• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.519-524
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• 2017

The present study investigated the impacts of mating age of gilts (A1, < 230 days; A2, 230 - 249 days and A3, $250{\leq}days$) on reproductive performance and litter size of sows at farrowing to weaning. A total of 102 crossbred gilts ($Yorkshire{\times}Landrace$; average days old, 90 days) were purchased from a commercial breeding company. After identification of third estrus, the gilts were artificially inseminated using semen of Duroc boars. Pregnant pigs were allotted to one of three groups including A1, A2, and A3. Experimental diets and water were fed ad libitum during each experimental period which included the first, second, and third parities. Backfat thickness (BFT) of sows was higher in A3 at farrowing in the first parity than in others. At weaning time in the second parity, sows in A3 group showed a numerically higher BFT than those in A1. There was no effect of mating age on the total number of piglets born and total weaned piglets. There was a tendency to decrease the wean-to estrus-interval in the first parity as age increased at mating. Results obtained in the present study indicate that the first mating age does not affect the subsequent parites' reproductive performance; however, weaned to estrus interval tended to decrease in A2 at the first parity.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.862-867
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• 1999

The present study was undertaken to determine the effect of administration of exogenous progesterone early in gestation on uterine levels of IGF-I mRNA and on embryo survival at day 25 of gestation in the pig. Forty-one prepubertal gilts were induced into oestrus with PG600 and artificially inseminated at their subsequent naturally occurring oestrus. Gilts were then randomly assigned to one of three groups. Gilts in the two treatment groups were injected intramuscularly with 50 mg of progesterone either from day 2 to 14 (N=14) or from day 4 to 14 (N=15) after breeding while those in the control group (N=12) were given corn oil (0.5 ml) from day 2 to 14. Between days 25 and 28 of gestation, gilts were slaughtered and reproductive tracts were recovered. Endometrial tissue (1 g) was collected and analysed for IGF-I mRNA levels using a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, Progesterone treatment, starting either on day 2 or 4 after breeding, neither significantly increased embryo survival rate by day 25 of gestation nor altered IGF-I mRNA levels in uterine tissue. However, across all samples, the IGF-I mRNA level in the uterus was highly correlated with embryo survival rate (r=0.8193, p<0.01), supporting the involvement of IGF-I in the regulation of porcine embryo development.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.151-156
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• 2003

This study was carried out to get a fundamental information for improvement of reproductive performance in gilt. We investigated the effects of breeds on body weight, age, body length, wither's height, girth and backfat thickness, and the serum concentrations of estradiol-17${\beta}$, cortisol and progesterone at first estrus and mating of gilts. A total of 47 gilts of Duroc, Landrace and Yorkshire, produced at Livestock Experiment Station, Chungnam livestock sanitation research institute from 2000 through 2002, were used for this experiment. Body weight, age and girth of Duroc at frist estrus and mating were higher than those of Landrace and Yorkshire. There were no differences on body length among the three breeds at frist and mating. Wither's height of Duroc and Yorkshire at first estrus and mating was higher than that of Landrace. Backfat thickness of Yorkshire was thinnest among the three breeds at first estrus, but there were no differences on backfat thickness among the three breeds at first mating. Serum estradiol-17${\beta}$ concentration of Landrace(45.0 pg/ml) at first estrus was higher than that of Yorkshire(27.4 pg/ml) and Duroc(21.8 pg/ml), but there were no differences on estradiol-17${\beta}$ concentration (from 18.5 to 31.9 pg/ml) among the three breeds at first mating. Serum cortisol concentration of Duroc at first esturs and mating was higher than that of Landrace and Yorkshire. There were no differences on serum progesterone concentration among the three breeds at first estrus and mating of gilt.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.129-134
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• 2013

A total of 30 Korean native pigs (gilt 15, boar 15) were used to investigate the carcass characteristics, meat quality, amino acid, and fatty acid composition by gender. The carcass weight of boars were significantly higher than gilts, whereas the carcass yield of gilts had significantly higher than boars (p<0.01). Boars had significantly higher moisture contents in loin muscle than gilts, whereas the protein contents of loin muscle had significantly higher in gilts than boars (p<0.01). In the results of meat quality analysis, the cooking loss (p<0.01), shearing force (p<0.05), lightness (L) and yellowness (b) in meat color (p<0.05) were significantly higher, but the pH was significantly lower (p<0.01) in gilts compared with boars. Arginine (p<0.05), alanine, aspartic acid, histidine, leucine, lysine, phenylalanine, serine, threonine and tyrosin (p<0.01) for gilts were significantly higher than those for boars. The results of fatty acid composition showed that gilts had significantly higher contents of C16:1n7, C18:1n9, C20:1n9 (p<0.01) than boars in intramuscular fat, whereas boars had significantly higher contents of C18:2n6, C20:4n6 (p<0.01) and C18:3n3 (p<0.05) than gilts in intramuscular fat.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.227-230
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• 1991

