• Title/Summary/Keyword: reproduction efficiency

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Efficiency of Equilume light mask on the resumption of early estrous cyclicity and ovulation in Thoroughbred mares

  • Kim, Seongmin;Jung, Heejun;Murphy, Barbara Anne;Yoon, Minjung
    • Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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    • v.64 no.1
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    • pp.1-9
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    • 2022
  • Equilume light masks had no impact on hastening the resumption of estrous cyclicity in mares maintained in outdoor pastures on the mainland of Korea due to the cold weather conditions. Jeju Island is a major horse-breeding site in Korea and is warmer than the mainland during the winter season. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to explore the efficiency of the Equilume light mask on the resumption of seasonal estrous cycles in Thoroughbred mares on Jeju Island. A total of 20 nonpregnant mares were randomly divided into the Equilume light mask (n = 9) and stable lighting (n =11) groups. The experiment was performed at seven different horse-breeding farms located on Jeju Island from November 15, 2020, to February 15, 2021. The mares were exposed to the respective lights from 16:00 to 23:00. Follicle size and uterine edema were measured by ultrasound scanning. Body condition scores (BCS) were also monitored during the experiment. Statistical analysis was conducted using the SAS and SPSS software, and p-values of < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Two of the nine (22.2%) mares in the Equilume light mask group and three of the 11 (27.28%) mares in the stable lighting group were still cycling in December and January, which were considered as all-year-round cycling mares. On February 15, there was no difference between groups in the resumption of early seasonal estrus cycle, which was determined by follicles > 25 mm in addition to uterine edema. All mares in the Equilume light mask group and five of the eight mares (62.5%) in the stable lighting group had resumed cycling. Interestingly, six of the seven mares (87.5%) in the Equilume light mask and four of eight mares (50%) in the stable lighting group had already ovulated on February 15 (p > 0.05), as determined by the presence of a recent corpus luteum. No difference was observed in BCS and uterine edema between groups (p > 0.05). In conclusion, the Equilume light mask can be an effective approach to induce early seasonal estrus cycles of mares in Jeju Island, and it also enhances the efficiency of farm management by reducing labor.

Studies on the Changes of Sex Hormone Concentrations in Milk during the Reproductive Stages of Dairy Cows (유우의 번식과정에 따른 유즙중의 성호르몬 수준 변화에 관한 연구)

