• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.295-303
• /
• 2011

BACKGROUND: Anaerobic digestion process is recently adapted technology for treatment of organic waste such as animal manure because the energy embedded in the waste can be recovered from the waste while the organic waste were digested. Ever increased demand for consumption of meat resulted in the excessive use of antimicrobials to the livestocks for more food production. Most antimicrobials administered to animals are excreted through urine and feces, which might highly affect the biological treatment processes of the animal manure. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of antimicrobials on the efficiency of anaerobic digestion process and to clarify the interactions between antimicrobials and anaerobes. METHODS AND RESULTS: The experiment was consisted of two parts 1) batch test to investigate the effects of individual antibiotic compounds on production of methane and VFAs(volatile fatty acids), and removal efficiency of organic matter, and 2) the continuous reactor test to elucidate the effects of mixed antimicrobials on the whole anaerobic digestion process. The batch test showed no inhibitions in the rate of methane and VFAs production, and the rate of organic removal were observed with treatment at 1~10 mg/L of antimicrobials while temporary inhibition was observed at 50 mg/L treatment. In contrast, treatment of 100 mg/L antimicrobials resulted in continuous decreased in the rate of methane production and organic removal efficiency. The continuous reactor test conduced to see the influence of the mixed antimicrobials showed only small declines in the methane production and organic matter removal when 1~10 mg/L of combined antimicrobials were applied but this was not significant. In contrast, with the treatment of 50 mg/L of combined antimicrobials, the rate of organic removal efficiency in effluent decreased by 2~15% and the rate of biogas production decreased by 30%. CONCLUSION(s): The antimicrobials remained in the animal manure might not be removed during the anaerobic digestion process and hence, is likely to be released to the natural ecosystem. Therefore, the efforts to decline the usage of antimicrobials for animal farming would be highly recommended.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.197-202
• /
• 2005

The effects of feeding Brassica vegetable market wastes on intake, body weight changes and pesticide/insecticide residues in products of goats were evaluated in two experiments. In the first experiment (Exp. 1) 16 goats (Bach Thao, 9 to 10 kg, 3 months old, 9 males and 7 females) were fed four diets with leaves either from cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata), cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) or Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris subsp. pekinensis) with 30% of Para grass. The control group was fed 100% Para grass. All diets contained soybean waste as a supplement and the experiment lasted for 136 days. In the second experiment (Exp. 2) 24 goats (Bach Thao, 12 to 14 kg, all males) were assigned to three treatments in a completely randomised block design based on initial body weight. The goats were fed cabbage waste supplemented with 200 g or 100 g DM (dry matter) of concentrate. Para grass with 100 g DM concentrate supplementation was used as a control group. The experiment lasted for 90 days and at the end of the study, 12 goats were slaughtered for pesticide/insecticide analysis. Due to low DM content (5.3 and 3.7%, respectively) feed intakes of cabbage and Chinese cabbage groups were lower than those of other groups in the experiment. The highest feed intake and body weight gain was obtained when the goats were fed cauliflower (529 g DM/day and 87.5 g/day, respectively). In Exp. 2 total intake of cabbage and concentrate was similar (484 g and 453 g DM/day) whether the goats were fed 100 or 200 g concentrate/day but lower than that of Para grass and concentrate probably due to the low DM content of the cabbage (5.9%). Crude protein intake (79 g to 86 g/day) and body weight gain (70 g to 88 g/day) was not significantly different between treatments. Adding concentrate consequently resulted in higher DM intake than in Exp. 1 but did not result in any higher growth rate. Three of the pesticide/insecticide residues tested were found in cabbage, Alpha-Cypermethrin, Bassa-Fenobucarb and Dimethoate with levels of 0.175, 0.074 and 0.028 mg/kg fresh cabbage respectively. Weight of livers from goats fed cabbage was about 90 g higher than from goats fed Para grass but no pesticide/herbicide residues were found in meat or liver.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.151-156
• /
• 2013