A comparative study was conducted in total thirty six large while weaner pigs of about 15 kg body weight namely boars, barrows and gilts to evaluate best sex and economic slaughter weight with one standard ration. In 159 days study period feed consumption, growth, feed conversion ratio and carcass quality were judged in all sexes of pigs at 50, 70 and 90 kg body weight. It was noted that upto 70 kg body weight the growth in boars and gills 46.0 and 49.0 kg and feed conversion ratio 4.83 and 4.81 were superior and economical over the barrows, which were 45.5 kg and 4.95. Later on there were too many fluctuations in growth and feed conversion ratio in all sexes of pigs, which would be uneconomical. Carcass quality was also better in boars and gilts than barrows, No boar taint was noted in most of the boar carcasses. Hence it is concluded that boars and gilts can be raised upto the 70 kg body weight for economic pork production.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.225-232
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• 1996

The purpose of this study was to evaluate effects of hormonal treatments on corpus lutea, follicles and development stage of embryos for enhancing the production efficiency of in vivo porcine embryos suitable to introduce fo foreign genes. Hundred and twenty gilts were allocated to 6 experimental group in different combinations of hormones PG 600, PMSG, hCG and altrenogest. When gilts were treated with chorionic gonadotrophin 200 IU and serum gonadotrophin 200 IU(PG 600), altrenogest, serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) 1,000 IU, and chorionic gonadotrophin(hCG) 750 IU (PAPh), the numbers of corpus luteum (30.4) were significantly higher than those of other treatment groups (P<0.05). The number of corpus luteum from ovary in either right (9.1) or left (10.1) side was not significantly changed with hormone treatments. Number of follicles in control was 20.7, which was higher than those of hormonal treatment groups. The average numbers of 1, 2, 4 and 8 cell staged embryos were 8.1, 1.4, 1.6 and 1.0 in control, but the numbers of 1-cell stage in PAPh treatment group was 24.2, which was significantly higher than those of treatment groups (P<0.05). Therefore, these data indicated that hormonal treatment, especially PAPh, enhanced the developments of follicles, corpus lutea and embryos and increased the collection rate of the 1-cell stage embryos to introduce of foreign genes.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.108-114
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• 2004

In a trial involving 72 pigs, the effects of market weight and gender on the carcass and pork quality characteristics were investigated. A total of 72 pigs were divided into 3 groups(95-104, 105-110 or 111-120kg), market weight was assigned to 2 gender group (gilt or boar). The carcass characteristics (carcass weight, backfat thickness or grades) were determined on those carcass, longissimus muscle was removed from each left side at 5th to 13th rib and meat qualities were evaluated. The carcass weight and backfat thickness of pigs slaughtered at 111-120kg were increases than the other weights. The carcass grade of pigs slaughtered at 105-110kg had higher then at pigs slaughtered 94-104kg. Compared with boars, gilts carcass had higher in carcass weight and backfat fat. The pH$\_$u/, drip loss and cooking loss tended to similar for market weight and gender, meat of boars had higher shear force values than gilts (p＜0.05). The meat color tended to similar for market weight and gender. The total myoglobin content of gilts slaughtered at 95-104kg and boars slaughtered at 111-120kg had higher than the other weight and gender. The meat of gilts had higher springiness and brittleness than boars (p＜0.05). These results imply that the carcass characteristics (carcass weight and backfat thickness) could be affected by market weight and gender, meat of gilts was improved the shear force values and texture properties when compared to boars.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.11
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• pp.1614-1623
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• 2015

