• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.902-906
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• 2017

Objective: This study was conducted to characterize the behaviors and the body weight of suckling piglets in different social environments. Methods: Two groups of sows and suckling piglets housed either in individual farrowing crates in separate pens ($1.8{\times}2.4m$, the control group) or in groups of three sows with their piglets in farrowing crates in a large common enclosure ($5.4{\times}2.2m$, the treatment group) were observed with the aid of video technology for 9 consecutive hours on days 1, 2, and 3, after mixing. Results: Suckling, agonistic, and elimination behaviors of suckling piglets were significantly higher in the control group than in the treatment group. Inactive behavior was higher in the treatment group than in the control group. Most of the effects of the social environment on the suckling piglets seem to be the result of large reductions in behaviors and body weight for piglets switching from high activity to low activity. Moreover, suckling behavior and birth body weight were highly correlated with body weight at the end of the test. Conclusion: The social environment that resulted from mixing, thus, had significant effects on the behavior and body weight of suckling piglets, and behavioral characteristics, therefore, should be considered when making improvements to the husbandry and care methods used in swine production.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.79-83
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• 2002

The growth and immune responses to endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge ( $20{\mu}g/kg$) of piglets with and without a iron dextran injection (Fe, 200 mg/head) two days after birth are compared. Sixty-four newborn piglets from eight litters were allocated randomly to one of four treatments. The control received no iron dextran and only saline (Sal) injection on the second and fifteenth day after birth (Sal-Sal). The remaining three groups received Fe-Sal, Sal-LPS, Fe-LPS treatments respectively. On fifteen days of age, blood samples of piglets were taken at 0 h, 1 h, 2 h and 4 d after saline or LPS injection to determine immune functions and blood characteristics. The trial terminated when the pig reached 56 days and the average daily gain of piglets was then measured. Daily gain, serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentration and red blood cell counts did not vary significantly among the four groups at any measuring times. Serum tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) concentration increased sharply 1 h after LPS injection. However, iron injection did not change TNF-${\alpha}$ concentration responds to LPS injection. White blood cell counts of two LPS injection groups were significantly lowered 1 h following the injection. In contrast, serum lactoferrin concentration had increased significantly 1 and 2 h postinjection. Furthermore, iron injection produced no further effects on these two criteria. Iron injection increased the hemoglobin (Hb) concentration of piglets at any measuring time, and LPS injection lowered Hb concentration. In conclusion, a 200 mg/head of iron dextran injection on the second day after birth increased Hb concentration, had no detrimental effect on the immune responses and growth of piglets. Moreover, if creep feed (175 mg Fe/kg feed) is provided from d 7 after birth, the Fe-injection does not contribute to overall performance of piglets and may not be a necessity in practice.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.789-792
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• 2006

Two separate trials were conducted to determine the effects of uterine priming prior to first breeding and quantify any changes in the reproductive efficiency of gilts. In trial I twelve (12) gilts were randomly assigned to 3 treatments:T1:infusion of distilled water (control), T2: single infusion of killed semen (KS1), and T3: double infusion of killed semen (KS2). Each treatment had 4 breeding gilts which were bred by natural insemination (NI). In trial II, another set of 12 breeding gilts were randomly allotted to the same treatments and were subsequently bred by artificial insemination (AI). Infusions, through the use of AI catheters, were done during the $2^{nd}$ estrous cycle for T1 and T2, whereas infusions for T3 were made during the $1^{st}$ and $2^{nd}$ cycles. Regular breeding was subsequently made during the $3^{rd}$ estrous cycle. All gilts that returned to cycle were rebred within the 30-day period. In trial I (natural breeding), total piglets born was higher (p<0.05) in T2 (12.75 piglets) and T3 (11.75 piglets) than in the control (10.5 piglets). T3 obtained the highest (p<0.05) litter size (10.25 piglets) and heaviest litter weight (74.12 kg) at 28 days weaning, followed by T2 (9.80 piglets and 65.0 kg, respectively). The control yielded the lowest (p<0.05) litter size (7.50) and the lightest litter weight (47.00 kg) at weaning. For Trial II gilts (artificially inseminated), T3 gave higher (p<0.05) litter size born alive (10.88 piglets), total piglets born (11.72 piglets) and live litter weight at birth (15.30 kg) than those of T2 and the control. These results indicate that prebreeding intrauterine infusion of killed boar semen, either single or double, improved the reproductive performance of gilts.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.832-838
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• 2024

