• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.17 no.10
• /
• pp.1334-1337
• /
• 2004

The present study was conducted to detect polymorphism at growth hormone gene in Karan Fries bulls. A 428 bp fragment of growth hormone gene spanning over $4^{th}$exon, $4^{th}$intron and $5^{th}$ exon was amplified and digested with AluI restriction enzyme to identify polymorphism at this locus. Karan Fries bulls were found to be polymorphic at this locus. Two genotypes LL and LV were identified in Karan Fries with higher allelic frequency for L allele. In Karan Fries males, the average birth weight, 3 months body weight and daily body weight gains of LL homozygotes were significantly higher than that of LV heterozygotes. Genetic distances of KF bulls with respect to genotype along with 3 months body weight and average daily body weight gain forms a single cluster of bulls with LL genotype, while individuals with LV genotype forms three distinct clusters indicating more influence of L allele on growth traits.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.8 no.6
• /
• pp.567-570
• /
• 1995

Data from 178 Jersey calves born at Livestock Experiment Station were analyzed to obtain estimates of heritability, genetic and phenotypic correlations of some growth traits. Sex-specific variance and covariance components were estimated for birth weight (BWT), 180-d weight (WWT), 365-d weight (YWT), birth to weaning daily gain (BWG), weaning to yearling daily gain (WYG) and brith to yearling gain (BYG). Heritabilities, genetic and phenotypic correlations were generally higher in males than females. Heritabilities estimated for males and females respectively were 0.98 and 0.49 for BWT; 0.70 and 0.76 for WWT; 0.71 and 0.26 for YWT. Genetic correlations were higher than phenotypic correlations in all the treats studied.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.15 no.8
• /
• pp.1178-1181
• /
• 2002

Records from a total of 202 crossbred pigs were classified by their ear type and coat color to examine the presence of interrelationships with growth performances. Crossbred pigs were F2 generations of full sib family out of ten Landrace sows bred by 5 Korean domestic boars. Heavily drooped ear type was predominant, 195 out of 202 pigs over the other two types (1 straight and 6 slightly drooped). Coat colors were classified as four categories, all white, all black, dominant white or dominant black. Ratio among coat color categories did not fall within Mendelian principle of independence regarding two loci involved. There was dependency between ear type and coat color. However, due to rarity of ear types other than heavy drooped, dependency comes from distribution of those rare ear types. Three least squares models to test the effect of ear type and coat colors on growth performances were analyzed. First model analyzed effects on birth weight, body weight at 3 and 6 weeks and ADG' before weaning and between 3 and 5 weeks of age. This model included sex in addition to ear type and coat color. Second model analyzed postweaning growth traits (initial weight, final weight and ADG between these periods) upon initiation of performance testing. This model included effects of sex, test group and start age (as a covariate) in addition. Third model was fit for fasted weight before slaughter and included the effects of sex, test group and age at slaughter (as a covariate). The effects of sex and ear type were not significant source of variation for all traits. Test group was a significant source of variation for all the postweaning traits. Effect of coat color was not significant until the initiation of performance testing and became significant then after. Least squares means of dominantly black pigs were significantly lower than the other three coat colored pigs in final weight around 195 days of age and in ADG from the start of performance test and final weight measure.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.20 no.6
• /
• pp.962-970
• /
• 2007

A total of 1,200 LinNan Chinese color-feathered chicks were used to study the effects of methionine source [DL-2-hydroxy-4-methylthio-butanoic acid (HMTBa) or DL-methionine (DLM)] and dietary crude protein (CP) level on growth performance, carcass traits, and whole-body nitrogen and fat retention. The trial was designed as a $2{\times}2$ factorial arrangement, including two CP levels (adequate and low) and two methionine sources (HMTBa and DL-methionine). Diets were formulated for three phases, starter (0-21 d), grower (21-42 d), and finisher (42-63 d). Chicks fed HMTBa had higher daily gain and improved feed efficiency than DLM during the grower phase (p<0.05). A significant two-way interaction was observed for growth performance during the finisher phase and overall (0-63 d). Growth performance was greater for chicks fed HMTBa than DLM on adequate-CP diets (p<0.05), but this was not observed at low-CP level (p>0.05). Chicks fed low-CP diets grew slower, used feed less efficiently during the grower, finisher phase and overall. On d 42, regardless of dietary CP levels, birds fed HMTBa had higher carcass weights, breast and thigh weights than DLM-fed birds (p<0.04). Birds fed low-CP diet had lighter carcass weights and less breast muscle, thigh muscle, and dressing percentage at the end of starter, grower and finisher phases (p<0.05). Whole body composition analyses found that birds fed HMTBa tended to contain more protein and less fat compared to those chicks fed DLM at the end of the starter phase (p<0.10). Low-CP diets increased CP concentration in the whole body at the end of the finisher phase (p = 0.05). HMTBa supplementation increased whole-body N retention rate during the finisher phase and overall (p<0.01), and low-CP diets reduced N intake and whole-body fat retention during the finisher phase and overall (p<0.05). In summary, HMTBa was better than DLM on an equimolar basis for growth performance, carcass traits, and N retention in Chinese color-feathered chicks. Low-CP diets lowered growth performance as well as carcass traits in color-feathered birds, probably due to imbalanced AA profiles.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.21 no.7
• /
• pp.961-966
• /
• 2008

