• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제13권1호
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• pp.6-9
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• 2000

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of lower numbers of sperm $(3{\times}10^9)$ per dose liquid semen and type of semen used in artificial insemination (AI) on sow reproductive performance in subtropical area. Semen was supplied by two commercial AI centers. A total of 671 female pigs from seven farms were inseminated with either $3{\times}10^9$ or $5{\times}10^9$ sperm per dose. Two types of semen were used: heterospermic semen from two boars of the same breed and homospermic semen from a single boar. After insemination, conception rate, farrowing rate, total litter size, and number of dead piglets were recorded. The analysis of variance indicated that there was no significant effect of interactions between pig farm, type of semen, or number of sperm on any of the traits measured. There were significant differences in conception rate, farrowing rate, and total litter size among pig farms (p<0.05). The effect of number of sperm per dose liquid semen ($3{\times}10^9$ or $5{\times}10^9$) was not significant. Sows inseminated with homospermic semen showed significantly higher conception and farrowing rates but significantly lower total litter size (p<0.05). In conclusion, the number of sperm per dose liquid semen for AI could be lowered to $3{\times}10^9 $ without affecting reproductive performance in subtropical areas like Taiwan.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제21권3호
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• pp.320-324
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• 2008

We investigated the effect of ESR gene-based selection on an improvement of litter size in the herds in real (non-experimental) conditions. The pigs were selected for three years. In the tested population the pigs were mated according to a breeding scheme where the individuals with at least one ESR-B allele were preferred in the selection. In the control group (CP; n = 140) the pigs were mated just according to a breeding scheme without knowledge of the ESR genotype. We observed a significant increase in litter size (total number of born, number of born alive and number of weaned piglets per litter) in the final tested ESR-selected population (LP; n = 184) and an insignificant increase in CP as compared with the original population (OP; n = 155). After the selection we could observe a significant increase in the frequency of allele B in LP. Frequency of the genotypes AB and BB increased in both LP and CP; the distribution of the genotypes changed significantly only in LP. An association analysis of the ESR gene effects on reproductive traits in LP showed no significant differences between the genotypes. The results of our study suggest that ESR gene-based selection can be successful also in small herds, under real (non-experimental) conditions with a respect for general breeding principles and limitations and during a short period. An examination of a larger sample population as well as an analysis of selection consequences on other traits (meat and carcass quality) could bring a more conclusive evaluation of ESR-based selection. Nevertheless, the results are encouraging especially for small breeding farms taking a perspective of better litter size improvement.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.233-237
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• 2001

Changes of the oribatid mite species composition during the litter decomposition was investigated in the north-facing and south-facing slopes with different lower vegetation (annual herbaceous plants in north and perennial Sasa in south) in the altitude 1,000 m of Mt. Jumbong, a nature reserve area in Korea, from August 1994 to September 1995. Total 58 species of oribatid mites were collected. The values of O1son's negative exponential index (k) were -0.56 in the south-facing slope and -0.49 in the north-facing slope, but there was no significant difference between them. The decomposition rate of litter increased rapidly until Oct. 1994, and decreased thereafter. Intensive settlement of the forest litter by oribatid mites was recorded in the autumn periods and it decreased in the next spring and summer. Species diversity index (H'), and species evenness (J') ranged from 1.74 to 2.69, and from 0.57 to 0.93, respectively, and the values were lowest in spring. In the successive periods of growing season, there followed great changes in the structure of species dominance. Heminothrus minor was one of the most dominant species in autumn in the first year when litter were placed, but was never recovered next seasons. In contrast, Platynothrus yamasakii was also dominant in the first autumn, then decreased very low in numbers in next spring and summer, but regained its number in autumn. On the other hand, an increase of the number during these periods was observed by Epidamaeus sp.2. Ceratopia bipilis and Epidamaeus sp.1 were abundant both in the north-and south-facing slopes. Trichogalumna nipponica was only found in the south-facing slope, and Nanhermannia elegantula was only found in the north-facing slope.

• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제11권1호
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• pp.81-83
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• 1996

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of sperm concentration of 5ml maxi-straw on farrowing rate and number of pigs born alive per litter in deep frozen boar semen. We did not find out the effect of sperm concentration on post-thaw sperm motility and NAR acrosome. However, farrowing rate and number of pigs born alive per litter of 7. 5 x 10˚ /5ml and 10.0 x 10˚ /5m1 sperm concentrations were higher than those of 5. 0 /10˚ /5ml sperm concentration.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• 제4권3호
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• pp.150-158
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• 2001

A study on the amount, distribution and item of bottom litter on the sea-bed was conducted by the bottom trawl net at 5 sections in Chinhae Bay over a year. The number and weight of litter found per unit of swept area (1 hectare) in each section were estimated as the range of 8.76-80.63 pieces, 3.51-108.39kg, respectively. The seasonal variation of high (Aug., '97) and low season (Feb., '98) in quantity was small, and it was about 2 times as the range of 24.58- 52.61 pieces/ha between them. But the weight variation between high (Apr., '98) and low season (Aug., '97) was very large, about 30 times as the range of 4.06-119.64kg/ha. The largest and second composition on the weight of bottom litter in Chinhae Bay are $76\%$ in other-litter with compound and bulky materials, and $93\%$ in fishing gear, respectively. The relationship between quantity and weight of bottom litter was not occurred due to the variety of specific gravity. Of the fishing gear, fishing nets was portioned to be 2.571kg/ha in weight and $84.9\%$ in composition. So these results prove that fishing nets were discarded as the most part of fishing gear during fishing activity in the bay. The largest composition of the soiled state classified into 3 styles in overall bottom litter was $69\%$ in very soiled state, and the second one of $28\%$ in the soiled state. On the other hand, new state is very small and portioned in $3.0\%$ of all. Chinhae Bay was estimated to be about 10 times in quantity and about 36 times in weight of Tokyo Bay. Therefore, these suggest that Chinhae Bay is a very serious polluted estuary caused by the bottom litter such as heavy and bulky wastes, fishing gear.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제12권5호
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• pp.682-688
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• 1999

Thirty nine pregnant Javanese thin-tail ewes (20 and 19 carried a single and multiple [2 to 3] fetuses, respectively), and six nonpregnant ewes as controls were used to measure maternal serum hormone and blood metabolite concentrations as predictors of number of fetuses carried during pregnancy. Serum hormones (progesterone, estradiol, triiodothyronine, and cortisol) and blood metabolites (b-hydroxy butyric acid [BHBA], and blood urea nitrogen [BUN]) were determined every four weeks during pregnancy and were used to predict litter size by discriminant analysis. The results of data analysis indicated that serum progesterone and estradiol concentrations at weeks 8, 12, 16 of pregnancy could be used to predict the number of fetuses carried with precision of 86.7 to 95.6%. Serum triiodothyronine, cortisol, BHBA, and BUN concentrations during pregnancy, however, were not good predictors of the number of fetuses carried. Serum progesterone and estradiol concentrations as early as 8 weeks of pregnancy in sheep could predict the number of fetuses carried with 86.7% precision.

• 한국토양동물학회지
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• 제3권2호
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• pp.91-105
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• 1998

This study was conducted to analyze oribatid mites communities in deciduous forests in Namsan and Kwangreung on which different levels of environmental stresses might press, and to select potential condidate of biological indicator species. In overall, pH was lower in soil than in litter layer. Also soil pH, total nitrate content and soluble sulfate content were significantly higher in Namsan than in Kwangreung (p<0.05). The flora in Namsan and Kwangreung deciduous forests were dominated by Quercus mongolica, and Carpinus laxiflora respectively. It indicated that Namsan was in the lower stage of the floral succession. The number of species of oribatid mites was significantly higher in Kwangreung (39 families, 65 genera and 114 species) than in Namsan (32 families, 53 genera and 89 species) (p<0.05). Common species found in two regions were 77 species. Mean density of oribatid mites was 1.8 times higher in Kwangreung than in Namsan and this difference came mainly from litter layer. Among correlation analyses between environmental factors and oribatid mites density and species number, only density was negatively correlated with fresh litter depth in Namsan litter layer (r=-0.89, p<0.05). The pH which was considered to affect distribution of oribatid mites didn't show significant results.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• 제60권5호
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• pp.13.1-13.7
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• 2018

