• Title/Summary/Keyword: Sow

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Motion Control of an Omnidirectional Mobile Robot with Steerable Omnidirectional Wheels

  • Byun, Kyung-Seok;Song, Jae-Bok
    • 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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    • 2002.10a
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    • pp.37.6-37
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    • 2002
  • Omnidirectional mobile robots are capable of arbitrary motion in an arbitrary direction without changing the direction of wheels, because they can perform 3 degree-of-freedom (DOF) motion on a 2-dimensional plane. In this research, a new class of an omnidirectional mobile robot is proposed. Since it has synchronously steerable omnidirectional wheels, it is called an omnidirectional mobile robot with steerable omnidirectional wheels (OMR-SOW). It has 3 DOFs in motion and one DOF in steering. One steering DOF can function as a continuously variable transmission (CVT). CVT of the OMR-SOW increases the range of velocity ratio from the wheel velocities to robot velocity, which may improve...

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Estrus Detection in Sows Based on Texture Analysis of Pudendal Images and Neural Network Analysis

  • Seo, Kwang-Wook;Min, Byung-Ro;Kim, Dong-Woo;Fwa, Yoon-Il;Lee, Min-Young;Lee, Bong-Ki;Lee, Dae-Weon
    • Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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    • v.37 no.4
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    • pp.271-278
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    • 2012
  • Worldwide trends in animal welfare have resulted in an increased interest in individual management of sows housed in groups within hog barns. Estrus detection has been shown to be one of the greatest determinants of sow productivity. Purpose: We conducted this study to develop a method that can automatically detect the estrus state of a sow by selecting optimal texture parameters from images of a sow's pudendum and by optimizing the number of neurons in the hidden layer of an artificial neural network. Methods: Texture parameters were analyzed according to changes in a sow's pudendum in estrus such as mucus secretion and expansion. Of the texture parameters, eight gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) parameters were used for image analysis. The image states were classified into ten grades for each GLCM parameter, and an artificial neural network was formed using the values for each grade as inputs to discriminate the estrus state of sows. The number of hidden layer neurons in the artificial neural network is an important parameter in neural network design. Therefore, we determined the optimal number of hidden layer units using a trial and error method while increasing the number of neurons. Results: Fifteen hidden layers were determined to be optimal for use in the artificial neural network designed in this study. Thirty images of 10 sows were used for learning, and then 30 different images of 10 sows were used for verification. Conclusions: For learning, the back propagation neural network (BPN) algorithm was used to successful estimate six texture parameters (homogeneity, angular second moment, energy, maximum probability, entropy, and GLCM correlation). Based on the verification results, homogeneity was determined to be the most important texture parameter, and resulted in an estrus detection rate of 70%.

The Effect of Broadcasting Sow Suckling Grunts in the Lactation Shed on Piglet Growth

  • Cronin, G.M.;Leeson, E.;Cronin, J.G.;Barnett, J.L.
    • Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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    • v.14 no.7
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    • pp.1019-1023
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    • 2001
  • An on-farm trial was conducted in temperature-controlled lactation rooms at a commercial pig farm to investigate the efficacy of broadcasting sow suckling grunts from day 4 of lactation, on increasing piglet growth to weaning. In the Broadcast treatment, sows and litters were exposed to a 3-min broadcast from loud-speakers every 42 min. The Control treatment was not exposed to the broadcast. All sows and litters had similar husbandry and piglets were provided with creep feed on the floor twice daily. In each of the three replicates in time, the Broadcast and Control treatments were allocated to different lactation rooms at random and there were 12 sows and litters per treatment per replicate. A total of four identical lactation rooms were available for the trial, each containing 28 conventional sow and litter crates with piglet heater in the creep area. A non-trial room separated the two treatment rooms in each replicate to minimise the chance that the broadcast grunt stimulation was audible to the Control treatment litters. Five "normal and average-looking" piglets from the trial litters were weighed twice, 7 d apart. The cohort of five piglets was identified by ear-tags and formed the experimental unit for the statistical analysis. The average (${\pm}SD$) age of piglets at initial weighing was 7.7(${\pm}2.22$) days. For each litter, mean piglet live weight at day 14 of lactation was estimated by linear regression of the two weights recorded seven days apart, when on average, the Broadcast treatment had been exposed to the stimulation for 10 days. Piglets in the Broadcast treatment were heavier (p<0.01) at day 14 of lactation compared to Control treatment (4.24 and 3.92 kg, respectively) and tended to have a greater average daily weight gain over the 7-d period (245 and 228 g/day, respectively; p<0.08). The results suggest piglet growth was improved by about 8% in response to the regular, timed broadcast of sow suckling grunts in the lactation shed. The independent contributions of milk and creep feed to the improved growth remain to be determined.

