• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.729-736
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• 2007

The objective of this study was to investigate the anti-oxidative effects of pyruvate, taurine and melatonin on sperm characteristics(motility, membrane integrity) and lipid peroxidation(LPO) for in vitro storage of boar semen. Semen was treated with various antioxidants such as pyruvate(1mM), taurine(50mM) and melatonin(100nM) with or without 100uM H2O2. Antioxidant treatments were significantly increased the sperm motility when compare to control group in all incubation periods(P≤0.05). Hypoosmotic swelling test(HOST), membrane integrity was similar to the result of motility. In lipid peroxidation measurement by TBA reactions of spermatozoal plasma membrane, malondialdehyde(MDA) level in control and antioxidant treatments were lower than those of antioxidant plus H2O2 or H2O2 treatment for 3 to 6 h incubation period. Relationships of evaluation methods for sperm viability were investigated by motility, membrane integrity and lipid peroxidation. Among evaluation methods, LPO vs motility and membrane integrity vs LPO were negatively correlated(－0.23~－0.92 and －0.68~－0.85), but membrane integrity vs motility was positively correlated (0.53~0.94) in all treatments. These experiments indicate that supplementation of antioxidant to the semen extender can increase the sperm motility and membrane integrity and decrease the lipid peroxidation of spermatozoal plasma membrane. The HOST might be utilized to evaluate the sperm quality instead of lipid peroxidation or motility.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.17-22
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• 2018

This study was conducted to determine the effect of pentoxifylline levels on sperm motility, survival rate, sperm membrane integrity of frozen semen and fresh-extended equine semen in Jeju cross-bred horses. As a result of sperm characteristic comparison depending on pentoxifylline levles at 30 minutes post-thaw, the progressive motilities were $53.25{\pm}2.87$ (4mM pentoxifylline) and $50.28{\pm}2.14$ (8mM pentoxifylline) and significantly higher compared to the control group($40.09{\pm}5.15$) and other treatment group (16mM pentoxifylline, $41.27{\pm}2.82$). The progressive fast motility were $22.44{\pm}1.62$ (4mM pentoxifylline,) and $22.74{\pm}3.07$ (8mM pentoxifylline) and significantly higher compared to the control group ($13.47{\pm}1.48$) and other treatment group (16mM pentoxifylline, $14.66{\pm}3.68$) (p<0.05). As a result of sperm characteristic comparison depending on pentoxifylline levles at 30 minutes post-thaw were $68.96{\pm}1.64$ (4mM pentoxifylline) and $67.90{\pm}6.72$ (8mM pentoxifylline) and significantly higher compared to the control group ($53.48{\pm}4.84$) and other treatment group (16mM pentoxifylline, $58.14{\pm}2.65$) (p<0.05). In conclusion, these results suggest that treatment groups with 4mM and 8mM pentoxifylline were higher compare to equine seperm mobility and the control group and treatment groups with more than 16mM pentoxifylline has a negative effect on sperm characteristics. After thawing, the total motility in post-thawed equine sperm has increased by 10 percent for 1 hour. these results suggest that pentoxifylline contributes to the improvement of the equine sperm motility and characteristics in post-thawed semen.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.19-25
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• 2002

