• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.81-90
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• 2021

Avian influenza viruses (AIVs) must utilize host cellular factors to complete their life cycle, and fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) has been reported to be a host factor promoting AIV ribonucleoprotein (vRNP) assembly and exports vRNP from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. The functional role of chicken FMRP translational regulator 1 (cFMR1) as a host factor of AIV is, however, poorly understood. In this study, we targeted the cFMR1 gene in DF1 cells using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/Cas9-mediated genome editing to examine the functional role of cFMR1 as a host factor of AIV. We found that cFMR1 stimulated viral gene transcription during early stages of the viruses' life cycle and did not affect viral progeny production and viral polymerase activity in DF1 cells 24 hours post infection. cFMR1 overexpression did not exert significant effects on virus production, compared to the control. Therefore, unlike in mammalian systems (e.g., humans or mice), cFMR1 did not play a pivotal role in AIV but only seemed to stimulate viral proliferation during early stages of the viral life cycle. These results imply that the interplay between host factors and AIV differs between mammals and avian species, and such differences should be considered when developing anti-viral drugs for birds or establishing AIV-resistant bird models.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.640-645
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• 2016

The objective of this study was to evaluate the present conventional selection program of a swine nucleus farm and compare it with a new selection strategy employing genomic enhanced breeding value (GEBV) as the selection criteria. The ZPLAN+ software was employed to calculate and compare the genetic gain, total cost, return and profit of each selection strategy. The first strategy reflected the current conventional breeding program, which was a progeny test system (CS). The second strategy was a selection scheme based strictly on genomic information (GS1). The third scenario was the same as GS1, but the selection by GEBV was further supplemented by the performance test (GS2). The last scenario was a mixture of genomic information and progeny tests (GS3). The results showed that the accuracy of the selection index of young boars of GS1 was 26% higher than that of CS. On the other hand, both GS2 and GS3 gave 31% higher accuracy than CS for young boars. The annual monetary genetic gain of GS1, GS2 and GS3 was 10%, 12%, and 11% higher, respectively, than that of CS. As expected, the discounted costs of genomic selection strategies were higher than those of CS. The costs of GS1, GS2 and GS3 were 35%, 73%, and 89% higher than those of CS, respectively, assuming a genotyping cost of $120. As a result, the discounted profit per animal of GS1 and GS2 was 8% and 2% higher, respectively, than that of CS while GS3 was 6% lower. Comparison among genomic breeding scenarios revealed that GS1 was more profitable than GS2 and GS3. The genomic selection schemes, especially GS1 and GS2, were clearly superior to the conventional scheme in terms of monetary genetic gain and profit.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.8
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• pp.1074-1080
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• 2017

Objective: The growth, carcass and retail cut yield records on 1,428 Hanwoo steers obtained through progeny testing were analyzed in this study, and their heritability and genetic relationships among the traits were estimated using animal models. Methods: Two different models were compared in this study. Each model was fitted for different fixed class effects, date of slaughter for carcass traits and batch of progeny test live measurement traits, and a choice of covariates (carcass weight in Model 1 or backfat thickness in Model 2) for carcass traits. Results: The differences in body composition among individuals were deemed being unaffected by their age at slaughter, except for carcass weight and backfat thickness. Heritability estimates of body size measurements were 0.21 to 0.36. Heritability estimates of retail cut percentage were high (0.56 from Model 1 and 0.47 from Model 2). And the heritability estimates for loin muscle percentage were 0.36 from Model 1 and 0.42 from Model 2, which were high enough to consider direct selection on carcass cutability traits as effective. The genetic correlations between body size measurements and retail cut ratio (RCR) were close to zero. But, some negative genetic correlations were found with chest girths measured at yearling (Model 1) or at 24 months of age or with chest widths. Loin muscle ratio (LMR) was genetically negatively correlated with body weights or body size measurements, in general in Model 1. These relationships were low close to zero but positive in Model 2. Phenotypic correlation between cutability traits (RCR, LMR) and live body size measurements were moderate and negative in Model 1 while those in Model 2 were all close to zero. Conclusion: Therefore, the body weights or linear body measurements at an earlier age may not be the most desirable selection traits for exploitation of correlated responses to improve loin muscle or lean meat yield.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.10
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• pp.1492-1497
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• 2005

