• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.64-70
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• 2017

Objective: In the present study, role of increasing levels of Ecklonia cava (seaweed) supplementation in diets was investigated on growth performance, coefficient of total tract apparent digestibility (CTTAD) of nutrients, serum immunoglobulins, cecal microflora and intestinal morphology of weanling pigs. Methods: A total of 200 weaned pigs (Landrace${\times}$Yorkshire${\times}$Duroc; initial body weight $7.08{\pm}0.15kg$) were randomly allotted to 4 treatments on the basis of body weight. There were 5 replicate pens in each treatment including 10 pigs of each. Treatments were divided by dietary Ecklonia cava supplementation levels (0%, 0.05%, 0.1%, or 0.15%) in growing-finishing diets. There were 2 diet formulation phases throughout the experiment. The pigs were offered the diets ad libitum for the entire period of experiment in meal form. Results: The pigs fed with increasing dietary concentrations of Ecklonia cava had linear increase (p<0.05) in the overall average daily gain, however, there were no significant differences in gain to feed ratio, CTTAD of dry matter and crude protein at both phase I and phase II. Digestibility of gross energy was linearly improved (p<0.05) in phase II. At day 28, pigs fed Ecklonia cava had greater (linear, p<0.05) Lactobacillus spp., fewer Escherichia coli (E. coli) spp. (linear, p<0.05) and a tendency to have fewer cecal Clostridium spp. (p = 0.077). The total anaerobic bacteria were not affected with supplementation of Ecklonia cava in diets. Polynomial contrasts analysis revealed that villus height of the ileum exhibited a linear increase (p<0.05) in response with the increase in the level of dietary Ecklonia cava. However, villus height of duodenum and jejunum, crypt depth, villus height to crypt depth ratio of different segments of the intestine were not affected. Conclusion: The results suggest that Ecklonia cava had beneficial effects on the growth performance, cecal microflora, and intestinal morphology of weanling pigs.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.147-154
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• 2001

An experiment was conducted to examine environmental influences upon the behavioral pattern of pigs. The resting areas of an enclosed growing-finishing pig house were checked in two seasonal ventilation systems, and the excretion habit of pigs influenced by the different closing rates (50, 75 and 100%) of side walls of pens was surveyed. 1. The excretion habit of pigs was not influenced by temperature, humidity and the flow speed of running air as they excreted in a fixed area of the side walls. However, the lighting effects on the excretion habit was observed because pigs excreted in the darkest area of the pig pen. 2. The accumulated height and width of feces showed 10 and 30 cm; 5 and 25cm; and 3 and 20cm for 50, 75 and 100% of closing rates of side walls, respectively. It indicates that pigs excrete all over the floor in the pen with 100% closed side walls. 3. Ammonia concentrations of the resting areas on the pen floor were determined to 4.2, 5.1 and $5.8mg/{\ell}$ for 50, 75 and 100% of closing rates of side walls, respectively. It indicates that the ammonia concentration was highest in the pen with 100% closed side walls. Thus, the high ammonia concentration of the resting areas could be reduced by illuminating the darker areas with relation to the excretion habit. 4. The flow speed of running air was likely the biggest factor influencing the resting areas of pigs; pigs took a rest at the place of 0.04 m/s air flow speed point during midwinter, and at the place of 0.24 m/s air flow speed point during midsummer.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.1785-1793
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• 2008

