• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.141-148
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• 2013

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different housing systems on the performances of sows and their piglets during gestation. A total of 90 sows (Landrace ${\times}$ Yorkshire) were employed into 3 experimental farms to give 3 treatments, stall housing, group housing in either slatted floor or litter floor. Individual sow was used as an experimental unit. Group housed sows were fed with electronic sow feeder during gestation. Performance measures were taken on sows and piglets. Back-fat thickness and body condition score of sows were not affected by housing systems for pregnant sows. There was no difference of estrus interval of pregnant sows between housing systems. The lower number of still-birth was observed in group housing type. The number of wounded sows in slatted floor was remarkably increased compared with sows in litter floor. This study showed that the housing systems could fairly impact sow and piglet performances.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.1098-1102
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• 2002

A set of 313,169 reproduction records of Japanese Black cows calving between 1987 and 1996 were collected in nation widely Japan to investigate the current level of reproductive performances and the factors influencing the performances such as calving interval, first calving age, services per conception, calving difficulty, non-gestation period and gestation length. All the records of reproductive performances are outcome of artificial insemination. The means of first calving age, calving interval, non-gestation period and gestation length were 25.0 months, 389.9, 101.9 and 287.5 days, respectively. Services per conception were 1.41 and degree of calving difficulty was 1.07, which suggests most of the calving, did not need assistance. There were chronological tendencies that first calving age became younger while calving interval became longer. Differences in reproductive performance were found for seasons and calving numbers. Calving interval became shorter towards the fourth calving but became longer afterwards. The cows calving in May had the shortest calving interval followed by those in April and June and first calving age had a similar tendency. The cows with the standard body condition score showed more favourable reproductive performances compare with those with rather fatty or thin body condition scores.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.103-114
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• 1989

Reciprocal crosses were conducted between three strains of Taiwan Country chickens, developed in the National Chung-Hsing University, and two strains of Single Comb White Leghorns, developed in the Taiwan Livestock Research Institute. Traits studied were growing performances, laying performances, egg quality traits and traits concerning disease resistance, including resistance to Marek's disease virus and immune responses to Newcastle disease virus vaccine and to sheep red blood cell. Results indicated that laying performances of Taiwan country chickens were much inferior to White Leghorns, but they matured earlier, their eggs had better shell strength and larger proportion of yolk, and their general disease resistance was much better than White Leghorns. Heterosis were found in laying performances and egg quality traits. The heterosis in laying traits was so large that the hybrid laid as many eggs and as large eggs as did pure strains of White Leghorns. Strategies on the improvement of native chickens and the utilization of genetic merits of native chickens were also discussed.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.223-229
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• 2016

The carcass size performances and the meat quality of Gannan and Sibu yak were determined using M. supraspinatus (SU), M. longissimus thoracis (LT) and M.quadriceps femoris (QF). It is found that Sibu yak had significantly higher carcass weight (CW) than Gannan yak with difference of nearly 40 kg, as well as significantly higher eye muscle area (EMA), carcass thorax depth (CTD), round perimeter (RP), etc. The carcass performances of steer yak were significantly higher than heifer yak except meat thickness at round (MTR) (p<0.05). The results show that both yak breed and gender had significant effects on carcass performances. It could be seen that the variation of carcass size performances from breeds is as large as from gender (50.22% and 46.25% of total variation, respectively) through principal component analysis (PCA). Sibu yak had significantly higher L*, b*, WBSF, cooking loss and Fat content, while Gannan yak had significantly higher a*, press loss, protein content and moisture (p<0.05). Yak gender and muscle had insignificant effects on meat colour and water holding capacity (p>0.05). The variation of meat quality of yak from breed is up to 59.46% of total variation according to PCA. It is shown that the difference between breeds, for Gannan yak and Sibu yak, plays an important role in carcass size performance and meat quality.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.157-164
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• 2012

