• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.901-905
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• 2000

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of caffeine, cAMP and cattle seminal plasma on preservation of semen at ultra low temperature ($-196{^{\circ}C}$). Each semen sample was divided into four parts equal in volume and sperm concentration; three were treated with caffeine, or cAMP, or cattle seminal plasma (CSP) and the fourth was kept as control. Sperm motility, abnormal spermatozoa, live-dead count and acrosomal damage were studied at different stages of freeze preservation viz.; just after dilution, at $5{^{\circ}C}$, at glycerolisation, before freezing, just after freezing, 24 hours of storage, and one week of storage. Sperm motility (58.39, 61.33, 52.00 and 50.39 per cent), non-eosinophilic spermatozoa (72.55, 69.98, 63.31 and 67.64 per cent), abnormal spermatozoa (5.71, 4.98, 8.04 and 5.66 per cent) and acrosomal damage (13.28, 13.33, 14.80 and 14.65 per cent) were observed in cAMP, caffeine, cattle seminal plasma and control, respectively, at every stage of freeze preservation. From this study it could be concluded that freezability of buffalo semen can be improved through the addition of caffeine followed by cAMP and cattle seminal plasma.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.15-20
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• 2006

The data used in the study were taken from the national dairy genetic evaluation of bulls from 1986 up to 2001. It was conducted to compare the phenotypic performance and genetic merits in terms of production traits, linear traits and selection indexes of four types of dairy semen (TypeⅠ:semen from Korean proven bull, Type Ⅱ:semen from proven bull imported by National Agricultural Cooperative Federation(NACF), Type Ⅲ:semen imported from USA, Type Ⅳ:semen imported from Canada) used in Korea. The result of national dairy genetic evaluation was used to compare genetic merits. Type Ⅲ was superior in the phenotypic performance of milk yield, milk fat and milk protein and was significantly different from Type Ⅰ. Types of semen were not significantly different in fat when semen from bull born after 1991 were compared. Likewise, types of semen were not significantly different in the genetic merit for milk yield, milk fat, milk protein and milk protein %. Moreso, for profit index (MFP) and Korean type production index (KTPI) it was not statistically different. However type Ⅰ was superior in milk fat % and was significantly different from other types. Type Ⅳ was superior in Final Score of conformation test (FS) and Udder Composite Index (UDC) and significantly different from Type Ⅰ. When semen from bull born after 1991 were compared, types of semen were not significantly different in milk yield and milk protein, although type I was superior in milk fat, milk fat %, milk protein % and MFP and was significantly different from others. Moreover type Ⅲ and type Ⅳ was superior in UDC and were significantly different from others.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.161-167
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• 1986

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.428-436
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• 2024

Objective: This study compared five distinct sets of biological pathways and associated genes related to semen volume (VOL), number of sperm (NS), and sperm motility (MOT) in the Thai multibreed dairy population. Methods: The phenotypic data included 13,533 VOL records, 12,773 NS records, and 12,660 MOT records from 131 bulls. The genotypic data consisted of 76,519 imputed and actual single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 72 animals. The SNP additive genetic variances for VOL, NS, and MOT were estimated for SNP windows of one SNP (SW1), ten SNP (SW10), 30 SNP (SW30), 50 SNP (SW50), and 100 SNP (SW100) using a single-step genomic best linear unbiased prediction approach. The fixed effects in the model were contemporary group, ejaculate order, bull age, ambient temperature, and heterosis. The random effects accounted for animal additive genetic effects, permanent environment effects, and residual. The SNPs explaining at least 0.001% of the additive genetic variance in SW1, 0.01% in SW10, 0.03% in SW30, 0.05% in SW50, and 0.1% in SW100 were selected for gene identification through the NCBI database. The pathway analysis utilized genes associated with the identified SNP windows. Results: Comparison of overlapping and non-overlapping SNP windows revealed notable differences among the identified pathways and genes associated with the studied traits. Overlapping windows consistently yielded a larger number of shared biological pathways and genes than non-overlapping windows. In particular, overlapping SW30 and SW50 identified the largest number of shared pathways and genes in the Thai multibreed dairy population. Conclusion: This study yielded valuable insights into the genetic architecture of VOL, NS, and MOT. It also highlighted the importance of assessing overlapping and non-overlapping SNP windows of various sizes for their effectiveness to identify shared pathways and genes influencing multiple traits.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.789-792
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• 2006

