• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.65 no.4
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• pp.748-758
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• 2023

This study was conducted to investigate the change in activity and mounting behavior in Hanwoo (Korean Native Cattle) during the peri-estrus period and its application to estrus detection. A total of 20 Hanwoo cows were fitted with a neck-collar accelerometer device, which measured the location and acceleration of cow movements and recorded the number of instances of mounting behavior by the altitude data. The data were analyzed in three periods (24-, 6-, and 2-h periods). Blood samples were collected for 5 days after the prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) injection, and the concentrations of estradiol, progesterone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Activity and mounting behavior recorded over 2-h periods significantly increased as estrus approached and were more efficient at detecting estrus than over 24- and 6-h periods (p < 0.05). Endocrine patterns did not differ with the variation of individual cows during the peri-estrus period (p > 0.05). Activity was selected as the best predictor through stepwise discriminant analysis. However, activity alone is not enough to detect estrus. We suggest that a combination of activity and mounting behavior may improve estrus detection efficiency in Hanwoo. Further research is necessary to validate the findings on a larger sample size.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.61 no.3
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• pp.163-169
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• 2019

Detection of estrus is an essential factor as a method of successful breeding in the sow. As increasing the adaption of the information and communication technology (ICT) into swine industry, this study focuses on a possibility and quantification of standing time, vulva and body temperature as methods of estrus detection, comparing each time and temperature in estrus and non-estrus period, and analyzing each success rate of new and existing methods. Ultrasonic sensor array and digital infrared thermography were used to evaluate whether new methods such as standing time and number, and vulva and skin temperature can be replaced, or these methods can be quantifiable in estrus period. Ultrasonic sensor array was installed beside the stall and digital infrared thermography was placed in the rear of sow to collect the dates of sow in estrus and non-estrus period. This study showed total standing time, number and number over 10 minutes, and vulva temperature of the sow in estrus period were increased (p < 0.05) compared with those of sow in non-estrus period, respectively. Detection of estrus using standing time and vulva temperature tended (p = 0.06) to increase the success rate when artificial insemination (AI) was performed. In conclusion, standing time and vulva temperature increased when estrus happened. Success rate of AI of sow using these methods showed an increasing trend. Therefore, existing method using the naked eye can be replaced to new method such as vulvar temperature and standing time when detecting the estrus.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.72-85
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• 1983

This presentation firstly is discussed the characteristics of estrus, the time of first postpartum estrus, and the relative accurate of various estrus detection aids and secondly discussed the abnormalities of estrus and ovarian function and its control by treatment of exogenous hormones in cattle and pig. Longer estrus cycles as well as the shorter than 18 day cycles showed the lowered conception rates as compared to the normal cycles of 18 to 25 days. Other characteristics of est겨s such as duration of estrus, intensity of estrus and time of estrus are reviewed to affect fertility. The first postpartum ovulation and estrus in cows usually occurs about 20 to 30 days and 40 to 50 days after parturition, respectively. Irregularities in estrus cycle length have been conducted during early postpartum period. In sows, weaning is followed by ovulation and estrus although there is some individual variation. The most common method of estrus detection is direct visual observation on standing estrus behavior, but various aids of estrus detection have been empolyed with varying degree of effectiveness. The results from heat detector devices are about as accurate as twice-daily observation(about 90%). The abnormal estrus can be classified into three types; irregular or continuous estrus, silent estrus and anestrus. Cystic ovarian disease, follicular cysts and luteal cysts, is a serious cause of reproductive failure in cattle and pig. The follicular cysts are much more common than luteal cysts and the incidence of ovarian cysts in dairy cattle is higher than beef cattle and pig. The occurrences of ovarian cysts have been closely associated with levels of milk production, stages of postpartum period, nutritional levels and seasons. The luteal cysts and persistent corpora lutea are responsive to the luteolytic effects of the recently synthetic analogues of PGF2$\alpha$ in cows and sows and recently GnRH or LH-RH has been successfully used as a treatment for cows and sows with ovarian follicular cysts.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.481-486
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• 2001

