본 연구는 엘크 암사슴(Cervus canadensis)의 사육방식에 따른 사료섭취량, 체중변화 및 자록의 성장에 미치는 영향을 확인하고 적정 방목강도를 구명하기 위하여 수행되었다. 본 실험에 사용 된 공시가축은 3~4년생 엘크 암사슴 16두(평균체중 : 236.2 ± 15.7 kg)를 이용하였으며, 방목초지는 3년 이상된 톨 페스큐 위주의 기성 혼파초지로서 초종구성은 톨 페스큐(약 50%), 오차드 그라스(약 10%), 켄터기 블루그라스(약 5%)와 피, 바랭이 등으로 구성되었다. 방목초지의 수분함량은 19.51∼22.61%로 방목기간 동안 유사하였으며, 조단백질 함량은 6~7월에 유의적으로 높게 나타났다. 조지방과 조회분 함량은 가을로 갈수록 점차 증가하였으며, NDF와 ADF함량은 각각 53.65∼60.18%과 26.08∼29.10% 로 조사되었다. 실험기간동안 보충사료 섭취량은 월별로 처리구 사이에 유의적인 차이가 나타나지 않았으나, 조사료와 총 건물섭 취량은 5월을 제외하고 처리구 사이에 유의적인 차이가 나타났다 (p<0.05). 특히 8월에는 GR처리구의 조사료 섭취량이 급격히 감소하였는데, 여름철 환경변화에 따른 것으로 사료된다. 반면, 9월 포유를 위해 부족한 영양소를 섭취하기 위해 사초섭취량이 급격히 증가하였다. 우리 연구에서 암사슴의 채식패턴은 수사슴과 차이를 보였으며, 이는 실험기간 자록의 이유 및 포유기간에 따른 영향을 받은 것으로 사료된다. 본 실험에서 사양방식에 따른 엘크 암사슴의 체중은 유의적 차이가 나타나지 않았으나, GR처리구에서 자록의 성장률이 빠른 것으로 나타났다. 그러나, GR처리구에서 BF처리구에 비해 낮은 이유율이 나타나 분만 전후 사사사육을 통해 이유율을 높여주는 것이 필요할 것으로 판단되며, 목지 내에서 분만 시 포유경험이 있는 산차가 높은 암사슴을 이용하고 방목강도를 높여주는 것이 이유율을 향상시키는 데 도움을 줄 수 있을 것으로 사료된다. 엘 크 암사슴의 방목강도는 연평균 15두/ha로 나타났는데, 이는 다마 암사슴(Dama dama)에 비해서는 체중대비 높게 나타났으나, 엘크 수사슴에 비해서는 낮은 수치를 보여주었다. 이러한 결과는 기성초지 이용으로 인해 사초의 생산성이 감소한 결과로 사료되며, 앞으로 방목초지의 혼파방법과 기성초지의 비배관리 등을 통해 초지 활용성을 높일 수 있는 연구가 추가적으로 필요할 것으로 사료된다.

In this study, the effect of forage sources in the total mixed ration (TMR) on in vitro goat rumen fermentation was investigated. Rice straw (RS), Italian ryegrass (IRG), timothy (TIM), and alfalfa (ALF) were used as forage sources. Each forage source was mixed with a commercial goat concentrate diet in the ratio of 1:1. Total 4 TMR were prepared. Rumen simulated in vitro fermentation using goat rumen fluid collected from the slaughterhouse was conducted until 72 th . For fermentation parameters, gas production (GP), volatile fatty acids (VFAs), and ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) were examined. All assays were performed at 24 th , 48 th , and 72 th h of incubation individually. Contents of crude protein and non-fibrous carbohydrate were greater in the order of RS < IRG < TIM < ALF. Significant treatment effects were found in valerate and NH3-N at 24 th h of incubation (p<0.05). ALF showed the greatest contents of them and RS was the lowest. At 48 th incubation, a significant effect was detected at GP (p<0.05) and RS was greater than others. However, GP of RS was lower than others at 72 th . Significant effects on Total VFA, butyrate, and valerate productions were found at 72 th h of incubation (p<0.05). ALF showed the greatest production. Methane production from all treatments was not significantly different for each incubation time (p>0.05). The present study provided primary information on how goat rumen fermentation responds to different nutrient contents and forage sources of TMR. And the information could be used for the design or optimizing economical diet formulation for goats.