  • 김상근;이재근
    • Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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    • v.9 no.1
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    • pp.9-30
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    • 1985
  • The study was carried out to find out the changes of the sex hormone levels in the milk of Holstein cows during the reproductive stages such as the estrous cycle, pregnancy and periparturient period. The FSH, LH, estradiol-17$\beta$ and progesterone from the milk samples were assayed by radioimmunoassay methods. The results of this study were summarized as follows: 1. The levels of progesterone and estradiol-17$\beta$ were similar among inter-quarters, but they were higher in after milking than before milking times, with no statistical significance. 2. The milk progesterone levels during the estrous cycles reached a peak mean level of 3.55$\pm$0.26ng/$m\ell$ at 15 days after estrus and they did not show any differences among the length of estrous cycles. The estradiol-17$\beta$ levels during the estrous cycles showed a peak level of 36.40$\pm$2.38pg/$m\ell$ at estrus, and decreased(17.20$\pm$0.46 pg/$m\ell$ to 18.65$\pm$1.26pg/$m\ell$) at luteal phase. 3. The FSH levels during the estrous cycles ranged from 2.25$\pm$0.23mIU/$m\ell$ to 4.35$\pm$0.24mIU/$m\ell$ showing significant changes. The LH levels during the estrous cycles gradually increased and remained a peak level of 10.90$\pm$0.36mIU/$m\ell$ from 20 to 25 days after estrus. 4. The progesterone levels during the pregnancy were decreased from 30 to 60 days after artificial insemination, and therafter continuously increased until 240 days. The estradiol-17$\beta$ levels during the pregnancy were 24.56$\pm$1.19pg/$m\ell$ at day 30 after artificial inseminaton, and increased rapidly until 180 days. The levles were agagin decreased by 26.17$\pm$3.03pg/$m\ell$ until 210 days and markedly increased by 68.00$\pm$8.70pg/$m\ell$ until 240 days. 5. The prolactin levels during the pregnancy were 31.27$\pm$2.31ng/$m\ell$ and 42.60$\pm$2.37ng/$m\ell$ at day 150 and 240 after artificial insemination respectively. The LH levels during the pregnancy reached a peak of 27.47$\pm$7.90mIU/$m\ell$ at day 30 after artificial insemination, and thereafter gradually decreased. 6. The progesterone levels during the periparturient period reached a peak of 4.61$\pm$0.34ng/$m\ell$ at day 3 prepartum, and thereafter gradually decreased, and showed 2.05$\pm$0.60ng/$m\ell$ at day 7 postpartum. The estradiol-17$\beta$ levels during the periparturient period showed high level from 207.23$\pm$6.04pg/$m\ell$ at day 1 prepartum to 239.90$\pm$13.90pg/$m\ell$ at day 2 prepartum, and thereafter began to decline and reached 51.87$\pm$1.72pg/$m\ell$ at by 7 postpartum. 7. The prolactin levels during the periparturient period showed relatively higher level at the time of parturition. The LH levels during the periparturient period rnage from 6.32$\pm$0.32mIU/$m\ell$ to 13.90$\pm$1.37mIU/$m\ell$ showing significant changes. 8. The progesterone levels(4.6$\pm$0.8ng/$m\ell$) of the pregnant cows were significantly higher than those (1.84$\pm$1.4ng/$m\ell$) of nonpregnant cows. The cows of artificial insemination from 61 to 90 days after parturition showed higher progesterone levels. 9. During 20 to 25 days after artificial insemination, the accuracy of pregnancy diagnosis from milk progesterone levels were 94.4% for nonpregnant cows(<2.3ng/$m\ell$), and 75.0% for pregnant cows( 3.2ng/$m\ell$). The average overall accuracy of pregnancy prediction for nonpregnant and pregnant cows 83.3% 10. The results obtained this study suggest that the understanding of the endocrinological mechanisms by means of milk hormone analysis during the estrous cycle, pregnancy and parturition would give the basic information needed for increasing efficiency of reproduction. This study would not only provide an accurate method of the early pregnancy diagnosis by milk progesterone levels but also contribute to the research of providing the method of detecting of FSH levels in milk, which was difficult in blood serum.

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Design Methodology of Yard Layout in Port Container Terminal (컨테이너터미널의 장치장 레이아웃 설계방법)

  • Choi Yong-Seok;Ha Tae-Young
    • Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Navigation and Port Research Conference
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    • 2004.11a
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    • pp.183-188
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    • 2004
  • This paper presents a method for designing layout on the yard and evaluating alternative designs of the layout by applying simulation. The design method is based on the concepts of the conventional port container terminal with yard layout, In general, yard design of the container terminal is consists of the two major parts. One is to divide yard area between the number of sections and the number of runs and the other is to decide the number of equipment that is the yard truck and yard crane. In the past days, this design was depended on the experience of the terminal operator and the reproduction of the conventional terminal layout because it is a very complex decision problem. In this paper, we suggest the method of yard design as a conceptual procedure and estimate the efficiency of the container crane and the optimal number of equipment using simulation. In the experiment results, the number of sections and runs on yard area, the number of yard truck per container crane and the number of yard crane per run are decided. In addition, the traffic flow among blocks on yard layout is estimated in terms of rate.

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Detection of Matrix Metalloprotease-9 and Analysis of Protein Patterns in Bovine Vaginal Mucus during Estrus and Pregnancy

  • Kim, Sang-Hwan;Baek, Jun-Seok;Lee, Ho-Jun;Min, Kwan-Sik;Lee, Deuk-Hwan;Yoon, Jong-Taek
    • Journal of Embryo Transfer
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    • v.27 no.2
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    • pp.93-100
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    • 2012
  • To investigate the biochemical nature of changes in vaginal physiology during estrus and pregnancy, we examined the cytology and viscosity, and monitored the protein expression profile in vaginal mucus during estrus and pregnancy. The viscosity progressively decreased from estrus to pregnancy. Cell type analysis revealed that white blood cells progressively increased from estrus to pregnancy, while red blood cells progressively decreased during pregnancy. The cornification index (CI) was higher in estrus than in pregnancy. Protein mass spectrumetry identified the presence of ribosome-binding protein 1, GRIP 1 (Glutamate receptor-interacting protein 1)-associated protein 1, DUF729 (Domain of unknown function729) domain-containing protein 1, prolactin precursor, dihydrofolatereductase, and MMP (Matrix metalloprotease)-9 in vaginal mucus. MMP-2 and MMP-9 proteins in the vaginal mucus were active throughout estrus and gestation, as measured by a gelatinase assay, but most abundant in the vaginal mucus on day 0 of estrus. Results from ELISA of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were in accordance with the gelatinase assay. In light of the crucial role of metalloproteinases in extracellular matrix remodeling, the level of MMP-9 in vaginal mucus might be useful as an indicator of estrus and pregnancy to increase the efficiency of reproduction.

