• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.206-215
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• 2010

A total of 582 gilts and barrows were analyzed to investigate the regressive relationships to slaughter weight (SW) of variables related to production efficiency and pork quality. Average initial weights and SW were 88.6 and 122.5 kg, respectively, for gilts and 88.7 and 121.4 kg, respectively, for barrows. Average daily gain and gain:feed ratio were not affected by SW. Backfat thickness, which was significantly greater (p<0.01) in barrows (23.3 mm) than in gilts (20.7 mm), increased with increasing SW (0.21 mm/kg; p<0.001). When the 4-notch carcass yield and quality grades were quantified according to an arbitrary 1 point-per-1 notch scale, the former, but not the latter, regressed on SW (-0.64/10 kg; p<0.01). The percent yield of the belly per total lean (overall mean=20.7%) increased with increasing SW (0.37%/10 kg; p<0.001), whereas in other cuts, the SW effect was negligible. The redness of the loin also increased with increasing SW (p<0.05), but other physicochemical characteristics were minimally influenced by SW. In sensory evaluation, effects of SW for fresh and cooked loin, ham, and belly were mostly considered insignificant in terms of quality, albeit statistically significant in several cases. However, positive regressions on SW (p<0.01) of the marbling and acceptability scores of fresh loin as well as the fat:lean ratio of fresh belly were noteworthy. Collectively, SW of approximately 125 kg was maximal for both sexes under the current carcass yield grading, in which 94 kg is the upper weight limit for grade A carcass. However, if the carcass weight limit of the grading was to be removed or broadened, the SW for gilts (but not that for barrows because of their excessive fat content at above 125-kg SW) could be increased to 135 kg or greater without compromising carcass quality.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.740-752
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• 2023

Objective: Dietary phytase increases bioavailability of phytate-bound phosphorus (P) in pig nutrition affecting dietary calcium (Ca) to P ratio, intestinal uptake, and systemic utilization of both minerals, which may contribute to improper bone mineralization. We used phytase to assess long-term effects of two dietary available P (aP) levels using a one-phase feeding system on gene expression related to Ca and P homeostasis along the intestinal tract and in the kidney, short-chain fatty acids in stomach, cecum, and colon, serum, and bone parameters in growing gilts and barrows. Methods: Growing pigs (37.9±6.2 kg) had either free access to a diet without (Con; 75 gilts and 69 barrows) or with phytase (650 phytase units; n = 72/diet) for 56 days. Samples of blood, duodenal, jejunal, ileal, cecal, and colonic mucosa and digesta, kidney, and metacarpal bones were collected from 24 pigs (6 gilts and 6 barrows per diet). Results: Phytase decreased daily feed intake and average daily gain, whereas aP intake increased with phytase versus Con diet (p<0.05). Gilts had higher colonic expression of TRPV5, CDH1, CLDN4, ZO1, and OCLN and renal expression of TRPV5 and SLC34A3 compared to barrows (p<0.05). Phytase increased duodenal expression of TRPV5, TRPV6, CALB1, PMCA1b, CDH1, CLDN4, ZO1, and OCLN compared to Con diet (p<0.05). Furthermore, phytase increased expression of SCL34A2 in cecum and of FGF23 and CLDN4 in colon compared to Con diet (p<0.05). Alongside, phytase decreased gastric propionate, cecal valerate, and colonic caproate versus Con diet (p<0.05). Phytase reduced cortical wall thickness and index of metacarpal bones (p<0.05). Conclusion: Gene expression results suggested an intestinal adaptation to increased dietary aP amount by increasing duodenal trans- and paracellular Ca absorption to balance the systemically available Ca and P levels, whereas no adaption of relevant gene expression in kidney occurred. Greater average daily gain in barrows related to higher feed intake.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.10
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• pp.1479-1488
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• 2022

Objective: This work was to determine coat inheritance and evaluate production performance for crossbred pigs from Berkshire×Chenghua (BC) compared with Chinese indigenous Chenghua (CH) pigs. Methods: The coat color phenotypes were recorded for more than 16,000 pigs, and the genotypes of melanocortin 1 receptor (MCIR) gene were identified by sequencing. The reproductive performance of 927 crossbred BC F4 gilts and 320 purebred CH gilts was recorded. Sixty pigs of each breed were randomly selected at approximately 60 days of age to determine growth performance during fattening period, which lasted for 150 days for BC pigs and 240 days for CH pigs. At the end of the fattening period, 30 pigs of each breed were slaughtered to determine carcass composition and meat quality. Results: The coat color of BC pigs exhibits a "dominant black" hereditary pattern, and all piglets derived from boars or sows genotyped E^D1 E^D1 homozygous for MC1R gene showed a uniform black coat phenotype. The BC F4 gilts displayed a good reproductive performance, showing a higher litter and tear size and were heavier at farrowing litter and at weaning litter than the CH gilts, but they reached puberty later than the CH gilts. BC F4 pigs exhibited improved growth and carcass characteristics with a higher average daily live weight gain, lower feed-to-gain ratio, and higher carcass lean meat rate than CH pigs. Like CH pigs, BC F4 pigs produced superior meat-quality characteristics, showing ideal pH and meat-color values, high intramuscular fat content and water-holding capacity, and acceptable muscle-fiber parameters. C18:1, C16:0, C18:0, and C18:2 were the main fatty acids in M. longissimus lumborum in the two breeds, and a remarkably high polyunsaturated/saturated fatty acid ratio of ~0.39 was observed in the BC F4 pigs. Conclusion: The BC F4 pigs exhibit a uniform black coat pattern and acceptable total production performance.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.223-229
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• 1997

