These studies were conducted to evaluate developmental competence of follicular oocyte collected from the ovaries of Hanwoo cows with the high offspring meat quality (1++ and 1+ grade). Cumulus oocyte complexes from individual cows were matured, fertilized and cultured using protocols of in-vitro maturation (IVM), in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and in-vitro culture (IVC). The rates of blastocyst development from Hanwoo cows with the offspring meat quality grades of 1++ and 1+ were 18.6 and 21.2%, respectively. The rates of blastocyst development were 26.3, 20.7, 20.7, 17.2 and 31.2% from Hanwoo cows with the meat quality grades of 1++, 1+, 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Fiftyseven transferable embryos were recovered from 11 Hanwoo donor cows (5.2/head) with the high offspring meat quality grades of 1++ and 1+ in vivo, and the pregnancy rate after embryo transfer was 61.1%. In conclusion, these results suggest that in vitro embryo production from the ovaries of cows with the high meat quality grades using individual culture system can be used an efficient method for livestock improvement. In addition, for the successful industrialization of embryo transfer, conception rate should be improved.

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the coat color appearance of Korean brindle cattle and the changes of relevant hormone levels that may affect the hair pigmentation during different stages of growth and maturation. In mature cattle, levels of both ACTH and DHEA in Korean brindle cattle with brown color were significantly higher than those with black color (p<0.05). Levels of α-MSH in Korean brindle cattle with whole brindle (≧50%) color were significantly higher than those with brown color (p<0.05). In calves of Korean brindle cattle at 2 to 6 months, the concentration of estradiol was significantly higher in calves with whole brindle color than those with part brindle color (p<0.05), when the coat color was confirmed. After 6 month of coat color confirmation, levels of testosterone and ACTH increased in calves with part brindle color and were significantly higher than those with whole brindle color (p<0.05). In calves of Korean brindle cattle at 1 or 2 months, there were no significant differences in hormone levels of estradiol, ACTH, DHEA and α-MSH between the calves with brindle color and brown color, except estradiol before brindle color appearance. Changes of relevant hormone levels at different stage of growth and maturation may affect the pigmentation of coat during the development of cattle. In addition to the current study correlating the different coat colors with relevant hormone levels, investigation of the coat color associated genes expressed in Korean brindle cattle may further clarify the mechanisms of coat color changes during their development.

The objective of this study was to determine the breed differences in the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) of MC1R mRNA, which may be used to distinguish Korean brindle cattle (Chikso) from other breeds. We investigated the relationship between the variation of 3'-UTR of the MC1R mRNA and coat color among different breeds and the Korean brindle cattle with different coat colors. MC1R mRNA expression levels were determined in accordance with the coat color and hair colors of the tail. Total cellular RNA was extracted from the hair follicles of the tails in Hanwoo, Korean brindle cattle, Holstein and HanwooxHolstein crossbred cattle. After cDNA synthesis, PCR was performed. Sequences of the 3'-UTR of MC1R mRNA were analyzed. The 3'-UTR of the MC1R mRNA from different breeds of cattle did not show any variations. There were no variations in the 3'-UTR of the MC1R mRNA in Korean brindle cattle with different coat colors. The levels of MC1R mRNA expression in hair follicles of the tail varied substantially among the Korean brindle cattle with different coat colors, except yellow coat color. Correlation between the MC1R mRNA expression in the hair follicles of the tail and coat color may be present in the Korean brindle cattle, but not between the variations of 3'-UTR of MC1R mRNA and coat color. Further studies to determine the regulation of MC1R mRNA expression from the hair follicles of different coat colors will be beneficial in clarifying the role of MC1R in the coat colors of the Korean brindle cattle.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of the MC1R genotypes of the Chikso (Korean brindle cattle) sires on the coat colors of their offspring. In this study, 15 Chikso sires with known MC1R genotypes were used for breeding in the Gangwon Province Livestock Research Center, the Chungbuk Institute of Livestock and Veterinary Research, and the Livestock Experiment Station, Jeonbuk Institute of Livestock and Veterinary Research from either 2011 or 2012 to 2013. There were 6 sires with E+E+ genotypes and 9 sires with E+e genotypes, and their coat colors were all whole brindle (more than 50 of the body). Among the 90 calves produced in 2011∼2013 or 2012∼2013 from the 15 sires, 50 (55.6%) of them were females and 40 (44.4%) of them were males. Coat colors of the offspring were determined when they reached over 6 months of age. Calves with whole brindle, part brindle, brown and black coat colors were 42 (48.3%), 11 (12.6%), 18 (20.7%) and 16 (18.4%), respectively. Ratio of calves with whole brindle coat color was higher than any other coat colors. Among the offspring with whole brindle color, 20 (41.7%) calves were female and 22 (51.3%) calves were male. By determining the MC1R genotypes of the dams and calves in this study along the family lines, and investigating other genes that may be involved in the coat colors of the Chikso, better breeding system may be established to increase the brindle coat color appearance in the future.

