This study was conducted to report the census survey results of south Korean Chikso (Korean Brindle Cattle) distribution and to diagnose the current coat color expression patterns. Two years Chikso census showed that there were 2,413 Chikso in 2013 and 2,754 in 2014 in south Korea. Number of animals between 0 to 35 months of age was 1,632 heads in 2014 which comprised 59% of total Chikso population size. The percentages of animals between 36 ~ 71 months of age and over 6 years of age were 31% and 10% of total. Out of 2,416 animals with class numbers assessed by their coat colors, 1,249 heads (52%) were in group I (with black stripes, class no. 1 ~ 3) and the others (class no. 4 ~ 7) were in group II (1,167 heads, 48%). Among the 1,551 animals that were photographed twice in 2013 and in 2014, 226 animals were assessed different coat color class numbers, and round 90% of which were within the ages less than 48 months. The number of animals switched in coat color pattern groups over a year was 56, which was 3.6% of total number of animals on survey. And around 88% of the animals switched in group category was of the animals younger than 24 months of age. Therefore, we conclude that the coat color pattern becomes rather stable at around 24 months of age in Chikso populaion in south Korea.

The objective of this study was to compare the effects of the levels of inbreeding on body weight traits between two breed populations, Hanwoo and Korea Brindle cattle. Birth weight (BW), weaning weight (WW), body weight at 6 months of age (W6) and yearling weight (YW). Records of 1,745 calves (1,513 from Hanwoo, and 232 from Korea Brindle calves) were collected from Livestock Research Institutes in Kangwon, Gyeongbuk and Chungbuk provinces. The least squares means (LSM) and their standard errors for BW, WW, W6 and YW were 25.4±0.1 kg, 81.0±1.8 kg, 146.1±3.7 kg and 291.5±2.4 kg, respectively in Hanwoo calves and 22.6±0.3 kg, 79.9±2.3 kg, 137.6±4.6 kg and 249.3±6.6 kg, respectively in Korea Brindle calves. Pedigree data showed that 14.8% (316 out of 2131) of Hanwoo was inbred and the average inbreeding coefficient was 0.0209 (2.09%). Inbreeding coefficients of ten calves out of 316 total inbred Hanwoo calves were 12.5% or higher, whereas those of the other 306 calves were less than 12.5%. In both breeds, calves were divided into three groups of inbreeding classes - highly inbred group(F≥ 0.125), lowly to medially inbred group(0<F<0.125) and no inbred group(F=0). In Korea Brindle calf populations, 12.2% of the calves observed (57 out of 467 calves) were inbred and the average inbreeding coefficient was 0.1367(13.67%). Forty four calves out of 57 inbred Korea Brindle calves had inbreeding coefficients of 12.5% or higher and the other 13 calves had less than 12.5% of inbreeding coefficients. Average inbreeding coefficient and the number of calves with greater than 12.5% inbreeding coefficient were higher in Korea Brindle calf groups than in Hanwoo calf groups. On the average, body weight growth of Korea Brindle calves was slower than that of Hanwoo calves. This would be due to very small breeding population structure of Korea Brindle cattle as compared to Hanwoo cattle, which would lead to rapid increase in inbreeding coefficients in the population. In conclusion, our study suggests that planned mating system is needed to control inbreeding in Korea Brindle population.