Crumbled or mashed feed had no significant effect on the performance of lactating sows or their offspring

  • Kim, S.C.;Li, H.L.;Park, J.H.;Kim, I.H.
    • Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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    • v.57 no.12
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    • pp.45.1-45.5
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    • 2015
  • Background: Physical and chemical properties of feedstuffs can be changed by feed processing. Moreover, through various mechanisms, feed processing can affect growth performance and feed efficiency of swine, nutrition value of the feed. Weaning-to service-intervals (WSI), subsequent farrowing rates, and total-born litter sizes were determined by feed intake and metabolic state during lactation. Methods: A total of 20 sows (Landrace ${\times}$ Yorkshire) with an average body weight (BW) of 266.1 kg 4 d before farrowing were used to determine the effect of feed processing on the performance of lactating sows and their offspring. The following two dietary treatments were used: 1) Crumble diet (C); and 2) Mash diet (M). Ten replications were used for each treatment. Back fat thickness of sows was measured 6 cm off the midline at the 10th rib using a real-time ultrasound instrument at 4 d before farrowing, 1 d after farrowing, and during weaning. Sow BW were also checked at 4 d before farrowing, 1 d after farrowing, and during weaning. Fecal score of sows were assessed on d 14. Fecal score of piglets were observed on d 7, 15, and 24. Data were analyzed using t-test procedure of SAS (2014) with sow as experimental unit. Results: No significant (p > 0.05) difference was observed in the reproduction performance of sows between the two treatments. In addition, there was no significant (p > 0.05) difference in the growth performance of piglets between the two treatments. Fecal score of sows or piglets showed no significant (p > 0.05) difference either. Conclusions: In conclusion, different feed processing (mash or crumble) did not make any significant difference on the performance of lactation sow or their piglets.

Processing Procedures and Feeding Systems for Sorghum-based Diets Given to Lactating Sows

  • Kim, I.H.;Hancock, J.D.;Kim, J.H.;Kennedy, G.A.;Hines, R.H.;Behnke, K.C.;Nichols, D.A.
    • Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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    • v.15 no.8
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    • pp.1186-1190
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    • 2002
  • One hundred and twenty nine primiparous sows were used to determine the effects of alternative processing procedures and feeding systems on the nutritional value of sorghum grain-based diets for lactating sows. Treatments were a ground sorghum control, steam-flaked sorghum and extruded sorghum fed in meal form and the ground sorghum control given as pellets or gruel (1:1 ratio of water and feed on a volume:volume basis). Average daily feed intake was greater for sows fed pelleted and gruel diet forms than sow fed the diets with steam-flaked and extruded sorghum (p<0.04). However, no differences occurred in sow weight or backfat losses among the treatments (p>0.14). Number of pigs weaned and livability rates were similar among treatments except that steam-flaked sorghum supported greater litter weight gains than extruded sorghum (p<0.02). Apparent digestibilities of DM, N and GE in sows fed steam-flaked and extruded sorghum were greater (p<0.001) than in sows fed pelleted or gruel diets. Of the various treatments, sows fed extruded sorghum tended to have the highest digestibilities of DM, N and GE, and lowest excretions of DM and N in the faeces. Severity of ulceration was not significantly affected by treatments (p>0.35), but keratinization was greatest for sows fed extruded sorghum (p<0.01). In conclusion, the alternative processing methods (steam-flaking and extrusion) and feeding system (pellets and gruel) had little effect on sow and litter performance. However, nutrient digestibilities were improved for all treatments that involved heating (steam flaking, extrusion and pelleting) and, thus, these treatments resulted in less fecal excretion of DM and N.