Hanwoo (Also known as Korean native cattle; Bos taurus coreanae) have been used for transportation and farming for a long time in South Korea. It has been about 30 yrs since Hanwoo improvement began in earnest as beef cattle for meat yield. The purpose of this study was to determine the trend of improvement as well as to estimate genetic parameters of the traits being used for seedstock selection based on the data collected from the past. Hanwoo proven bulls in South Korea are currently selected through performance and progeny tests. National Hanwoo genetic evaluations are implemented with yearling weight (YW), carcass weight (CW), eye muscle area (EMA), backfat thickness (BF) and marbling score (MS). Yearling weights and MS are used for selecting young bulls, and EMA, BF, and MS are used for selecting proven bulls. One individual per testing room was used for performance tests, and five individuals per room for progeny tests. Individuals tested were not allowed to graze pasture, but there was enough space for them to move around in the testing room. Feeds including roughages and minerals were fed ad libitum, and concentrates were provided at the rate of about 1.8% of individual weight. Overall means of the traits were $352.8{\pm}38.56$ kg, $335.09{\pm}44.61$ kg, $77.85{\pm}8.838\;cm^2$, $8.6{\pm}3.7$ mm and $3.293{\pm}1.648$ for YW, CW, EMA, BF and MS. Heritabilities estimated in this study were 0.30, 0.30, 0.42, 0.50 and 0.63 in YW, CW, EMA, BF and MS, respectively, which are similar to results from previous research. Yearling weight was 315.54 kg in 1998, and had increased to 355.06 kg in 2011, resulting in about 40 kg of improvement over 13 yrs. YW and CW have improved remarkably over the past 15 yrs. Breeding values between 1996 and 2000 decreased or did not change much, but have moved in a desirable direction since 2001. These improvements correspond with the substantial increase in use of animal models since the late 1990s in Korea. Hanwoo testing programs have practically contributed to the improvement in aspects of quality and quantity. In sum, the current selection system is good enough to accommodate circumstances where fewer sires are used on many more cows. Although progeny tests take longer and cost more, they seem to be appropriate under the circumstances of the domestic market with its higher requirement for better meat quality. Consequently, accumulative data collection, genetic evaluation model development, revision of selection indices, as well as cooperation among farms, associations, National Agricultural Cooperative Federation, universities, research institutes, and government agencies must be applied to the Hanwoo selection program. All these efforts will assist the domestic market to secure a competitive position against imported beef under Free Trade Agreement trade system and will provide farmers with higher profits as well as the public with a higher quality of beef.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.77-85
• /
• 2000

To investigate the practical assessing method of pork quality, 302 carcasses were selected randomly to represent commercial conditions and were probed at 24 hr postmortem (PM) by Danish Meat Quality Marbling (MQM), Hennessy Grading Probe (HGP), Sensoptic Resistance Probe (SRP) and NWK pH-K21 meter (NpH). Also, filter paper wetness (FPW), lightness (L*), ultimate pH (pHu), subjective color (SC), firmness/wetness (SF) and marbling scores (SM) were recorded. Each carcass was categorized as either PSE (pale, soft and exudative), RSE (Reddish-pink, soft and exudative), RFN (reddish-pink, firm and non-exudative) or DFD (dark, firm and dry). When discriminant analysis was used to sort carcasses into four quality groups the highest proportion of correct classes was 65% by HGP, 60% by MQM, 52% by NpH and 32% by SRP. When independent variables were combined to sort carcasses into groups the success was only 67%. When RSE and RFN groups were merged so that there were only three groups (PSE, RSE+RFN, DFD) differentiating by color MQM was able to sort the same set of data into the new set of three groups with 80% accuracy. The proportions of correct classifications for HGP, NpH and SRP were 75%, 61% and 35% respectively. There was a decline in predication accuracy when only two groups, exudative (PSE and RES) and non exudative (RFN and DFD) were sorted. However, when two groups designated PSE and non-PSE (RSE, RFN and DFD) were sorted then the proportion of correct classification by MQM, HGP, SRP and NpH were 87%, 81%, 71% and 66% respectively. Combinations of variables only increased the prediction accuracy by 1 or 2% over prediction by MQM alone. When the data was sorted into three marbling groups based on SM this was not well predicted by any of the probe measurements. The best prediction accuracy was 72% by a combination of MQM and NpH.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.17 no.10
• /
• pp.1355-1359
• /
• 2004