Two separate trials were conducted to determine the effects of uterine priming prior to first breeding and quantify any changes in the reproductive efficiency of gilts. In trial I twelve (12) gilts were randomly assigned to 3 treatments:T1:infusion of distilled water (control), T2: single infusion of killed semen (KS1), and T3: double infusion of killed semen (KS2). Each treatment had 4 breeding gilts which were bred by natural insemination (NI). In trial II, another set of 12 breeding gilts were randomly allotted to the same treatments and were subsequently bred by artificial insemination (AI). Infusions, through the use of AI catheters, were done during the $2^{nd}$ estrous cycle for T1 and T2, whereas infusions for T3 were made during the $1^{st}$ and $2^{nd}$ cycles. Regular breeding was subsequently made during the $3^{rd}$ estrous cycle. All gilts that returned to cycle were rebred within the 30-day period. In trial I (natural breeding), total piglets born was higher (p<0.05) in T2 (12.75 piglets) and T3 (11.75 piglets) than in the control (10.5 piglets). T3 obtained the highest (p<0.05) litter size (10.25 piglets) and heaviest litter weight (74.12 kg) at 28 days weaning, followed by T2 (9.80 piglets and 65.0 kg, respectively). The control yielded the lowest (p<0.05) litter size (7.50) and the lightest litter weight (47.00 kg) at weaning. For Trial II gilts (artificially inseminated), T3 gave higher (p<0.05) litter size born alive (10.88 piglets), total piglets born (11.72 piglets) and live litter weight at birth (15.30 kg) than those of T2 and the control. These results indicate that prebreeding intrauterine infusion of killed boar semen, either single or double, improved the reproductive performance of gilts.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.51-55
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• 2010

The relationships of scrotal circumference (SC) to semen characteristics and the conception rate (70 days-nonreturn rate) of artificial insemination in farm were studied with 137 heads of bull in Hanwoo. The average and range of SC were $38.27{\pm}3.90$ cm and 26.0~52.5 cm, respectively. Hanwoo bulls were classified with SC, divided into 34 cm below group, 34~39 cm group, and 39 cm over group. The 5,487 semen records of 43 heads of bull from July. 1. 2007 to June. 30. 2008. were used to determine the relationships between SC and semen characteristics. The semen concentration and total sperm number of each group were 11.18, 16.68, and $17.4{\times}10^8/ml$, and 69.83, 101.64 and $114.40{\times}10^8$/ejaculate. The bulls with 34 cm or more SC were higher than the bulls with 34 cm below in semen concentration and total sperm number (p<0.01). But between SC and semen volume have no significant relationship (p>0.05). The 9,862 mating records of 44 farm with 137 heads of bull were used to determine the relationships between SC and conception rate. The conception rate of 1st artificial insemination were 73.31, 74.16, and 77.33 % in each group. Also SC was positively correlated with pregnancy rate (r=0.12, p=0.17). These results indicate that SC correlates positively with semen characteristics, and maybe with pregnancy rate in Hanwoo.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.10
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• pp.1411-1416
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• 2014