Direct and maternal genetic parameters for production traits in 1,642 pigs and maternal genetic correlations among production (1,642 pigs) and feed efficiency (380 boars) traits were estimated in 7 generations of a Duroc population. Traits studied were daily gain (DG), intramuscular fat (IMF), loineye area (LEA), backfat thickness (BF), daily feed intake (FI), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and residual feed intake (RFI). The RFI was calculated as the difference between actual and predicted feed intake. The predicted feed intake was estimated by adjusting the initial test weight, DG and BF. Data for production traits were analyzed using four alternative animal models (including direct, direct+maternal permanent environmental, or direct+maternal genetic+maternal permanent environmental effects). Direct heritability estimates from the model including direct and all maternal effects were $0.41{\pm}0.04$ for DG, $0.27{\pm}0.04$ for IMF, $0.52{\pm}0.06$ for LEA and $0.64{\pm}0.04$ for BF. Estimated maternal heritabilities ranged from $0.04{\pm}0.04$ to $0.15{\pm}0.05$ for production traits. Antagonistic relationships were observed between direct and maternal genetic effects ($r_{am}$) for LEA (-0.21). Maternal genetic correlations of feed efficiency traits with FI ($r_g$ of FI with FCR and RFI were $0.73{\pm}0.06$ and $0.90{\pm}0.05$, respectively) and LEA (rg of LEA with FCR and RFI were $-0.48{\pm}0.05$ to $-0.61{\pm}0.05$, respectively) were favorable. The estimated moderate genetic correlations between direct and maternal genetic effects for IMF and LEA indicated that maternal effects has an important role in these traits, and should be accounted for in the genetic evaluation system.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.19 no.11
• /
• pp.1541-1545
• /
• 2006

The polymorphism of insulin-like growth factor I receptor (IGFIR) gene in 12 pig breeds (total n = 593) was detected by PCR-SacII-restriction fragment length polymorphism and allele A (379 bp) or allele B (235 bp and 144 bp) observed. In the studied breeds, it was found that European pigs principally carried allele A, while Chinese native pig breeds principally carried allele B. In addition, the role of pig IGFIR was investigated in 156 Wanbai pigs and 212 Large Yorkshire pigs. Growth related variables including body weight at birth, 2-, 4- and 6-mo of age and backfat thickness and lean percentage estimated by ultrasonography at 6-mo of age were recorded in analyzing the association between IGFIR gene polymorphism and growth traits. AA-genotype pigs exhibited greater (p<0.05) body weights (BW) at birth, 2- and 6-mo of age, but not at 4-mo of age, than those of the BB-genotype in Wanbai and Yorkshire breeds. Moreover, in the Yorkshire breed, AA-genotype pigs had less backfat thickness (p<0.05) and greater lean percentage (p<0.01) than the BB genotype. Based on these results, it is necessary to do more studies on IGFIR before introducing the IGFIR locus into breeding programs.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.57 no.11
• /
• pp.39.1-39.5
• /
• 2015

The effects of castration time on growth and carcass traits of elk bulls were investigated. Twelve bulls at 5 years old were raised and fed on concentrate with ad libitum hay. All animals were allocated randomly to each of four treatment groups (3 heads/group). Groups of each treatment were castrated surgically in March, April or June and managed together with non-castration (entire) treatment. All elk bulls in the trial were slaughtered at same time. Growth parameters, carcass yield and composition were recorded. The total gain and average daily gain was higher when castrated in April (p < 0.05). The entire elk produced heaviest and highest in saddle and brisket portions (p < 0.05). It is apparent that the castrate animals carried more total fat weight and percentages than the entire males (p < 0.05). It was found that loin muscles from non-castrated elk, in comparison with those from castrated one, had higher content of moisture and lower content of fat (p < 0.05). In this study, growth parameters, carcass yields and chemical composition were greatly affected by castration time.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.183-188
• /
• 2012