To increase the production efficiency in dairy industry, proper artificial insemination is the most important operation. For the successful artificial insemination, accurate estrus detection is required. The Korean dairy farmers usually depended on visual observation for estrus detection of cows. Mounting behaviour is one of major inidications observed when cows are at an estrus. A mounting activity detection system for cows using radiotelemetry was developed. This system included a transmitter with a pressure switch, a receiver, a serial communication interface, a personal computer and a computer software. All components and a whole system were tested both in a laboratory and in a farm. The results of this study are as follows: 1. All components including transmitter, receiver and serial interface were operated according to the design specification. 2. A whole system tested with simulated mounting activity of 400 times showed 100% of success rate. 3. In the farm test for 4 days with three cows expecting estrus, one cows experiencing mounting activities showed correct response with this system. However two cows did not show mounting activities because of weak estrus and cold weather during the testing period.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.6236-6246
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• 2015

In the paper, we reduce non-pregnant conditions and improve impregnation rate by unmanned estrus detection and decide proper time for artificial insemination. It is too hard to detect estrus only by using activities, we develop unmanned estrus detection system that consist of RF activity sensors, cow management program and estrus detection algorithm that uses information of activities and breeding. We verify performance by experiments in four similar scale stockbreeding farmhouse. Each stockbreeding farmhouse breeds 87, 81, 93, 82 cows and expected estrus cows are 14, 19, 15, 17. In expected estrus cow, we fail in weak estrus detection - 3, 2, 1, 3 cows, but detect successfully normal estrus - 11, 17, 14, 14 cows. After artificial insemination, 10, 17, 13, 14 cows became pregnant successfully confirming that proposed unmanned estrus detection system is effective for deciding proper time for artificial insemination in normal estrus.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.137-143
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• 2016

This study was conducted to evaluate a visual surveillance system. The advancement of recording technology and network service make it easy to record and transfer the videos. Moreover, progressed recognition technology help to make a distinction each other. Cows show distinguishing behaviors during their estrus period. The mounting is one of the behaviors. The result was different depending on the breed of the cows and the size of the farm. In the case of Korean native cattle, the estrus detection rate was 71.15%, however, dairy cows, the estrus detection rate was 39.38%. At the farms having below 6 modules, the estrus detection rate was 87.41%. On the other hand, at the farms having over 6 modules, the estrus detection rate was 77.78%. With the proper progress, the visual surveillance system can be used to detect heat detection.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.719-729
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• 1996

To investigate changes of estrus signs and genital organs in the bitch by hormonal induction of estrus, fourteen bitches of nulliparous and multiparous(2nd-5th) were grouped into diestrus and anestrus according to their estrus cycle. The hormonal treatments were divided into four groups: group A($PGF_2{\alpha}+PMSG+hCG$) and group B(PMSG+hCG) in diestrus bitches and group C(GnRH+FSH+hCG) and group D(PMSG+hCG) in anestrus bitches. The external signs of proestrus and estrus as well as the vaginal smear findings and natural breeding as estrus detection were investigated in all the experimental groups. Also, genital organs were examined at two months after the hormone treatment. The bitches in anestrus showed 100% of male attraction, vaginal bleeding and vulvar swelling as proestrus signs after the hormonal treatment for estrus induction and they showed higher numerical value of signs than the bitches in diestrus. The group A showed the lowest value in proestrous signs of all the groups. The bitches in anestrus treated with GnRH+FSH showed 100% of positive estrus by vaginal smear findings and 75% of natural breeding as estrus detection index and these values were the highest of all the groups. Pregnancy was recognized in only group C and the conception rate was 7.14% in al the experimental animals. Of the side effects after the hormone treatment, external findings of continous male attraction, continous external swelling and purulent exudate were recognized in all the experimental groups and the bitches in diestrus showed higher value of the findings than the bitches in anestrus. Of the changes of genital organs after the hormone treatment, hypertrophy of uterine horn, sanguineous exudate and purulent exudate as uterine findings were recognized in all the groups and these findings were shown more in the bitches in diestrus than in those in anestrus. These results indicated that group C showed the highest value of all the experimental groups in external signs of estrus and estrus detection and also pregnancy was recognized only in that group, consequently, that the hormonal treatment of group C would be the most effective for estrus induction, and also indicated that bitches in anestrus were more suitable than bitches in diestrus for the induction of estrus. In addition, side effects in external genital organs and uteri after hormone treatment were shown more in the bitches in diestrus than in those in anestrus, indicating that bitches in anestrus would be of choice for estrus induction.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.271-278
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• 2012

