This study was conducted to predict the energy requirements for maintenance and growth of female Korean black goats during their growth and pregnancy phases. Fifty female goats (18.7±0.27 kg) in their growth phase with an average age of 5 months were stratified by weight and randomly assigned into 5 groups. They were fed 5 diets varying in metabolic energy (ME) [2.32 (G1), 2.49 (G2), 2.74 (G3), 2.99 (G4), and 3.24 (G5) Mcal/kg] until they were 9-month-old. After natural breeding, 50 female goats (30.7±0.59 kg) were stratified by weight and randomly assigned into 5 groups. They were fed 5 diets varying in ME [2.32 (P1), 2.43 (P2), 2.55 (P3), 2.66 (P4), and 2.78 (P5) Mcal/kg]. The average feed intake ranged between 1.5 and 2.0% of the body weight (BW), and there was no significant difference between the treatment groups with goats in growth or pregnancy phases. Average daily gain (ADG) in diet demand during the growth phase increased with an increasing ME density and ranged from 46 to 69 g/d (p<0.01). Feed conversion ratio (FCR) improved with the ME density during the growth phase (p<0.01). The intercept of the regression equation between ME intake and ADG indicated that energy requirement for maintenance of goats during growth and pregnancy phases was 103.53 kcal/BW0.75 and 102.7 kcal/BW0.75, respectively. These results may serve as a basis for the establishment of goat feeding standards in Korea. Further studies are required to assess the nutrient requirement of goats using various methods for improving accuracy.

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) has been shown to have a positive effect on in vitro fertilization (IVF) and has been reported to stimulate meiosis at follicular level in variety of species. The study was designed to determine the expression patterns of TGF-β1, TGF-β receptors type Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Smads gene in bovine oocytes and embryos. TGF-β1 and their receptors were observed in the unfertilized oocytes. TGF-β1 and type Ⅱ receptor were not expressed at the blastocyst stage, however, only type I receptor was exclusively observed at the same stage. The blastocyst stage, in particular, showed high levels of mRNA expression patterns containing a TGF-β type Ⅰ receptor. The mRNA expression pattern of Smad 2 at all stages of embryonic development was similar in all respect with TGF-β1 type I receptor. On the contrary, Smad 3 and 4 were expressed with high and low level mRNA at the blastocyst stage. In conclusion, it is suggested that TGF-β signaling may be regarded as an important entity during the preimplantation embryo development.