This study was carried out to study the survival rate of thawed Hanwoo embryos frozen by the slow-rate freezing or the cryotop vitrification method. Hanwoo cumulus-oocyte complexes were recovered from ovaries at a slaughter house, matured for 20~22 hours, fertilized with Hanwoo semen for 5~6 hours, and cultured for 7~9 days in 38.5℃, 5% CO2 incubator. For freezing, Day 7∼9 blastocysts were collected. Embryos for the slow-rate freezing were equilibrated in 1.8 M ethylene glycol (EG) with Dulbecco's phosphate-buffered saline (D-PBS). Programmable cell freezer was precooled down to —7℃, and the straw was seeded during 8 minutes-holding time, and was cooled to —35℃ at the cooling rate of 0.3℃/min, and then was plunged and stored in liquid nitrogen. Embryos for the cryotop vitrification were treated in TCM199 with 0.5 M sucrose, 16% EG, 16% dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). Embryos were then loaded individually onto cryotop and plunged directly into liquid nitrogen. The survival rates of embryos frozen by these two freezing methods were evaluated at 12 to 24h post-thawing. The survival rates of frozen/thawed Hanwoo embryos by the cryotop vitrification method (56.86 ± 26.53%) were slightly higher than those by the slow-rate freezing method (55.07 ± 26.43%) with no significant difference. Using the cryotop vitrification and the slow-rate freezing of Hanwoo blastocysts on Day 7 following in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment, the survival rates of frozen/thawed Hanwoo embryos were 72.65 ± 18.3% and 79.06 ± 17.8%, respectively. The survival rates by the cryotop vitrification were higher than those by the slow-rate freezing on both Day 8 and 9 with significantly higher survival rate on Day 9 (p<0.05). Using the cryotop vitrification and the slow-rate freezing of Hanwoo embryos to compare between three different blastocyst stages, the survival rates of the blastocyst stage embryos were 66.22 ± 18.8% and 45.76 ± 12.8%, respectively with higher survival rate by the vitrification method (p<0.05). And the survival rate of expanded blastocysts was higher than those of early blastocysts and blastocysts in two freezing methods with significantly higher survival rate by the slow-rate freezing method (p<0.05).