This study was carried out to determine the effect of uterus shortening on the pvaries, the length of uterine horn and the recovery of embryos. The length of the shortened uterine horns increased more in part of uterine tip from connecting part for shortening than in base (P<0.05), and collection of embryos was also difficult in gilts because of its narrow pelvis. The embryos collected surgically from gilts with shortened uterine horns were developed into 2~8cells (87.5%) 3days and 4cell~morula (88.9%) 5days after mating.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.81-86
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• 1981

Reproductive performance of gilts and sows in ordinary piggeries was investigated with special reference to litter size, piglets weaned per litter, the cause of preweaning mortality and the incidence of diarrhea. Biochemical properties of Escherichia coli isolated from piglets with diarrhea were also determined. The results obtained are summarised as follows: 1. Of the 2,226 gilts and sows farrowed, average number of piglets born alived and weaned piglets per litter were 8.9 and 7.1, respectively, indicating that both gilts and sows lost more than 20% of all their piglets prior to weaning. 2. The causes of preweaning mortality in order of prevalence were diarrhea (39.3%), pneumonia (20.0%), crushing (13.8%), starvation (11.0%) and born weak (10.3%). 3. Incidence of 3 diarrheal syndromes of piglets, i.e. 1 week diarrhea, 3 week diarrhea and post-weaning diarrhea were 18.4%, 66.1% and 15.5%, respectively, showing that most farms were suffering from so called 'white scours' in piglets 14~28 days old. 4. Biochemical properties of 268 cultures of E. coli isolated from diarrheal piglets were tested and compared with those of standard strains of porcine origin. All those properties of isolates were matched to standard E. coli teated while variable results were obtained with haemolytic capabilities of cultures tested. 5. Of 147 isolates 16 cultures (10.9%) were identified as colicin producers.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.665-671
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• 1992

To investigate the effects of immunization against somatostatin (SRIF) on growth rate, feed efficiency and carcass quality; forth-eight Yorkshire gilts ($age=37.5{\pm}4.3d,\;wt=8.2{\pm}1.6kg$) were randomly assigned to one of the following three treatments (1) control, (2) bovine serum albumin (BSA) and (3) SRIF. Cyclic SRIF was conjugated to BSA as the antigen containing 1 mg of SRIF diluted in 3 ml of saline. The conjugate was injected subsutaneously together with bacterial cell protein (BP) adjuvant on both sides of the neck of each gilt as the initial injection with three subsequent booster injections. Throughout the experiment all pigs were fed ad libitum a corn-soy diet containing 20% protein. Body weight and feed intake were measured on a weekly basis. All pigs in the experiment were slaughtered when they approached 101 kg body weight on the weekly weigh day. After slaughter, carcass parameters were analyzed to assess carcass quality. Results revealed that there were no differences among SRIF, BSA and control treatments for average daily gain, feed efficiency and feed intake during the first 5 wk of the experiment and from 6 wk to slaughter. The results for carcass analysis indicated that active immunization against SRIF had no effect on fat content, lean yield, water content and Canadian carcass index These data, collectively, suggest that the protocol employed in the present investigation for active immunization against SRIF is not an effective method for the enhancement of pig growth and improvement of feed efficiency and carcass quality.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.203-209
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• 2011

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a small lipid molecule that plays an important role through LPA receptors (LPARs) in reproductive processes. Our previous study has shown maximal expression of LPAR3 in the uterine endometrium on day (D) 12 of pregnancy in pigs, the period when conceptus secretes various molecules such as estrogen and interleukin-$1{\beta}$ (IL1B) and initiates implantation. We determined that endometrial expression of LPAR3 was increased by conceptus estrogen in the previous study, but the effect of IL1B on LPAR3 expression has not been determined. Thus, in this study we examined whether LPAR3 expression was also affected by IL1B. Endometrial explant cultures from D12 of the estrous cycle showed that levels of endometrial LPAR3 expression did not changed in response to IL1B. We also investigated LPAR3 expression in the uterine endometrium on D12 and D30 of pregnancy from gilts with conceptuses derived from somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). The expression of LPAR3 mRNA was lower in endometria from gilts with conceptuses resulting from SCNT compared with those from gilts with embryos resulting from natural mating on D12 of pregnancy, but it was not different between them on D30 of pregnancy. Our results indicate that estrogen of conceptus origin is responsible for induction of LPAR3 expression during the peri-implantation period and appropriate LPA signaling is impaired in the uterine endometrium with SCNT-derived conceptuses during the implantation period in pigs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.10
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• pp.1434-1439
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• 2001

