• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.125-133
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• 1990

The effect of dietary protein-energy restriction (PER) on the growth of long bone were examined in sheep during growing period and then following a cycle of reproduction. Three months-old female sheep were offered protein-energy restricted feed for 6 months (growing period), thereafter changed to normal nutritional conditions for 8 months (reproduction period). A half of animals in each group took pregnancy, parturition and lactation. The nutritional restriction reduced the growth in bone diameter more than that in bone length. Compensatory growth resulting from the removal of the nutritional restraint strongly occurred in bone diameter, especially the bone cortical width, as compared to bone longitudinal growth. A cycle of reproduction severely decreased the growth in the bone cortical width relative to that in the bone width, and little effect was found on the growth in bone length and bone mass. The depression of bone development by pregnancy and lactation tended to exhibit severer in animals having received normal nutrition than in those having received PER. Bone mineral density was not affected by the nutritional restriction. A cycle of reproduction had an adverse effect on the mineral density between in animals having received normal nutrition and in those having received PER.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.335-341
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• 2003

Carcass weight and backfat thickness are two of important elements in determining the carcass trait in pigs and are studied on animal genetics, nutrition, and endocrinology. Growth factors stimulate or inhibit the proliferation and differentiation of various cells. In particular, insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), transforming growth factor (TGF)-$\beta$, and epidermal growth factor (EGF) are involved in the growth and maintenance of muscle. Also, dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-S) and cortisol are known to be related to the obesity and subcutaneous fat depth in pigs. Therefore, this study was performed to relate growth factors (IGFs, TGF-${\beta}1$, and EGF) and hormones (cortisol and DHEA-S) concentrations at antemortem and postmortem periods to carcass traits including carcass weight and backfat thickness. Blood and m. Longissimus were collected in pigs at antemortem (30 days before slaughter) and postmortem periods. After slaughtered, carcass weight and backfat thickness were measured. Growth factors and hormones in serum and m. Longissimus were measured by radioimmunoassay or enzyme-linked imuunosorbent assay. Before antemortem period, serum IGF-I and -II concentrations were positively correlated with the carcass weight and backfat thickness in gilts, and the concentrations of TGF- ${\beta}1$ and cortisol in barrows show the correlation with only carcass weight. Also, the positive correlations of muscular IGFs and TGF-${\beta}1$ at postmortem 45 min with the carcass weight and backfat thickness were detected. Consequently, these results suggest that the serum and muscular endocrine factors are involved in the carcass weight and backfat thickness in pigs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.577-583
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• 2012

This study was carried out to investigate the supplemental effects of dietary garlic extract (GE) on growth performance of juvenile sterlet sturgeon (Acipenser ruthenus). The first experiment was designed to determine the optimum levels of garlic extract as growth promoter during 10 weeks. Three groups (two replicates/group) of 240 fish with mean body weight of 85 g were fed with diets containing 0 (control), 0.5 and 1.0% of GE. The highest weight gain (%) and feed efficiency (%) were found in fish groups fed with diet containing 0.5% GE. Subsequently, the supplemental effects of dietary GE was studied on growth of juvenile sterlet sturgeon (Acipenser ruthenus) with an average body weight of 59.6 g. Fish cultured in freshwater were randomly allotted to each of 10 tanks (two groups of five replicates, 20 fish/tank) and fed diets with 0.5% GE or without GE (control), respectively, at the level of 2.0% of fish body weight per day for 5 weeks. Weight gain (51.1%), feed efficiency (79.1%), specific growth rate (1.18%) and protein efficiency ratio (1.50) of fish fed 0.5% GE were significantly (p<0.05) higher than those fish fed the control diet. Significantly higher protein (PRE 20.4%) and lipid retention efficiencies (LRE, 74.5%) were also found in 0.5% GE group (p<0.05). The present results suggested that dietary GE could improve growth and feed utilization of juvenile sterlet sturgeons.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.573-583
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• 2015