엘크 수사슴의 체중 성장곡선 및 일당증체량을 추정하기 위하여 국립축산과학원 가축유전자원센터에서 사육중인 엘크 수사슴 183두의 체중-일령 자료 1,509개에 대해 비선형 회귀식인 Gompertz와 Logistic 모형을 적용하였다. 추정된 엘크 수사슴 성장곡선 모수인 성숙체중(A), 성장비율(b)과 성숙률(ｋ)은 Gompertz 모형의 경우 각각 335.5±1.415kg, 2.18±0.045와 0.0025±0.00005였고, Logistic 모형에서는 330.5±1.337kg, 5.46±0.209와 0.0355±0.00009였다. 적합도 검정을 위한 결정계수(R2)는 두 모형에서 큰 차이가 없어 두 모형 다 적합한 것으로 나타났다. 다만, 실제 측정값과 추정값에 대한 차이인 평균제곱근 오차 값이 엘크 암사슴에 비해 크게 나타났으며 따라서 엘크 수사슴의 낙각 및 번식기 체중 증감을 고려한 성장곡선 모형에 대한 추가적인 연구가 필요할 것으로 판단된다. 엘크 수사슴에서 Gompertz 모형으로 추정된 함수식은 f(t)=335.5Xe^-2.18e^-0.0025t였고, Logistic 모형의 경우 F(t)=330.5X(1+5.465e^-0.00355t)^-1였다. 각 모형에서 제1차 도함수로 유래된 일당증체량 곡선은 Gompertz 모형의 경우 F'(t)=0.0025Xf(t)X1n(335.5/f(t)), Logistic 모형의 경우f'(t)=0.0036Xf(t)X[1-f(t)/330.5]였다. 이 함수식을 통해 도출된 엘크 수사슴에서 최대 증체량을 나타내는 시기인 315~478.3일령, 123.4~165.3㎏ 도달 전후에는 보다 세심한 사양관리가 필요할 것으로 보인다. 본 연구에서 도출된 엘크 수사슴의 성장곡선 모수 추정값, 변곡점 및 변곡점 도달일령 등은 사슴산업 종사자들이 사양관리 및 육종계획을 수립하는 데에 도움이 될 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

The present study was to assess the in vivo embryo production efficiency using the semen separated according to sex during superovulation in Hanwoo. Seventy Hanwoo donor cows were flushed on day 7 of estrus cycle with same FSH and artificial insemination by the same technicians. Embryos were recovered on 7 days after the third insemination by flushing the uterus with embryo collection medium. KPN semen straws used artificial insemination contained 20 million sperm (total number 60 million per donor). Sex-sorted semen straws contained 4 million sperm (total number 12 million per donor). The results obtained were as follows: No differences were observed in the efficiency of superovulation rates on KPN semen 87%, and sexed semen 100%, respectively. The mean numbers of total embryos are each 12.58 ± 8.31 and 13.25 ± 7.86. The mean numbers of transferable embryos, sexed semen were significantly lower than KPN semen (3.75 ± 1.98 vs. 8.23 ± 6.07, P<0.05). The rates of unfertilized embryos from superovulation using sexed semen were significantly higher than KPN semen (50% vs. 15%, P<0.05). The rate of degenerated 2-cell embryos from sexed and KPN semen was 60.87% and 11.11%, respectively (p<0.05). In conclusion, these results indicate that superovulation using sexed semen was useful, but efficient embryo production was important to reducing the damage caused by the Flowcytometer-based sperm sorting procedure.

The objective of this study was to estimate the growth curve parameters of body weight for female Elk. Weight and age data from 115 does raised at the Animal Genetic Resources Research Center in Korea were used in this study. The growth curve parameters were estimated from a nonlinear regression using Gompertz and Logistic models. Mature weight (A), growth ratio (b) and maturing rate (k) of female Elk were 214.1±2.17 kg, 2.12±0.0045 and 0.0043±0.00011, respectively, according to the Gompertz model. They were 208.3±2.17 kg, 5.56±0.234 and 0.0065±0.00017, respectively, according to the Logistic model. The goodness of fit determined by R2 was higher in the Gompertz model than that in the Logistic model. The growth curve functions obtained from the Gompertz and Logistic models in female Elk were f(t)=214.1×e-2.124×e-0.00484×t and f(t)=208.3×(1+5.561×e-0.00651×t)-1, respectively. The absolute growth rate functions from the Gompertz and Logistic models in female Elk were f'(t)=0.0043×f(t)×1n(214.1/f(t)) and f'(t)=0.0065×f(t)×[1-f(t)/208.3]respectively. The growth pattern of female Elk generated from this study can be useful in determining the most appropriate feeding plans and the best breeding strategies for deer.