Worldwide trends in animal welfare have resulted in an increased interest in individual management of sows housed in groups within hog barns. Estrus detection has been shown to be one of the greatest determinants of sow productivity. Purpose: We conducted this study to develop a method that can automatically detect the estrus state of a sow by selecting optimal texture parameters from images of a sow's pudendum and by optimizing the number of neurons in the hidden layer of an artificial neural network. Methods: Texture parameters were analyzed according to changes in a sow's pudendum in estrus such as mucus secretion and expansion. Of the texture parameters, eight gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) parameters were used for image analysis. The image states were classified into ten grades for each GLCM parameter, and an artificial neural network was formed using the values for each grade as inputs to discriminate the estrus state of sows. The number of hidden layer neurons in the artificial neural network is an important parameter in neural network design. Therefore, we determined the optimal number of hidden layer units using a trial and error method while increasing the number of neurons. Results: Fifteen hidden layers were determined to be optimal for use in the artificial neural network designed in this study. Thirty images of 10 sows were used for learning, and then 30 different images of 10 sows were used for verification. Conclusions: For learning, the back propagation neural network (BPN) algorithm was used to successful estimate six texture parameters (homogeneity, angular second moment, energy, maximum probability, entropy, and GLCM correlation). Based on the verification results, homogeneity was determined to be the most important texture parameter, and resulted in an estrus detection rate of 70%.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.131-137
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• 2009

In dogs, correct diagnosis of estrus is important and the exact time of ovulation can be determined by variouse methods. Vaginal cytology has commonly used in conjunction with the physical examination, clinical history, vaginoscopy, and hormonal assays to determine the stage of the reproductive cycle. This study was therefore investigated the effectiveness of direct ovulation detector designed by changes of electrical resistance in vaginal mucus following different estrus cycles with several methods; vaginal cytology, concentration of plasma estrogen and progesterone, and direct examination by laparotomy. A total of 12 bitches was selected for the study and observed estrus signs. The bitches were evaluated clinical sign (vulvar swelling and bleeding), cytological examination (keratocyte and RBC), electrical resistance, plasma estrogen and progesterone concentration for estrus assessment. Accuracy of ovulation detection by vaginal cytology was significantly (p<0.05) lower than those by electrical resistance and plasma progesterone concentration, based on the confirmation by laparotomy. Vaginal smear is not confidential method compared to detection of electrical resistance and plasma progesterone concentration at ovulation. Although the value of electrical resistance was varied at the same points of estrus in individuals, ovulation was occurred at the first day which shown the peak of electrical resistance and mating time was third day after peak. In conclusion, ovulation detector designed by changes of electrical resistance is an effective and economic instrument for predicting estrus and ovulation in bitches.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.128-137
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• 1999

Plasma progesterone (P$_4$) concentrations were measured for confirming the estrus observation and for the early pregnancy diagnosis in 130 cows of small farmers. Ultrasonographic examinations were performed from day 30 after artificial insemination to establish the characteristic ultrasonographic appearances of gestational structures in each pregnant stages. Of the 130 cows inseminated, 111 cows (85.4%) were an ovulatory estrus, 12 cows (9.2%) were an unovulatory estrus, and 7 cows (5.4%) were the error of estrus detection, respectively. The accuracy for early pregnancy diagnosis in 111 ovulatory estrus cows achieved when the discriminatory concentration at day 21 after artificial insemination was placed at 3.0 ng-/ml in plasma, was 86.7 % for positive diagnosis and 100% for negative diagnosis, respectively. Pregnancy diagnosis by ultrasonography were performed to evaluate gestational structures from day 30 after artificial insemination in 83 cows. Pregnant cows were 72 of 83 cows. The characteristic ultrasonography of gestational structures in each gestational stages was as follows. The embryo proper was observed within anechoic fetal fluid between 28 and 40 days after insemination, and amnion and embryonic heartbeat was also detected in this period. Between days 41 and 50, embryo proper was detected as an discriminated from head and body, and forelimb buds and hindlimb buds were also observed in this period. Between days 51 and 60, an embryo proper was clearly discriminated from head and body, and fetal movement, forelimb buds and hindlimb buds were observed in this period. Between days 61 and 70, fetus was completely developed, and fetal skeleton, organs and cotyledon were observed. After day 71, each organs of fetus were rapidly developed and a fetus was partially observed in screen because fetus was too big and larger, These results indicate that plasma P$_4$ determination at days 0,6 and 21 after artificial insemination can be utilized for confirming the estrus observation and for early pregnancy diagnosis. Also, ultrasonography was reliable method for early pregnancy diagnosis at day 30 after artificial insemination.