• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.7
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• pp.960-964
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• 2016

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of reducing dietary phosphorus (P) on the frame size, udder traits, blood parameters and nutrient digestibility coefficient in 8- to 10-month-old Holstein heifers. Forty-five heifers were divided into 15 blocks according to the mo of age and were randomly assigned one of three dietary treatments: 0.26% (low P [LP]), 0.36% (medium P [MP]), or 0.42% (high P [HP]) (dry matter basis). Samples were collected at the wk 1, 4, 8. The results show that low dietary P had no effect on body measurement. The blood P concentration decreased with decreasing dietary P (p<0.05), while the blood calcium content of LP was higher than that of the MP and HP groups (p<0.05), though still in the normal range. The serum contents of alkalinephosphatase, potassium, and magnesium were similar among the treatments. No differences were found in all nutrients' apparent digestibility coefficients with varied dietary P. However, with P diet decreased from HP to LP, the total fecal P and urine P concentration declined significantly, as did fecal water soluble P (p<0.05). In conclusion, reducing the dietary P from 0.42% to 0.26% did not negatively affect the heifers' growth performance but did significantly lessen manure P excretion into the environment.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.386-391
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• 2017

Objective: Protein supplementation is costly and can result in excess nitrogen (N) excretion. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of feeding different levels of dietary protein on average daily gain, body size, rumen fermentation, and nitrogen excretion of 8 to 10 month-old Holstein heifers. Methods: Thirty-six Holstein heifers were divided into 12 blocks according to age ($273{\pm}6.2d$) and were randomly assigned to diets containing a low (10.2% dry matter [DM]), medium (11.9% DM), or high (13.5% DM) level of dietary crude protein (CP). All diets contained approximately 70% roughage and 30% concentrate with similar dietary metabolizable energy (ME) content (2.47 Mcal/kg). Results: Dry matter intake did not differ among the treatments, and average daily gain increased with the increasing dietary protein, 0.79, 0.95, 0.97 kg/d for low, medium, and high group, respectively. Body height increased linearly with increasing dietary CP but no other significant differences in body dimensions were found among the treatments. The increased ratios of dietary CP improved the rate of rear teat length growth remarkably (p<0.05). There was no difference in rumen pH or ruminal major volatile fatty acid (acetate, propionate, and butyrate) concentration among the 3 diets, but rumen ammonia-N concentration increased with the higher dietary CP (p<0.05). Increasing N intake led to increased total N excretion; urinary N excretion was significantly increased (p<0.05) but fecal N excretion was similar among the treatments. Conclusion: These data suggest that the diet containing 11.9% CP (ME 2.47 Mcal/kg) could meet the maintenance and growth requirements of 9 to 11 month-old Holstein heifers gaining approximately 0.9 kg/d.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.410-421
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• 2022

Objective: Two series of experiments were conducted to determine how the incremental levels of sodium metabisulfite (SMB)-treated fruit and vegetable discards (FVD) in diet of Hanwoo heifers and cows affect their performance and health. Methods: In Exp. 1, 36 Hanwoo heifers were stratified by age (13.3±0.83 mo) and initial body weight (305±19.7 kg), and divided randomly to one of three diets containing 0%, 10%, or 20% SMB-treated FVD (as-fed basis). The experiment lasted 110 d, including 20 d of adaptation. In Exp. 2, 24 multiparous Hanwoo cows were divided into three groups based on age (48.2±2.81 mo) and initial body condition score (2.64±0.33). Cows in each block were assigned randomly to one of three diets containing 0%, 11%, or 22% SMB-treated FVD (as-fed basis). The experiment lasted 80 d, including a 20-d adaptation period. In both experiments, SMB-treated FVD was used as a replacement for wet brewers grain in total mixed ration (TMR). Results: Growing heifers exhibited no differences in their daily feed intake (6.58±0.61 kg/d dry matter [DM]), average daily gain (0.60±0.07 kg/d), and body condition score when they consumed the incremental levels of SMB-treated FVD. Although most blood metabolites were unaffected by treatments, blood urea-N and β-hydroxybutyrate levels decreased linearly as the SMB-treated FVD level increased in TMR. Similar to Exp. 1, minor differences were found in daily feed intake (8.27±0.72 kg DM/d) and body condition score of Hanwoo cows. Most blood metabolites remained unaffected by treatments, but blood urea-N decreased as the SMB-treated FVD level in TMR increased. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that SMB-treated FVD could be safely incorporated into the diet of Hanwoo heifers and cows, potentially improving N-use efficiency in the body while not impairing performance or health.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.147-156
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• 1997