Fifty-four PIC barrows were used to evaluate the effects of lower dietary lysine content and energy level on carcass characteristics and meat quality in slaughter pigs. Pigs were allotted to one of three treatments by body weight with six replicate pens in each treatment. The dietary treatments for body weights of 20-50 kg, 50-80 kg and 80-90 kg were as follows, respectively: control diet (digestible energy 14.22 MJ/kg, lysine/DE 0.67 g/MJ, 0.53 g/MJ and 0.42 g/MJ); a low lysine group (digestible energy 14.22 MJ/kg, lysine/DE 0.49, 0.38 and 0.30 g/MJ); and a low lysine-low energy group or low nutrient group (digestible energy 13.11 MJ/kg, lysine/DE 0.49, 0.38 and 0.30 g/MJ). The daily weight gain, daily feed intake and feed efficiency were calculated in the overall growth period (nearly 12 weeks). Meanwhile, carcass characteristics and meat quality were evaluated at 60 and 90 kg body weight respectively. During the overall growth trial, lowering dietary lysine and nutrient level both decreased weight gain (p<0.05) and feed efficiency (p<0.01). At 60 kg body weight, decreasing dietary lysine and nutrient level noticeably decreased dressing percentage (p<0.01) and back fat depth at last rib of PIC pigs (p<0.01), but enhanced marbling scores (p<0.10), intramuscular fat content (p<0.10) and water loss rate (p<0.01) of the longissimus dorsi muscle. At 90 kg body weight, lean percentage (p<0.01) was evidently reduced by both lowering lysine content and nutrient level in the diet. However, the shoulder back fat depth (p<0.05) and marbling scores of the loin eye muscle (p<0.05) were increased; Lowering dietary nutrient level could improve back fat depth of 10th rib (p<0.01) and last rib (p<0.01), intramuscular fat content (p<0.10), redness (p<0.01) and water loss rate of the loin eye muscle (p<0.05), but decrease loin area (p<0.05). Finally, when comparing the 60 kg and 90 kg slaughter weights, it was found that the shoulder back fat depth (p<0.01, p<0.10), 6th-7th rib (p<0.01, p<0.01), 10th-rib (p<0.01, p<0.01) and last rib back fat depth (p<0.01, p<0.01) of the low lysine and low nutrient group were all obviously increased comparing with the control group. Taken together, the results showed that decreasing dietary lysine content and nutrient level increased intramuscular fat content and water loss rate of longissimus dorsi muscle; On the other hand, both lowering dietary lysine and nutrient level markedly compensated to increase back fat deposition in the later finishing period (body weight from 60 to 90 kg) in contrast to the control group.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.233-244
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• 2010

This experiment was conducted to evaluate two different types of feed additive as an alternative for antibiotics on growth performance and feed cost in growing and finishing pigs. One additive is an herb extract, with Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum) as the main component, while the other feed additive contains aminolevulinic acid (ALA). In the first experiment, 128 grower pigs were allotted to 4 different treatment groups and replicated 4 times with 8 pigs per replicate; the trial lasted for 28 days. The positive control group (PC) which is the control group supplemented with antibiotics was significantly higher (p<0.05) in growth rate (580.6 g/d) followed by the ALA group (532.0 g/d), there was no significant differences in terms of feed intake and feed efficiency. There were marginal reductions in feed costs measured as feed cost per head in ALA and HE added diet. However, the feed cost per weight gain of ALA treatment was higher than the control group (PC) supplemented with antibiotics. In the second experiment, 80 finisher pigs were allotted to 4 treatment groups and replicated 4 times with 5 pigs per replicate; the trial lasted for 70 days. The treatment group supplemented with an herb extract (HE) had a significantly higher (p<0.05) feed intake (2,415.8 g/d) compared to the other treatment groups, but there was no significant differences in terms of growth rate and feed efficiency. Feed cost per head in HE and ALA treatments were higher than PC treatment, and feed cost per weight gain of HE was higher than PC treat (p<0.05). The results from these experiments suggests that these two types of feed additives can both be used as an alternative for antibiotics without having a negative effect on the performance of the animals. And aminolevulinic acid was good in performance and production cost of grower and finisher pigs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.410-415
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• 2002

Adrenal glucocorticoids, secreted by the stimulus of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), are catabolic hormones in the pig. The present study was conducted to find whether active immunization against ACTH would suppress cortisol secretion accompanied by an increased growth rate in growing-finishing barrows. ACTH was conjugated to keyhole limpet hemocyanin or human histone using glutaraldehyde or 3-maleimidobenzoic acid N-hydroxysuccinimide, under a 2 (ACTH vs no hapten)${\times}$2 (carrier)${\times}$2 (crosslinker) factorial arrangement of treatments. Cross-bred barrows weighing approximately 25 kg were injected with an ACTHcarrier or carrier only conjugate every 4th wk and slaughtered at approximately 110 kg body weight. Antibodies against ACTH were detected in serum, as determined by $[^{125}I]$ACTH-binding activity, in most animals immunized against the ACTH conjugate, but not in carrier only-injected animals, except for the animals which had received the hapten conjugated to histone via glutaraldehyde. The $[^{125}I]$ACTH-binding activity of serum increased after the second booster injection, but overall ACTH antibody titer was very low. Main effect was not detected not only for the carrier and crosslinker but for the hapten in serum cortisol concentration, ADG, loin muscle area, backfat thickness and longissimus muscle composition including fat and protein. In addition, bound $[^{125}I]$ACTH percentage had no relation to cortisol concentration or to any of the above growth-related variables. Results suggest that ACTH or its conjugates used in the present study were not immunogenically potent enough to affect the glucocorticoid secretion and thus the growth of the immunized pigs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.8
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• pp.1154-1161
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• 2000

