• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.677-685
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• 2018

Objective: The objective of the present study was to determine ammonium chloride tolerance of lactating dairy cows, by examining effects of negative dietary cation anion difference (DCAD) induced by ruminal ammonium chloride infusion on performance, serum and urine minerals, serum metabolites and enzymes of lactating dairy cows. Methods: Four primiparous lactating Chinese Holstein cows fitted with ruminal cannulas were infused with increasing amounts (0, 150, 300, or 450 g/d) of ammonium chloride in a crossover design. The DCAD of the base diet was 279 mEq/kg dry matter (DM) using the DCAD formula (Na + K - Cl - S)/kg of DM. Ammonium chloride infusion added the equivalent of 0, 128, 330, and 536 mEq/kg DM of Cl in treatments. According to the different dry matter intakes (DMI), the resulting actual DCAD of the four treatments was 279, 151, -51, and -257 mEq/kg DM, respectively. Results: DMI decreased linearly as DCAD decreased. Yields of milk, 4% fat-corrected milk, energy-corrected milk, milk fat, and milk protein decreased linearly as DCAD decreased. Concentrations of milk protein and milk urea nitrogen increased linearly with decreasing DCAD. Concentration of Cl- in serum increased linearly and concentration of PO43- in serum increased quadratically as DCAD decreased. Urine pH decreased linearly and calculated urine volume increased linearly with decreasing DCAD. Linear increases in daily urinary excretion of $Cl^-$, $Ca^{2+}$, $PO_4{^{3-}}$, urea N, and ammonium were observed as DCAD decreased. Activities of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and ${\gamma}-glutamyl$ transferase in serum and urea N concentration in serum increased linearly as DCAD decreased. Conclusion: In conclusion, negative DCAD induced by ruminal ammonium chloride infusion resulted in a metabolic acidosis, had a negative influence on performance, and increased serum enzymes indicating potential liver and kidney damage in lactating dairy cows. Daily ammonium chloride intake by lactating dairy cows should not exceed 300 g, and 150 g/d per cow may be better.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.12
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• pp.1879-1885
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• 2021

Objective: Owing to the lack of a breeding index for efficient and quick fertility evaluations of Holstein bulls when using traditional or genome-wide detection methods, this study aimed to determine whether in vitro fertilization (IVF) could be used as an indicator of conception rate of artificial insemination (AI). Methods: Conventional and sexed frozen semen from nine bulls were used for IVF and AI. Results: The IVF and AI conception rates of each bull were confirmed to be positively correlated between the conventional frozen and sexed frozen semen. The correlation coefficient R values of nine bulls between IVF and AI methods were 0.73 and 0.97 for the conventional frozen and sexed frozen semen, respectively. The average conception rate of three bulls undergoing AI was 69.5% and 64.2%, 61.8% and 58.8%, and 48.2% and 46.2% in first-, second-, and third-born cows when conventional frozen and sexed frozen semen were used, respectively, which showed a positive correlation with the fertilization rate in the same parity. We propose an evaluation standard to assess the fertilization ability of bulls based on their IVF test results, which is categorized into three grades: grade one, normal fertility bull with an AI conception rate of 40%±5% and IVF rate of 45% to 60%; grade two, higher fertility bull with an AI conception rate of 50%±5% and IVF rate of 61% to 80%; and grade three, highest fertility bull with an AI conception rate of 60%±5% and IVF rate of >80%. Conclusion: These findings reveal that IVF results can be used as a breeding index for bulls to evaluate their AI conception ability, which may shorten the time required to select bulls for breeding.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.1406-1410
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• 2003

The studies were based on the RAPD fingerprinting for the species identification of animals. The genomic DNA samples of ostriches, Taiwan local chickens, Aboracres broilers, Leghorn chickens, quails, doves, emus, Beltville small white turkeys, pheasants, Chinese geese, mule ducks, Holstein cattle and Landrace pigs were amplified with random primers by RAPD-PCR for fingerprinting. The results showed that the varied band patterns of DNA fingerprints were generated from templates depending on the kinds of primers or animal species. The same primer applied to the same breed, all of the main bands are similar, but which were different among species. In order to try to identify the species from the mixture of meat by RAPD fingerprinting, the meat of ostrich and cattle was mixed in different ratios for this study. The results showed that it could be easily and precisely distinguished according to the band distribution of RAPD patterns.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.204-213
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• 2008

