• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.129-136
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to investigate the comparison of viability of bovine blastocysts following glass micropipette (GMP) vitrification and the possibility of production of Korean Native Cow ("Hanwoo,"Bos taurus coreanae) following embryo transfer into Mongolia cows (Bos taurus mongolian). The embryos of Korean Native Cow were produced by IVMFC or superovulation methods in Korea, cryopreserved by GMP vitrification, and subsequently trans-ported to Mongolia. The recipient cows were synchronized using a CIDR plus and prostaglandin $F_2\alpha$($PGF_2\alpha$) treatment. To produce in vivo embryos, seven cows were superovulated using FSH and PGF$_2$／sub $\alpha$／ treatment. A total of 64 blastocysts ( $9.1\pm2.94$ per cow) were collected. In vitro embryos were produced using a defined culture system which cleaved in 80.1％ ova (174／217), and developed to blastocyst stage embryos of 40.8％ (71／174). The post-thaw survival rate of in vivo blastocysts (93.7％; 45／48) was significantly higher than that of in vitro blastocysts (82.5％; 52／63, P＜0.05). Embryo transfer was carried out using 8 Mongolian recipient cows and 2 post-thaw blastocysts per recipient. Five of 8 recipients were found pregnant at Day 60 but one abortion occurred by Day 240. Two of offspring were produced from the Mongolian cows at 275 days after embryo transfer. These results indicated that a GMP vitrification method could be used as a cryopreservation technique for in vivo or in vitro bovine blastocysts and produced effectively a Korean Native Cow following embryo transfer into a Mongolian recipient cow.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.7
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• pp.1057-1066
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• 2007

Six male Gayal (Bos frontalis), approximately two years of age and with a mean live weight of $203{\pm}17$ kg ($mean{\pm}standard\;deviation$), were housed indoors in metabolism cages and fed bamboo (Sinarundinaria) leaves and twigs. After an adjustment period of 24 days of feeding the diet, samples of rumen liquor were obtained for analyses of bacteria in the liquor. The diversity of rumen bacteria was investigated by constructing a 16S rDNA clone library. A total of 147 clones, comprising nearly full length sequences (with a mean length of 1.5 kb) were sequenced and submitted to an on-line similarity search and phylogenetic analysis. Using the criterion of 97% or greater similarity with the sequences of known bacteria, 17 clones were identified as Ruminococcus albus, Butyrivibrio fibrosolvens, Quinella ovalis, Clostridium symbiosium, Succiniclasticum ruminis, Selenomonas ruminantium and Allisonella histaminiformans, respectively. A further 22 clones shared similarity ranging from 90-97% with known bacteria but the similarity in sequences for the remaining 109 clones was less than 90% of those of known bacteria. Using a phylogenetic analysis it was found that the majority of the clones identified (57.1%) were located in the low G+C subdivision, with most of the remainder (42.2% of clones) located in the Cytophage-Flexibacter-Bacteroides (CFB) phylum and one clone (0.7%) was identified as a Spirochaete. It was apparent that Gayal have a large and diverse range of bacteria in the rumen liquor which differ from those of cattle and other ruminants. This may explain the greater live weights of Gayal, compared to cattle, grazing in the harsh natural environments in which Gayal are located naturally.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.6-10
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• 2003