The objectives of this study were to understand the possible mechanism of duck sperm toxicity induced by arsenic exposure in vivo, and to investigate the roles of the antioxidant L-ascorbic acid in ameliorating the arsenic-induced sperm impairment. To test the acute toxicity, the percentages of mortality of mature drakes treated with different concentrations of trivalent sodium arsenite, As (III), and pentavalent sodium arsenate, As (V) were measured. The LD50 value of As (III) for mature drakes was $4.89{\pm}1.49$ ppm. Although As (V) didn't cause any deaths even at a concentration of 40 ppm, the chronic toxicity of As (V) on sperm quality was shown by a decreased fertilization rate. When the concentrations of As (V) were above 0.4 ppm, fertilization rates were lower than those of 0.04 ppm and control. Drakes treated with 40 ppm of As (V) had the highest malondialdehyde (MDA) level in the testis tissue, $3.100{\pm}0.218{\mu}mole/g$ testis. This showed that 40 ppm of As (V) significantly induced lipid peroxidation in testis tissue. For the 1.2 ppm As (III) treatment, several significant effects were observed: (1) sperm motility was decreased most dramatically by $52.0{\pm}9.1$% after three days of incubation; (2) fertilization rate of artificially inseminated semen was the lowest, $26.4{\pm}15.4$; (3) the MDA concentration in testis tissue, $7.846{\pm}0.246{\mu}mole/g$ testis, was significantly higher than the others (p<0.05); (4) the sperm number, $1.17{\pm}0.40({\times}10^9)$, was significantly lower than with the 60 ppb and control treatments (p<0.05); (5) a black appearance and soft texture was observed in the testis tissue. The antioxidant L-ascorbic acid administered along with 1.2 ppm As (III) decreased the toxicity of arsenic. The ameliorating effects included: improved sperm motility, increased sperm number and fertilization rate, and decreased MDA concentration in the testis tissue. This study suggests that the toxicity of the trivalent arsenic on sperm quality is partly from free radicals generated by its metabolic pathway, and the antioxidant ascorbic acid ameliorates arsenic-caused sperm impairment.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.919-927
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• 1996

In the last few years, methods for in vitro culture of early embryo stages from oocytes matured and fertilized in vitro using suitable cell culture systems have been established. But the factors affecting pregnancy rates following transfer of bovine embryos produced in vitro were not evaluated enough. So this study was performed to investigate the effects of quality and stage of embryos, parity and Corpus Luteum quality of recipients on pregnancy rates following non-surgical transfer of bovine embryos produced in vitro. Oocytes aspirated from small antral follicles of ovaries obtained at a local slaughter house were matured, fertilized with frozen-thawed semen and co-cultured for 6-7 days by utilizing co-culture system with bovine oviduct epithelial cell in vitro. After co-culture, embryos were transfered to recipients on day 7 (estrus=day 0). Recipients were monitored by ultrasonic scanning method or observation for estrus and rectal palpation after 50 days from transfer. The results of this study are follows. 1. Of the 70 recipients, 70%(49 of 70) had not showed estrus sign between day 0 and day 50, but 22.9%(16 of 70) was diagnosed not pregnant. Therefore the overall pregnancy rate of this study was 47.1%(33 of 70). 2. The pregnancy rate of recipients transfered with excellent(66.7%) and good(54.5%) embryos were higher than that of recipients transfered with fair embryos(15.8%) (p<0.05). 3. The pregnancy rate of recipients transfered with morula, compacted morula, blastocyst and expanded blastocysts were 46.2, 55.0, 62.5 and 50.0%, respectively. 4. The pregnancy rates of recipients transfered to heifer and cow were 54.5 and 55.2%, respectively. 5. The pregnancy rates of recipients with CL score I, II(66.7, 63.6%) were higher than those of recipients with CL score III (10%), (p<0.05). Success of transfer of embryos produced in vitro depends on many variables. The important factors identified in this study were the quality of embryos and the CL score of recipient animals after non-surgical transfer of embryos matured, fertilized and cultured in vitro.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.9
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• pp.1475-1481
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• 2019

Objective: The objective of the present study was to investigate pork quality from Hereford${\times}$Berkshire female and intact male pigs reared outdoors in an alternative production system. Methods: Berkshire purebred sows were artificially inseminated, once in the fall and again in the spring of the following year, with semen from Hereford boars and managed free of antibiotics in an outdoor hoop structure until the last month of pregnancy, after which they were moved to a pasture-based unit of 0.8 hectares with individual lots with a farrowing hut, shade, and water ad libitum. Piglets were weaned at 4 weeks of age and housed in a deep-bedded hoop structure, grouped by sex. Animals were harvested at market weight of 125 kg, approximately 200 days of age. Hot carcass weight was collected at the time of the harvest. After 24 hours of refrigeration, carcass characteristics were measured. Longissimus dorsi samples collected from the right side loin. Loins were cut into 2.54-cm thick chops and were used to measure marbling score, color score, drip loss, and ultimate pH. Sensory panel tests were conducted as well at North Carolina State University. For pork characteristics and sensory panel data, trial and sex were included in the statistical model as fixed effects. Hot carcass weight was included in the model as a covariate for backfat thickness. Results: Neither the subjective nor the objective color scores displayed any differences between the boars and the gilts. No difference was found for pH and marbling score between trials or sexes. Gilts had a thicker backfat measurement at the last lumbar and a narrower longissimus muscle area measurement when compared to the boars. The only difference in the sensory characteristics was found between the trials for texture and moisture scores. Conclusion: Consumers were not able to detect boar taint under the condition of this study, which is that the intact males were reared outdoors. Additional trials would be necessary; however, based on the results of the present study, outdoor rearing can be suggested as a solution to the issue of boar taint.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.10
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• pp.1369-1373
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• 2004