Four ruminally cannulated Holstein cows averaging 43 days in milk (DIM) were used in a $4{\times}4$ Latin square to determine the effect of feeding extruded soybean, ground canola seed and whole cottonseed on ruminal fermentation and milk fatty acid profile. One hundred and twenty lactating Holstein cows, 58 (${\pm}31$) DIM, were assigned to four treatments in a completely randomized block design to study the effects of the three types of oilseeds on production parameters and milk fatty acid profile. The four diets were a control diet (CON) and three diets in which 10% extruded soybean (ESB), 5% ground canola seed (GCS) and 10% whole cottonseed (WCS) were included, respectively. Diets consisted of concentrate mix, corn silage and Chinese wild rye and were balanced to similar concentrations of CP, NDF and ADF. Ruminal fermentation results showed that ruminal fermentation parameters, dry matter intake and milk yield were not significantly affected by treatments. However, compared with the control, feeding cows with the three oilseed diets reduced C14:0 and C16:0 and elevated C18:0 and C18:1 concentrations in milk, and feeding ESB increased C18:2 and cis9, trans11 conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). Production results showed that feeding ESB tended to increase actual milk yield (30.85 kg/d vs. 29.29 kg/d) and significantly decreased milk fat percentage (3.53% vs. 4.06%) compared with CON. Milk protein (3.41%) and solid non-fat (13.27%) from cows fed WCS were significantly higher than from cows fed CON (3.24% and 12.63%, respectively). Milk urea N concentrations from cows fed the ESB (164.12 mg/L) and GCS (169.91 mg/L) were higher than cows fed CON (132.31 mg/L). However, intake of DM, 4% fat corrected milk, energy corrected milk, milk fat and protein yields, milk lactose percentage and yield, somatic cell count and body condition score were not affected by different treatments. The proportion of medium-chain fatty acid with 14 to 16 C units in milk was greatly decreased in cows fed ESB, GCS and WCS. Feeding ESB increased the concentration in milk of C18:1, C18:2, C18:3 and cis9, trans11-CLA content by 16.67%, 37.36%, 95.24%, 72.22%, respectively, feeding GCS improved C18:0 and C18:1 by 17.41% and 33.28%, respectively, and feeding WCS increased C18:0 by 31.01% compared with feeding CON. Both ruminal fermentation and production trial results indicated that supplementation of extruded soybean, ground canola seed and whole cottonseed could elevate the desirable poly- and monounsaturated fatty acid and decrease the medium chain fatty acid and saturated fatty acid content of milk fat without negative effects on ruminal fermentation and lactation performance.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.57-59
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• 2012

In this study, we investigate the status of calcium (Ca) homeostasis at parturition in three dairy farms (I, II, and III), Heilongjiang, China. Twenty multiparous Holstein cows from each farm were randomly assigned to this experiment. The dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD) was 91 mEq/kg of DM for farm I, 152 mEq/kg of DM for farm II, and 85 mEq/kg of DM for farm III. Incidence of hypocalcemia was above 75% and urine pH was above 7.25 at calving in each farm. Compared to other farms, cows in farm II that fed the greatest positive DCAD had the lowest concentration of serum Ca, the highest concentration of serum PTH, and the greatest urine pH at calving (p < 0.05). However, there was not significant difference in serum 1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D and hydroxyproline concentration of the cows among three farms. This is the first study to confirm that hypocalcemia is very prevalent at calving in Chinese dairy farms, and the high positive DCAD is a major risk factor that results in hypocalcemia at calving, which may reduce ability of the cow to maintain Ca homeostasis.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.341-354
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• 2005