The present study investigated peripheral plasma immunoreactive inhibin (ir-inhibin) concentrations in relation to the stage of oestrous cycle and progesterone concentrations in cycling Sahiwal cattle (Bos indicus) and Murrah buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis). Blood samples were collected once daily for thirty-two consecutive days from cattle and buffaloes (5 each) during winter months of January and February. Mean (${\pm}$S.E.M.) plasma ir-inhibin concentrations ranged from $0.40{\pm}0.01$ to $0.59{\pm}0.03ng/ml$ in cattle and from $0.29{\pm}0.03$ to $0.52{\pm}0.05ng/ml$ in buffaloes. In cattle, ir-inhibin concentrations increased from $0.47{\pm}0.07ng/ml$ on day -4 (day 0=day of oestrus) to reach a maximum value of $0.59{\pm}0.03ng/ml$ on day -2. Thereafter, ir-inhibin concentrations showed a decline to reach a low of $0.40{\pm}0.01ng/ml$ on day 11 of the oestrous cycle. In buffaloes, ir-inhibin concentrations increased from $0.38{\pm}0.04 ng/ml$ on day -4 to reach a maximum concentration of $0.52{\pm}0.05ng/ml$ on day -2. Ir-inhibin concentrations then declined to reach a low of $0.29{\pm}0.03ng/ml on day 9 of the cycle. In both cattle and buffaloes, ir-inhibin concentrations which were lowest ($0.43{\pm}0.02$ and $0.34{\pm}0.02ng/ml$, respectively) during the mid-luteal phase of the oestrous cycle increased (p<0.05) to $0.52{\pm}0.03$ and $0.44{\pm}0.04ng/ml$, respectively, during the late luteal phase, and then further to the highest value of $0.53{\pm}0.02$ and $0.49{\pm}0.04ng/ml$, respectively, during the perioestrus phase, following which these declined to $0.50{\pm}0.02$ and $0.39{\pm}0.03ng/ml$, respectively, during the early luteal phase. The variations in peripheral plasma ir-inhibin profile in both the species appear to be related to the changes in characteristics of follicular populations during the oestrous cycle. Peripheral plasma ir-inhibin concentrations were negatively correlated with progesterone concentrations in cattle (r=-0.51, p<0.01) and buffaloes (r=-0.30, p<0.01) indicating that the corpus luteum is not a source of peripheral ir-inhibin in these species.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.369-374
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• 2015

This study was conducted to compare the glucose, lactate, and nucleotide degradation products content of cooked beef steaks from Korean Hanwoo (quality grade: 1) and Australian cattle (Bos indicus, grain-fed for 100 d) by internal temperature. The loins (M. longissimus dorsi) and top rounds (M. semimembranosus) from two cattle breeds were cut into about 2 cm thickness and then cooked in a $180^{\circ}C$ electronic oven until internal temperature attained to 50, 70, or $90^{\circ}C$. Regardless of internal temperature, glucose content was higher (P<0.05) in cooked loin and top round steaks from Hanwoo compared to those from Australian cattle. Lactate content was shown to be lower (P<0.05) in cooked steaks from Hanwoo than in those from Australian cattle. Lower (P<0.05) hypoxanthine and higher (P<0.05) guanosine 5'-monophosphate, inosine 5'-monophosphate, inosine contents were observed in cooked steaks from Hanwoo. Furthermore, glucose content tended to be decreased by internal temperature but nucleotide degradation products content was not changed by internal temperature. Therefore, these findings suggest that cooked Hanwoo beef steaks had higher flavor precursors related to sweet and umami tastes than cooked Australian beef steaks

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.10
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• pp.1498-1504
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• 2010

A number of studies have shown that the calpain system is important in normal skeletal muscle growth. An increased rate of skeletal muscle growth can result from a decreased rate of muscle protein degradation, and this is associated with a decrease in activity of the calpain system, due principally to a large increase in calpastatin (CAST) activity. The CAST gene, mapped to BTA 7, is considered a candidate gene for beef tenderness and muscle growth. The present study used comparative sequencing of five novel polymorphisms located within exon 20 and 22 of the bovine CAST gene in Hanwoo: exon20- 109737G/A, 109749T/C, 109823T/C, exon22- 116151G/A, intron- 109926G/A. The association of the CAST SNPs with economic traits was studied. The 109926G/A showed a significant effect only on the longissimus muscle area (LMA, p<0.05) in Hanwoo. 109926G/A with the genotype GG had a significantly higher effect on LMA (75.35) than the genotype AA (69.6, p<0.05). Also, the 116151G/A showed a significant effect only on weight at 18 months (W18, p<0.05). 116151G/A with the genotype GG had a significantly higher effect on W18 (428.54) than the genotype AA (408.87, p<0.05).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.661-666
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• 2005