The goal of the trial was to evaluate the effects of ractopamine (20 ppm in the ration) given pregnant sows during three different pregnancy stages (T1: 25 to 50 d; T2: 50 to 80 d; T3: 25 to 80 d of gestation, and T4: control-no ractopamine) on fetal muscle development (through counts of the number of fibers of the semitendinosus muscle), on the growth and carcass characteristics of the progeny. Forty eight weaned piglets (12 per treatment) were assessed for number of muscle fibers, while performance and carcass characteristics were evaluated on a separate 48 animals (12 per treatment) grown to 100 kg. Animals produced by sows treated from 25 to 50 d of pregnancy (T1) resulted in non-significant increase of 6.85% in the number of muscle fibers in the semitendinosus muscle when compared to animals from the control group. Performance results were significantly different (p<0.05), and animals produced by sows from the T1 group gained more weight during the growth I stage (25 to 50 kg) and during the total period (6 to 100 kg) (991 vs. 903 grams, and 844 vs. 772 grams, respectively) when compared to controls. For carcass characteristics, results showed that animals produced by the T1 group of sows were heavier at slaughter (p<0.05) when compared to the controls (T4) (100.17 vs. 93.09 kg). There was a positive correlation between number of muscle fibers and bodyweights, carcass weights, Longissimus dorsi muscle depth and dressing out (0.80, 0.86, 0.67, and 0.50, respectively). Sows treated with ractopamine between 25 to 50 d of pregnancy produced piglets that performed better and had superior carcass characteristics than those produced by untreated sows. The ractopamine used for pregnancy sows (25 to 50 d) can be indicated as a device to increase the progeny performance.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.125-133
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• 2001

The goal of this paper was to examine the qualify zygote-acquiring method for in-vitro culture and the in-vitro culture method of the acquired zygote from a technological perspective. We have reported the results on the introduction of foreign DNAs using the described culturing method. After performing in-vitro and surrogate eggshell culture on a zygote acquired from the abdomen of a hen, 25.8% hatchability was acquired. After microinjecting foreign DNAs into the acquired zygote and performing in-vitro and surrogate eggshell culture using the same method, 13.1∼11.7% hatchability was acquired. Having compared the developments of the control subjects and the experimental subjects, the viability of the experimental subjects on the 4∼5th day of culturing was much lower compared to that of the control subjects. This is a result that shows that the microinjection process of foreign DNAs might have a negative effect on the existence of the embryo; therefore, various technical attempts should be made to minimize such negative effects. Having microinjected foreign DNAs into the zygote of a hen to produce transgenic chickens, 3 transgenic founders were Produced and 70 G1 progeny were produced as a result of the progeny test that had been performed to the present.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.299-303
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• 2012

Inbreeding is the mating of relatives that produce progeny having more homozygous alleles than non-inbred animals. Inbreeding increases numbers of recessive alleles, which is often associated with decreased performance known as inbreeding depression. The magnitude of inbreeding depression depends on the level of inbreeding in the animal. Level of inbreeding is expressed by the inbreeding coefficient. One breeding goal in livestock is uniform productivity while maintaining acceptable inbreeding levels, especially keeping inbreeding less than 20%. However, in closed herds without the introduction of new genetic sources high levels of inbreeding over time are unavoidable. One method that increases selection response and minimizes inbreeding is selection of individuals by weighting estimated breeding values with average relationships among individuals. Optimum genetic contribution theory (OGC) uses relationships among individuals as weighting factors. The algorithm is as follows: i) Identify the individual having the best EBV; ii) Calculate average relationships ($\bar{r_j}$) between selected and candidates; iii) Select the individual having the best EBV adjusted for average relationships using the weighting factor k, $EBV^*=EBV_j(1-k\bar{{r}_j})$ Repeat process until the number of individuals selected equals number required. The objective of this study was to compare simulated results based on OGC selection under different conditions over 30 generations. Individuals (n = 110) were generated for the base population with pseudo random numbers of N~ (0, 3), ten were assumed male, and the remainder female. Each male was mated to ten females, and every female was assumed to have 5 progeny resulting in 500 individuals in the following generation. Results showed the OGC algorithm effectively controlled inbreeding and maintained consistent increases in selection response. Difference in breeding values between selection with OGC algorithm and by EBV only was 8%, however, rate of inbreeding was controlled by 47% after 20 generation. These results indicate that the OGC algorithm can be used effectively in long-term selection programs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.614-620
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• 1997

Pedigree data were used to predict the performance of 1,166 imported Americas Brahman breeder cattle, composed of 104 bulls and 1,062 heifers with an average age of 24.4 months (range of 17 to 40 months). A total of 13 full sib, 10 maternal half sib, and 228 paternal half sib groups were identified, each with average group size of 2.08, 2.00, and 4.49, respectively. Only 758 (64.9% of total) imported cattle were found to have at least one ancestor with expected progeny differences (EPDs) reported in the Spring 1995 Brahman Sire Summary. Moderate average accuracy values of .71, .69, .52, and .52 for birth weight, weaning weight, yearling weight, and maternal milk, respectively, were noted for EPDs of the ancestors. Prediction equations were derived by multiple regression analysis of available EPDs of sire, paternal grand sire, and maternal grand sire. Based on pedigree indexes that involve various combinations of available ancestral information, the average predicted EPDs (lbs) for imported cattle were $1.76{\pm}0.54$, $14.93{\pm}4.86$, $25.10{\pm}9.50$, and $5.86{\pm}2.08$ for birth weight, weaning weight, yearling weight, and maternal milk, respectively. Significant correlations (p < .05) were also found between sire and son EPDs (+.27) for yearling weight; and between sire and paternal grand sire EPDs for birth weight (+.34), weaning weight (+.51), yearling weight (+.49), and maternal milk (+.55).