The objective of this study was to investigate the result of in vivo embryo collection and pregnancy rate after embryo transfer using sex-sorted sperm of Korean brindle cattle. Donor Korean brindle cattle superovulation treated by decreasing dose of FSH injection. Embryos were recovered on 7 days after the third artificial insemination. Control group semen straw used artificial insemination contained 20 million sperm. Sex-sorted semen straws contained 4 million sperm or 10 million sperm. As for the result of the recovery of the in vivo embryos derived from sex-sorted sperm, the number of transferable embryos was significantly highly recovered to be 6.20±2.28/donor from the control group and was significantly lowly recovered to be 1.57±1.72/donor from the group treated at a sperm concentration of 10×106 (p<0.05). The number of unfertilized embryo was 0.8±1.30/donor in control group which was significantly lower than the group treated at a sperm concentration of 4×106 (p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the number of undeveloped ova between control and treatment groups. Pregnancy rate after embryo transfer was shown to be 35.00% in control group and 12.50% in treatment group. The karyotype analysis of the calf derived from sex-sorted sperm resulted in a similar chromosomal distribution pattern (2n=60, XX) compared to those of common Korean native cattle.

In order to investigate the effects of antioxidants on the culture of mouse preantral follicles in vitro, we examined the effects of taurine, glutathione and catalase on their growth and maturation. Addition of taurine was not effective on the survival of preantral follicles. However, metaphase II rates of oocytes within preantral follicles were signifi-cantly higher in 1 mM treated group than in control and 10 mM treated group (p<0.05). Glutathione did not improved the rates of survival and metaphase II oocytes. However, metaphase II rates of oocytes progressively decreased with increasing glutathione concentration. Catalase also showed that the rates of survival and metaphase II oocytes pro-gressively decreased with increasing concentration. Especially, all of preantral follicles cultured in medium containing 100 IU/ml catalase were degenerated. These results suggest that low concentraion of taurine, as an antioxidant, have positive effect on the culture of mouse preantral follicles in vitro.

It is generally accepted that chronic stress impairs female reproduction. It negatively affects ovarian function and the number of ovulated oocytes. Chronic stress lowers the number of retrieved oocytes. Ovarian follicular development is regulated by both pituitary-derived gonadotropins and intraovarian regulatory factors. The main corticosteroids are cortisol, cortisone, 11-deoxycortisol and corticosterone, cortisol being one of the most commonly used welfare and stress physiological indicator. In this study, we investigated the effect of cortisol level on progesterone patterns and ovulation in the dog. Cortisol and progesterone level of serum were analyzed by radioimmunoassay. The day of ovulation was considered as the day when serum progesterone concentration was 6.0∼8.0 ng/ml. In vivo dog oocytes were collected by flushing oviducts of mixed-breed bitches at three days after ovulation. We classified dogs as having group 1 (cortisol level, 0 ≤ or < 2 μg/dl), group 2 (corisol level, 2 ≤ or < 4 μg/dl), group 3 (cortisol level, 4 ≤ or < 6 μg/dl) and group 4 (cortisol level, 6 μg/dL ≤). The patterns of progesterone were not different in four cortisol groups. The average numbers of retrieved oocytes was not different in four cortisol groups. These results suggest that different cortisol levels on estrus dogs do not affect ovulation, number of ovulated oocytes and progesterone changes.

The objective of this study was to monitor health conditions of four genetically identical somatic cells cloned Labrador retriever puppies by estimation of body weight and analysis of hematologic and serologic characteristics. Naturally ovulated oocytes and donor cells were used for somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). Donor cells and enucleated oocytes were followed by electric fusion, chemical activation and surgical embryo transfer into the oviducts of surrogate females. Two recipients became pregnant; two maintained pregnancy to term, and four live puppies were delivered by Caesarean section. The cloned Labrador retrievers were genetically identical to the nuclear donor dog. The body weight of clone-1, -2, -3, and -4 was increased from 0.66, 0.40, 0.39, and 0.37 kg at birth to 6.2, 6.6, 6.2, and 6.0 kg at 8 weeks of age, respectively. Although clone-4 had lower numbers of RBC than reference range, the most of RBC and WBC related heamatologic results of cloned puppies were not different when compared to reference range. In serological analysis, Glucose, ALP and inorganic phosphate level of four cloned puppies was significantly higher than the reference ranges. However, there was no significant difference among four cloned dogs. This study suggests that cloned puppies derived from SCNT did not have remarkable health problems, at least in the growth pattern and hematological and serological parameters.