The effects of pre-partum feeding management in terms of birth weight, growth, metabolic profile and immunity of calves were studied using 24 crossbred (Bos taurus${\times}$Bos indicus) cows, divided into three equal groups. The dietary treatments included feeding of either 3.0 kg concentrate/head/d throughout the 60 d pre-partum (T$_1$), or 3.0 kg concentrate during 60-22 d pre-partum and thereafter at an increased allowance at 0.25 kg/d during the next 21 d till it reached 1% of live weight (T$_2$). The third group of cows was fed similar to T$_2$, except that the concentrate feeding during 60-22 d pre-partum was reduced to 2.0 kg (T$_3$). All the groups had access to ad libitum green fodder throughout. The results revealed that the mean daily dry matter (DM) intake by the cows was similar (p>0.05) among the three groups during the 60 days of the pre-partum but T2 animals tended to gain more live weight (41.25 kg) than T$_1$ (38.12 kg) and T$_3$ (36.25 kg). The body condition score of the cows did not change appreciably over the experimental period. The mean birth weight of the calves was 24.00${\pm}$1.10, 24.63${\pm}$1.17 and 23.25${\pm}$1.19 kg for the three groups, respectively, with the corresponding average daily gain of 154.2, 155.0 and 169.7 g during the subsequent 60 days; both these parameters did not vary significantly ascribable to prepartum feeding regimens of their dams. The total immunoglobulin (Ig) concentration in the colostrum was 6.31${\pm}$0.34, 5.80${\pm}$0.21 and 6.13${\pm}$0.30 g/dl for the three groups, respectively, showing no influence of dietary treatments. The mean serum Ig levels (T$_1$ 2.10${\pm}$0.09, T$_2$ 2.05${\pm}$0.09 and T$_3$ 2.10${\pm}$0.12 g/dl) of calves at 5 d of age were similar among the dietary groups as was the case with various serum biochemical constituents. It is concluded that the variations in pre-partum dietary management elicited no significant influence on the calf performance including the immune status.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.206-215
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• 2009

This experiment was carried out to evaluate performance and carcass characteristics of 40 crossbred young bulls ($Zebu{\times}European$) finished in a feedlot under two roughage sources (Bermuda grass hay or sorghum silage) with or without the addition of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisae). The bulls were 20 months old, their initial average weight was 356 kg and they were allocated into four groups of ten animals. The experimental diets were Bermuda grass, Bermuda grass+yeast, sorghum silage and sorghum silage +yeast. Animal performance and carcass characteristics were not influenced by roughage source or yeast addition. The average daily weight gain was 1.50 kg, dry matter intake (DMI) was 11.1 kg/d, DMI as percentage of liveweight was 2.60% and feed dry matter conversion was 7.70. The mean dressing percentage was 52.0% and hot carcass weight was 268 kg. Carcass conformation was classified between good-minus to good. Carcass length (137 cm), leg length (72.9 cm) and cushion thickness (26.6 cm) were not influenced by treatments. The average fat thickness was 3.80 mm and the Longissimus muscle area was 66.9 $cm^{2}$. The classification of color, texture and marbling were slightly dark red to red, fine and slight-minus to light-typical, respectively. The mean percentage of bone, muscle and fat in the carcass was 15.5%, 62.3% and 22.5%, respectively. Yeast addition increased ${\gamma}$-linolenic fatty acid (0.15 vs. 0.11%) deposition. Bermuda grass hay increased deposition of ${\alpha}$-linolenic (0.49 vs. 0.41%), arachidonic (2.30 vs. 1.57%), eicosapentaenoic (0.41 vs. 0.29%), docosapentaenoic (0.80 vs. 0.62%), docosahexaenoic (0.11 vs. 0.06%) and n-3 fatty acids, and reduced n-6: n-3 ratio in meat, when compared to sorghum silage treatments. The treatments had no effect on saturated fatty acids (49.5%), polyunsaturated fatty acids (11.8%), n-6 fatty acids (9.87%), n-3 (1.61%) and PUFA:SFA ratio (0.24). Monounsaturated fatty acid levels were higher on sorghum silage (40.7 vs. 37.7%). The addition of yeast caused higher n-6: n-3 ratio (7.28 vs. 5.70) than treatments without yeast.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.777-782
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• 2002

Reciprocal effects among local breeds and additive and heterosis effects were estimated for total milk production per lactation (TLP), lactation length (LL) and daily milk yield (DMY). Procedures for an optimum crossbreeding system were examined by comparing various crossbred combinations. Three data sets were chosen from the total records collected from 1962 to 1997. Data set I with a total of 5,938 records composed of 9 breed groups for reciprocal crosses, data set II with a total of 6,064 records composed of 5 breed groups for additive and heterosis effects and data set III with a total of 10,319 records composed of 42 breed groups for optimum crossbreeding system were analyzed. The least squares ANOVA was used. The reciprocal crosses between Red Sindhi and the Bangladeshi Local showed significant difference. When the Red Sindhi was used as cow, the cross was superior to the opposite in terms of the three performance traits. The results showed that additive breed effects on both TLP and DMY were positive and highly significant between Bos indicus and Bos taurus, whereas the individual heterosis effects were not significant. In general, any local breeds were improved two to three times by crossing with the Friesian once or twice. However, the effect was reduced when the grading up with the Friesian was repeated more than twice. On the other hand, when the local breed was crossed with the other breeds such as Holstein and Jersey, the improvement of TLP was less. Crossing the F1 cows with the Friesian bull gave further improvement. Almost the same trends were found also for LL and DMY. The local breeds and their crosses are raised mainly for draft animals, then it is recommended that the crossbreds between the local cows and Friesian are used for dairy purposes and more than 75% Friesian blood is used for beef.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.445-454
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• 1997