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of cupric citrate (Cu-citrate) relative to cupric sulfate $(CuSO_4)$ as a Cu source for weanling and grow-finish pigs. In addition, the use of liver and bile Cu concentrations as indices of the bioavailability of Cu sources was investigated. Experiment one consisted of a nursery phase (35 d; initial BW=6.4 kg, final BW=21.4 kg) followed by a grow-finish phase (103 d; initial BW=21.5 kg, final BW=111.7 kg). Experiment two only consisted of a nursery phase (35 d; initial BW=6.3 kg, final BW=18.6 kg). Dietary treatments were identical for both experiments and consisted of: control (10 ppm $CuSO_4$); control+66 or 225 ppm $CuSO_4$; control+33, 66, or 100 ppm Cu-citrate. An antibiotic was included in diets for Exp. 1 but not Exp. 2. In both experiments, growth performance variables were similar for pigs receiving Cu-citrate and $CuSO_4$; however, growth performance was not improved by high concentrations of $CuSO_4$. Liver and bile Cu were increased (p<0.05) by 225 ppm $CuSO_4$; however, lower dietary concentrations of Cu from either $CuSO_4$ or Cu-citrate did not affect the Cu concentration of liver or bile relative to that observed in the control pigs. Irrespective of Cu source, there was no linear (p>0.10) increase in plasma Cu with increasing Cu concentrations in the diet for both experiments. However, the plasma Cu concentrations were highest (p<0.10) in pigs receiving diets supplemented with 225 ppm $CuSO_4$. Sixteen randomly chosen pigs per treatment in Exp. 1 were continued through the grow-finish phase. Body weight gain and feed intake were improved (p<0.10) by 66 ppm $CuSO_4$, but other dietary Cu treatments did not alter pig performance compared to the control diet. Plasma Cu concentrations were increased (p<0.10) by 225 ppm $CuSO_4$ in the growing phase and by 225 ppm $CuSO_4$ and 100 ppm Cu-citrate in the finishing phase. These data reveal no consistent effect of $CuSO_4$ on performance; therefore, it is difficult to assess the efficacy of these two Cu sources. In addition, these studies demonstrate that liver and bile Cu are not good indicators of Cu bioavailability in pigs fed adequate to pharmacological concentrations of Cu.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.9
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• pp.1326-1333
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• 2002

Studies were conducted with nine barrows, average initial body weight $44.5{\pm}2.1kg$, fitted with a T-cannula at the distal ileum, to determine the apparent ileal (and true) digestibility (AID and TID) of CP and AA in different cultivars of rapeseed meals and soybean meal. The barrows were fed either a casein diet or one of eight corn starch-based semipurified diets, formulated to contain 17.0% CP (DM basis) with one of seven different cultivars of rapeseed meal or soybean meal as the sole source of dietary protein, according to a six-period, nine-treatment, incomplete Latin Square. Chromic oxide (0.5%) was used as a digestibility marker. The pigs were fed of 4% of body weight twice daily, at 08:00 and 20:00 h. Ileal digesta were collected at 2 h intervals daily from 5 d to 7 d. The AID or TID values of CP and most AA (Cysteine excluded) were significantly lower in the rapeseed meals than in soybean meal (p<0.05). There were significant differences in the AID or TID values of CP and AA among the seven different cultivars rapeseed meals (p<0.05); the seven rapeseed meals were arranged according to the size of the AA digestibility values of the rapeseed meals from the greatest to the least, as Zayou 59, Youyan 7, Ganyou 16, Qingyou 2, Huaza 3, Ningza 1 and Lianglou 586; differences in CP, AA, NDF and ADF contents in the rapeseed meals were mainly responsible for the variation in the AID or TID values of AA among rapeseed meals. The AID value of CP can be used as an index of the AID or TID values of most AA in rapeseed meals. However, the AID value of CP was less appropriate as a direct indicator of the AID or TID values for cysteine, methionine, tryptophan, phenylalanine and proline.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.293-304
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• 2005