Japanese Black cattle of Hyogo prefecture (Tajima strain) are famous for its ability to produce high-quality meat and have been maintained as a closed system for more than 80 years. In order to assess the usefulness of microsatellite markers in closed cattle populations, and evaluate the genetic structure of the Tajima strain, we analyzed representative dams of the Tajima strain comprised of the substrains Nakadoi and Kinosaki. Genetic variability analyses indicated low genetic diversity in the Tajima strain. In addition, a recent genetic bottleneck, which could be accounted for by the high level of inbreeding, was detected in both substrains. In phylogenetic analyses, relationship coefficients and genetic distances between individuals were calculated using pedigree and microsatellite information. Two phylogenetic trees were constructed from microsatellite and pedigree information using the UPGMA method. Both trees illustrated that most individuals were distinguished clearly on the basis of the two substrains, although in the microsatellite tree some individuals appeared in clusters of different substrains. Comparing the two phylogenetic trees revealed good consistency between the microsatellite analysis tree and the pedigree information. The correlation coefficient between genetic distances derived from microsatellite and pedigree information was 0.686 with a high significance level (p<0.001). These results indicated that microsatellite information may provide data substantially equivalent to pedigree information even in unusually inbred herds of cattle, and suggested that microsatellite markers may be useful in revealing genetic structure without accurate or complete pedigree nformation. Japanese Black cattle of Hyogo prefecture (Tajima strain) are famous for its ability to produce high-quality meat and have been maintained as a closed system for more than 80 years. In order to assess the usefulness of microsatellite markers in closed cattle populations, and evaluate the genetic structure of the Tajima strain, we analyzed representative dams of the Tajima strain comprised of the substrains Nakadoi and Kinosaki. Genetic variability analyses indicated low genetic diversity in the Tajima strain. In addition, a recent genetic bottleneck, which could be accounted for by the high level of inbreeding, was detected in both substrains. In phylogenetic analyses, relationship coefficients and genetic distances between individuals were calculated using pedigree and microsatellite information. Two phylogenetic trees were constructed from microsatellite and pedigree information using the UPGMA method. Both trees illustrated that most individuals were distinguished clearly on the basis of the two substrains, although in the microsatellite tree some individuals appeared in clusters of different substrains. Comparing the two phylogenetic trees revealed good consistency between the microsatellite analysis tree and the pedigree information. The correlation coefficient between genetic distances derived from microsatellite and pedigree information was 0.686 with a high significance level (p<0.001). These results indicated that microsatellite information may provide data substantially equivalent to pedigree information even in unusually inbred herds of cattle, and suggested that microsatellite markers may be useful in revealing genetic structure without accurate or complete pedigree information.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.543-550
• /
• 2014

Fat and fatty acids in muscle and adipose tissues are among the major factors influencing meat quality particularly nutritional value and palatability. The present study was carried out to examine the effects of supplementing inorganic selenium (Se), iodine (I) and a combination of both on fatty acid compositions in serum, and supraspinatus (SS), longissimus lumborum (LL), and semitendinosus (ST) muscles in goats. Twenty-four, 7 to 8 months old, Kacang male goats with a mean live weight of $22.00{\pm}1.17kg$ were individually and randomly assigned into four groups of six animals each for 100 d of feeding prior to slaughter. The animals were offered the same concentrate (basal) diet as 1% of body weight with ad libitum amount of fresh guinea grass. The four groups were as follows: T1 (control) - basal diet without supplementation; T2 - basal diet with 0.6 mg Se/kg DM; T3 - basal diet with 0.6 mg I/kg DM; T4 - basal diet with combination of 0.6 mg Se/kg DM and 0.6 mg I/kg DM. The major fatty acids (FAs) detected in the serum were palmitic (C16:0), stearic (C18:0), oleic (C18:1n9) and linoleic (C18:2n-6), while the major FAs in the selected muscles were C16:0, C18:0 and C18:1n9 acids. The main polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) detected in muscles and serum were (CI8:2n-6), linolenic acid (C18:3n-3), and arachidonic acid (C20:4n-6). No significant differences (p>0.05) were observed in the concentration of total saturated fatty acids (SFA) among the four groups. PUFA concentrations in the goats supplemented with Se (T2) were significantly higher (p<0.05) than the goats of the control group (T1). The PUFA: SFA ratio was significantly higher in the animals supplemented with dietary Se (T2) than those of control ones (T1). It is concluded that dietary supplementation of inorganic Se increased the unsaturated fatty acids in muscle. The supplementation of iodine with or without Se had negligible effects on muscle fatty acid content of Kacang crossbred male goats.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.21 no.7
• /
• pp.1038-1047
• /
• 2008