Rice bran commonly available in Bangladesh is a mixture of rice hulls (60%), bran (35%) and polishing (5%), referred here as rice mill feed (RMF). Dose response effect of RMF supplementation to a straw diet including a zero level was measured on the intake, digestibility, nitrogen balance, microbial N yield and growth rate of growing native (Bos indicus) bulls. Twelve bulls of 33 months old and $272{\pm}31.5kg$ weight were randomly allocated to diets having 0 (T1), 1 (T2) and 2 (T3) kg RMF in addition to 200 g wheat bran, 200 g molasses, 60 g salt and 30 g oyestershe\l powder. Concentrate intake was 5.5, 19.2 and 29.5% of the dietary intake for the T1, T2 and T3 treatment respectively. RMF supplementation had no significant effect on the straw DM intake. However, with the increasing levels of RMF supplementation, total DM & digestible OM intake and the whole gut digestibilities of DM, OM, N & ADF increased but in deminishig return. Total microbial N yield estimated from the urinary purine excretion were 15.35, 26.56 and 38.44 g/d for the treatment T1, T2 and T3 respectively. Both the N intake and the N balance increased linearly in response to increasing level of RMF. Supplementation of RMF linearly increased the energy intake and dietary energy concentration. Growth rate in the T1, T2 and T3 treatments were 112, 125 and 250 g/d respctively. The basal N excretion and the maintenance energy requirement of the experimental animals were estimated to be 615 mg/kg $W^{0.75}/d$ and 447 kJ/kg $W^{0.75}/d$ respectively. The estimated efficiency on N utilization was 0.83 mg/mg of N intake ($r^2=0.997$) while the efficiency of metabolizable energy utilization for growth was 0.15. Since animal refused higher levels of RMF, inclusion up to 2 kg level (about 25% of the total DM intake) appears to have no depressing effect on the performances of animal. However, RMF itself fail to meet the critical nutrient need of the rumen microbes. Therefore response of supplementing RMF after correcting the critical nutrient deficiency need to be studied.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.10
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• pp.1486-1494
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• 2017

Objective: This research analyzed behavioral characteristics of Hanwoo (Bos taurus coreanae) steers during each season and growth stage to enable measurement of the animals' welfare level for precision livestock farming. Methods: A hundred-eight beef steers were divided into three equal groups at a Hanwoo farm according to their growth stage: growing stage (GS), 8 months; early-fattening stage (EFS), 19 months; and late-fattening stage (LFS), 30 months. Twelve behavioral categories were continuously recorded for 13 day-time hours in each four seasons with three replications. Results: Time spent standing was found to be significantly longer in summer at all growth stages (p<0.05). Hanwoos at the GS spent significantly longer standing time in spring and summer than those at the EFS and LFS (p<0.05). Lying time in summer was the shortest for all growth stages (p<0.05). Steers at the LFS spent significantly longer lying time than that at the GS (p<0.05) in summer. For GS and EFS, time spent eating in spring and autumn were longer than in summer and winter (p<0.05). Eating time was the longest for the GS in spring, autumn, and winter, excluding for the LFS in winter (p<0.05). Regarding ruminating, steers at the LFS spent significantly shorter time than those at other stages in all seasons (p<0.05). GS and EFS steers showed the longest walking time in summer compared with other seasons (p<0.05). At GS and LFS, drinking time in summer was the longest of all seasons (p<0.05). Sleeping time was significantly shorter in summer compared with the other seasons (p<0.05). Self-grooming time was the longest in winter for all growth stages (p<0.05). Conclusion: Steers were found to have more variable behavioral patterns during summer and the GS and less active behaviors during the LFS, thus extra care seems necessary during the GS, LFS, and summer period.