최근 재래가축 유전자원의 중요성이 부각되면서 그 중의 칡소의 유전형 확립이 대두 되고 있다. 칡소는 호반모를 가진 종모우의 정액을 이용하여 수정하여도 호반모가 아닌 일반 한우의 모색과 비슷한 양상으로 출현하는 개체들이 있다. 이는 칡소 모색 관련 유 전자들의 발현이 고정되지 않았다는 가능성을 제시한다. 소의 모색관련 유전자 중에서 melanocortin 1 receptor(MC1R) 유전자의 결실은 한우의 모색 및 한우고기의 판별에 이 용되어 왔다. 본 연구는 PCR-RFLP 기법으로 melanocortin 1 receptor(MC1R) 좌위의 유 전자형 검출을 통해 칡소와 한우의 유전자형 빈도와 염기 서열상의 차이를 비교 분석함 으로써, 칡소의 모색 발현에 관련된 MC1R 유전자를 이용하여 호반모 발현 비율과 유전 양상을 밝히기 위하여 수행되었다. 본 연구는 전라북도 축산위생연구소 축산시험장에서 사육 중인 칡소로 부계나 모계를 알고 있거나 가계가 형성된 칡소로 부터 혈액을 채취하여, Genomic DNA를 추출하였다. MC1R 특이 유전자 마커를 이용하기 위해 GenBank(S71017)에 등록된 염기 서열을 참고 하여 Primer를 설계하였다. MC1R 유전자의 증폭을 위한 PCR 반응 조건은 95℃에서 10 분간 정치 후 95℃ 30초, 60℃ 30초, 72℃ 1분 총 35 cycle을 수행한 뒤 72℃에서 5분 간 반응시켜 PCR을 완료하였다. 증폭된 MC1R 유전자 739 bp산물을 MspI으로 3시간 처 리 후 전기 영동하여 DNA 절편을 확인하였다. PCR 증폭 산물을 MspI 처리한 결과, 한우의 절편 양상은 2개의 절편(534 bp, 207 bp) 으로 대부분 나타났으며, 칡소는 4개의 절편(535 bp, 328 bp, 207 bp, 174 bp) 양상이 3 개의 절편(328 bp, 207 bp, 174 bp) 양상보다 다소 많은 경향을 보였다. 이 연구에서 얻 어진 한우와 칡소의 유전자 절편 양상을 비교 분석하여 호반모 발현비율을 증가시키는 교배체계의 확립에 이용될 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.

성간별에 이용할 돼지 수정란을 체외수정 방법으로 생산하기 위하여 돼지 난소에서 채취한 난자를 NCSU 23 배지에서 eCG, hCG를 첨가한 상태에서 22시간, 첨가하지 않은 상태에서 22시간 체외성숙을 시킨 후 mTBM을 이용하여 여러가지 정자농도(5, 2.5 , 6.0그리고 10.0 )에 따라 6시간 수정시켰고, NCSU 23 배지에서 배양시켰다. 배양 후 44시간에 수정란의 분할률을 관찰하였고, 144시간에 배반포 형성율을 확인하였다. 성감별 방법

This study was carried out to determine the factors on achieving good viability of embryos biopsied fur sexing, to investigate pregnancy rate following embryo transfer(ET) with sexed embryos, and to confirm the accuracy for the calves bort following ET with sexed embryos by polymerase chain reaction(PCR). To investigate viability of Hanwoo embryos after biopsy for sexing, fresh and frozen/thawed embryos were biopsied according to different developmental day of blastocysts, different stage of blastocysts, and different biopsy grade and the embryos themselves were incubated for 2 hours in TCM199 after microsection to be evaluated morphologically for recovery as blastocyst. The results obtained were as follows : 1. The rate of oocytes cleaved in vitro and the rate of blastocyst of the cleaved oocytes were 52.5% and 21.6%, respectively. The rate of blastocyst on day 8 was 11.2%, denoting the highest rate during whole culture period posterior to in vitro fertilization(IVF) 2. After biopsy for sexing, the viability rate of blastocyst on day 7, 8 and 9 was 75.0%, 88.4%, and 100.0%, respectively and the viability of early, mid, and expanded blastocyst after biopsy was 75.0%, 88.9%, and 91.1%, respectively The viability rate of fresh and frozen/thawed embryos was 89.9%, 71.4%, respectively. And the viability of expanded, hatching, and hatched blastocyst of frozen/thawed embryos was : 75.0%, 75.0%, and 50.0%, respectively. The viability of embryos according to biopsy grade of 10∼20%, 21∼30%, and 31∼40% was 85.7%, 91.5%, and 71.4%, respectively. 3. Pregnancy rate after transfer with biopsied embryo between flesh and frozen/thawed embryos was 22.6% and 20.0%, respectively. 4. In comparison between sex by PCR method and sex of calves born after embryo transfer, the accuracy of sex deterimination was 92.3% (12/13).