• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.556-563
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• 2019

Objective: This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of reducing dietary metabolic energy (ME) and crude protein (CP) levels on growth performance, blood profiles, and nutrient digestibility in weaning pigs. Methods: A total of 240 crossbred pigs ($Duroc{\times}[Landrace{\times}Yorkshire]$) with an average body weight of $8.67{\pm}1.13kg$ were used for a 6-week feeding trial. Experimental pigs were allotted to a $2{\times}3$ factorial arrangement using a randomized complete block design. The first factor was two levels of dietary ME density (low ME level, 13.40 MJ/kg or high ME level, 13.82 MJ/kg) and the second factor was three dietary CP levels based on subdivision of early and late weaning phases (low CP level, 19.7%/16.9%; middle CP level, 21.7%/18.9%; or high CP level, 23.7%/20.9%). Results: Over the entire experimental period, there were no significant difference in body weight among groups, but a decrease in diet energy level was associated with an increase in average daily feed intake (p = 0.02) and decrease in gain-feed ratio (G:F) ratio (p<0.01). Decreased CP levels in the diet were associated with a linear increase in average daily gain (p<0.05) and quadratic increase in G:F ratio (p<0.05). In the early weaning period, blood urea nitrogen concentration tended to increase when ME in the diet decreased and decrease when CP level in the diet decreased (p = 0.09, p<0.01, respectively). Total protein concentration tended to increase when CP level was reduced (p = 0.08). In the late weaning period, blood urea nitrogen concentration decreased linearly as CP level decreased (p<0.01). The CP and crude fat digestibility decreased when ME was decreased by 0.42 MJ/kg (p = 0.05, p = 0.01, respectively). The CP digestibility increased linearly as CP level decreased (p = 0.01). Conclusion: A weaning pig diet containing high ME level (13.82 MJ/kg) and low CP level (19.7%/16.9%) can improve pig growth performance and nutrient digestibility.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.774-780
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• 1998

This report includes an extensive bibliography of research articles investigating various facets of rearing neonatal piglets using liquid diets, and includes historical publications dating back to the 1940's. However, in order to provide concise and timely focus for application in modem swine production, only a selected number of recent findings are reviewed in detail. Collectively, the data presented illustrate that growth of piglets fed liquid diets can greatly exceed that of littermates fed dry diets and can even exceed growth rates of sow-reared controls (by up to 160%). The central questions that remain unanswered are: 1) Can this improved performance be obtained routinely and economically under applied farm conditions? and if so, 2) Does improved growth during the early-weaning period translate into improved net economic returns overall? Unfortunately, due to the current practical management constraints related to liquid-diet feeding (i.e., lack of an easy-to-manage feed delivery system), limited data are available which examine the efficacy of liquid-diet feeding under practical, commercial farm conditions.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.613-618
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Iron deficiency in early life is associated with developmental problems, which may persist until later in life. The question of whether iron repletion after developmental iron deficiency could restore iron homeostasis is not well characterized. In the present study, we investigated the changes of iron transporters after iron depletion during the gestational-neonatal period and iron repletion during the post-weaning period. MATERIALS/METHODS: Pregnant rats were provided iron-deficient (< 6 ppm Fe) or control (36 ppm Fe) diets from gestational day 2. At weaning, pups from iron-deficient dams were fed either iron-deficient (ID group) or control (IDR group) diets for 4 week. Pups from control dams were continued to be fed with the control diet throughout the study period (CON). RESULTS: Compared to the CON, ID rats had significantly lower hemoglobin and hematocrits in the blood and significantly lower tissue iron in the liver and spleen. Hepatic hepcidin and BMP6 mRNA levels were also strongly down-regulated in the ID group. Developmental iron deficiency significantly increased iron transporters divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) and ferroportin (FPN) in the duodenum, but decreased DMT1 in the liver. Dietary iron repletion restored the levels of hemoglobin and hematocrit to a normal range, but the tissue iron levels and hepatic hepcidin mRNA levels were significantly lower than those in the CON group. Both FPN and DMT1 protein levels in the liver and in the duodenum were not different between the IDR and the CON. By contrast, DMT1 in the spleen was significantly lower in the IDR, compared to the CON. The splenic FPN was also decreased in the IDR more than in the CON, although the difference did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate that iron transporter proteins in the duodenum, liver and spleen are differentially regulated during developmental iron deficiency. Also, post-weaning iron repletion efficiently restores iron transporters in the duodenum and the liver but not in the spleen, which suggests that early-life iron deficiency may cause long term abnormalities in iron recycling from the spleen.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.10
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• pp.1524-1534
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• 2022