This study aimed at targeting fixed increases in body weight (100 g/wk) by quantitatively regulating energy allowances (ME) in broiler breeders from 5 to 20 wks of age. Four energy regimes were tested: 1. The energy required for maintenance, activity and growth was calculated for 100 g increases in body weight/wk and a measured quantity of grower diet (160 g protein and 2,600 kcal ME/kg) was offered to the control group (ME-100) to achieve the anticipated weight gain. The energy allowances increased with age from 132 to 294 kcal/d. 2. Additionally, three energy regimes were considered, quantitatively reducing ME by 10% (ME-90) or 20% (ME-80) and increasing by10% (ME-110) over the control group. Each test group had 23 replicates5 female chicks housed in cages. The influence of energy regimes and age on growth, nutrient digestibility, carcass attributes, bone parameters and stress was evaluated at 4 wk intervals. Quantitative ME restriction by 10% (119-265 kcal/d) produced an average weight gain of 98.1 g/wk, which was closer to the targeted increase of 100 g/wk, whereas the control group attained it nine days earlier. Restriction of energy by 10 or 20% produced better conversion efficiency of feed, energy and protein and apparent digestibility of protein, Ca and P than 10% excess ME. Energy regimes did not influence eviscerated meat yield, but higher energy allowances (ME-110) significantly increased abdominal fat pad and liver weights and decreased giblet weight, percent muscle protein and tibia ash. Relatively higher stress was recorded in ME-restricted groups, as reflected by wider heterophil and lymphocyte ratios and increased bursa weight. Early age (5-12 wk) significantly influenced bone mineralization, conversion efficiency of feed, energy and protein and apparent digestibility of protein, Ca and P, while later ages (13-20 wk) increased eviscerated meat yield, abdominal fat, tibia weight and muscle protein and reduced stress. Energy regime x age interactions were significant and are discussed. In conclusion, the synthetic broiler line used in our study responded positively to controlled energy feeding during the rearing period. Breeders offered 119-265 kcal/d, a reduction of 10% energy over the control group, were more effective in regulating grower performance than the latter. In addition to energy regimes, age intervals also exhibited significant influence on specific parameters during the grower phase.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.27 no.5
• /
• pp.726-732
• /
• 2014

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of maintenance system as well as the effect of Se, Zn, and vitamin E supplementation of ram-lambs on the slaughter value and concentration of mineral elements in the loin muscle of lambs. The experiment was conducted on 72 Polish Merino ram-lambs divided into three groups: group C, indoor with no supplement, 19 lambs; S, indoor with supplement, 23 lambs; G, outdoor with no supplement, 30 lambs. From birth all the lambs were maintained indoor with their dams and then weaned at the age of 8 weeks. The rams from group C and S were placed in individual straw-bedded pens and fattened individually with concentrate mixture offered ad libitum until the age of 16 weeks. The lambs from group G were grazed every day from May to July (2 months). During the fattening period each lamb from the supplemented group S was administered per os 1 mL 0.1% $Na_2SeO_4$ (Se, 0.42 mg), 3 mL 10% $ZnSO_4$ (Zn, 68 mg), and 1 mL premix protect vitamin E (0.1 g ${\alpha}$-tocopherol, 5 mg lysine, 5 mg methionine) daily. A comparison of half carcasses across the groups has shown no difference between the control group and the one with supplements, while the weight of half carcasses in the grazing group was smaller in comparison with groups C and S (p<0.001). The meat content in the pelvic limb showed no differences across all groups under study. The pelvic limb of grazing lambs contained less fat compared to the control and supplemented groups (p<0.001). The concentrations of Se and Zn in the blood plasma of ram-lambs from the supplemented group were significantly higher than for the control and grazing lambs. Inorganic Se and Zn supplementation with vitamin E to the diet of lambs increased Se and Zn levels in loin muscle (p<0.001) to $0.46{\mu}g/g$ and $32.9{\mu}g/g$ in fresh tissue, respectively.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.30 no.8
• /
• pp.1117-1123
• /
• 2017