The objectives of the current experiment were to study the response of the growth performance of early finishing gilts to different net energy (NE) concentrations in diets, and to compare the NE values of diets between calculated NE values and measured NE values using French and Dutch CVB (Centraal Veevoederbureau; Central Bureau for Livestock Feeding) NE systems. In a metabolism trail, the NE concentrations in five diets used for the growth trial were determined based on digestible nutrient concentrations, digestible energy, and metabolizable energy using a replicated $5{\times}5$ Latin square design with 10 barrows (initial body weight [BW], $39.2{\pm}2.2kg$). In a growth trial, a total of 60 early finishing gilts (Landrace${\times}$Yorkshire; initial BW, $47.7{\pm}3.5kg$) were allotted to five dietary treatments of 8.0, 9.0, 10.0, 11.0, and 12.0 MJ NE/kg (calculated, as-is basis) with 12 replicate pens and one pig per pen in a 42-d feeding experiment. The NE and amino acid (AA) concentrations in all diets were calculated based on the values from NRC (2012). Ratios between standardized ileal digestible AA and NE concentrations in all diets were closely maintained. Pigs were allowed ad libitum access to feed and water. Results indicated that calculated NE concentrations in diets (i.e., five dietary treatments) were close to measured NE concentrations using French NE system in diets. The final BW was increased (linear and quadratic, p<0.05) with increasing NE concentrations in diets. Furthermore, average daily gain (ADG) was increased (linear and quadratic, p<0.01) with increasing NE concentrations in diets. There was a quadratic relationship (p<0.01) between average daily feed intake and NE concentrations in diets. Feed efficiency (G:F) was also increased (linear, p<0.01) as NE concentrations in diets were increased. The NE intake per BW gain (kcal NE/kg of BWG) was increased (linear, p<0.01) with increasing NE concentrations in diets that were predicted from both French and Dutch CVB NE systems. Linear regression indicated that predictability of daily NE intake from the BW of pigs was very low for both French ($R^2$, 0.366) and Dutch CVB ($R^2$, 0.374) NE systems. In conclusion, increasing NE concentrations in diets increase BW, ADG, G:F, and NE intake per BW gain of early finishing gilts. The BW of early finishing gilts is not a good sole variable for the prediction of daily NE intake.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.188-193
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• 2009

This study was conducted to determine the effect of mugwort powder on meat composition and sensory characteristics in finishing gilts $(LY{\times}D)$. Twenty pigs (75kg) were randomly allotted to four treatments. Mugwort powder was added to final concentrations of 0(C), 0.5(T1), 1.0(T2), and 1.5%(T3) in the basal diet. Pigs were fed with the specified diet for 50 days. Carcass characteristics and cooking loss were not significantly affected by mugwort powder supplementation. The WHC and cooking loss of T2 and T3 were not significantly different than the control. However, the pH values for meat from gilts fed the T1 and T3 diets were significantly lower than the control (p<0.05). Shear force values of fresh meat were highest with the T3 diet (p<0.05), while the shear force values of cooked meat were significantly lower than the control with the T2 and T3 diets. Texture values of hardness, brittleness, gumminess, chewiness, and adhesiveness were significantly higher with the T3 diet (p<0.05), however values for cohesiveness and springiness were not significantly affected by mugwort powder supplementation. These results indicate that the feeding of mugwort powder improves the shear force of cooked meat from gilts fed the T3 diet, however the carcass, WHC and cooking loss characteristics in gilts are not affected by mugwort powder supplementation.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.257-262
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• 2003

These studies were performed to improve the reproductive efficiency of gilts and we investigated the effects of nursing periods after parturition and backfat thickness will adapt to these results for early selection of excellent gilts. The main results were as follows; 1. The backfat thickness in sows nursing for 17∼21 days was 19.19 mm, and 16.52 mm in 22∼26 days and longer nursing period affected significantly the backfat thinner (p<0.01). 2. The recurrence of estrus in sows nursing for 17∼21 days was 5.76 day and 5.62 day in 22∼26 days and there was no difference between nursing periods. 3. The recurrence of estrus in sows had 13∼16 mm backfat thickness was 5.69 day, 5.67 day in 17∼20 mm and 5.75 day in 21∼23 mm and there was no difference among backfat thickness. 4. The concentration of plasma estradiol were 28.49 pg/$m\ell$ in parturition, 12.39 pg/$m\ell$ in weaning and 16.52 pg/$m\ell$ in return of estrous. The concentration ot plasma progesterone were 1.50 ng/$m\ell$ in parturition, 0.69 ng/$m\ell$ in weaning and 0.94 ng/$m\ell$ in return of estrous. The concentration of plasma cortisol were 57.74 ng/$m\ell$ in parturition, 43.01 ng/$m\ell$ in weaning and 47.89 ng/$m\ell$ in return of estrous. There showed the highest level of estradiol, progesterone and cortisol in parturition.