The percentages of sperm motility and normal acrosome on the liquid boar semen diluted and preserved at $4^{\circ}C$ with lactose hydrate, egg yolk and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (LEN) diluent were significant differences according to preservation day and incubation time, respectively. The sperm motility steadily declined from 96.9% at 0.5 h incubation to 78.8% at 6 h incubation at 1 day of preservation. However, the sperm motility rapidly declined after 4 day of preservation during incubation. The normal acrosome steadily declined from 93.3% at 0.5 h incubation to 73.8% at 6 h incubation at 1 day of preservation. However, the normal acrosome rapidly declined after 3 day of preservation during incubation. The rates of sperm penetration and polyspermy were higher in 5 and $10{\times}10^6$ sperm/ml than in 0.2 and $1{\times}10^6$ sperm/ml. Mean numbers of sperm in penetrated oocyte were highest in $10{\times}10^6$ sperm/ml compared with other sperm concentrations. The rates of blastocysts from the cleaved oocytes (2-4 cell stage) were highest in $1{\times}10^6$sperm/ml compared with other sperm concentrations. In conclusion, we found out that liquid boar sperm stored at $4^{\circ}C$ could be used for in vitro fertilization of pig oocytes matured in vitro. Also, we recommend $1{\times}10^6$sperm/ml concentration for in vitro fertilization of pig oocytes.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.489-493
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• 2003

Reproductive traits of sows are determined chiefly by the genetic background of the dam herself. Whether the breed of the serviced boars also contributes is not yet clear. A total of 8,946 litters of Landrace (L) sows from 68 farms were examined. Of these, 876, 1,260, and 6,810 litters were produced from natural mating with L, Yorkshire (Y), and Duroc (D) breeds, respectively. The birth litter size (BLS), weaning litter size (WLS), live born piglets (LBP), and survival rate % (SR), of every litter were recorded. A general linear-model procedure was followed to estimate the effects of boars' breed (B), parity (P) and B${\times}$P interaction on the reproductive traits of the sows. Results show that BLS, WLS, and LBP were all significantly (p<0.001) affected by B and P. SR% was significantly influenced by B but not by P. L sows crossbred with Y or purebred with L produced litters with higher BLS, WLS, and LBP values than those bred with D. Pure L breeding yielded litters with lower SR% than did crossbreeding with D, while the difference between SR% due to LY and that due to LD crossbreeding was not significant. The interaction of B with P was significant with respect to BLS, WLS, and LBP (p<0.001), but not SR%. No significant B effect on reproductive traits was measured in sows at their first parity; but at latter parities, LL or LY produced litters with similarly high BLS, WLS and LBP, which values were all significantly greater than those of LD litters. The breed of boar evidently affected the subsequent reproductive performance of L sows and this effect may be further manipulated by the parity effect. Breed differences in semen quality and the success of fetus development with different interactions of the genetic background with the uterus function of the sow that may contribute to these effects are discussed.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.7
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• pp.951-960
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• 2018

