• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.215-219
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• 2010

The objective of this study was to examine the reproductive characteristics of cloned miniature piglets produced from surrogate domestic pigs. Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) miniature pig embryos were transferred into domestic pigs. As controls, domestic pigs of the same breed with surrogates for SCNT embryos and miniature pigs of the same breed with the somatic cell donor were bred by artificial insemination and natural mating, respectively. Surrogate domestic pigs that farrowed cloned miniature piglets had a significantly longer gestation length (118.1 days) than conventionally bred domestic (115.4 days) and miniature (115.5 days) pigs. Furthermore, the birth weight of cloned miniature piglets produced from domestic pigs (743 g) was significantly greater than that of miniature piglets produced by natural breeding (623 g). Also, cloned miniature piglets had a significantly lower weaning rate (49.7%) than conventionally produced domestic (91.5%) and miniature (100%) piglets. No differences were observed between female and male cloned piglets in gestation length, litter size, birth weight, or weaning rate. Our results demonstrate that gestation length is extended in domestic pigs that are transferred with SCNT miniature pig embryos and that cloned miniature piglets have increased birth weight and high pre-weaning mortality.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.345-351
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• 2010

Toxoplasma gondii is a species of parasitic protozoa in the genus Toxoplasma. The definitive host of T. gondii is the cat, but the parasite can be carried by the vast majority of warm-blooded animals, including humans. It is often found in the tissues of food animals including pigs and sheep. To determine the regional prevalence of infection with T. gondii, bloods (n=300) from domestic pigs and tissues (n=200) from slaughter pigs in Gyeongnam province were tested using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of antibody and antigen. A total of 115 sero-positive pigs were identified for a prevalence rate of 38.3%. Of the 50 herds from domestic pigs tested, 34 had at least one sero-positive pig for a herd prevalence rate of 68.0%. Sero-positive rates of pigs in fattening farm were higher than that of pigs in breeding company. Sero-positive rates of sows were higher than that of growing pigs. Seasonally, sero-positive rates of pigs were highest in winter (80.0%) and lowest in spring (23.8%). According to farm size, sero-positive rates of pigs were higher in small size farms (${\leq}$2,000) than that of big size farms (>2,000). However, none of the bloods (n=300) from domestic pigs and tissues (n=200) from slaughter pigs were positive for T. gondii specific DNA by PCR.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.63 no.1
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• pp.1.1-1.4
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• 2023

Several outbreaks of Getah virus (GETV) have been reported in horses and pigs, causing large economic losses. However, there have been no reports describing serological survey for GETV in South Korea pigs. The present study conducted serological survey of GETV in South Korean pigs. A total of 670 whole blood samples were collected from domestic pigs. The overall seropositive rate was 26.4%, higher than the rates observed in racehorses in 2013-2014. Preparations for epidemics of novel diseases caused by climate change should include regular serological survey for these diseases, including GETV, and the development of vaccines against novel pathogens.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.21-24
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• 1992

The infectivity of metacestodes of Asian Taenia saginata, now tentatively called Taenia saginata taiwanensis, in human host was confirmed. The metacestodes used in experimental infection were collected from the livers of naturally infected domestic pigs at an abattoir in Cheongju City, Korea. The first gravid proglottid was spontaneously discharged 76 days after infection. Two worms were recovered two years later by chemotherapy. The scolex was unarmed. The number of main uterine branches, varying from 16 to 21, was similar to that of classical Taenia saginata. The liver of pigs was confirmed to be an infection source of Asian T. saginata in Korea.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.35.1-35.13
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• 2021

Background: African swine fever (ASF) is an infectious viral disease of domestic pigs that presents as a hemorrhagic fever, and for which no effective vaccine is available. The disease has a serious negative social and economic impact on pig keepers. There is limited information on the potential risk factors responsible for the spread of ASF in South Kivu. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the potential risk factors associated with ASF infection in suspected ASF virus (ASFV)-infected pigs. Methods: We sampled whole blood from 391 pigs. Additionally, 300 pig farmers were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Viral DNA was detected by using the real-time polymerase chain reaction technique. Results: The majority of pigs sampled, 78% (95% confidence interval [CI], 74.4-82.6), were of local breeds. Over half, 60.4% (95% CI, 55.5-65.2), were female, and most of them, 90.5% (95% CI, 87.6-93.4), were adult pigs (> 1 year old). Viral DNA was detected in 72 of the 391 sampled pigs, indicating an overall infection rate of 18.4% (95% CI, 14.5-22.4). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed several risk factors positively associated with ASFV infection: feeding with swill in pen (odds ratio [OR], 3.8; 95% CI, 2.12-6.77); mixed ages of pigs in the same pen (OR, 3.3; 95% CI, 1.99-5.57); introduction of new animals to the farm (OR, 5.4; 95% CI, 1.91-15.28). The risk factors that were negatively (protective) correlated with ASFV positivity were the presence of male animals and the use of an in-pen breeding system. Conclusion: Local pig farmers should be encouraged to adopt proper husbandry and feeding practices in order to increase the number of ASF-free farms.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.107-113
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• 1994