Ultrasound-guided follicular aspiration was performed in Holstein heifers once weekly with or without pretreatment of single or multiple decreasing doses using a total of 400 mg FSH. Oocytes were aspirated with a 6.5 MHz convex-array ultrasound trasducer designed for intravaginal use. All the visible follicles larger than 4 mm in diameter were punctured with a 17 gauge, 55 cm needle at each aspiration session and the follicular fluids containing oocytes were obtained by vacuum suction. The results obtained were as follows: As a preliminary experiment, the recovery rates of folicular oocytes by ultrasound-guided aspiration from the isolated ovaries of Korean native cows were compared between suction methods using manual syringe or vacuum pump. The recovery rate of oocytes using vacuum pump (80.7%) was significantly (P<0.05) higher than that using manual syringe (47.1%). The follicles were counted by their size in diameter with ultrasound image, and recovery rates and grades of follicular oocytes collected by ultrasound-guided aspiration were investigated in Holstein heifers pretreated with or without FSH. A group of heifiers were injected with multiple decreasing doses (twice a day for 3 days) of a total of 400 mg FSH. The other 2 groups were injected with a single dose of 400 mg FSH mixed with 25% PVP. Ultrasound observation of follicle population and/or ultrasound-guided transvaginal oocyte aspiration were performed 12 hrs following the last FSH injection in the multiple dose group, and 48 or 60 hrs after FSH injection in the single dose groups. Most of the visible follicles had small size of less than 3 mm in diameter in unstimulated heifers (71.0%), but medium size in all the heifers treated with FSH. (70.5 to 92.8%). The number of OPU follicles per session (4.6$\pm$1.9) were much less, compared to the vilsible follicle counts (9.7$\pm$2.2), in the nustimulated heifers due to the small dominant follicles. Among 4 goups of heifers the most visible as well as OPU follicles were observed in the heifers at 60 hrs following treatment of a single dose of 400 mg FSH (21.2$\pm$2.3 and 21.0$\pm$2.0), and the differences in both the follicle counts between the groups was found significant (P<0.05) The rates of oocyte recovery from the follicles by ultrasound-guilded aspiration were varied 46.3 to 75.0% in the heifers unstimulated and treated with a single dose of 400 mg FSH, but the group difference was not significant. The number of recovered oocytes per session a, pp.ared to be highest at aspiration at 60 hrs following single FSH (10.6$\pm$2.2) than at aspiration at 48 hrs after single FSH (7.8$\pm$2.7) or in the unstimulated heifers (3.4$\pm$3.0). The proportion of grade I and II oocytes to all oocytes collected was varied 31.8 to 64.0% between the groups. However, there was found no significant difference in both the number of oocytes recovered per session and the percentage and the percentage of grade I and II oocytes. From the above results it was concluded that the more oocytes of superior quality might be recovered economically by ultrasound-guided aspiration at 60 hrs following the pretreatment of a single dose of 400 mg FSH and by suction using a vacuum pump system of about negative pressure of 75 to 85 mmHg.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.545-548
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• 1992

Twelve indigenous buffalo heifers were grouped into 3 and were supplied with following diets-urea-ensiled rice straw + wheat bran + green grass (A); rice straw soaked in urea-water + wheat bran + green grass (B); and untreated straw + wheat bran + green grass (C); so that each group received any one diet. Total dry matter intake was highest in animals on diet C and lowest on B. However, straw DM intake was highest in animals on silage diet and lowest on untreated straw diet. Organic matter and crude fibre digestibility of silage and soaked straw diets were significantly higher (p<0.01) than those of untreated straw diet. Although the values were lower with soaked straw diet than on silage diet and soaked straw diet were significantly (p < 0.01) higher, however, the value for silage diet was not significantly different from that of soaked straw diet.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.593-606
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• 2005

