The melanocortin receptor type 4 (MC4R) gene is expressed in the hypothalamus and regulates energy intake and body weight. Recently, it has been reported that obesity and energy balance in human were also regulated by the MC4R gene. Therefore the objective of this study was to identify the polymorphism on the MC4R gene SNP C1786T and its association with economic traits in Korean native cattle (brindle and black cattle) by PCR-RFLP. A total of 125 cattle from the two breeds were tested for economic traits (meat quality index, backfat, thickness, carcass weight, longissimus muscle area and marbling score) and data was analyzed using SAS program. In the results, C allele had highest frequency than G allele frequency in the both breeds and the gene was significantly associated with meat quantity index and backfat thickness in brindle cattle breed. However, in black cattle, the gene was significantly associated with longissimus muscle area (p<0.05). These results suggest that C1786T SNP of the MC4R gene may be useful as a genetic marker for economic traits in the brindle and black cattle.

This study was carried out to investigate the influence of artificial insemination (AI) failure in 1,619 Korean native cows at Gangwon East area, Korea. The average AI failure rate was 37.02% in the cows and the highest rate was 40.85% in Yangyang-city. Based on the parity in the cows, the AI failure rate was 49.14% and 29.91% in the first and fifth parity cows, respectively. Whereas cows until fifth parity were decreased in AI failure, cows with sixth or more parity showed an upturning AI failure trends with the increasing of parity number. AI failure rate incidence according to the rump fat thickness measured by ultrasound was 28.9% and 33.4% at 5 mm to 10 mm and over than 15 mm, respectively. There was a positive correlation (0.2186) between AI failure rate of mother and that of their offspring cows. That is, offspring of dams with high AI failure rate showed also higher AI failure than those of dams having lower AI failure rate. In conclusion, these results indicate that the AI failure rate was closely related to the rump fat thickness, parity number, and conception rate of mother cows. In addition, these results might strengthen the basis to improve the reproductive performance in Korean native cows.

The purpose of this study is to suggest developing plans for 6 beef brands in Kangwon-do. Data were collected by consumer survey on 12th August, 2010 at Daemyung Resort in Hongcheongun. A total of 658 questionnaires were distributed and collected. SAS 9.1 and Excel 2007 were used as statistical packages and ordered logit model was used as a model to analyze the data. From the results of the study the following improvement plans were suggested for the 6 beef brands in Kangwon-do. First, the 6 beef brand agents should use public relation to give information for consumers. Clean image of Kangewon-do and clear distribution process should be stressed for the public relation. Second, promotion is an important tool to discriminate the 6 beef brands with other beef brands. The discrimination by the 6 beef brands should be focused on taste of the 6 beef brands. Third, market segmentation strategies are needed. The market segmentation may be achieved by segmentation of sales places.

Stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD1) gene plays important role in fatty acid composition. In order to find marker-assisted selection (MAS) for improving the economic trait, this study was performed to identify the 878T>C single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) on SCD1 gene. Three genotypes (CC, CT, and TT) were detected in 878T>C SNP of SCD1 gene from 103 Hanwoo population by polymorphism chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and economic traits were analyzed by general linear model. The frequency of allele C and T was 0.534 and 0.466, also the genotype frequency of CC, CT and TT was 0.252, 0.563, and 0.184, respectively in the Hanwoo population. The TT genotype of SCD1 gene showed a significantly higher measures (p<0.05) of carcass weight (CW) than CT, CC genotype. No significant association was detected between genotype and other economic trait (marbling, backfat thickness, and longissimus muscle area) in this study. The results revealed that SCD1 gene 878T>C SNP could be useful for effective MAS to increase the economic quality in Hanwoo population.

This study was carried out to investigate artificial insemination (AI) failure status and frozen semen characteristics in Korean proven bulls‘ number (KPN) semen used for AI of Hanwoo cows in Gangwon East region (Gangneung, Donghae, Taebaek, Samcheok, Sokcho, Yangyang, Goseong). Among semen used for AI, AI failure rate showed lowest at KPN506 (27.6%), whereas highest at KPN593 (77.2%). Correlations of AI failure in between Korean proven bulls semen and cows was 0.2941, which means that AI failure rate of Korean proven bulls semen may have respectable effect on reproduction of Hanwoo cow. In addition, present study was conducted to investigate spermatozoal viability rate, ruptured acrosome rate and active mitochondria in frozen Korean proven bulls semen with flow cytometry. The semen of KPN593 showed significantly (p<0.05) higher viability rate in KPN593 (30.49%) than that in KPN637 (37.34%). Furthermore, percentage of ruptured acrosome was lower in KPN637 as 21.37% than in KPN637 (21.37%), but it was not statistically significant. In conclusion, these results indicate that choice of Korean proven bulls semen may correlate positively with conception rate in Hanwoo cow. Therefore, KPN with high AI failure rate might be avoid to increase conception rate and characteristics of frozen semen might be evaluated before its use for AI.