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.193-197
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• 2000

Wolbachia, vertically transmitted bacterial endosymbionts, is known to induce cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), parthenogenesis, or feminization in some insect species. The Wolbachia found to exist symbiotically as a non-virulent form in Drosophila melanogaster, however popcorn is a lethal strain of Wolbachia, which causes tissue degeneration and early death of its adult host. Popcorn-infected flies showed the delayed duration of an egg and larvae, and their pupal period and life span reduced. The oviposition and egg-hatching rate of popcorn-infected flies were decreased 15% and 80%, respectiv~ly, compared to those of the normal Wolbachia-infected flies. The pupation and emergence rates of popcorn-infected flies were 67% and 65%, respectively. When popcorn-infected flies were crossed with Wolba-chia-infected flies, and vice versa, both crosses resulted in a significant reduction in egg production, egg¬hatching, pupation, and emergence rate, and their progeny revealed the popcorn syndrome. When popcorn-infected male flies were crossed with uninfected females, popcorn was not detected in their progeny. Popcorn also maternally transmitted in flies, but it did not induce CI and affected on its host life cycle as a virulence.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.11
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• pp.1725-1732
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• 2022

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of selenium benefits on the physiological responses, litter performance, blood profiles and milk composition of lactating sows and tissue concentration of their progeny when mixed form of selenium was provided in a lactation diet. Methods: A total of 45 multiparous sows (Yorkshire×Landrace) with similar body weight, backfat thickness, and parity were assigned to one of three treatments with 15 sows per treatment in a completely randomized design. Organic and inorganic selenium were mixed and added to the diet at 0.15 ppm and 0.25 ppm, respectively. A non-Se-fortified corn-soybean meal basal diet served as a negative control. Treatments were as follows: i) Control: corn-soybean meal based diet, ii) ISOS15: control+ inorganic Se 0.15 ppm+organic Se 0.15 ppm, iii) ISOS25: control+inorganic Se 0.25 ppm+organic Se 0.25 ppm. Results: Serum selenium concentrations of sows and piglets were increased by the supplemental Se mixture at 7 days of lactation compared with the control (p<0.01, respectively). The kidney and muscle selenium concentrations of piglets were increased by the supplemental Se mixture at 21 days of lactation compared with the control (p = 0.03; p = 0.04, respectively). Conclusion: Consequently, supplementation with mixed inorganic and organic selenium in a lactating diet could improve the selenium status of sows and piglets; no differences were observed among the mixing levels.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.151-156
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• 2013

Hanwoo (Also known as Korean native cattle; Bos taurus coreanae) have been used for transportation and farming for a long time in South Korea. It has been about 30 yrs since Hanwoo improvement began in earnest as beef cattle for meat yield. The purpose of this study was to determine the trend of improvement as well as to estimate genetic parameters of the traits being used for seedstock selection based on the data collected from the past. Hanwoo proven bulls in South Korea are currently selected through performance and progeny tests. National Hanwoo genetic evaluations are implemented with yearling weight (YW), carcass weight (CW), eye muscle area (EMA), backfat thickness (BF) and marbling score (MS). Yearling weights and MS are used for selecting young bulls, and EMA, BF, and MS are used for selecting proven bulls. One individual per testing room was used for performance tests, and five individuals per room for progeny tests. Individuals tested were not allowed to graze pasture, but there was enough space for them to move around in the testing room. Feeds including roughages and minerals were fed ad libitum, and concentrates were provided at the rate of about 1.8% of individual weight. Overall means of the traits were $352.8{\pm}38.56$ kg, $335.09{\pm}44.61$ kg, $77.85{\pm}8.838\;cm^2$, $8.6{\pm}3.7$ mm and $3.293{\pm}1.648$ for YW, CW, EMA, BF and MS. Heritabilities estimated in this study were 0.30, 0.30, 0.42, 0.50 and 0.63 in YW, CW, EMA, BF and MS, respectively, which are similar to results from previous research. Yearling weight was 315.54 kg in 1998, and had increased to 355.06 kg in 2011, resulting in about 40 kg of improvement over 13 yrs. YW and CW have improved remarkably over the past 15 yrs. Breeding values between 1996 and 2000 decreased or did not change much, but have moved in a desirable direction since 2001. These improvements correspond with the substantial increase in use of animal models since the late 1990s in Korea. Hanwoo testing programs have practically contributed to the improvement in aspects of quality and quantity. In sum, the current selection system is good enough to accommodate circumstances where fewer sires are used on many more cows. Although progeny tests take longer and cost more, they seem to be appropriate under the circumstances of the domestic market with its higher requirement for better meat quality. Consequently, accumulative data collection, genetic evaluation model development, revision of selection indices, as well as cooperation among farms, associations, National Agricultural Cooperative Federation, universities, research institutes, and government agencies must be applied to the Hanwoo selection program. All these efforts will assist the domestic market to secure a competitive position against imported beef under Free Trade Agreement trade system and will provide farmers with higher profits as well as the public with a higher quality of beef.