Present study was conducted to investigate the optimal feeding levels for producing the high quality meat on the basis of the information deriving from the comparison of the growth performance and carcass characteristics among breeds(Holstein vs F1, Holstein♀×Hanwoo♂), sex(steer vs heifer) and interaction between breed and sex. Thirty two animals on 4 treatments(i.e. eight head each) were used for 540 days from seven to 24 months of age. The results obtained are summarized as follows; the range of average daily gains was 0.733 to 1.018, 0.994 to 1.255, 0.947 to 1.259 and 0.736 to 0.824kg for the growing, the early-fattening, the mid- fattening and the finishing periods, respectively. The range of average daily gains for the entire period was 0.882 to 1.061kg. The gains were higher for Holstein(7.3%) and the steers(10.5%) than F1 and the heifers, respectively. Concentrates and total digestible nutrients intakes per kg gain were higher for Holstein and the heifers than F1 and the steers, respectively. These findings may indicate that feed utilization is higher for Holstein than F1, and higher for the steers than the heifers. In carcass characteristics, back fat thickness was thicker for Holstein than F1, and rib-eye area was smaller for Holstein than F1. The rib-eye area per kg carcass weight was larger for F1 and the heifers than Holstein and the steers, respectively. Meat color was better for Holstein than F1, but the sex distinction did not show any differences. In physicochemical properties of longissimus dorsi, shear force, cooking loss, water holding capacity and the panel test scores of juiciness, tenderness and flavor for F1 and the heifers were better than those for Holstein and the steers, respectively. According to the above results, we may conclude that F1 and heifers rather than Holstein and steers are recommended for high quality meat production. In steers and heifers of Holstein and F1, the optimal feeding levels may be 1.9% of apparent body weight for concentrates and 25% of concentrates intake for rice straw.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.8
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• pp.1495-1502
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• 2024

Objective: This research investigated the effect of administering chromium (Cr) and meloxicam (MEL) on growth performance, cortisol and blood metabolite, and behaviors in young, regrouped heifers. Methods: Fifty Holstein dairy heifers (body weight [BW] 198±32.7 kg and 6.5±0.82 months of age) were randomly assigned to non-regrouped group or four regrouped groups. Non-regrouped animals were held in the same pen throughout the entire experimental period (NL: non-regrouping and administration of lactose monohydrate [LM; placebo]). For regrouping groups, two or three heifers maintained in four different pens for 2 weeks were regrouped into a new pen and assigned to one of four groups: regrouping and LM administration (RL); regrouping and Cr administration (RC); regrouping and MEL administration (RM), and regrouping and Cr and MEL administration (RCM). LM (1 mg/kg BW), Cr (0.5 mg Cr picolinate/kg dry matter intake), and MEL (1 mg/kg BW) were orally administered immediately before regrouping. Blood was collected before regrouping (0 h) and at 3, 9, and 24 h and 7 and 14 d thereafter. Behaviors were recorded for 7 consecutive days after regrouping. Results: Average daily gain was lower (p<0.05) in RL than NL heifers, but was higher (p<0.05) in RM, RC, and RCM than RL heifers. RL heifers had higher (p<0.05) cortisol than NL heifers on d 1 after regrouping. The cortisol concentrations in RC, RM, and RCM groups were lower (p<0.05) than in RL treatment 1 d after regrouping. Displacement behavior was greater (p<0.05) in RL group than all other groups at 2, 3, and 6 d after regrouping. Conclusion: Regrouping caused temporal stress, reduced growth performance, and increased displacement behavior in heifers. Administering Cr and MEL recovered the retarded growth rate and reduced displacement behavior, thereby alleviating regrouping stress.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.672-678
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• 2006