Objective: This study was conducted to compare growth performance, blood components and carcass traits by two feeding systems (concentrate with roughage separately [CON] vs total mixed ration [TMR]) in Hanwoo steers, and to learn the relationship between blood components during fattening or finishing phases and carcass traits in Hanwoo steers. Methods: Sixty steers aged 8 months were allotted to two feeding systems and fed similar amounts of average dry matter and total digestible nutrient throughout whole experimental period according to each feeding program. Steers were weighed monthly, taken blood at the end of growing, fattening and finishing periods, and slaughtered at 30 month of age. Results: Growing performance was higher (p<0.05) in the CON group compared to the TMR group during fattening and finishing periods. The CON group was lower (p<0.05) in blood aspartic acid transaminase, blood urea nitrogen and retinol levels during growing period, but higher in triglyceride and cholesterol levels during fattening and finishing periods compared to the TMR group. The CON group was greater (p<0.05) in rib-eye area, and lighter (p<0.05) red in meat color compared to the TMR group. In the correlation coefficients between blood components of steers and carcass traits, retinol had a negative (p<0.05) correlation with marbling score and rib-eye area. Leptin had a positive (p<0.05) correlation with back fat thickness. Blood cholesterol and triglyceride were positively (p<0.05) correlated with carcass weight and rib-eye area. Conclusion: Growth performance, carcass ribeye area and meat color showed a more desirable result in the CON compared to the TMR in Hanwoo steers. Assessing the accumulated data of carcass traits with blood components including hormones-particularly retinol, cholesterol, triglyceride, and leptin-during the fattening or finishing phases, it may be possible to find a biomarker for determining beef quality in living animals.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.180-187
• /
• 2015

This study was conducted to determine the effects of feeding by-product feed (BF)-based silage on the performance, blood metabolite parameters, and carcass characteristics of Hanwoo steers. The BF-based silage was composed of 50% spent mushroom substrate, 21% recycled poultry bedding, 15% cut ryegrass straw, 10.8% rice bran, 2% molasses, 0.6% bentonite, and 0.6% microbial additive (on a wet basis), and ensiled for over 5 d. Fifteen steers were allocated to three diets during the growing and fattening periods (3.1 and 9.8 months, respectively): a control diet (concentrate mix and free access to rice straw), a 50% BF-based silage diet (control diet+50% of maximum BF-based silage intake), and a 100% BF-based silage diet (the same amount of concentrate mix and ad libitum BF-based silage). The BF-based silage was fed during the growing and fattening periods, and was replaced with larger particles of rice straw during the finishing period. After 19.6 months of the whole period all the steers were slaughtered. Compared with feeding rice straw, feeding BF-based silage tended (p = 0.10) to increase the average daily gain (27%) and feed efficiency (18%) of the growing steers, caused by increased voluntary feed intake. Feeding BF-based silage had little effect on serum constituents, electrolytes, enzymes, or the blood cell profiles of fattening steers, except for low serum Ca and high blood urea concentrations (p<0.05). Feeding BF-based silage did not affect cold carcass weight, yield traits such as back fat thickness, longissimus muscle area, yield index or yield grade, or quality traits such as meat color, fat color, texture, maturity, marbling score, or quality grade. However, it improved good quality grade (1+ and 1++) appearance rates (60% for the control group vs 100% for the BF-based silage-fed groups). In conclusion, cheap BF-based silage could be successfully used as a good quality roughage source for beef cattle.