Objective: The objective was to test if creep feeding (CF) improves the average daily gain (ADG) and weaning weight of calves submitted to temporary weaning (TW) and if the combination of CF and TW improves conception and pregnancy rates of cows. Methods: Primiparous (n = 74) and primiparous and multiparous (n = 104) cows grazing native grasslands were used in experiment 1 and 2; respectively. The experimental design was in plots divided into complete random blocks with two replications. The CF was the big plot and TW the small plot, thus four experimental groups were formed: i) -CF-TW (n = 21 and 27); ii) -CF+TW (n = 16 and 24); iii) +CF-TW (n = 20 and 26); iv) +CF+TW (n = 17 and 27) with cow-calf pairs for experiments 1 and 2; respectively. Nose plate application for TW had a duration of 14 and 15 days for experiment 1 and 2: respectively. In experiment 1, calves were fed at 1% of live weight for 112 days using a commercial supplement with 18.4% crude protein. In experiment 2, the supplementation lasted 98 days, and was carried out with corn dried distillers grains with soluble (DDGS) at 40% of the potential intake on a daily basis. Results: The TW reduced ADG during the TW period and the following 14 days, but the negative effect of TW was maintained until the final weaning only in experiment 2. The CF increased ADG during TW period in both experiments. The TW promoted an earlier conception of the dams (12 days in -CF treatment and 19 days in +CF treatment, p<0.01) and CF increased pregnancy rate in experiment 1, being the effects not consistent between experiments. Conclusion: The CF consistently promoted an increase in ADG during the period of TW and increased final weaning weight of calves, therefore it is economically viable.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.185-193
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• 2011

To investigate the influences of candidate genes on the birth weight and the early stages of life, genotyping of the prolactin receptor 3 (PRLR3) and retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) genes was performed in 156 and 141 Berkshire pigs, respectively. The frequency of both PRLR3 alleles A and a was 0.50. The frequencies of the RBP4 alleles B and b were 0.42 and 0.58, respectively. Neither locus was in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. No significant associations of the PRLR3 alleles with birth or weaning weights and of the RBP4 alleles with birth weight were observed. The proportions of the phenotype variances due to the genotypes of PRLR3 in the feeder weights was 4.0% and those of RBP4 in the weaning and feeder weights were 11.9 and 3.3%, respectively (P < 0.05). The dominance effect of PRLR3 and RBP4 on feeder weights was 2.40 and -1.86 kg, respectively (P < 0.01). The additive and dominance effects of RBP4 on weaning weights were 0.332 and -0.682 kg, respectively (P < 0.01). Even if no significant epistasis of PRLR3 and RBP4 was detected, a considerable trend of consistent positive epistasis estimates of AA/BB and Aa/Bb was observed for all traits. The results of this study may have a considerable impact on early-stage growth by both loci, and a selection strategy should be designed separately for each marker in Berkshire pigs.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.239-244
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• 2007

This study was conducted to investigate effects of weaning age on growth perforance, feed intake, disease occurrence and maternal reproductive efficiency in Hanwoo. Sixty experimental calves were allocated into two groups, early weaned (n=29, calf age 90 d, EW) and normally weaned (n=31, calf age 120 d, NW). Body weights and average daily gains during nursing and post-weaning periods were similar between two groups (p>0.05). Weaning age had no effect on calf starter, grass hay, dry matter, crude protein and TDN intakes of calves (p>0.05). Maternal calving interval in EW was shortened by 23 days compared to NW (p>0.05). Any difference in occurrence of disease was not observed between groups. Present results indicate that early weaning age has no negative effects on growth performance, feed intake or on disease occurrence in Hanwoo calves. And it has positive influence on maternal calving interval.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.33-36
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• 1977

The object of the present study is to examine the effect of physical training during early growth of life on body weight gain and physical performance. Early weaned (2 weeks after birth) male mice were divided into control and training group-and experimental period was divided into growing period (from 1st week to 6th weeks after weaning) and adult period (from 7th weeks to 9th weeks after weaning). Physical training was. given on a small animal treadmill with a speed of 34.3m/min and $19^{\circ}C$ slope and both groups of body weight gain and maximal running time on the treadmill were determined. The results obtained are summarized as follows; 1. Body weight gain was lesser in training group than control group and the difference was. statistically significant at 1, 2.5, 5.7 weeks of training period. 2. Maximal running time of training group was found to be longer than that of control group at 6th (p<0.01), 8th (p<0.001) and 9th weeks. (p<0.01). From the above results, it may be concluded that if physical training is started in early growth of life, there might be an improvement of physical performance.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.32-36
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• 2008