Myopalladin (MYPN) is an important expression gene associated with regulation of Z-line structure in muscle and maintains sarcomeric integrity. In this study, we investigated the association between MYPN A1795G SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) and carcass traits (LMA, longissimus muscle area; CW, carcass weight; BF, backfat thickness; MS, marbling score) in Korean cattle. The MYPN A1795G SNP was genotyped in 212 steers and analyzed the associations with carcass traits by PCR-RFLP (Restriction fragment length polymorphism) method. The allele frequencies were 0.566 for G allele and 0.434 for A allele. And the genotype frequencies of GG, GA, and AA genotype were 32.1%, 49%, and 18.9%, respectively. Association analysis indicated that the A1795G SNP of MYPN gene showed a significant association with LMA (p<0.05). The steers with GG genotype had higher LMA than those with the genotypes AA. But no significant associations were observed in other carcass traits (CW, BF, MS). The steers with the GG genotype showed higher CW and BF than those with the genotypes AA and GA. These results suggest that the A1795G SNP of the MYPN gene is associated with LMA and may be useful for candidate marker-assisted selection to increase the levels of LMA in Korean cattle.

The aim of this study was to analyze the reproduction and breeding status of 1655 Hanwoo (Korean cattle) cows raised in Gangwon East area (Gangneung, Taebaek, Donghae, Yangyang, Samcheok, Sokcho, and Goseong). The average age in months and the parity of Hanwoo was 43.6 and 1.7 respectively. Registration status of the cows were 42.0% (pedigree), 30.2% advanced), 20.0% (fundamental), and 4.0% (non-registry). Korean proven bull's number (KPN) 517 and KPN 588 were preferred 25.8%, 16.2% respectively for artificial insemination (AI) of the cows. Appearance rate of over 1st meat quality grade in the offsprings obtained from AI of top 6 KPNs was 90% which was above national average (slaughters only 77.81%, total 63.12). Results indicated genetic influence the KPN for meat quality grade of their offspring. Strong correleation between AI failure rate of mother cows and their offspring cows has been observed. KPN information, meat quality grade, and AI failure percentage would be quite useful factors to understand their relationship in further improvement of Hanwoo in Gangwon East area.

There are four (yellow, brindle, black, black in Jeju) kinds of native cattle in Korea. But only twelve hundred Korean brindle cattle (KBC) are remaining in limited areas of Korea and the genetic lineage, diversity, polymorphisms of KBC has not been identified. To analysis genetic polymorphism of KBC, 33 KBC were characterized using 11 microsatellite markers. Size of microsatellite marker was decided using Gene Mapper software after analysis ABI 3130XL. The average of allele numbers of KBC was 6.7 in this study, but that of Hanwoo was 10.0 in our previous report. The observed and expected heterozygosities of KBC were 0.719 and 0.738 but those of Hanwoo were 0.751 and 0.760 in our previous report. Also polymorphism information content (PIC) values were average 0.690 in KBC but 0.725 in Hanwoo. These results demonstrate that genetic polymorphism of KBC have decreased because the population was limited.

In this study, genotyping was executed by using 11 microsatellite markers (BM1824, BM2113, ETH10, ETH225, ETH3, INRA23, SPS115, TGLA122, TGLA227, TGLA53, and TGLA126) for diversity of 214 Hanwoo cows in Hoengseong area. Each marker's size and number of allele, observed heterozygosity, expected total heterozygosity, and polymorphism information content were analyzed by 11 Microsatellite marker. The average of size range was detected from 150.9 to 174.9 in Hanwoo cows of Hoengseong. The number of average allele was 10.0 that is similar to the average of Kangwon Hanwoo, which is known as 10.5 in the previous report. The average were 0.751 for observed heterozygosity, 0.760 for expected total heterozygosity, 0.725 for polymorphism information content, respectively. These results were similar to previous studies in Kangwon Hanwoo, National Hanwoo and Korean Proven Bulls. This study is expected to contribute for genetic improvement of Hanwoo cows in Hoengseong as a popular brand.