B-32 is one of a panel of monoclonal anti-idiotypic antibodies to growth hormone (GH) that we developed. To characterize and identify its potential role as a novel growth hormone receptor (GHR) agonist, we determined that B-32 behaved as a typical $Ab2{\beta}$ based on a series of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay assays. The results of fluorescence-activated cell sorting, indirect immunofluorescence and competitive receptor binding assays demonstrated that B-32 specifically binds to the GHR expressed on target cells. Next, we examined the resulting signal transduction pathways triggered by this antibody in primary porcine hepatocytes. We found that B-32 can activate the GHR and Janus kinase (2)/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK2/STAT5) signalling pathways. The phosphorylation kinetics of JAK2/STAT5 induced by either GH or B-32 were analysed in dose-response and time course experiments. In addition, B32 could also stimulate porcine hepatocytes to secrete insulin-like growth factors-1. Our work indicates that a monoclonal anti-idiotypic antibody to GH (B-32) can serve as a GHR agonist or GH mimic and has application potential in domestic animal (pig) production.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.148-152
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• 2019

Soil acidity or alkalinity are serious limitations for crop production. The purpose of this study was to clarify the negative effects of extreme pH stress (low and high) on alfalfa vegetative growth (VG) and biomass accumulation (BA). Two-week-old alfalfa seedlings were exposed to different pH (4.0, 4.5, 7.0, 8.0 and 8.5, respectively) levels for 72 hours. Alfalfa grown at pH 4.0 and 8.5 significantly reduced VG and BA, wherein as neutral pH (7.0) comparably exhibited better growth and biomass yield. These results indicate that extreme acidic or alkaline level are critical limiting factors for growth and biomass yield in alfalfa.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.7
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• pp.1059-1066
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• 2023

Objective: Present study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of Acacia nilotica bark extract as an alternative to antibiotic growth promoters in broilers. Methods: Six hundred, day-old broiler chicks were randomly divided into six groups (NC, without any supplementation; AB, NC+Zinc Bacitracin; PB, NC+Safmannan; ANBE1, NC+A. nilotica bark extract 0.1%; ANBE3, NC+A. nilotica bark extract 0.3%; ANBE5, NC+A. nilotica bark extract 0.5%), with ten replicates per group (10 chicks/replicate) and feeding trial was lasted for 35 days. Results: Results showed that weight gain (1,296.63 g) and feed conversion ratio (FCR, 1.59) of AB was better than NC, during the finisher phase. Overall FCR of AB (1.53), PB (1.54), and ANBE5 (1.54) was significantly (p<0.05) better than NC. From carcass parameters relative weight of wing and heart were highest in ANBE3 (2.5% and 1.51%, respectively). Significantly (p<0.05) highest blood glucose level was observed in NC (264.5 mg/dL) and highest albumin concentration was found in AB (1.46 mg/dL). In addition, antibody titer levels against ND and IBD were higher in ANBE5 than NC, while higher relative weight of bursa was observed in ANBE3 than NC. The villus height to crypt depth ratio in all experimental groups was better than NC. Conclusion: Acacia nilotica bark extract could be a suitable alternative to antibiotic growth promoters to support the growth in broilers.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.447-454
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• 2021

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different copper sources (inorganic and organic) on the growth performance, fecal copper excretion, intestinal morphology, and health in growing pigs. A total of 40 growing pigs (30.22 ± 1.92 kg) were randomly assigned to 5 dietary treatments: a basal control diet (CON), 4 experimental diets supplemented with either copper sulfate (CuSO₄), Cu-glycine complex (CuGly), Cu-amino acid complex (CuAA), or Cu-hydroxy-4-methylthio butanoate chelate complex (CuHMB) at 100 ppm, respectively. At the end of the study (28 days), fecal and blood samples were collected, and the pigs were slaughtered to determine the intestinal morphology. During the 28 days of the experimental period, pigs fed the inorganic and organic copper showed a higher average daily gain (p < 0.01) and gain feed ratio (p < 0.01). There were no differences in mineral concentrations of the serum; however, the copper concentration of the feces was lower (p < 0.01) in the CuAA and CuHMB groups. The intestinal morphology and blood profiles did not significantly differ between the groups. In conclusion, the organic copper sources (CuAA and CuHMB) can be used as a growth promoter to replace the CuSO₄ without any negative effects on health in growing pigs and to reduce fecal copper excretion.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.1073-1079
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• 2008