To investigate the influence of the prolactin receptor 3 (PRLR3) gene and the retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) gene on the production traits of swine, genotyping was performed on 156 and 141 Berkshire pigs, respectively, that were carefully selected for economic traits. The frequencies of allele A in the PRLR3 locus and allele B in the RBP4 locus were 0.50 and 0.42, respectively. Neither locus was in the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. After a genotype was assigned to the individuals whose parents had the homozygous genotype, a statistical analysis was conducted for 291 pigs. The animals with the PRLR3 and RBP4 genotypes included 182 and 227 head, respectively. Even though the genotypic effects of PRLR3 (p<0.05) and RBP4 (p<0.01) had a significant influence on the pigs' back fat thickness, the interaction of both genes was not highly significant in terms of the back fat thickness (p = 0.1235). While the estimated epistasis effects of aaBB and aaBb decreased the back fat thickness and reduced the growth rate, the effects of AAbb and aabb increased the growth rate. Despite the insignificant difference in the PRLR genotypes in terms of the days to 90 kg and the average daily gain, the back fat thickness showed a significant difference (p<0.05), and the additive effect of allele A and the dominant effect of the hetero-genotype were -0.377 and 1.206 mm, respectively. The RBP4 genotypes had a very significant effect (p<0.01) on the back fat thickness, the days to 90 kg, and the average daily gain. The additive effects of allele B of the RBP4 locus on the back fat thickness, the days to 90 kg, and the average daily gain were 0.70 mm, -1.3 days and 6.2 g, respectively. Moreover, the dominant effects of the heterozygote for those traits were 0.63 mm, 9.9 days and -45.0 g, respectively. Allele A of the PRLR3 locus favorably influenced the back fat thickness, the days to 90 kg of the body weight, and the average daily gain and its dominant effect unfavorably influenced those traits. Allele B of RBP4 showed an incremental growth rate and back fat thickness, which could lower the lean meat percentage in the carcass. The RBP4 hetero-genotype negatively affected the pork production. These results strongly imply that the selection of allele A of PRLR3 and allele B of RBP4 would produce highly productive pigs in the Berkshire breed. Careful selection of allele B of RBP4 is required because of the increase in the back fat thickness.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.335-342
• /
• 2012

This study was conducted to estimation the selection response for growth-related traits in 31-month old of Pacific abalone, Haliotis discus hannai were born in 2008. In overall mean of surveyed traits and standard deviation showed $76.31{\pm}7.247$ mm of shell length, $49.48{\pm}5.307$ mm of shell width and $40.96{\pm}6.80$ g of total weight. The effect of sex and maturity were statistically significant in all traits include out a condition factor (p < 0.01). And In effect of sex, female were higher than male in all traits excepting condition factor, significantly. In correlation between breeding value and phenotypic value by each traits, showed rank correlation coefficient and simple correlation coefficient, which represented low positive correlation. A hopeful genetic improvement to the next generation showed 6.96 mm of shell length, 4.47 mm of shel width and 12.93 g of total weight. Therefor, It is considered that if considering properly selection intensity and selection ratio, efficient improvement could be made.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.30 no.8
• /
• pp.1074-1080
• /
• 2017

Objective: The growth, carcass and retail cut yield records on 1,428 Hanwoo steers obtained through progeny testing were analyzed in this study, and their heritability and genetic relationships among the traits were estimated using animal models. Methods: Two different models were compared in this study. Each model was fitted for different fixed class effects, date of slaughter for carcass traits and batch of progeny test live measurement traits, and a choice of covariates (carcass weight in Model 1 or backfat thickness in Model 2) for carcass traits. Results: The differences in body composition among individuals were deemed being unaffected by their age at slaughter, except for carcass weight and backfat thickness. Heritability estimates of body size measurements were 0.21 to 0.36. Heritability estimates of retail cut percentage were high (0.56 from Model 1 and 0.47 from Model 2). And the heritability estimates for loin muscle percentage were 0.36 from Model 1 and 0.42 from Model 2, which were high enough to consider direct selection on carcass cutability traits as effective. The genetic correlations between body size measurements and retail cut ratio (RCR) were close to zero. But, some negative genetic correlations were found with chest girths measured at yearling (Model 1) or at 24 months of age or with chest widths. Loin muscle ratio (LMR) was genetically negatively correlated with body weights or body size measurements, in general in Model 1. These relationships were low close to zero but positive in Model 2. Phenotypic correlation between cutability traits (RCR, LMR) and live body size measurements were moderate and negative in Model 1 while those in Model 2 were all close to zero. Conclusion: Therefore, the body weights or linear body measurements at an earlier age may not be the most desirable selection traits for exploitation of correlated responses to improve loin muscle or lean meat yield.