased in the castrated male and female Berkshire pigs but not significantly. It was confirmed that the tendency was improved in nutrition physiology. The biochemical levels of female finishing pigs were not significant but increased. In the case of finishing pigs with possibility of pregnancy, it is expected that the nutrition supply for piglet production and will help in the production of the healthy piglet. Transferrin (TFE) levels tended to increase in female growing pig and 110-150 kg finishing pigs. Thus ROFF could minimize the negative effects of iron contents deficiency in female Berkshire pigs. Glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPx1) activity was increased in castrated male and female 110-150 kg finishing pigs. Therefore, ROFF tends to improve the antioxidant capacity. The results of this study suggest that ROFF is one of the most favorable dietary sources when considering the contents of RO in feed. In particular, ROFF could have a positive effect on nutrient transport and iron content of female rather than castrated male Berkshire pigs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.75-79
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• 2005

There were three trials involved in this experiment. All piglets in Trial 1 were randomly distributed into the following 4 treatments. Treatment 1. Corn-soybean diet with 5% SDPP. The tryptophan level was 0.237%. Treatment 2. Corn-soybean diet with 10% meat and bone meal. The tryptophan level was 0.177%. Treatment 3. Treatment 1+0.0662% synthetic tryptophan. The total tryptophan level was 0.303. Treatment 4. Treatment 2+0.0662% synthetic tryptophan. The total tryptophan level was 0.236. Piglets in Trial 2 were distributed randomly into the following 4 treatments. Treatment 1: corn-soybean diet+10% meat and bone meal. The total tryptophan level was 0.176%. Treatment 2: corn-soybean diet+10% meat and bone meal+5% SDPP. The total tryptophan level was 0.180%. Treatment 3: Treatment 1 diet+0.004% synthetic tryptophan. The total tryptophan level was 0.180%. Treatment 4: Treatment 1 diet+0.631% synthetic tryptophan. The total tryptophan level was 0.237%. There were 4 treatments in Trial 3. Treatment 1: cornsoybean diet+10% meat and bone meal. The total tryptophan level was 0.176%. Treatment 2: Treatment 1 diet+0.061% synthetic tryptophan. The total tryptophan level was 0.237%. Treatment 3: Treatment 2 diet+0.061% synthetic tryptophan. The total tryptophan level was 0.298%. Treatment 4: corn-soybean diet+10% meat and bone meal+5% SDPP. The total tryptophan level was 0.180%. The results of Trial 1 showed that the piglets ate significantly more (p<0.05) when feed included SDPP in the diet during the first 2 weeks. The feed intake also increased when synthetic tryptophan was added in the 5% meat and bone meal diet; however, the difference did not reach a significant level (p>0.05) during the first 2 weeks. Three weeks onwards the feed intake of 5% meat and bone meal treatment was significantly lower (p<0.05) than for the other three treatments. The results of Trial 2 showed that the feed intake could be significantly improved only when the total tryptophan level reached 0.237%. Piglets in the 5% SDPP treatment had higher feed intake than piglets in 10% meat and bone meal treatment with 0.180% of tryptophan, but did not reach a significant level (p<0.05). Body weight gain also had the same trend as feed intake. The pigs in Treatment 1, the lowest total level of tryptophan treatment (0.176%), had lowest feed intake and weight gain, but the difference did not reach a significant level (p>0.05). The pigs in Treatment 1 of Trial 3 had the lowest feed intake and weight gain (p>0.05). Treatment 2 (0.237%) had the highest average feed intake from Week 1 to Week 5; the second best result was recorded in Treatment 4. As for the weight gain of the piglets in Treatment 4 (5% SDPP), they had a higher average weight during the first 3 weeks. The feed efficiency was better for Treatment 4 (5% SDPP) during the first 2 weeks. The results of these trials showed that both SDPP and tryptophan had a trend to improve the feed intake and weight gain.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.8
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• pp.1181-1188
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• 2013

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of supplementing a corn-soybean meal-based diet with an enzyme complex containing amylase, protease and xylanase on the performance, intestinal health, apparent ileal digestibility of amino acids and nutrient digestibility of weaned pigs. In Exp. 1, 108 piglets weaned at 28 d of age were fed one of three diets containing 0 (control), 100, or 150 ppm enzyme complex for 4 wks, based on a two-phase feeding program namely 1 to 7 d (phase 1) and 8 to 28 d (phase 2). At the end of the experiment, six pigs from the control group and the group supplemented with 150 ppm enzyme complex were chosen to collect digesta samples from intestine to measure viscosity and pH in the stomach, ileum, and cecum, as well as volatile fatty acid concentrations and composition of the microflora in the cecum and colon. There were linear increases (p<0.01) in weight gain, gain: feed ratio and digestibility of gross energy with the increasing dose rate of enzyme supplementation during the whole experiment. Supplementation with enzyme complex increased the digesta viscosity in the stomach (p<0.05) and significantly increased (p<0.01) the concentrations of acetic, propionic and butyric acid in the cecum and colon. Enzyme supplementation also significantly increased the population of Lactobacilli (p<0.01) in the cecum and decreased the population of E. coli (p<0.05) in the colon. In Exp. 2, six crossbred barrows (initial body weight: $18.26{\pm}1.21$ kg), fitted with a simple T-cannula at the distal ileum, were assigned to three dietary treatments according to a replicated $3{\times}3$ Latin Square design. The experimental diets were the same as the diets used in phase 2 in Exp. 1. Apparent ileal digestibility of isoleucine (p<0.01), valine (p<0.05) and aspartic acid (p<0.05) linearly increased with the increasing dose rate of enzyme supplementation. In conclusion, supplementation of the diet with an enzyme complex containing amylase, protease and xylanase improved piglet performance. This is likely a result of improvement in nutrient digestibility, volatile fatty acid concentrations and bacteria ratio in the large intestine.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.791-794
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• 2000