Eighty crossbred pigs (Large White x Landrace) weighing 9.9 kg were assigned on the basis of sex, weight and Jitter to one of five dietary treatments in a factorial $(5\;treatments\;{\times}2\;sexes)$ arrangement to compare the nutritive value of hulled and dehulled peas fed with or without enzyme (0.25% Allzyme PF and 0.5% Biogal-S). A barley and soybean meal diet served as a control. Eight castrates and eight gilts were fed each diet. Digestibility coefficients for dry matter, crude protein and energy were higher for diets containing dehulled peas than hulled peas. In addition, enzyme supplementation modestly increased the digestibility of all three nutrients. Over the entire experimental period (9.9 to 103.3 kg), there were no performance differences (p>0.05) between pigs fed soybean meal based diets or diets based on any of the pea products. In addition, there were no differences in performance between pigs fed diets containing hulled or dehulled peas or between pigs fed diets with or without dietary enzyme. Castrates gained weight significantly faster, consumed more feed but had a poorer feed conversion than gilts (p<0.05). There were no differences in carcass traits between pigs fed diets based on soybean meal or any of the pea products. Carcass traits were similar for pigs fed hulled or dehulled peas while enzyme supplementation also had no effect on carcass data. Castrate pigs had a lower carcass value index, estimated lean yield and loin lean depth (p<0.05). Loin fat depth was greater for castrates than gilts (p<0.05). The overall results of this experiment provide little support for the need for enzyme supplementation of pea based diets fed to swine. In addition, dehulling did not appreciably improve the nutritive value of peas. Therefore, since the process adds to the cost of the raw product, its use is unlikely to be economical.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.95-101
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• 2010

Decorin (DCN) is a member of small leucine-rich proteoglycans which are ubiquitous components of the extracellular matrix. It regulates many physiological processes, such as matrix formation, collagen fibrillogenesis, angiogenesis, cancer growth, and cardiovascular diseases. It has been shown that DCN is expressed in the uterus during pregnancy and modulates implantation and decidualization for the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy in mice and humans. Expression of DCN in the uterine endometrium during pregnancy has not been investigated in pigs. Thus, this study investigated expression of DCN in the uterine endometrium during the estrous cycle and pregnancy in pigs. Uterine endometrial tissues were from day (D) 12 and 15 of the estrous cycle and D12, D15, D30, D60, D90, and D114 of pregnancy. Northern blot and real-time RT-PCR analyses showed that expression of DCN mRNA was detected throughout the estrous cycle and pregnancy with the highest levels during mid pregnancy. In situ hybridization analysis showed that DCN mRNA was localized to both luminal and glandular epithelia during the estrous cycle and pregnancy and also to chorionic membrane during mid pregnancy in pigs. To determine whether endometrial expression of DCN was affected by the somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) procedure, DCN mRNA levels in the uterine endometrium from gilts with SCNT embryos on D30 of pregnancy were compared with those from gilts with normal embryos using real-time RT-PCR analysis. The result showed that DCN mRNA levels in the uterine endometrium were not significantly different between gilts with normal embryos and SCNT embryos. These results suggest that DCN may play an important role for endometrial tissue remodeling during mid pregnancy, and DCN expression is not affected by the SCNT procedure at the early stage of pregnancy in pigs.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.191-198
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• 2010

A total of 96 non-lean-type (Yorkshire $\times$ Landrace) $\times$ Duroc gilts and barrows weighing approximately 80 kg were randomly allocated to 24 pens under a 2 (sex) $\times$ 3 [diet; 3.4, 3.2, and 3.0 Mcal DE/kg {'high'-, 'medium'-, and 'low'-energy diets (HE, ME, and LE), respectively}] factorial arrangement of treatments. All animals were slaughtered approximately at 115 kg, after which carcass quality traits and grades and physicochemical and sensory characteristics of the loin related to meat quality were analyzed. The ADG and gain:feed were not affected by the sex or dietary treatment, whereas ADFI was greater in the ME vs HE group. Backfat thickness was greater in barrows vs gilts and also in ME and HE vs LE only in barrows. Enumerated carcass marbling and quality grade, which were highly correlated (r=0.56; P<0.01), were greater in barrows vs gilts. Physicochemical characteristics including the color, pH, drip loss and contents of moisture, protein, and fat of fresh loin, as well as sensory characteristics of fresh and cooked loin, were not affected by the sex or dietary treatment, except for shear force for cooked loin which was greater (P<0.05) in LE and ME vs HE. In conclusion, it is thought that ME is comparable to HE in terms of the effect on growth and carcass quality of finishing pigs, but that the relative effect of LE vs ME needs to be further studied.