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of different farrowing space, narrow and wide, on the sow performances and piglet growth performances. The $1.5m^2$ of narrow farrowing space was determined as the size of farrowing crate. The $3.0m^2$ of wide space for farrowing sow was the same of farrowing pen to allow the behavior freedom of sow. Baby piglets in the wide farrowing space was protected from crushing of sow by installation of safety bar. The pregnant sows used in this study were stall-housed during gestation and moved to each farrowing spaces on 8 d before parturition. Feed intake, backfat thickness and body condition score of sow were not affected by both farrowing spaces. However, the changes in backfat thickness and body condition score between farrowing and weaning in wide farrowing space were lower (p<0.05) than in narrow farrowing space. The return to estrus of sow was remarkably decreased in wide farrowing space compared to sows in narrow farrowing space. The lower number of stillbirth and higher mortality of piglets were observed in wide farrowing space. From the results, although wide farrowing space could be practically acceptable in terms of sow performances, possible cause of mortality of piglets should be scrutinized through observation of piglet and sow behaviors.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.361-368
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• 1991

In two experiments 640 starcross replacement pullets between 25 and 154 days of age were fed ad libitum on either of 16 diets formed by the combination of $4CP{\times}4ME$ levels to study the interaction of CP and ME on growth performances. In both experiments, feed intake decreased, but protein intake, energy intake, live weight gain and feed conversion efficiency increased and sexual maturity hastened with the increase of dietary protein and/or energy level. The protein conversion efficiency decreased with the increase of dietary protein level. The energy conversion efficiency, however, did not show any relationship with dietary energy level. There was a greater improvement of growth performance due to simultaneous increase of dietary protein and energy level than that of increasing protein or energy alone.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.971-975
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• 2007

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the feeding values of red pepper seed oil meal (RPSOM) and to investigate its dietary supplementation on broiler performances. In Exp. 1, nutritional values of RPSOM were evaluated by analyzing chemical composition and determining true metabolizable energy (TME), nitrogen corrected TME (TMEn) and true available amino acid (TAAA). RPSOM contained 22.50% of CP, 4.75% of ether extract, 27.70% of crude fiber, 4.73% of crude ash and 49.97 ppm of xanthophylls. The contents of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin were 34 mg and 31 mg/100 g DM, respectively. The values of TME and TMEn determined by force-feeding 16 roosters were 1.73 kcal/g and 1.63 kcal/g DM, respectively. The average TAAA value of 17 amino acids was 85.22%. In Exp. 2, a total of 225 Ross male broiler chicks, 3 weeks old, were randomly divided into 9 groups of 25 birds each and assigned to three experimental diets containing 0 (control), 5 or 10% RPSOM fed ad libitum for 3 weeks. No significant differences were observed in growth performances and carcass characteristics. The level of serum cholesterol in the 10% RPSOM group was significantly lower than that of the control group (113.92 vs. 137.50 mg/dl). The dietary RPSOM at 5 and 10% levels increased the content of C18:2 ${\omega}{\sigma}$ in leg muscle compared with the control group. The results suggested that RPSOM can be included into broiler feed up to 10% without any negative effects on broiler performances and physiological responses and used as a non-conventional plant protein source, if its nutritional values are well evaluated.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.8
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• pp.1110-1118
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• 2018

Objective: This study was intended to identify genes positively selected in Thoroughbred horses (THBs) that potentially contribute to their running performances. Methods: The genomes of THB and Jeju horses (JH, Korean native horse) were compared to identify genes positively selected in THB. We performed cross-population extended haplotype homozygosity (XP-EHH) and cross-population composite likelihood ratio test (XP-CLR) statistical methods for our analysis using whole genome resequencing data of 14 THB and 6 JH. Results: We identified 98 (XP-EHH) and 200 (XP-CLR) genes that are under positive selection in THB. Gene enrichment analysis identified 72 gene ontology biological process (GO BP) terms. The genes and GO BP terms explained some of THB's characteristics such as immunity, energy metabolism and eye size and function related to running performances. GO BP terms that play key roles in several cell signaling mechanisms, which affected ocular size and visual functions were identified. GO BP term Eye photoreceptor cell differentiation is among the terms annotated presumed to affect eye size. Conclusion: Our analysis revealed some positively selected candidate genes in THB related to their racing performances. The genes detected are related to the immunity, ocular size and function, and energy metabolism.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.357-358
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• 1989

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.535-536
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• 1989