Two hundred sixteen crossbred ($Landrace{\times}Yorkshire$) castrates with an average weight of $7.4{\pm}0.3kg$ were used in a $3{\times}3$ factorial treatment array. The treatments were three levels of Herb mixture (HM; 0, 0.40 and 0.80 g/kg BW/day) and three levels of dietary nutrient (17.30% CP, Level-1; 17.90% CP, Level-2; and 18.50% CP, Level-3). The influence of HM intake and nutrient level on growth performance and ADG in 0.40- and 0.80-HM pigs increased significantly (p<0.01) as nutritional level was elevated. Although very little enhancement of ADG was observed at Level-1, peak ADG occurred in 0.8-HM treated pigs at Level-3. Feeding of 0.80 g HM/kg/d to pigs consuming Level-1 diet resulted in a 8.7% increase in ADG compared with control pigs, whereas the increase in ADG as a result of 0.80-HM with Level-3 treatment was 39%. ADFI in Level-2 pigs improved linearly (p<0.01) as HM level was increased. Treatment with HM resulted in a 12.0% increase ranging 4.7 to 20% in the ADFI compared with respective controls. ADFI at all nutritional level was significantly higher in 0.80-HM pigs (p<0.02). F/G in Level-2 pigs improved significantly as HM was fed (p<0.01), and in HM-0.80 pigs was also significantly improved as nutritional level was increased (p<0.05). Pigs fed HM had higher bone mineral density (BMD) at Level-1, longer dorsal spine length (DSL) at level-2 (p<0.05) than pigs fed basal diets. Pigs fed HM tended to higher BMD and DSL than those fed basal diets. The level of GH secretion declined with age. There was no difference between treatments (p>0.05) in the serum growth hormone at the same age. The GH was higher in pigs fed HM than those fed basal diets and increased in all pigs after 2wks feeding. A positive effect of added Herb-Mix on growth performance in weaned pigs was demonstrated by measuring the serum growth hormone, bone mineral density and length of dorsal spine.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.103-109
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• 2011

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of enzymolytic products of soybean meal (ESBM), as one of the protein sources in the diet, on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility and immune function of weaned piglets. Soybean meal produced by bioprocessing with fermentation and enzymolysis contains reduced anti-nutritional factors and improved protein utilization. A total of 240 weaned piglets (Duroc${\times}$Landrace${\times}$Yorkshire, $9.01{\pm}0.22\;kg$ body weight) were randomly allocated to 4 treatments with 6 pens per treatment and 10 piglets per pen. The diets were based on corn-soybean meal and ESBM partially replaced soybean meal and soybean protein isolate at the inclusion level of 5, 10 or 15% in the basal diet. Feed intake and body weight were measured weekly. On days 24 to 27, faeces of each replicate were proportionally collected to determine the nutrient digestibility. On day 28 of the experiment, one piglet from each replicate was slaughtered humanely to collect immune organs. The results showed that inclusion of ESBM increased (p<0.05) the final weight, daily feed intake and daily gain of weaned pigs compared with the control diet, and ESBM at the inclusion levels of 10 and 15% improved (p<0.05) the feed/gain compared with the control diet. There were no differences (p>0.05) in daily feed intake among the levels of ESBM, but increasing the levels of ESBM from 5 to 15% improved (p<0.05) the final weight, average daily gain of pigs and feed/gain. The inclusion of ESBM at 5 to 15% increased (p<0.05) the digestibility of crude protein (CP) by 5 to 16%, and ESBM at 15% increased (p<0.05) the digestibility of digestible energy (DE), Ca and P compared with the control diet. ESBM increased (p<0.05) the relative weights of thymus and mandibular lymph nodes by 57.7 and 29.6%, respectively. The percentages of T lymphocytes, CD4+ and CD8+ in peripheral blood of weaned piglets were also increased (p<0.05) by feeding ESBM. The results suggest that ESBM can be a better protein source in improving growth performance, nutrient digestibility and immune function of weaned piglets.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.117-121
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• 2016

Although piglets have been delivered by embryo transfer (ET) with in vitro produced (IVP) embryos and blastocysts, a success rate has still remained lower level. Unlike mouse, human, and bovine, it is difficult to a production of piglets by in vitro fertilization (IVF) because of an inappropriate in vitro culture (IVC) system in pig. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate whether minimized exposure time in IVC can improve the pregnancy and delivery rates of piglets. Immediately after IVM, the oocytes were denuded and co-incubated with freshly ejaculated boar semen for 3.5 to 4 hours at $38.5^{\circ}C$ under 5% $CO_2$ in air. To avoid long-term exposure to in vitro state, we emitted IVC step after IVF. After that the presumptive zygotes were transferred into both oviducts of the surrogate on the same day or 1 day after the onset of estrus. Pregnancy was diagnosed on day 28 after ET and then was checked regularly every month by ultrasound examination. The 3 out of 4 surrogates were determined as pregnant (75%) and a total of 5 piglets (2 females and 3 males) were delivered at $118.3{\pm}2.5$ days of pregnancy period. In conclusion, a short-term exposure time may be an important factor in the production of IVP-derived piglets. It can be apply to the in vitro production system of transgenic pig by IVF, cloning, and pronuclear microinjection methods.