The objective of this study was to investigate whether milk performance is impacted by the housing of heifers from the second to the seventh day of life, the method of feeding milk from the second week of life to weaning, the sire lineage and by the season of birth and season of calving. From 32 Holstein heifer-calves, which spent their first day of life in a loose housing maternity pen with their mother, 19 heifers were randomly placed in hutches (IH), and 13 stayed in a loose housing maternity pen (MP). At the seventh day IH heifers were assigned to one of two treatments, 10 heifers were randomly taken from IH and relocated to a loose housing pen with an automatic feeding station (AD), 9 calves stayed in hutches with bucket drinking (BD). MP heifers were moved to a group pen with nursing cows (UD). All animals were weaned at the age of 8 weeks (56 days) and kept in group pens. After calving, they were in free-stall housing. Trial cows were divided according to the sire, season of birth and calving. The five-factorial ANOVA revealed that among all the factors taken into account in this study, only sire lineage and season of birth had significant effects. The production of milk, FCM and protein were higher in the MP group than in the IH group. The UD group tended to have the highest production of milk, FCM, protein, lactose, SNF and total solids (TS) and the AD group the lowest. The content of fat and TS were highest in the AD group. Effects of the sire were significant for average daily gains (ADG) from birth to weaning ($0.55{\pm}0.03kg$, p<0.05), contents of fat ($3.81{\pm}0.08%$, p<0.05), protein ($3.13{\pm}0.02%$, p<0.05), and TS ($12.67{\pm}0.12%$, p<0.05). In the season of birth evaluation, statistical difference was found only in the content of protein ($3.13{\pm}0.13%$, p<0.05). Cows born in March-May had the highest % protein and cows born in June-August the lowest ($3.21{\pm}0.04$ vs. $3.06{\pm}0.05%$). Dairy cows born and subsequently calving in December-February had the highest production of milk, protein and TS, and dairy cows born in June-August the lowest. FCM and fat yields were highest in the group born in September-November and lowest in the group born in June-August.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.375-384
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• 2008

This study was performed to establish the discrimination of the corpus albicans that were formed after normal parturition and abortion in Holstein, The corpus albicans were obtained from 504 cows and 506 heifers slaughtered in the Agricultural Cooperative's Livestock Products Joint Market of Seoul City from March 2007 to October 2007. The difference in a gross examination (morphology, fibrogenesis, deposit state, color, and size) among the fixtures that exist in their ovaries was investigated. All of the cows had corpus albicans in their ovaries: 423 cows (83.9%) had less than three corpus albicans, 81 (16.1%) had more than four. In the heifers, however, 463 (91.05%) had no corpus albicans, 39 (7.7%) had one, and four (0.8%) had more than two. In the types of corpus albicans 73.2% of the cows had oval-type, 14.4% had circular-shaped, 12.4% had irregular-type. In the aborted heifers, however, oval-type appeared in 88.6% and circular-shaped appeared in 11.4%, and no irregular-type was found. There was no significant difference in the fibrogenesis and size of corpus albicans between cows and aborted heifers. However, slight difference in the color of the corpus albicans was observed between two types. In conclusion, it is not easy to discriminate by gross examination of ovary between cows and aborted heifers in the slaughter house.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.549-554
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• 2003

In order to estimate the availability of ruminally-protected Lys (RPLys) and Met (RPMet), quantitative changes of free Lys and Met in the total abomasal outflow and feces were determined in three Holstein heifers with a T-shaped duodenal cannula. RPLys was prepared by coating Lys with fat and RPMet with a pH-sensitive polymer. RPLys and RPMet containing 30 g of each amino acid were supplied together to heifers, and total abomasal outflow was collected hourly from the T-shaped duodenal cannula for a 48 h period. Collected abomasal outflows were fractionated into liquid and solid phases to measure free Lys and Met concentration. At 2 wk after total abomasal outflow sampling, heifers were supplied RPLys and RPMet together again, and total feces were collected every 12 h for a 3 d period t estimate excreted RPLys and RPMet in feces. The amounts of Lys and Met recovered from the liquid fractions of abomasal outflow were estimated to be $23.9{\pm}8.3%$ and $68.6{\pm}3.6%$ (p=0.008) of RPLys and RPMet ingested, respectively. Final intestinal disappearances of Lys and Met were estimated to be $49.5{\pm}2.6%$ and $78.2%{\pm}6.5%$ (p=0.015) of ingested RPLys and RPMet, respectively.