Background: The objective of this study was to underline that litter size as a key trait of sows needs new parameters to be evaluated and to target an individual optimum. Large individual variation in litter size affects both production and piglet's survival and health negatively. Therefore, two new traits were suggested and analyzed. Two data sets on 5509 purebred German Landrace sows and 3926 Large White and crossing sows including at least two parental generations and at least five parities were subjected to variance components analysis. Results: The new traits for evaluating litter size were derived from the individual numbers of total born piglets (TBP) per parity: In most cases, sows reach their maximum litter size in their fourth parity. Therefore, data from at least five parities were included. The first observable maximum and minimum of TBP, and the individual variation expressed by the range were targeted. Maximum of TBP being an observable trait in pig breeding and management yielded clearly higher heritability estimates ($h^2{\sim}0.3$) than those estimates predominantly reported so far. Maximum TBP gets closer to the genetic capacity for litter size than other litter traits. Minimum of TBP is positively correlated with the range of TBP ($r_p=0.48$, $r_g$ > 0.6). The correlation between maximum of TBP and its individually reached frequency was negative in both data sets ($r_p=-0.28$ and - 0.22, respectively). Estimated heritability coefficients for the range of TBP comprised a span of $h^2=0.06$ to 0.10. Conclusion: An optimum both for maximum and range of total born piglets in selecting sows is a way contributing to homogenous litters in order to improving the animal-related conditions both for piglets' welfare and economic management in pig.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.179-183
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• 2002

The fragment in intron I of FSH-${\beta}$ gene was amplified by PCR. According to the polymorphism, we analyzed the distribution of FSH-${\beta}$ retroposon in different pig breeds; its inheritance pattern in Large White${\times}$Meishan reference family; and the association of FSH-${\beta}$ retroposon with litter size, female reproductive organs measurement, ultrasonic backfat and other traits. The results showed that almost each Chinese indigenous pig had the retroposon, while foreign pig breeds rarely had; the frequencies of porcine FSH-${\beta}$ retroposon were strongly associated with breeds (p<0.01); the pattern of inheritance was consistent with Mendelian fashion; total number born (TNB) and number born alive (NBA) were increased per FSH-${\beta}$ retroposon (p<0.01) with additive effects of 1.2-1.8 and 1.4-1.8 pigs/litter, respectively; between the FSH-${\beta}$ retroposon carriers and non-carriers, there was an insignificant difference in the measurement of female reproductive organs, body weight at birth, backfat thickness, loin meat height, lean meat percentage, teat number, days to 100 kg, and average daily gain.

• 한국가축번식학회지
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• 제16권3호
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• pp.261-267
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• 1992

The reproductive performance of SPF ICR mice under single paired mating were examined to get reproductive background data and to establish single paired rotational mating system. The results obtained were as follows : average litter size was 15.4$\pm$2.0 heads ; average weaning rate was 95.7$\pm$4.9% ; sex ratio(male/female) was 1.09$\pm$0.26 ; aveage delivery interval was 23.0$\pm$2.4 days. It was given the largest litter size at the age of 121~150 days and in 2nd~4th parities, but at the age of under 90 days and in 1st parity weaning rate and delivery interval were higher and shorter than those of the other ages and parities, respectively. In sex ratio, the number of male litters was slightly increased from that of female litters. The weaning rate of litters from dams which nuresed 12 litters was the highest among those of different litter sizes, and it was decreased dependent upon increment of litter size. There were no difference among 4 groups for reproductive performance, therefore the present study could have important sources for animal breeders who produce mice using the single paired rotational mating system.