• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2001.03a
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• pp.73-73
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• 2001

This study was to examine whether the vitrified, one-step diluted and direct transferred Hanwoo IVM/IVF/IVC blastocysts can be successfully survived in vivo and they were succeeded into the live birth. For vitrification, blastocysts were serially exposed in glycerol (G) or/and ethylene glycol (EG) mixtures [10% (v/v) G for 5 min, 10% G plus 20% EG (v/v) for 5 min, and 25% G plus 25% EG (v/v) for 30 sect] which is diluted in 10% FBS added D-PBS. Thawing of straw was carried out in air for 10 sec and then in water bath of $25^{\circ}C$ for 20 sec. One-step dilution within the straw was done in water bath of $25^{\circ}C$ for 1 min. Vitrified and one-step diluted embryos were directly transferred into 36 (natural or hormone induced synchronized) recipient cows in 6 areas of Kyungsang Buk-Do. Pregnancies were confirmed at first when recipient cows did not return to the subsequent estrus cycle, and later by manual palpation per rectum on day 45, 90 and then living calves were derived into parturition. Overall pregnancy was 33.3%(12/36), However, higher pregnancy was obtained when the recipients exhibited estrus one day earlier than the age of transferred embryos (53.3 vs 25.0-27.3%), irrespective of synchronization methods. Also, parous recipients became pregnant higher than nulliparous heifers, And, there were not different in pregnancy rates by the aspect of corpus luteum (CL) quality of recipients (good, 29.4; fair, 37.5; poor, 33.3%). One hundred eight of frozen-thawed Hanwoo blastocysts were directly transferred into 36 recipient cows. In 12 of pregnant cows, 3 cows were aborted and 9 cows were calved [single, 66.7% (6/9): twin, 33.3% (3/9)]. Total embryo implantation rate was 11.1% (12/108). However, 9 Hanwoo calves were lived. Therefore, these results demonstrate that direct transfer technique of vitrified and one-step diluted bovine blastocysts can be applied easily and effectively with the higher pregnancy rate on field trial without the equipment and embryological skills.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.336-340
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• 1999

Age at maturity was studied in 661 Nili Ravi buffaloes maintained at six dairy farms in Pakistan. The mean age at maturity in the overall data from the six farms was $976.49{\pm}9.2$ days. Significantly lower mean age at maturity $(957.93{\pm}10.68\;days)$ was observed at Military Dairy Farm, Khyber Okara, Military Daiiy Farm, Punjnad and Livestock Research Station, National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad (Group I) compared to $(1015.26{\pm}17.39\;days)$ other three Military Dairy Farms, Peshawar, Nowshera and Rawalpindi (Group II). The advantages associated to early age at maturity were as following. Male and female calves were heavier $(38.35{\pm}0.17\;and\;31.84{\pm}15kg,\;respectively)$ in Group I as compared to $(29.27{\pm}0.26\;and\;26.27{\pm}0.26kg)$ in Group II. Milk yield per lactation was significantly higher in Group I $(1912{\pm}12\;lit.)$ as compared to $(1833.36{\pm}16.56\;lit.)$ in Group II. Lactation length was significantly longer $(284.41{\pm}1.23\;days)$ in Group I as compared to $(277.77{\pm}2.02\;days)$ in Group II. Dry period and service period were significantly shorter $(241.59{\pm}4.18\;and\;217.05{\pm}4.95\;days,\;respectively)$ in Group I as compared to $(306.39{\pm}78\;and\;280.95{\pm}9.32\;days)$ in Group II. The mean age at first calving and sex ratio were low ($1282.75{\pm}10.14$ days and 100 ♀ ♀:130.7 ♂ ♂) in Group I as compared to ($1308.7{\pm}16.44$ days and 100 ♀ ♀:152.15 ♂ ♂) in Group II but the differences were non significant.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.46-51
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• 2011

To examine the seroprevalence of Neospora caninum (N. caninum) infections in cattle raised at farms where an abortion had previously occurred in Gongju city and Yeongi-gun of Chungnam Province, 280 head of cattle from six farms were examined by ELISA. Thirty-two pregnant cattle from four farms were examined to determine the abortion rate in N. caninum-infected pregnant cattle and the infection pattern in newborn calves. The six farms where the abortions had previously occurred demonstrated positive reactions to N. caninum. Although the mean seropositive rate of the six farms was 17.5%, the range of seropisitivity was 3.4-57.1% due to the difference in seroprevalence between farms. The general pattern of seropositivity in cows was higher than in heifers. In addition, the abortion rate of N. caninumpositive in 18 out of 32 pregnant dams raised in four farms was 16.7%. The seroprevalence of newborn calves from N. caninum-positive pregnant animals differed according to the farm but was 86.7% overall. In contrast, 14 newborn calves from the N. caninum-negative pregnant cattle showed negative responses. This suggests that N. caninum is endemic and occurs through vertical transmission from chronically-infected dams. Therefore, aborted dams should be discarded.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.1389-1396
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• 2007