Enhancement of Transgene Expression by HDAC Inhibitors in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells

  • Kim, Young-Eun;Park, Jeong-A;Park, Sang-Kyu;Kang, Ho-Bum;Kwon, Hyung-Joo;Lee, Younghee
    • Development and Reproduction
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    • v.17 no.4
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    • pp.379-387
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    • 2013
  • Embryonic stem (ES) cells can self-renew and differentiate to various cells depending on the culture condition. Although ES cells are a good model for cell type specification and can be useful for application in clinics in the future, studies on ES cells have many experimental restraints including low transfection efficiency and transgene expression. Here, we observed that transgene expression after transfection was enhanced by treatment with histone deacetylse (HDAC) inhibitors such as trichostatin A, sodium butyrate, and valproic acid. Transfection was performed using conventional transfection reagents with a retroviral vector encoding GFP under the control of CMV promoter as a reporter. Treatment of ES cells with HDAC inhibitors after transfection increased population of GFP positive cells up to 180% compared with untreated control. ES cells showed normal expression of stem cell markers after treatment with HDAC inhibitors. Transgene expression was further enhanced by modifying transfection procedure. GFP positive cells selected after transfection were proved to have the stem cell properties. Our improved protocol for enhanced gene delivery and expression in mouse ES cells without hampering ES cell properties will be useful for study and application of ES cells.

Past and Present Definitions of the Energy and Protein Requirements of Ruminants

  • Corbett, J.L.;Freer, M.
    • Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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    • v.16 no.4
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    • pp.609-624
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    • 2003
  • The genesis of methods for defining the nutritional value of feeds and the nutrient requirements of animals, and their development in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Europe and the USA are outlined. Current energy and protein feeding systems for ruminants are described. Particular reference is made to the Australian systems which are applicable to grazing animals as well as to those given prepared feeds, and enable the effective nutritional management of a imals at pasture by means of the decision support tool GrazFeed. The scheme for predicting intakes by cattle and sheep from pastures allows for the effects of selective grazing on the composition of the feed eaten, and for reduction in herbage intake when a supplementary feed is consumed. For herbage of any given concentration of metabolizable energy (ME) in the feed dry matter the changes with season of year in the net efficiency of use of the ME for growth and fattening and in the yield of microbial crude protein, g/MJ ME, which both vary with latitude, are defined. An equation to predict the energy requirements for maintenance (MEm) of both cattle and sheep includes predictions of the additional energy costs incurred by grazing compared with housed animals and the cost, if any, of cold stress. The equation allows for the change in MEm with feed intake. A flexible procedure predicts the composition of liveweight gain made by any given breed or sex of cattle and sheep at any stage of growth, and the variation with rate of gain. Protein requirements for maintenance, production including wool growth, and reproduction, are related to the quantities of microbial true protein and undegraded dietary protein truly digested in the small intestine.

Reproductive performance of Korean native cattle (Hanwoo) focusing on calving interval and parity (분만간격과 산차를 중심으로 한국 재래종인 한우의 번식능력 분석)

  • Cho, Jaesung;Do, Changhee;Choi, Inchul
    • Journal of Embryo Transfer
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    • v.31 no.3
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    • pp.273-279
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    • 2016
  • The Korean native cattle, Hanwoo, is the most popular breed of beef cattle in Korea. However, the reproductive performance data are limited although reproduction is one of the most economically and biologically important in beef production. Therefore, this study was undertaken to investigate reproductive performance parameters including calving interval, parity for life time production. Data collected from 206,827 calvings were analyzed. There were no significant differences in calving interval and gestation days as parity increased from 2nd and 13rd parity cow, from spring to winter. However, we found a dramatic increase in calving interval after year 2000. About 1 month were increased per year ( y = 30.578x + 344.45 $R^2=0.9157$). Interestingly, we observed that parities for life time can be affected by birth weight. Calves with 23 kg at birth showed highest parities, $3.4{\pm}2.0$ times. In summary, this study provides valuable data on reproductive performance of Hanwoo and the data presented here can be used as a standard target for optimising and enhancing reproductive performance.