Purpose: The major complication of acute organophosphate (OP) poisoning is respiratory failure as a result of cholinergic toxicity. Many clinicians find it difficult to predict the optimal time to initiate mechanical ventilation (MV) weaning, and as a result have tended to provide a prolonged ventilator support period. The purpose of this study is to determine any clinical predictors based on patients characteristics and laboratory findings to assist in the optimal timing of mechanical ventilator weaning. Methods: We reviewed medical and intensive care records of 44 patients with acute OP poisoning who required mechanical ventilation admitted to medical intensive care unit between July 1998 and June 2007. Patient information regarding the poisoning, clinical data and demographic features, APACHE II score, laboratory data, and serial cholinesterase (chE) levels were collected. Base on the time period of MV, the patients were divided into two groups: early group (wean time < 7 days, n = 28) and delayed group (${\geq}$ 7 days, n = 16). Patients were assessed for any clinical characteristics and predictors associated with the MV weaning period. Results: During the study period, 44 patients were enrolled in this study. We obtained the sensitivity and specificity values of predictors in the late weaning group. APACHE II score and a reciprocal convert of hypoxic index but specificity (83.8%) is only APACHE II score. Also, the chE concentration (rho = -0.517, p = 0.026) and APACHE II score (rho = 0.827, p < 0.001) correlated with a longer mechanical ventilation duration. Conclusion: In patients with acute OP poisoning who required mechanical ventilation, the APACHE II scoring system on a point scale of less than 17 and decrements in cholinesterase levels on 1-3 days were good predictors of delayed MV weaning.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.13-26
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• 1991

This study was performed for searching for non-hepatectomy medium-term bioassay model by using newborn female rats. Newborn female Sprague-Dawley rats (1 day old) were given an intraperitoneal injection of 150 mg/kg of diethylnitrosamine (DENA). After three weeks, all rats were weaned and divided into three groups. Group 1 were fed on diets containing 0.01% 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF) as a promoter for three weeks. Group 2 were given 0.05% phenobarbital (PB) in drinking water as a promoter for 8 weeks. Group 3 was control group. The autopsy was carried out at 4 weeks and 8 weeks after weaning. Preneoplastic lesions were indentified with immunohistochemical staining for glutathione S-transferase placental form (GST-P). In liver weight to body weight ratios, group 2 showed significant difference from group 1 (p<0.001) at 4 weeks after weaning. Group 1 and group 2 showed significant difference from group 3 at 8 weeks after weaning (p<0.0I, p<0.001), respectively. In quantitative analysis for GST-P positive lesion area by using Image Analyzer, group 1 and group 2 represented significant difference in comparison with group 3 at early 4 weeks after weaning (p

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.113-125
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• 1969

These experiments were designed to study the influence of early protein undernutrition on growth, behaviors toward food, general attitude toward a new environment, brain size and body composition of the experimental rats. The following experimental groups were studied. Lactation period (3 weeks) (Diets of mother rats) 25% Casein diet 12% Casein diet 25% Casein diet 25% Casein diet 12% Casein diet 12% Casein diet After-weaning protein deprivation period None deprivation (25% Casein diet) None deprivation (25% Casein diet) 5% Casein diet (4 weeks) 5% Casein diet (8 weeks) 5% Casein diet (4 weeks) 5% Casein diet (8 weeks) After a long period of rehabilitation with 25% casein diet the following results were obtained. 1. Growth rate during lactation period is closely related with the protein levels of the diet for mother rats. The average body weight of offsprings of the mother rat fed 25% casein diet is 46.0 grams at 21 days old. However, that of the mother rat fed 12% casein diet is only 25.0 grams. 2. The group of protein undernutrition during lactation (S weeks) (offsprings of mother rat fed low protein diet, 12% casein diet) could never catch up with the normal group in its growth even after twenty-four (24) weeks of rehabilitation. 3. However, the groups of protein undernutrition during either four (4) or even eight (8) weeks after weaning could catch up with the normal group in their growth after long period of rehabilitation. 4. The absolute amounts of carcass protein and fat of the normal group are larger than those of the protein deficient groups. In terms of percent carcass, however, the normal group showed higher body fat and lower body protein than the early deficient groups. However, there is no difference between preweaning (3 weeks) and postweaning (8 weeks) deficient groups. It is assumed, from these differences in body composition, that there might be any differences in physiological and metabolic functions among these various groups, and also that the basic formation of various metabolic regulators (protein-nature) might be fixed mostly during lactation and postweaning period. 5. The groups of protein undernutrition during either three (3) weeks lactation or four (4) weeks after weaning are not so remarkably different from the normal group in their amounts of food intake and spillage. However, the groups of undernutrition during either eight (8) weeks postweaning or eleven (11) weeks (3 weeks lactation period plus 8 weeks postweaning period) showed higher amounts of food intake and spillage. In these respects, it seems that desire for food is closely related with the degree of early hunger in protein and also seems that the longer be deficient in early life the more food spillage is found. 6. Both preweaning and postweaning deficient groups showed generally nervous and restless. The normal group is staid and showed less mobilities. 7. The average size of the brains of the group subjected to protein deficiency during three (3) weeks lactation period is smaller than that of the group of the eight (8) weeks postweaning deficiency. This means that the development of the brain is made mostly during lactation period. The group of the eleven (11) weeks postnatal deficiency is significantly different from the normal group in its brain development. It is assumed, in connection with the results of various maze tests reported, that the brain size is closely related with the intellectual ability.