Cases of Eco-Friendly Pigsty and Hog Feeding and Management Based on u-IT Information Systems

  • Jang, Ik Hun;Park, Seong Hee;Choi, Young Chan;Kim, Young Hwa
    • Agribusiness and Information Management
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    • v.4 no.2
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    • pp.42-49
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    • 2012
  • This study introduces cases of individual feeding systems for sow and the sow sorters which are the subparts of an eco-friendly feeding and management system based on a u-IT program using the hog feeding and management information system. The purpose of this study is to conduct an analysis of economic feasibility on cases of the improvement of the system using the u-IT and to provide information on the positive effects of an introduction of an eco-friendly pigsty and hog feeding and management system to hog raisers and government officials. The literature review and background section examine the effects of the introduction of u-IT technology into the field of livestock raising, hog feeding and management information system, and the eco-friendly feeding and management system based on the u-IT. This paper will present the results of the analysis on the effects and the economic feasibility of the individual feeding system for sow and the sow sorter utilizing the u-IT technology and information systems. The results of this study will contribute to the sustainable development of the hog raising industry by showing that the new feeding and management system utilizing the u-IT can not only increase the efficiency and productivity of farm management but also contribute to efficient, eco-friendly hog feeding and management.

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Decoding the intestinal microbiota repertoire of sow and weaned pigs using culturomic and metagenomic approaches

  • Mun, Daye;Kim, Hayoung;Shin, Minhye;Ryu, Sangdon;Song, Minho;Oh, Sangnam;Kim, Younghoon
    • Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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    • v.63 no.6
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    • pp.1423-1432
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    • 2021
  • To elucidate the role and mechanism of microbes, we combined culture-dependent and culture-independent approaches to investigate differences in gut bacterial composition between sows and weaned pigs. Under anaerobic conditions, several nonselective and selective media were used for isolation from fecal samples. All isolated bacteria were identified and classified through 16S rRNA sequencing, and the microbiota composition of the fecal samples was analyzed by metagenomics using next generation sequencing (NGS) technology. A total of 278 and 149 colonies were acquired from the sow and weaned pig fecal samples, respectively. Culturomics analysis revealed that diverse bacterial genus and species belonged to Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes were isolated from sow and weaned pigs. When comparing culture-dependent and culture-independent analyses, 191 bacterial species and 2 archaeal bacterial species were detected through culture-independent analysis, and a total of 23 bacteria were isolated through a culture-dependent approach, of which 65% were not detected by metagenomics. In conclusion, culturomics and metagenomics should be properly combined to fully understand the intestinal microbiota, and livestock-derived microbial resources should be informed by culturomic approaches to understand and utilize the mechanism of host-microbe interactions.

Comparison of Chemical Composition, Quality, and Muscle Fiber Characteristics between Cull Sows and Commercial Pigs: The Relationship between Pork Quality Based on Muscle Fiber Characteristics

  • Jeong-Uk Eom;Jin-Kyu Seo;Kang-Jin Jeong;Sumin Song;Gap-Don Kim;Han-Sul Yang
    • Food Science of Animal Resources
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    • v.44 no.1
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    • pp.87-102
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    • 2024
  • This study aims to compare the chemical composition, quality, and muscle fiber characteristics of cull sows and commercial pigs, investigating the effect of changes in muscle fiber characteristics on pork quality. The proximate composition, color, pH, water-holding capacity (drip loss and cooking loss), protein solubility, total collagen content, and muscle fiber characteristics of cull sows (n=20) and commercial pigs (n=20) pork were compared. No significant differences were found between cull sows and commercial pigs in terms of proximate composition, drip loss, protein solubility, or total collagen content of their meat (p<0.05). However, cull sow pork exhibited a red color and a higher pH (p<0.05). This appears to be the result of changes in muscle fiber number and area composition (p<0.05). Cull sow meat also displayed better water-holding capacity as evident in a smaller cooking loss (p<0.05), which may be related to an increase in muscle fiber cross-sectional area (p<0.05). In conclusion, muscle fiber composition influences the pork quality; cull sow pork retains more moisture when cooked, resulting in minimal physical loss during processing and can offer more processing suitability.