Objective: The use of molecular genetic methods in pig breeding can significantly increase the efficiency of breeding and breeding work. We applied the F_st (fixsacion index) method, the main focus of the work was on the search for common options related to the number of born piglets and the weight of born piglets, since today the urgent task is to prevent a decrease in the weight of piglets at birth while maintaining high fertility of sows. Methods: One approach is to scan the genome, followed by an assessment of Fst and identification of selectively selected regions. We chose Large White sows (n = 237) with the same conditions of keeping and feeding. The data were collected from the sows across three farrowing. For genotyping, we used GeneSeek GGP Porcine HD Genomic Profiler v1, which included 68,516 single nucleotide polymorphisms evenly distributed with an average spacing of 25 kb (Illumina Inc, San Diego, CA, USA). Results: Based on the results of the Fst analysis, 724 variants representing selection signals for the signs BALWT, BALWT1, NBA, and TNB (weight of piglets born alive, average weight of the 1st piglets born alive, total number born alive, total number born). At the same time, 18 common variants have been identified that are potential markers for both the number of piglets at birth and the weight of piglets at birth, which is extremely important for breeding work to improve reproductive characteristics in sows. Conclusion: Our work resulted in identification of variants associated with the reproductive characteristics of pigs. Moreover, we identified, variants which are potential markers for both the number of piglets at birth and the weight of piglets at birth, which is extremely important for breeding work to improve reproductive performance in sows.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.307-312
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• 2012

Iron deficiency anemia is also recognized as a serious disorder in many livestock, especially, piglets. We previously studied that the iron-fortified yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) producing Sus scrofa ferritin heavy-chain (FER) was bioavailable to mice with iron deficiency. In this study, we determined whether FER could improve iron deficiency in piglets. The bioavailability of FER was examined by measuring body weight gain, hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit value in suckling and weaning piglets. We found that FER significantly increased hemoglobin value and the hematocrit ratio in suckling piglets (P<0.05). Furthermore, FER treatment significantly enhanced body weight gain in both groups of the suckling and weaning piglets (P<0.05). These results suggest that the iron-fortified recombinant yeast strain is helpful in iron absorption in piglets.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.238-242
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• 2002

Seventy-four piglets were used to investigate the effects of dietary glutamine (Gln) and glutamate (Glu) on the mucosal structure and active absorption of small intestinal, DNA and RNA concentrations of skeletal muscle tissue in piglets during d 28 to 42 of age. Postweaning piglets were fed for 14 d corn- and soybean meal-based diets supplemented with 0.0 or 1.0% L-Gln or L-Glu. On d 7 and 14 postweaning, pigs' small intestinal sections and longissimus dorsi were collected, at the same time, the D-xylose absorption test was conducted. The results suggested that in comparison to control piglets, jejunal atrophy during the first week postweaning was prevented by the glutamine and glutamate supplementation (1%) and the capability of small intestine to absorb Dxylose was improved. Furthermore the RNA concentration in skeletal muscle tissue was increased. These results provide an experimental basis for use of glutamine and glutamate on alleviating the weaning stresses and improving piglets' growth performance.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.301-308
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• 1993

Three or 7day old piglets were infected experimentally with different encephalomyocarditis virus isolates to detect the viral antigen by the immunoperoxidase technique and to observe strain difference in their pathogenecity in newborn pigs by comparing clinical signs and pathologic lesions. Clinical signs of the infected pigs were different depending on the virus strain, pig age and infection route. Encephalomyocarditis virus(EMCV) NVSL-PR isolate was more pathogenic than MN-25 and MN-30 isolate. Three day old piglets showed more severe illness than 7 day old piglets. Predominant clinical signs were sudden death without noticeable clinical signs and dyspnea manifested as heavy abdominal breathing. Contact-infection from infected piglets to controls was observed in the oro-nasally infected group but not the intramuscular group. Common necropsy findings of dead piglets in both age groups infected with MN-25 and NVSL-PR were accumulation of excessive fluid in the body cavities and mild to diffuse necrotic areas observed in the hearts and occasionally in the livers. Microscopically, myocarditis with inflammatory cell infiltration, necrosis of the myocardial muscle fibers and occasional mineralization were observed along with interstitial pneumonia and centrolobular necrosis in the liver. Using an immunoperoxidase technique, viral antigen was detected in myocardial muscle fibers of piglets infected with EMCV.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.301-306
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• 2000