The present study was undertaken to obtain the basic knowledge on the distribution of intestinal microflora and characterization of Bifidobacterium isolated from the intestine of cattle, pigs, chicken and dogs. Bacteroidaceae and Streptococcus were isolated from the feces of cattle as predominant organisms, and Bifidobacterium was in counts of $8.65{\pm}0.21$ log 10 organisms. Bacteroidaceae, Eubacterium and Peptococcaceae counts on the feces of pigs were particularly high, but Bifidobacterium did not isolated. In hens and dogs, the counts of Bifidobacterium were $7.60{\pm}0.71$ and $8.15{\pm}2.04$ log 10 organism, respectively. Isolated 7 Bifidobacterial strains were identified respectively to B. thermophilum from cattle, B. pullorum and B. animalis from pigs, and B. longum, B. adolescentis and B. pseudolongum from dogs by their carbohydrate fermentation ability.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.60 no.3
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• pp.207-211
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• 2022

This study aimed to examine the distribution of gastrointestinal parasitic infections in domestic pigs in the Republic of Korea. From May 2020 to October 2021, 364 pig fecal samples were collected from 75 farms in 7 Provinces and microscopically examined. A total of 170 (46.7%) pigs were infected with at least one of the following parasites: Balantioides coli, strongyles, Ascaris suum, Trichuris suis, and coccidia. By parasite species, B. coli, strongyles, A. suum, T. suis, and coccidia oocysts or eggs were detected in 144 (39.6%), 24 (6.6%), 14 (3.8%), 4 (1.1%), and 1 (0.3%) samples, respectively. One hundred fifty-four, 15, and 1 cases showed single, double, and triple infections, respectively. Of the swine fecal samples from 75 farms, 69 specimens (92.0%) were infected with 1 or more parasites. All surveyed farms across the country exhibited a positive rate of over 30%, among which the highest positive rate was 65.0% in Chungcheongnamdo, and Jeollabuk-do was followed by 61.9%. Winter showed a statistically lower prevalence than other seasons. This study showed that gastrointestinal parasites are prevalent in pigs in Korea, although the diversity of parasites is low.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.212-218
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• 2020

Objective: Agu pigs are indigenous to the Okinawa prefecture, which is the southernmost region of Japan. Agu pigs were exposed to a genetic bottleneck during the 20th century, due to the introduction of European pig breeds. The objective of this study was to elucidate the genetic structure of Agu pigs and to determine their relationships with those of five European breeds, two Chinese breeds and Ryukyu wild boar using microsatellite markers. Methods: A total of 203 DNA samples from 8 pig breeds were used in this study. Genotyping was performed using 21 microsatellite markers distributed across 17 chromosomes. Results: Numbers of effective alleles in Agu pigs were fewer than in European breeds and Ryukyu wild boar. Among domestic pigs, Agu pigs had the lowest heterozygosity (0.423) and highest inbreeding coefficient (F_IS = 0.202), indicating a severe loss of heterozygosity in Agu pigs possibly due to inbreeding. Neighbor-joining tree analysis was performed based on Reynolds' genetic distances, which clustered Agu pigs with Duroc pigs. However, principal component analysis revealed a unique genetic position of the Agu pig, and the second principal component separated Agu pigs from all other breeds. Structure analysis with the optimal assumption of seven groups (K = 7) indicated that Agu pigs form an independent cluster from the other breeds. In addition, high and significant F_ST values (0.235 to 0.413) were identified between Agu pigs and the other breeds. Conclusion: This study revealed a substantial loss of genetic diversity among Agu pigs due to inbreeding. Our data also suggest that Agu pigs have a distinctive genetic structure, although gene flows from European breeds were observed.

• Journal of Korea Multimedia Society
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.136-145
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• 2019

The crowded environment of a domestic pig farm is highly vulnerable to the spread of infectious diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease, and studies have been conducted to automatically analyze behavior of pigs in a crowded pig farm through a video surveillance system using a camera. Although it is required to correctly separate occluding pigs for tracking each individual pigs, extracting the boundaries of the occluding pigs fast and accurately is a challenging issue due to the complicated occlusion patterns such as X shape and T shape. In this study, we propose a fast and accurate method to separate occluding pigs not only by exploiting the characteristics (i.e., one of the fast deep learning-based object detectors) of You Only Look Once, YOLO, but also by overcoming the limitation (i.e., the bounding box-based object detector) of YOLO with the test-time data augmentation of rotation. Experimental results with two-pigs occlusion patterns show that the proposed method can provide better accuracy and processing speed than one of the state-of-the-art widely used deep learning-based segmentation techniques such as Mask R-CNN (i.e., the performance improvement over Mask R-CNN was about 11 times, in terms of the accuracy/processing speed performance metrics).

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.263-272
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• 2013

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of soybean meal (SBM) of different origin (Korea, India or Brazil) on performance, fecal microflora and economics of grower pigs. A total of 144 grower pigs (initial BW, 10.4 kg) were randomly allotted to six treatments on the basis of BW. Pig's diets containing SBM were formulated based on the total amino acid (TAA) or true ileal digestible amino acid (TIDAA) levels. Pigs fed domestic SBM diets had greater (p<0.05) overall ADG, ADFI and final body weight and apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of DM, GE and CP (phases I, II and III) than those fed diets containing SBM originated from India or Brazil. Moreover, greater (p<0.05) ADG, ADFI, feed /gain (F/G), and ATTD of DM, GE and CP were observed in response to diets formulated on a TIDDA basis when compared with those formulated on a TAA basis. The fecal microflora was not affected (p>0.05) by dietary treatments. The overall feed cost per kg body weight gain was less (p<0.05) for diets formulated using domestic SBM than for those containing SBM from India, while the feed cost per kg body weight gain was less (p<0.05) for diets formulated prepared on a TIDAA than a TAA basis. These results indicate that domestic SBM has better quality than SBM imported from Brazil or India and better performance was obtained when diets were formulated based on the true ileal digestible amino acid (TIDAA) content.