This study was conducted to test the effect different forages and feeding rates on generation of main greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane in Hanwoo cows. Feeds were given twice per day at 09:00 and 17:00. Greenhouse gases were measured during 12 hours using Mamos-300 from 09:00 to 21:00. The results indicated that the generation of greenhouse gases under different forage categories and feeding rate were significantly different (p<0.05). Whole greenhouse gas tended to decrease in the high concentrate diets. The high timothy supplement ation group showed less amounts of carbon dioxide generation comparing with others group while high silage supplementation resulted more methane generation comparing with other treatments. On the afternoon test, carbon dioxide generation was significantly lower different (p<0.05) in timothy treatment comparing with others.

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of parity and region on the live body charateristics of Hanwoo cows. The data used were logissimus muscle area (LMAU), back fat thickness (BFTU), marbling score (MSU), and p8 point fat thickness (P8 FTU), by ultrasound from 1,239 heads of hi-lok branded Hanwoo cows. Based upon ultrasound characteristics of LMAU, BFTU, MSU and P8 FTU were significantly high in Hanwoo cows in Hwacheon area. Live body characteristics were increased with the parity, however estimated value tended to decreased after sixth parturition. Also, comparative of pre or after parturiti- on on the live body characteristics, pre parturition value showed little lower than after parturition

This study was to invesigate the effect of dietary supplemention of Pozzolan, Chromium-methionine chelate and rhus verniciflua stokes additive feed on growth performance and ultrasound live body characteristics in finishing Hanwoo steer. The animal used in the experiment were a total of 17 heads and weighted 577.09±35.90㎏. The experimental diets were basal hi-lok branded only concentrat and rice straw and 4% Rhus, 0.4% Cramin and 2% Pozzolan, which additice in basal diet. Individually average daily gain was tended to decreased with treated group. Ultrasound back fat thickness and marbling score were not significantly different(p<0.05)between teratment, however Pozzolan additive treat was showed tend to increased. Longissimus muscle area was showed tended to decreased in the Pozzolan treatment.

This study was carried out to determine the maintenance and social behavior characteristics of Hanwoo steers by season. Forty eight Hanwoo steers were video-recorded at 15, 17 and 19 months of age for behavior measurement. Hanwoo steers spent more feeding time (p<0.05) in autumn than in summer and/or winter. Standing time was linearly increased (p<0.05) along with seasonal transition, from summer to winter. The rice straw intake speed was the fastest the summer, whereas the concentrate intake speed was relatively fast in winter. Furthermore, Hanwoo steers showed more behavior time and count for lying down (p<0.05) and drinking (p<0.05) in summer than in autumn and winter. Also, Hanwoo steers spent less count (p<0.05) self grooming and scratching in summer.

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effect of wood vinegar (WV) on the fecal microbes and gas emission in weaned pigs. In Exp. 1, 224 weaned piglets (L×Y×D, 21 d-old, initial BW 6.02 ± 0.52 kg) were assigned to four treatments of different WV levels in randomized completely block design with four replicates (14 piglets/pen) for 28 days, including phases I (0-2 wk) and phase II (3-4 wk). The dietary treatments were 0, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3% of WV added to a corn-soybean meal basal diet. The concentration of ammonia measured at 0 h and 24 h in feces did not differ among dietary treatments (p>0.05), but it was linearly decreased (p<0.05) in 0.2% and 0.3% addition level measured at 48 h and 72 h. The concentration of hydrogen sulfide had no significant change (p>0.05) within treatments measured at different time. The fecal total bacteria (TBC), Lactobacilli(LAB) and E. coli were measured on 14 d and 28 d. TBC were higher (p>0.05) in WV added treatments than the control. Similar results were obtained for LAB. But E. coli populations were decreased (p<0.05) in treatments added WV compared to control measured on 14 d and 35 d. In Exp. 2, 288 weaned piglets (L×Y×D, 21 d-old, initial BW 6.62 ± 0.31 kg) were assigned to four treatments in a randomized completely block design with four replicates (18 piglets/pen) for 28 days. The dietary treatments were basal diet (negative control, NC), 0.2% organic acid (positive control, PC), 0.2% antibiotic (AT) and 0.2% WV added to a corn-soybean meal basal diet. The fecal total bacteria (TBC), Lactobacilli(LAB) and E. coli were measured on 14 d and 28 d. TBC, LAB and E. coli showed lower counts in pigs fed AT diets than others. In conclusion, these results indicated that wood vinegar could reduce the NH3 concentration of feces and inhibited the growth of harmful bacteria.