This experiment was carried out to investigate effects of honeybee venom treatment on the body weight gain, feed conversion and growth rate' in pigs. One hundred twenty nine piglets(LY) from 12 sows were allocated into two groups; honeybee venom-treated group (66 piglets from 6 sows) and non-treated control group (63 piglets from 6 sows). Natural honeybee venom was administrated at 0, 3, 14, 30, and 74 days after birth. The acupoints were Hai-men(ST-25), Du-kou(CV-8) and liao-chao(GV-I) points at 0 day, the regions of castration and tail ampution at 3 days, liao-chao(GV-1) and Bai-hui(GV-20) points at 14(weaning), 30(move into piglet stall) and 74(move into grower stall) days after birth. Control group was injected 1 ml of saline to the same site. Average body weight at 150 days after birth was 98.44 kg in bee venom treated group and 86.24 kg in control group, respectively. Average body weight of treated group was significantly increased by 14.15%(P < 0.0001). Average daily gain of bee venom treated group and control group were 649 g and 569 g, respectively, increased by 14.06%(P< 0.0001). Feed conversion of the treated group was 2.21 and control group was 2.49, increased by 11.25% in control group(P < 0.001). Survival rate at weaning was 95.5 % in treated group and 92.0% in control group, at growing(74 days after birth) was 92.4% in treated group and 85.7% in control group and survival rate at finishing(l50 days after birth) was 89.5 % and 79.4 %, respectively. Collecting together, the results in this study showed that growth performance and feed conversion were increased by treatment of natural honeybee venom to pigs. These results suggested that the treatment of bee venom could be used effectively for the increase productivity of livestock industry.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.118-125
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• 1999

Porcine Proliferative Enteropathy(PPE) is an infectious enteric disease and a major cause of economic loss in swine industry due to weight loss, poor growth and sudden death in growing and finishing pigs at 6 to 20 weeks of age. PPE has been diagnosed by clinical signs, syndrom and lesions in the intestine in Korea. However, the diagnostic method had several problems in the detection of infected or carrier pigs. Therefore, in this study, we established the polymerase chain reaction(PCR) which was a fast, specific and sensitive method for identification of Lawsonia intracellularis (L intracellularis). We designed and synthesized primer on the 16S rDNA and p78 gene encoding L intracellularis. Specificity of the method was confirmed by comparison of the PCR results using other enteric bacteria and the study has shown that PCR method was sensitive to detect 1ng of genomic DNA as a template. Identity of the PCR products was confirmed by comparison of pattern of restriction endonuclease analysis with restriction enzyme Hae III and Pst I. Also, the PCR method was applicable to the naturally affected pigs with PPE. Based on the results from this study, the PCR method could be used as a fast and specific diagnostic tool for PPE.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.216-220
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• 2004

To investigate the effect of feeding the fermented food wastes (FFW) on meat quality, twenty pigs produced from four treatments with different mixing rates of FFW [100% concentrate (control), 25% replacement with FFW (25% FFW), 50% replacement with FFW (50% FFW) and 100% fermented food wastes (100% FFW)] were slaughtered. Carcass characteristics were differentiated if FFW replacement rate was higher than 50%. The proximate compositions of hams and loins in control pigs were not different from (p>0.05) those of the FFW replacements, regardless of mixing rate of FFW replacement. Drip loss of pork loin increased (p<0.05) with increased rate of FFW replacement. Hunter color values were affected (p<0.05) by the FFW replacement and storage time, while not significantly changed (p>0.05) when replaced with lower than 25% FFW. With replacing more than 50% FFW, redness values tended to be decreased, while yellowness values increased. Aerobic plate counts (APC) were rapidly increased 12 d for the control and 8 d for FFW replacement, and microbial stability seemed to be lowered when the rate of FFW replacement rate was more than 50%. These results indicated that the replacement of concentrate diets with FFW was still nutritious feedstuffs for pig diet, however, no more than 50% FFW replacement was recommended to have similar effect to those with the control (100% concentrate).