• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.832-838
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• 2024

Objective: The use of molecular genetic methods in pig breeding can significantly increase the efficiency of breeding and breeding work. We applied the F_st (fixsacion index) method, the main focus of the work was on the search for common options related to the number of born piglets and the weight of born piglets, since today the urgent task is to prevent a decrease in the weight of piglets at birth while maintaining high fertility of sows. Methods: One approach is to scan the genome, followed by an assessment of Fst and identification of selectively selected regions. We chose Large White sows (n = 237) with the same conditions of keeping and feeding. The data were collected from the sows across three farrowing. For genotyping, we used GeneSeek GGP Porcine HD Genomic Profiler v1, which included 68,516 single nucleotide polymorphisms evenly distributed with an average spacing of 25 kb (Illumina Inc, San Diego, CA, USA). Results: Based on the results of the Fst analysis, 724 variants representing selection signals for the signs BALWT, BALWT1, NBA, and TNB (weight of piglets born alive, average weight of the 1st piglets born alive, total number born alive, total number born). At the same time, 18 common variants have been identified that are potential markers for both the number of piglets at birth and the weight of piglets at birth, which is extremely important for breeding work to improve reproductive characteristics in sows. Conclusion: Our work resulted in identification of variants associated with the reproductive characteristics of pigs. Moreover, we identified, variants which are potential markers for both the number of piglets at birth and the weight of piglets at birth, which is extremely important for breeding work to improve reproductive performance in sows.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.182-187
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• 2000

Forty-two Holstein cows (21 multiparous) were assigned by calving date and parity to three dietary sequences to evaluate the effect of time of initiating fat supplementation to diets on lactation and reproductive performance. The dietary sequences were: 1) control, no supplemental fat from 1 to 98 days in milk (DIM) ; 2) control diet from 1 to 28 DIM then 3% supplemental fat (calcium salts of long-chain fatty acids) from 29 to 98 DIM; or 3) 3% supplemental fat from 1 to 98 DIM. Feeding supplemental fat did not enhance mean milk and 4% fat corrected milk (FCM) yields, but efficiency of FCM production was higher for cows fed supplemental fat. Milk fat percentage was unchanged whereas milk protein percentage was depressed with fat supplementation. Feeding supplemental fat reduced DMI and energy balance but there were no differences among treatments on time to resumption of ovarian cyclicity or conception rate to first service. Concentrations of progesterone during the first two ovulatory cycles tended to be greater in the fat-supplemented groups. Feeding supplemental fat starting at either parturition or 29 DIM increased efficiency of FCM production, but did not greatly enhance reproductive performance.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.41-51
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• 2024

This study explored the effect of increased feed intake during the late gestation on the reproductive performance of sows, and fecal score in sows and piglets. A total of 21 crossbred [Landrace × Yorkshire] multiparous sows were randomly distributed into three treatments with seven replicates per treatment. Treatments: CON, 2.4 kg/day; TRT1, 3.2 kg/day; TRT2 , 3.6 kg/day. Body weight and body condition score of sow in different stages were not altered (p > 0.05) due to extra feed in late gestation. A linearly higher (p < 0.05) difference in backfat thickness during farrowing was found in this study. Average daily feed intake was increased (p < 0.05) linearly with extra feed in this experiment. The weaning body weight of piglets was increased (p < 0.05) with extra feed in the sow. The fecal score of sows and their piglets was similar (p > 0.05) in different levels of feed intake. In conclusion, extra feed to gestation sow showed a beneficial effect on improving the weaning piglet's body weight. Although there is a small improvement in the body weight of weaning pigs of sow fed 3.6 kg feed/day in the late gestation period, it is unlikely to be profitable enough to justify the additional waste of feed.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.135-141
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• 2013