Gender selection is important in livestock industries; for example, female calves are required in the dairy industry. Sex-sorted semen is commonly used for the production of calves of the desired gender. However, assessment of the sex ratio of the sorted semen is tedious and expensive. In this study, a rapid, cost effective and reliable method for determining the sex ratio was developed using a multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. In this assay, the X and Y chromosome-specific markers, i.e., bovine proteolipid protein (PLP) gene and sex-determining region Y (SRY) were simultaneously quantified in a single tube. The multiplex real-time PCR assay was shown to have high amplification efficiencies (97% to 99%) comparable to the separated-tube simplex real-time PCR assay. The results obtained from both assays were not significantly different (p>0.05). The multiplex assay was validated using reference DNA of known X ratio (10%, 50%, and 90%) as templates. The measured %X in semen samples were the same within 95% confidence intervals as the expected values, i.e., >90% in X-sorted semen, <10% in Y-sorted semen and close to 50% in the unsorted semen. The multiplex real-time PCR assay as shown in this study can thus be used to assess purity of sex-sorted semen.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.106-110
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• 2019

Sexed sperm can contribute to increase the profitability of the cow industry through the production of offspring of the craved sex, such as males for meat or females for dairy production. Therefore, the utilization of sexed sperms plays a very important role in the production of offspring of superior cattle. In this study, we examined the pregnancy rates and calves sexing proportion of male and female calves produced using AI, both performed using sexed and conventional sperm. In the result, the conception rates after ET were 73.3% (33/45) sexed semen and 52% (55/104) conventional semen. Thus, the sex ratio for sexed-semen inseminations was 70% (21/30) females for singleton births within a 272 to 292 day gestation interval. The sex ratio for conventional semen was 61% (34/56) females for births. As a result, it is suggested that the use of sex classification sperm will play a very important role in the offspring production of Korean bovine.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.283-287
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• 2014

Sexed semen is commonly used for the production of calves of the desired gender. Gender selection is important in animal production industries. For example, female cattle are required for the dairy industry while males are preferred in the beef cattle industry. The present study was to assess the in vivo embryo production efficiency using the semen separated according to sex during superovulation in Hanwoo. Seventy Hanwoo donor cows were flushed on day 7 of estrus cycle with same FSH and artificial insemination by the same technicians. Embryos were recovered on 7 days after the third insemination by flushing the uterus with embryo collection medium. KPN semen straws used artificial insemination contained 20 million sperm (total number 60 million per donor). Sex-sorted semen straws contained 4 million sperm (total number 12 million per donor). The results obtained were as follows: No differences were observed in the efficiency of superovulation rates on KPN semen 87%, and sexed semen 100%, respectively. The mean numbers of total embryos are each $12.58{\pm}8.31$ and $13.25{\pm}7.86$. The mean numbers of transferable embryos, sexed semen were significantly lower than KPN semen ($3.75{\pm}1.98$ vs. $8.23{\pm}6.07$, P<0.05). The rates of unfertilized embryos from superovulation using sexed semen were significantly higher than KPN semen (50% vs. 15%, P<0.05). The rate of degenerated 2-cell embryos from sexed and KPN semen was 60.87% and 11.11%, respectively (p<0.05). In conclusion, these results indicate that superovulation using sexed semen was useful, but efficient embryo production was important to reducing the damage caused by the Flowcytometer-based sperm sorting procedure.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.527-534
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• 2021

This study investigated the possibility of performing selection using 30-month carcass traits by estimating the genetic parameters of 24- and 30-month carcass traits. Data used in this study were the carcass traits of 13,151 heads slaughter at the age of 24 and 30 months. As a result of the study, the heritability of backfat thickness, carcass weight, eye muscle area and marbling score at 24 months of age were estimated to be 0.588, 0.354, 0.467 and 0.587, respectively. The heritability of backfat thickness, carcass weight, eye muscle area and marbling score at 30 months of age were estimated to be 0.498, 0.577, 0.505 and 0.530, respectively. The ranking correlation was 0.516 between the carcass selection indices of 24 and 30 months of age. By providing a 30-month selection index, it is possible to use semen suitable for farm profits, and more semen information can be provided to farms than previously. Furthermore, studies on a selection index based on 30-month carcass traits are needed to provide highly accurate information.