XML-based Portable Self-containing Representation of Strongly-typed Genetic Program (XML 기반 강건 타입형 유전자 프로그램의 이식${\cdot}$독립적 표현)

  • Lee Seung-Ik;Tanev Ivan;Shimohara Katsunori
    • Journal of KIISE:Software and Applications
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    • v.32 no.4
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    • pp.277-289
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    • 2005
  • To overcome the long design time/high computational effort/low computational performance of phylogenetic learning featuring selection and reproduction, this paper proposes a genetic representation based on XML. Since genetic programs (GP) and genetic operations of this representation are maintained by the invocation of the built-in off-the-shelf XML parser's API, the proposed approach features significant reduced time consumption of GP design process. Handling only semantically correct GPs with standard XML schema can reduce search space and computational effort. Furthermore, computational performance can be improved by the parallelism of GP caused by the utilization of XML, which is a feasible system and wire format for migration of genetic programs in heterogeneous distributed computer environments. To verify the proposed approach, it is applied to the evolution of social behaviors of multiple agents modeling the predator-prey pursuit problem. The results show that the approach can be applied for fast development and time efficiency of GPs.

Effects of the Morphology of Ovaries and Vessels for In Vitro Maturation on the Development and Cell Number of Korean Native Cow Embryos (난소의 형태와 배양 용기가 한우 체외수정란의 발달과 세포수에 미치는 영향)

  • Park Y. S.;Park H. D.
    • Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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    • v.29 no.1
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    • pp.37-41
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    • 2005
  • The aim of this study was to improve efficiency and quality of the production of Korean Native Cow embryos. We examined effects of ovarian morphology and maturation vessel on the development and cell number of blastocysts. The development rates to the 2-cell embryos from oocytes collected from the ovaries of different morphological statues were similar ranging between 70.3 and 84.1%. The development rate to the 8 cell- and blastocyst-stage embryos was the highest in the group without both corpus luteum (CL) and follicle. The inner cell mass (ICM), trophectoderm (TE) and total cell number (TCN) were significantly higher in the groups of follicular cyst and regressive CL than other treatment groups, and the same pattern was observed in the ICM/TCN ratio. The development rate to the 2-cell stage was significantly higher in 0.5-㎖ straw group than 0.25-㎖ straw group. However, the development rates to the blastocyst stage were similar between the dish and the straw group. There were no differences in the number of ICM and TE cells, TCN and ICM/TCN ratio of blastocysts from oocytes matured in the different vessels.

The Search of Pig Pheromonal Odorants for Biostimulation Control System Technologies: A 2D-QSAR Model for Binding Affinity between 2-Cyclohexyloxytetrahydrofurane Analogues and Porcine Odorant Binding Protein (생물학적 자극 통제 수단으로 활용하기 위한 돼지 페로몬성 냄새 물질의 탐색: 2-Cyclohexyloxytetrahydrofurane 유도체와 Porcine Odorant Binding Protein 사이의 결합 친화력에 관한 2D-QSAR 모델)

  • Park, Chang-Sik;Choi, Yang-Seok;Sung, Nack-Do
    • Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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    • v.31 no.1
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    • pp.15-20
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    • 2007
  • To search of a new porcine pheromonal odorant for biostimulation control system technologies to offer a potentially useful and practical way to improve reproductive efficiency in livestock species, the two dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models between physicochemical parameters as descriptors of 2-cyclohexyloxytetrahydrofurane (A), 2-phenoxytetrahydrofurane (B) analogues and binding affinity constant ($p[Od.]_{50}$) for porcine odorant-binding protein (pOBP) as receptor of pig pheromones were derived and disscused. The statistical quality of the optimized 2D-QSAR model is good ($r^{2}=0.964$) and accounts for 96.4% of the variance in the binding affinity constants. It was found that the binding affinity constants were dependent upon the optimal value, $(SL)_{opt.}=1.418$ of substituent lipole (SL) in molecules. Therefore, the SL constant was very important factor for binding affinity.