For the genetic assessment of the cattle breeds including Hanwoo, eleven microsatellite markers on ten bovine autosomes were genetically characterized for 618 individuals of nineteen cattle breeds; North Eastern Asian breeds (Korean cattle, Korean Black cattle, Japanese Black cattle, Japanese Brown cattle, Yanbian cattle), Chinese yellow cattle (Luxi cattle, Nanyang cattle), European Bas taurus (Angus, Hereford, Charolais, Holstein, Limousin), African Bas taurus (N'Dama, Baoule), African Bas indicus (Kavirondo Zebu, White Fulani), Asian Bas indicus (Sahiwal, Nelore) and one Bali cattle, Bas banteng as an outbreed-reference population. Allele frequencies derived from the genotyping data were used in estimating heterozygosities, gene diversities and genetic distances. The microsatellite loci were highly polymorphic, with a total of 162 different alleles observed across all loci. Variability in allele numbers and frequencies was observed among the breeds. The average expected heterozygosity of North Eastern Asian breeds was higher than those of European and African taurines, but lower than those of Asian and African indicines. Genetic distances were estimated using Nei's DA genetic distance and the resultant DA matrix was used in the construction of the phylogenetic trees. The genetic distances between North Eastern Asian cattle breeds and Bas indicus were similar with those between European Bas taurus and Bas indicus, and African Bas taurus and Bas indicus, respectively. The clusters were clearly classified into North Eastern Asian, European and African taurines groups as well as different cluster with Chinese mainland breeds, firstly out-grouping with Bas indicus. These results suggest that Korean cattle, Hanwoo, had not been originated from a crossbred between Bas primigenius in Europe and Bas indicus in India and North Eastern Asian Bas taurus may be have separate domestication from European and African Bas taurus.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.429-436
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• 2007

The INRA124 is a bovine Y-chromosomal specific microsatellite locus that has been revealed a polymorphism. This locus has two alleles. The 132 bp allele is specific to cattle (humpless) of taurine origin and the 130 bp allele is specific to cattle (humped) of indicine origin. A total 822 males of 20 breeds or populations; North Eastern Asian breeds (Hanwoo, Korean Black cattle, Chik-so, CBK, Japanese Black cattle, Japanese Brown cattle, Yanbian cattle), Chinese yellow cattle (Luxi cattle, Nanyang cattle), European origin (Angus, Hereford, Charolais, Simmental, Brown swiss, Holstein, Limousin), African origin (Kavirondo zebu, White Fulani, crossbreed of N'Dama and Boran), Indian origin (Sahiwal) were characterized the distribution of alleles using INRA124 locus. Any individuals of European, Japanese origins and Hanwoo were not detected 130 bp allele, Bos indicus specific allele. Bos indicus breeds of Indian and African origins were not detected 132 bp allele, Bos taurus specific allele. CBK population that the crossbreed of Hanwoo, Brahman and Charolais showed the frequency of 0.19 in indicine specific allele. The breeds of Chinese mainland, Luxi and Nanyang cattle were detected 0.46 and 0.29 frequencies in indicine specific allele, respectively. These results suggest that Korean cattle, Hanwoo, had not been originated from a crossbred between Bos primigenius in Europe and Bos indicus in India.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.11
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• pp.1784-1793
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• 2021

Objective: An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of bamboo leaf extract (BLE) on the production performance, rumen fermentation parameters, and rumen bacterial communities of heat-stressed dairy cows. Methods: The experiment comprised a 14-day adaptation period and a 21-day experimental period and was conducted in a high-temperature and humidity environment (daily mean ambient temperature = 33.5℃±1.3℃; daily mean relative humidity = 64.9%±0.8%, daily mean temperature-humidity index = 86.2±0.4). Twelve Holstein dairy cows were randomly allocated into two groups. A total mixed ration supplemented with BLE at 0 (CON) and 1.3 g/kg dry matter (DM) were fed, respectively. Feed intake and milk yield were recorded daily. Milk samples were collected on 1, 11, and 21 d of the experimental period to analyze milk performance. Rumen fluid samples were collected on 21 d of the experimental period to analyze rumen fermentation parameters and rumen bacterial communities. Results: Compared with the control group, supplementation of BLE increased milk yield (p<0.01), milk fat yield (p = 0.04), 4% fat-corrected milk (p<0.01) and milk fat content (p<0.01); reduced somatic cell count (p<0.01). No differences in DM intake and milk protein or lactose content were observed between two groups. Supplementation of BLE also increased the rumen total volatile fatty acid (p<0.01), acetate (p<0.01), butyrate (p<0.01), and valerate (p = 0.05) concentrations. However, no significant effects were observed on rumen pH, ammonia nitrogen, propionate, acetate/propionate ratio, isobutyrate, or isovalerate. Furthermore, BLE increased the rumen bacterial abundance and the diversity of the rumen bacterial community. The BLE reduced the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes abundance ratio and increased the abundances of Butyrivibrio_2 (p<0.01) and Ruminococcus_2 (p<0.01). Conclusion: The BLE supplementation at 1.3 g/kg DM could improve production performance and rumen fermentation in dairy cows during heat stress.