This study aimed to improve the reproductive efficiency of dairy herds by comparison and analyzing estrous appearance rate, conception and non-conception rate according to the stage of lactation using the lactation and reproductive records of average (less than 10,000 liters milk in 305 days) and high yielding (more than 10,000 liters milk in 305 days) Holstein cows (n=102). Milk production and reproduction data were collected between January 2010 and December 2012 from Holstein cows kept in the commercial dairy farms. Average (n=32) and high yielding (n=24) Holstein cows used to analyze the relationship between milk yield and reproductive performance. Our results showed that estrous appearance rate according to the stage of lactation was 25.0% (30~59d), 40.6% (60~89d), 25% (90~110d) and 9.4% (>111d) in average yielding cows and 16.7% (30~59d), 20.8% (60~89d), 12.5% (90~110d) and 50.0% (>111d) in high yielding cows, respectively. Conception rate according to the stage of lactation was 87.5% (30~59d), 61.5% (60~89d), 75.0% (90~110d) and 66.7% (>111d) in average yielding cows and 25.0% (30~59d), 0% (60~89d), 33.3% (90~110d) and 50.0% (>111d) in high yielding cows, respectively. Days between parturition and conception was 23.7% (<149d), 0% (150~209d) and 0% (>210 d) in average yielding cows and 69.0% (<149 d), 77.8% (150~209d) and 38.9% (>210d) in high yielding cows, respectively. Conception rate from 110 days postpartum in high yielding cows was 41.7% (110~150d), 50.0% (151~180d) and 50.0% (>181d). Body condition score (BCS) in 120 days postpartum was $2.64{\pm}0.1$ in average yielding cows and $2.28{\pm}0.1$ in high yielding cows, respectively.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.22-30
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• 2013

The reproductive performance of multivoltine breed 'Nistari' and bivoltine breeds as NB18, P5 and a bivoltine hybrid (NB18 ${\times}$ P5) of B. mori were studied in different seasons in terms of total number of eggs laid, unlaid and hatching efficiency of the laid eggs to critically assess the breeds / hybrid potentiality. The bivoltine hybrid showed better performance in all the seasons as compared to the breeds investigated, as expected due to possibility of hybrid vigour. Among the breeds, bivoltine P5 had a better egg laid performance in S1 (February - March), S2 (May - June) and S3 (September - October) seasons but with an increase in the number of unlaid eggs. The hatching percentage, although didn't show any definitive trend, still suggested a marginal better performance in the hybrid. Most importantly, egg laying rhythmicity was studied by mating the female moth at 6.00 a.m. for $3{\frac{1}{2}}$ hours, and subsequently allowing the laying of eggs both under BOD condition ($25{\pm}1^{\circ}C$ and $85{\pm}5%$ RH) and at ambient temperature ($23-28^{\circ}C$ and $74.7{\pm}5%$) separately. Maximum (90%) egg laid occurred from 3.30 to 7.30 pm (i.e. 4 - 6 h after decoupling). Similar laying patterns were observed when females where mated at 12 noon and decoupled at 3.30 pm, revealing that late photoperiod and early scotoperiod were favourable for egg laying in case of multivoltine breed and bivoltine prefers late photoperiod for egg laying.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.8
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• pp.1263-1273
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• 2023

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of crude protein (CP) levels on the physiological response, reproductive performance, blood profiles, milk composition and odor emission in gestating sows. Methods: Seventy-two multiparous sows (Yorkshire×Landrace) of average body weight (BW), backfat thickness, and parity were assigned to one of six treatments with 10 or 11 sows per treatment in a completely randomized design. Experimental diets with different CP levels were as follows: i) CP11, corn-soybean-based diet containing 11% CP; ii) CP12, corn-soybean-based diet containing 12% CP; iii) CP13, corn-soybean-based diet containing 13% CP; iv) CP14, corn-soybean-based diet containing 14% CP; v) CP15, corn-soybean-based diet containing 15% CP; and vi) CP16: corn-soybean-based diet containing 16% CP. Results: There was no significant difference in the performance of sow or piglet growth when sows were fed different dietary protein levels. Milk fat (linear, p = 0.05) and total solids (linear, p = 0.04) decreased as dietary CP levels increased. Increasing dietary CP levels in the gestation diet caused a significant increase in creatinine at days 35 and 110 of gestation (linear, p = 0.01; linear, p = 0.01). The total protein in sows also increased as dietary CP levels increased during the gestation period and 24 hours postpartum (linear, p = 0.01; linear, p = 0.01). During the whole experimental period, an increase in urea in sows was observed when sows were fed increasing levels of dietary CP (linear, p = 0.01), and increasing blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentrations were observed as well. In the blood parameters of piglets, there were linear improvements in creatinine (linear, p = 0.01), total protein (linear, p = 0.01), urea (linear, p = 0.01), and BUN (linear, p = 0.01) with increasing levels of dietary CP as measured 24 hours postpartum. At two measurement points (days 35 and 110) of gestation, the odor gas concentration, including amine, ammonia, and hydrogen sulfide, increased linearly when sows fed diets with increasing levels of dietary CP (linear, p = 0.01). Moreover, as dietary CP levels increased to 16%, the odor gas concentration was increased with a quadratic response (quadratic, p = 0.01). Conclusion: Reducing dietary CP levels from 16% to 11% in a gestating diet did not exert detrimental effects on sow body condition or piglet performance. Moreover, a low protein diet (11% CP) may improve dietary protein utilization and metabolism to reduce odor gas emissions in manure and urine in gestating sows.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.195-199
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• 2006