Twelve swamp buffaloes and Brahman cattle heifers (6 animals each) were randomly assigned to two treatments, control (grazing only) and supplementation of cassava hay (CH) at 1-kg dry matter per head per day (DM/hd/d), in a $2{\times}2$ factorial arrangement according to a cross-over design. The cassava hay contained a high level of protein (19.5% of DM) and a strategic amount of condensed tannins (4.0% of DM). As a result it was revealed that supplementation of CH at 1-kg DM/hd/d significantly (p<0.05) improved the nutrition of both swamp buffaloes and Brahman cattle in terms of DM, organic matter (OM), protein and energy intake and digestibility, ruminal NH3-N and rumen ecology. Supplementation significantly (p<0.05) reduced weight losses in both species and improved the health, in terms of reduced number of parasite eggs in feces (p<0.05), of both buffaloes and cattle. There tended to be a difference in term of response to CH between the two species. The DM, OM, protein intake and digestibility and total digestible energy intake tended to be higher for buffaloes as compared to cattle. Moreover, the percentage reduction of parasite eggs tended to be higher for buffaloes as compared to cattle (57.6 and 45.0%, respectively). However, there were no significant interactions between species and treatments.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.451-455
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• 2015

The buffalo is an important livestock resource in several countries of South Asia and the Mediterranean regions. However, reproductive efficiency is compromised due to known problems of biological and management origins, such as lack of animal selection and poor nutrition. Under optimal conditions puberty is attained at 15 to 18 months in river buffalo, 21 to 24 months in swamp buffalo and is influenced by genotype, nutrition, management and climate. However, under field conditions these values deteriorate up to a significant extant. To improve reproductive efficiency, several protocols of oestrus and ovulation synchronization have been adopted from their use in commercial cattle production. These protocols yield encouraging pregnancy rates of (30% to 50%), which are comparable to those achieved in buffaloes bred at natural oestrus. The use of sexed semen in buffalo heifers also showed promising pregnancy rates (50%) when compared with conventional non-sexed semen. Assisted reproductive technologies have been transferred and adapted to buffalo but the efficiency of these technologies are low. However, these latest technologies offer the opportunity to accelerate the genetic gain in the buffalo industry after improving the technology and reducing its cost. Most buffaloes are kept under the small holder farming system in developing countries. Hence, future research should focus on simple, adoptable and impact-oriented approaches which identify the factors determining low fertility and oestrus behaviour in this species. Furthermore, role of kisspeptin needs to be explored in buffalo.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.752-756
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• 2013

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of cooking condition on the water-soluble flavor precursors relevant to postmortem glycogen metabolisms in various beef muscles from Hanwoo (Korean cattle). The loins, striploins, top rounds, and eye of rounds from 40-mon-old heifers were cooked in either with $100^{\circ}C$ water bath (wet-cooking) or $180^{\circ}C$ household electric oven (dry-cooking) until attained to about $80^{\circ}C$ of internal temperature before the measurements of amounts of macroglycogen, proglycogen, free glucose, and lactate. The macroglycogen and proglycogen contents were not significant differences in all beef muscles between the wet-cooking and dry-cooking treatments. Regardless of cooking condition, the both loin and top round had higher (p<0.05) two types of glycogen than the eye of round. The free glucose and lactate contents presented higher trends in the dry-cooking treatment compared with the wet-cooking treatment. The wet-cooked top round had higher (p<0.05) free glucose than the wet-cooked eye of round. Moreover, the top round contained the highest lactate content regardless of cooking condition. Consequently, it is considered that the dry-cooking treatment would be more beneficial to the flavor of cooked beef muscles than the wet-cooking treatment.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.1218-1223
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• 2003