The objectives of this study were to identify polymorphisms of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) gene and to investigate their association with growth traits in Nanjiang Huang goats. Five hundred and ninety-two animals were used to detect the polymorphisms in the complete coding sequence, part of introns and the 5'-regulatory region of the IGF-I gene by means of PCR-SSCP. A new single nucleotide polymorphism (G to C transversion) was identified at intron 4 of the IGF-I gene in the goats. Two alleles and three genotypes were observed in this group. The frequency of G and C alleles was 54.6 and 45.4%, respectively. The statistical analysis showed that polymorphism of the IGF-I gene had a significant association (p<0.05) with birth weight (BW), body weight at 6 months (W6) and at 12 months (W12), heart girth at 2 months (G2), body length at 6 months (L6), wither height at 6 months (H6) and at 12 months (H12) and heart girth at 12 months (G12). The goats with genotype CC had significantly higher BW, W6, W12, G2, L6, H6, H12 and G12 than those with genotype GC and had significantly higher W12, H6, H12 and G12 than those with genotype GG. Therefore, genotype CC may be the most advantageous for growth traits in the Nanjiang Huang goat. However, no significant association between SNP genotypes and other growth traits was observed. These results indicated that the SNP marker of the IGF-I gene may be a potential molecular marker for growth traits in Nanjiang Huang goats.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.221-228
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• 2017

Objective: The objective of this experiment was to characterize the mRNA expression profile of type IIb sodium-inorganic phosphate cotransporter (NaPi-IIb) and the biochemical values of serum alkaline phosphatase (AKP), calcium, inorganic phosphorus, tibial ash and minerals of broiler chickens with aging. Methods: A total of 56 one-day-old Arbor Acres male broiler chickens were used. Broiler chickens were weighed and samples were collected weekly from day 1. Results: The result showed that before the growth inflection point, ash, calcium, and phosphorus content in the tibia of broiler chickens increased with growth (before 3 weeks of age), although there were no significant differences in chicks at different ages in the later period of the experiment and weight gain rate was relatively slow at this stage (4 to 6 weeks). NaPi-IIb gene expression in the small intestine in the early growth stage was higher than that in the later growth stage. Expression of calbindin and the vitamin D receptor protein in the intestinal mucosa increased with age in the duodenum and jejunum. Serum AKP activity first increased and subsequently decreased after peaking at 1 week of age, but there was no significant difference after 3 weeks of age. Conclusion: These results show that compared with the early growth stage, the weight-gain rate of broiler chickens in the late growth stage gradually decreased with gradual tibia maturation, along with weaker positive transport of phosphorus in the intestine and reinforced re-absorption of phosphorus in the kidney, which might be the reason that phosphorus requirement in the late growth stage was decreased.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.7
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• pp.1075-1082
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• 2023

Objective: Animal feed companies and researchers are currently embarking on quests for feed additives that could combat the pathogens while promoting growth as well as maintaining quality products. The current study aimed to evaluate the effects of onion extracts on growth performance, carcass quality, and bone morphometrics of broiler chickens. Methods: A total number of 200 one-day-old unsexed Ross 308 broiler chicks were assigned to 5 treatment groups, replicated 4 times. Each replicate (pens) held 10 chickens in a completely randomized design. The experimental diets were then randomly allotted to the pens which act as experimental units. The isoenergetic and isonitrogenous diets were formulated by including onion extracts at 0, 5, 10, 15, or 25 g/kg in a complete broiler diet. Feed intake, and body weight, were recorded then used to calculate feed conversion ratio. At the end of the experiment (42 days), four chickens from each pen were randomly selected for slaughter for carcass, bone morphology and sensory evaluation. Results: Results showed that onion extract supplementation did not affect (p>0.05) growth performances and meat sensory evaluation. However, there was a significantly increased (p<0.05) meat shear force in groups receiving onion extracts dietary treatments. Furthermore, onion extracts improved (p<0.05) bone morphology of broiler chickens in terms of weight, diameter, calcium, and phosphorous contents. Conclusion: In conclusion, onion extracts can be safely included in a commercial broiler diet as a growth promoter without causing adverse effects on growth performance traits and carcass quality in chickens. Onion extract supplementation improved tibia bone growth and strength in broiler chickens.