This study was carried out to investigate the effect intra-uterine infusion of lipopolysaccharides(LPS) on the reproductive performance of dairy cows with retained placenta, The LPS isolated from Bacteroids helcogenes and Fusobacterium varium was injected at the rate of 100 ${\mu}g$ with 30 ml of phospahte buffer saline in each cow(n=33) at day 20 postpartum. Twelve cows with retained placenta were not heated with LPS and served as a control. Conception rate after first service was 0% and 33,3% for control and LPS groups, respectively. Service period was $149.6{\pm}34.3\;and\;53.0{\pm}12.5$ days for control and LPS groups, respectively(p<0.05). Services per conception was $3.6{\pm}0.8\;and\;2.1{\pm}0.3$ for control and LPS groups, respectively(p<0.05). In conclusion, intra-uterine infusion of LPS in cows with retained placenta can reduce the service period and services per conception. Reduced service period can improve the dairy farm profitability by decreasing cost un feeding and management of cows.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.35-40
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• 1989

In order to study the follicular atretic mechanism in mammalian ovary, the relationship between pyknotic index (PI) of granulosa cells and the steroid concentrations in the follicular fluid of atretic follicle was investigated. Follicles were isolated from porcine ovary according to their sizes and the reproductive phases. Steroid concentrations were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography. As PI increased, the concentration of progesterone was significantly increased(p<0.05), whereas testosterone and estradiol showed no significant changes in their concentration. As follicular size was increased, PI of follicular GC in the luteal phase was increased significantly(p<0.05) and the molar ratio of progesterone to testosterone was increased in the follicles of follicular phase. It can be concluded that progesterone accumulated in the follicular fluid as atresia of the follicles was progressed, and that PI of granulosa cells could be used as one of convenient and pratical criteria for the identification of follicular atresia.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.153-158
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• 2004

Data containing 14,188 lactation and reproductive records of Korean Holstein cows at first parity distributed across 3,734 herd-year-season groups were analyzed to get genetic (co)variance estimates for milk yield, fat yield, calving ease, and days open. Milk and Fat yields were adjusted to 305 d. Heritabilities and genetic correlations were estimated in two different animal models on which were included direct genetic effects (Model 1) and direct+maternal genetic effects (Model 2) using REML algorithms. Milk and fat yields were affected by age at first calving as linear and quadratic. Heritability estimates of direct effects were 0.25 for milk yield, 0.17 for fat yield, 0.03 for calving ease and 0.03 for days open in Model 2. These estimates for maternal effects were 0.05, 0.08, 0.04 and less than 0.01 for each corresponding trait. Milk productions at first lactation were to show genetically favorable correlation with calving ease and days open for direct genetic effects (-0.24 - -0.11). Moreover, calving ease was correlated with days open of 0.30 for direct genetic effects. Correlations between direct and maternal effects for each trait were negatively correlated (-0.63 - -0.32). This study suggested that maternal additive genetic variance would be not ignorable for genetic evaluation of milk production as well as reproductive traits such as calving ease and days open at first parity. Furthermore, difficult calving would genetically influence the next conception.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.303-308
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• 2007

In order to investigate the relation of production traits and reproduction traits the data from Gyungnam heugdon(Berkshire) were analyzed. Pearson correlation coefficients of the reproductive traits including days to first farrowing, days to first breeding and no. of breeding for first litter with back fat thickness were ranged -.24 to -.26. Estimates of heritability and genetic correlation for the reproductive traits including days to first farrowing, days to first breeding and no. of breeding for first litter showed frequent and wide fluctuation due to lack of reproductive records. Pearson correlation coefficients of back fat with litter traits were low, but genetic correlation coefficients were relatively high. Genetic correlation coefficients of back fat with total litter size, pigs born alive, litter weight at birth and litter weight at weaning were .21, .24, .11 and .07 respectively. It suggests that thin back fat thickness deteriorates performance of litter traits. Genetic correlation coefficients of days to 90kg with total litter size, pigs born alive, litter weight at birth and litter weight at weaning were .14, .17, .09 and .00 respectively. This result imply that genetic improvement on the production traits reduce the litter trait performance.