In an outbreak of acute porcine diarrhea in newborn piglets, an etiological study was carried out using piglets submitted in Cheju Province Institute for Livestock Promotion(Cheju Veterinary Service for the disease diagnosis). Sixteen piglets(2-7 days old) were collected from 4 farms during outbreaks of diarrhea disease(from January to April 2000). Specimens were taken after necropsy and examined by immunohistochemistry using of monoclonal antibodies for porcine epidemic diarrhea(PED) virus, transmissible gastroenteritis(TGE) virus, and porcine rotavirus. Immunohistochemistry showed that PED virus antigens, but both TGE virus and rota virus antigens not, were localized in the some epithelial cells of the intestines of 14 animals among 16 piglets examined. PEB virus antigens were mainly detected in the cytoplasm of enterocytes. Infected cells, which were most abundant in the villous epithelial cells of the jejunum and ileum, were uncommon in the crypt, epithelial cells, the lamina propria and Peyer's patches of piglets examined. The results suggest that PED virus is one of the most prevailing agents in an outbreak of fatal diarrhea in newborn piglets on Cheju island and PED virus was need to further study to prevent this disease.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.645-653
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• 2018

Twenty-five sows and 265 piglets (Landrace ${\times}$ Yorkshire) were used to evaluate the effects of dietary energy level on the pre-weaning and post-weaning performance of piglets and first parity sows. Sows with an average initial B.W. of $217.54{\pm}25.47kg$ were randomly assigned to 2 treatments. The treatments consisted of a T1 diet containing 3,100 kcal, and the T2 diet contained 3400 kcal of metabolizable energy (ME)/kg, respectively. Data were analyzed using Duncan statements to test the effect of the dietary energy levels on growth performance in lactating sows and piglets. In this study, Dietary T2 sows had a greater number of weaned piglets per litter (p < 0.05). Dietary T2 had a higher (p < 0.05) body weight than that of T1 in the weanlings, meanwhile it had a higher total average daily gain (p < 0.05) than that of T1. Dietary T1 had a higher average feed intake than that of T2 in gestation and lactation. There were no significant differences on the litter size or litter birth weight. No differences (p > 0.05) were noted in the survival of the piglets as well as in the backfat thickness and body weight loss in sows. In conclusion, these results show that high-energy diets had no effect on the body weight and backfat thickness of sows during gestation and lactation but influenced the body weight and average daily gain of weanling pigs during the lactation period.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.938-947
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• 2022

Objective: The beneficial effects of glycine were tested in piglets with diquat-induced hepatic injury. Methods: Thirty-two piglets were assigned by a 2×2 factorial experimental design including glycine supplementation and diquat challenge. After 3 weeks of feeding with a basic diet or a 1% glycine supplemented diet, piglets were challenged with diquat or saline. After 1 week later, the piglets were slaughtered and samples were collected. Results: Our results indicated that glycine alleviated diquat induced morphological hepatic injury, decreased the activities of plasma alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and glutamyl transpeptidase in the piglets under diquat challenge, and increased total antioxidant capacity and antioxidative enzyme activity significantly. Adding glycine enhanced the concentrations of hepatic adenosine triphosphate and adenosine diphosphate. Transmission electron microscope observation showed that diquat induced clear hepatocytes ferroptosis and its effect could be alleviated by glycine to a certain degree. Moreover, glycine significantly affected mRNA and protein expression of ferroptosis-related signals in the liver. Conclusion: These results demonstrated that glycine attenuated liver damage via inhibiting ferroptosis.