The effects of type (high and low voltages) and time (3, 40 and 60 min postmortem) of stimulation on drip loss and meat color at 24 h post-mortem were determined on M. longissimus dorsi of 38 crossbred steers and heifers. In addition, the effect of pH early postmortem (70 min postmortem) on the rate and extend of meat tenderization was examined. Either high or low voltage stimulation at 3 min showed a tendency for faster pH decline (p=0.052) and higher drip loss (p=0.08), and improved the color dimensions of L*, a* and b* (p<0.01), compared to stimulation at 40 min. This was equivalent to approximately one unit of an AUSMEAT color chip. On the other hand, although there were significant differences in pH decline between high voltage stimulation at 40 and 60 min, and between low voltage stimulation at 40 min and control sides, drip loss and meat color did not differ significantly (p>0.05). The results suggested that early application of stimulation, regardless of type of stimulation, improved overall meat color at 24 h postmortem through its effect on faster glycolysing rate. However, if the pH decline was moderate, the benefit of electrical stimulation on meat color was not apparent. An intermediate pH decline resulted in the lowest shear force. Due to differential ageing rates the optimum pH at 70 min postmortem increased with ageing time from 5.96, 6.07, 6.12 and 6.14 for 1, 3, 7 and 14 days postmortem, respectively. This implied that a small difference in the rate of pH decline was important, especially carcasses stimulated for very early postmortem, and the optimum rate of pH decline varied with intended ageing period. The study suggests that the beneficial or adverse effects of electrical stimulation on drip loss, meat color and tenderness is determined by the rate of pH decline, rather than by stimulation treatment and time of application per se.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.525-531
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• 1996

Nutritional status of minerals of beef and dairy cattle and buffalo in central Thailand were investigated by evaluating the mineral concentrations in feedstuff and blood plasma of animals. Three crossbred beef cow herds, a native cow herd, a buffalo female herd and 3 dairy cattle herds which consisted of the herds of lactating cows, dry cows and heifers were studied in both rainy and hot seasons. Low Na concentrations (<0.07% on a dry matter basis) in pasture samples from the fields for a cross bred beef cow were observed. Copper concentrations in all the pasture samples ranged from 3.7 to 13.5 mg/kg. Iron and Se concentration in pasture samples had a wide variety ranging from 185 to 1,345 and 0.033 to 1.127 mg/kg, respectively. The concentrations of K, Ca, Mg, P, Zn and Mn in total diets were higher than the requirements for beef and dairy cattle. Some animals with subnormal plasma Cu concentrations(< $0.65{\mu}g/ml$) existed in each herd. The animals which showed subnormal plasma Se concentrations(< $0.03{\mu}g/ml$) were observed in beef cow herds. The concentrations of Ca, Mg and Zn in plasma of animals were normal. Attention should be paid to the deficiencies in Na, Cu and Se of the animals in central Thailand.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.509-513
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• 1996

The data analysed consisted of body weight records at birth, and at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months of age of 549 half Friesian $\times$ Bunaji crossbred heifers collected over a twenty-five year period (1965-1989). Least squares $means{\pm}s.e$. of body weights at birth, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months of age were $26.7{\pm}1.3$, $72.4{\pm}4.5$, $112.9{\pm}6.9$, $147.2{\pm}9.2$ and $182.1{\pm}11.1kg$, respectively. Year of birth was highly significant (p < 0.01) in affecting body weights at all ages, while the effect of month of birth was not. Seasonal influence on birth weight and body weights at 3 and 6 months of age was significant (p < 0.05). Phenotypic correlations between body weights at all ages were positive and highly significant (p < 0.01), ranging from 0.30 to 0.79. The results of this study showed that the beneficial effect of crossbreeding Friesian with Bunaji cattle was reflected in the growth performance of the $F_1$ crosses, since they grew faster than the indigenous Bunaji from brith to yearling age. The study also indicated that heifer selection for yearling body weight can be done early on the basis of weights at 3 and 6 months of age.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.289-292
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• 1997

A grazing trial was carried out to determine the effects of different grass/legume pastures on forage production, legume proportion, nutritive value, and animal performance. The pasture mixtures were mainly orchardgrass (OG) + ladino clover (T1), OG + alfalfa (T2), perennial ryegrass + alfalfa (T3), and grass alone mainly OG (T4). The pastures were rotationally grazed 7 times with heifers which had an initial liveweight of about 243 kg in 1991 and 1992. The average plant height at each grazing was 32.4 cm. The annual dry matter yield ranged from 9.19 MT in T4 to 9.61 MT/ha in T3, but no significant difference among different mixture combinations was found. The proportion of ladino clover in T1 mixtures rapidly increased from 21% to 68% during the grazing season. However, the proportion of alfalfa in T2 and T3 ranged from 12% to 23%. The contents of crude protein and calcium, respectively, in the forages were highest in T1 (23.2%, 0.68%) and lowest in T4 (18.5%, 0.13%), while crude fiber content showed the opposite trends. Liveweight gain was greatest on T1 (1.073 kg) and lowest on T4 (643 kg). It was concluded that pasture mixtures containing legume (ladino clover) can increase forage nutritive value and animal performance.