Hanwoo cattle are an important food source in Korea and their supply can have a major impact on meat availability for Korean consumers. The Hanwoo population was 1.8 million head in 2005 and gradually increased to 2.6 million in 2015. Per capita beef consumption has also increased, to 11.6 kg per year in 2015, and is expected to continue to increase. Because intramuscular fat percentage is a critical contributor to meat quality, Hanwoo cattle are fed a high-energy corn-based diet for long fattening periods. Long fed diet causes significant alterations in fat percentage in the loin muscle and other areas of the carcass. However, these long feeding periods increase feeding costs and beef prices. Recently, there has been increased Korean consumer demand for lean beef which has less fat, but is tender and priced more reasonably. These consumer demands on the Korean beef industry are driving differing beef production systems and also changes to the beef grading methodology. Korean government has made a significant investment to select bulls with favorable production traits using progeny testing. Progeny tested bull semen has been disseminated to all Hanwoo farmers. A beef traceability system has been employed for all cattle breeds in Korea since 2009. Hanwoo cattle are ear-marked with a 12-digit identification number from birth to slaughter. This number allows traceability of the management history of individual cattle, and also provides information to consumers. Traceability including management information such as herd, farm, year of birth, and carcass data can determine estimated breeding values of Hanwoo. For a sustainable Hanwoo industry, research scientists in Korea have attempted to develop feeds for efficient fattening periods and precision feeding systems based on genetic information for Hanwoo cattle. These initiatives aim to Korean consumer demands for beef and provide more precision management in beef production in Korea.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.171-180
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• 2011

In this study I report that in vitro development rates of bovine nuclear transfer embryos activated either with boar sperm cytosolic factor (SCF) or with ionomycin followed by cycloheximide (CHX) and subsequent in vivo developmental rates after embryo transfer are related to blastocyst quality as evaluated by apoptosis analysis. SCF was extracted from porcine semen then purified for post-activation injection after nuclear transfer. The optimal timing for SCF injection was determined to be at least 22 h post-IVM for parthenogenetic activation of bovine oocyies. A total of 364 oocytes were successfully enucleated and 268 (73.6%) fused and were injected with SCF. The survival rate of fused and injected embryos was 109/113 (96.5%) after 2 h. The cleavage rates of nuclear transfer embryos after 3 d of culture in the ionomycin/CHX treated group were significantly higher than those of the SCF-activated group (93.3% vs 81.7%, p<0.01, respectively). However, at 7 d and 9 d there was no significant difference between the total developmental rates to blastocyst for either treatment group. Total blastocyst cell numbers were also not significantly different between the two activation treatments (ionomycin/CHX: 149.5${\pm}$7.7 vs. SCF: 139.3${\pm}$4.4 cells). In contrast, the apoptotic levels in the SCF blastocysts were higher than those produced after the chemical treatment (28.2${\pm}$5.1% vs. 8.8${\pm}$0.6%, respectively). A total of 18 expanded or hatching blastocysts was transferred to nine synchronized recipients in each activation group; 5/9 (55.5%) and 2/9 (22.2%) were pregnant at 40 d in the ionomycin/CHX treatment and SCF activated group, respectively. However, only one went to term in the ionomycin/CHX treatment while none of the pregnancies from the SCF group were maintained by 90 d. In conclusion, these results suggest that SCF derived from different species is a limited activator to be used for activation after bovine nuclear transfer in lieu of a chemical activation protocol.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.123-126
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• 2008

The objective of this study was to determine the potential hazardous effects of sorting process by flowcytometry on the quality of boar spermatozoa by flowcytometer. Freshly collected boar semen was diluted and divided into two groups; control none sorted and sorted. Sperms in sorted group were processed with flowcytometer for cell sorting with $100\;{\mu}M$ nozzle under the 20 psi pressure. Measurements on each parameter were made at two time points, 0hr (right after sorting) and 24 hr post sorting. Although there was a tendency of lower viability in sorted group than none sorted control group, the percentage of live cells in control ($75.83{\pm}6.92\;&\;59.53{\pm}10.34$) was not significantly different from sorted ($59.70{\pm}7.37\;&\;43.97{\pm}3.76$) at both 0 and 24 hr post sorting. However, sorted sperm showed significantly lower mitochondrial function compared to the control at both 0 h ($79.37{\pm}3.22\;vs.\;63.50{\pm}10.05$) and 24 hr ($67.27{\pm}3.22$ vs. $46.97{\pm}5.37$) time points (p<0.007). Sperm DNA fragmentation rate was significantly lower in control ($22.0{\pm}7.04$) than that of sorted ($32.27{\pm}7.49$) at 24 hr time point (p<0.0002). Taken together, these data suggested thatsorting process by flowcytometer may have influenced sperm motility rather than viability. Also high speed sperm sorting by flowcytometer has significant effects on DNA fragmentation on elapsed time after sorting.