Newborn piglets are routinely subjected to several treatments shortly after birth, one of which is tail-docking. Tail-docking, which is carried out without an anesthetic when the piglet is 3 to 4 days old, is intended to prevent the severe injuries that can occur when pigs bite each other’s tails. The study was performed in slaughterhouses to determine how much tail-docking prevented tail-biting and how much it caused clinical problems such as amputation neuroma. One thousand pigtails were collected from 3 slaughterhouses in different provinces and tail length and tail-biting injuries were examined. Among them, 659 tail tissues were examined for clinical problems like amputation neuroma. The collected tails were divided into 3 groups according to the length of the tail, which was defined as long (n=136, 75% of the tail remained compared to the referred intact tail length of 30.6±0.6 cm of crossbred Landrace×Yorkshire dam×Duroc sire; LYD), medium (n=694, 50% of the tail remained), and short (n=170, 25% of the tail remained). The results showed that 4.3% of 1000 tails had biting injuries and 58.7% of 659 tails had amputation neuromas. There was no significant association between the tail-biting injury and tail lengths (p=0.953). However, the tail-biting injuries differed significantly by the province (p<0.001), and the frequency of amputation neuromas also appeared more frequently in longer tail lengths (p<0.001). The results indicated that tail-biting behavior was not influenced by tail-docking but might be influenced by the housing system and/or management practices.

Various viral and bacterial pathogens interact with environmental factors to cause diarrhea in piglets. Enterococcus spp. are Gram-positive anaerobic bacteria that are commonly found in the gastrointestinal tract of several animal species, including pigs. Enterococcus spp. have been reported to infect several animal species as a pathogen. However, gastrointestinal infection by Enterococcus hirae is rare in pigs; only a few cases have been reported worldwide. Four piglets with diarrhea were examined in the diagnostic laboratory of Optipharm Inc. (Cheongju, Korea). During the initial post-mortem examination, no disease lesions were observed. Upon microscopic examination, we found numerous Gram-positive cocci that were adhered to epithelial villi in the jejunum and ileum. However, the villi did not exhibit significant structural damage. Cultured bacteria were identified as E. hirae using the VITEK 2 system and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Using PCR, we also confirmed that viruses and protozoa that can potentially infect piglet intestines were absent. In antibiotic susceptibility test, the bacteria were resistant to most types of antibiotics. This study presents rare cases of E. hirae infection of the piglet small intestine, which can occur in association with diarrhea possibly by the continuous use of antibiotics.

This study was designed to investigate the effect of parity and lactation stage of sows on the behavior of nursing sows and their suckling piglets. In total 18 Yorkshire × Landrace F1 sows (range of parity: 1 to 6) and their litters (range of litter size: 10 to 14 piglets) were assigned according to the sow's parity (1-2, 3-4 and 5-6) and lactation stage (early, middle, and late). The sows were housed in farrowing crates (0.8 × 2.1 m) located in pens (2.1 × 1.75 m) with totally perforated flooring. The behaviors of the sows and their piglets were recorded over a 72-h period for each parity and lactation stage. The sows and piglets were conventionally managed. All nursing sows in both group showed lying behavior for more than 80% of the experimental period, regardless of parity and lactation stage. The behavioral frequency of sows was, in descending order, as follows: lateral lying, ventral lying, eating, standing, and sitting. The parity of sows did not affect their behavior, but the lactation stage did. Ventral lying showed decreased frequency in late stage compare to that in the early or middle stage. The lying, standing, sitting, and eating behavior of sows were not affected by their parity. Sow parity did not affect the behavior of suckling piglets, but the lactation stage did. The behavioral frequency of piglets for the whole lactation period was, in descending order, as follows: lying, suckling, and walking. The lying frequency of piglets was higher in the sow's middle lactation stage than in the early or late lactation stage. It is concluded that the sow parity did not affect the behavior of nursing sows and suckling piglets, but the lactation stage did.

본 연구는 두록종 돼지의 복당 생시체중 형질(복당 생시체중 평균, 복당 생시체중 표준편차)과 산자수 형질(총 산자수, 생존 산자수, 사산두수)의 유전모수를 추정하고 이들 형질간의 상관관계와 개량방안을 알아보기 위해 실시하였다. 분석에는 국립축산과학원에서 2006~2016년 사이에 분만한 두록 모돈 1,081복의 자료를 이용하였다. 분석형질은 복당 생시체중 평균(ABW), 복당 생시체중 표준편차(BWSD), 총 산자수 (NB), 생존 산자수(NBA) 및 사산두수(NBD)이다. 유전모수 추정은 다형질 개체모형을 이용하였다. 각 형질에 대한 유전력은 복당 생시체중 평균(ABW), 복당 생시체중 표준편차(BWSD), 총 산자수(NB), 생존 산자수(NBA) 및 사산두수(NBD)에 대해 각각 0.32, 0.13, 0.11, 0.10, 및 0.06으로 추정되었다. 복당 생시체중 평균(ABW)과 복당 생시체중 표준편차(BWSD)는 0.75의 높은 정의 유전상관을 보인 반면 생존 산자수(NBA)와 복당 생시체중 평균(ABW), 복당 생시체중 표준편차(BWSD)간의 유전상관은 각각 –0.26, -0.40로 생존 산자수(NBA)가 증가함에 따라 복당 생시체중 평균과 복내 개체간 체중의 표준편차는 감소하는 것으로 나타났다. 생존 산자수(NBA)와 사산두수(NBD)간의 유전상관은 0.24로 생존 산자수(NBA)가 증가하면 사산두수(NBD)도 증가하는 유전적 관계를 나타내었다. 한편 복당 생시체중 평균(ABW)과 복당 생시체중 표준편차(BWSD), 사산두수(NBD), 총 산자수(NB)간의 유전상관은 각각 0.75, 0.81과 0.08로 추정되어 복당 생시체중 평균(ABW)이 증가하면 총 산자수(NB)의 큰 변화 없이 복당 생시체중 표준편차(BWSD), 사산두수(NBD)가 증가하는 것으로 나타났다. 본 결과로 미루어 볼 때 유전력이 높은 복당 생시체중 평균(ABW)은 직접선발을 통한 빠른 개량이 가능한 반면 복당 생시체중 표준편차(BWSD), 총 산자수(NB), 생존 산자수(NBA) 및 사산두수(NBD) 형질은 직접선발을 통한 개량 효과가 낮을 것으로 판단된다. 특히 자돈 생시체중의 균일도를 개량하고자 한다면 복당 생시체중 표준 편차(BWSD)에 대한 직접선발 방법과 더불어 복당 생시체중 평균(ABW)을 이용해 간접선발하는 방법 또한 이용 가능할 것으로 사료된다.

The objective of this study was to comparatively analyze the vocalizations of farrowing sows and their piglets in a welfare certified farm and a conventional farm as they are useful parameters for animal welfare assessment. The conventional farm using the gestation stall, farrowing crate and nursery, grower‐finisher pigs were accommodated in small pens. On the other hand, in the welfare certified farm using the group feeding gestation sows, which allows them to turn around in the furrowing pens, unlike in the crates and nursery, grower‐finisher pigs were accommodated in large pens. Vocalization of farrowing sows and their piglets were recoded and acoustic parameters were analyzed. Eight vocalizations―screaming, fighting, playing, suckling competition, suckling, piglet call, frightened, and space competition―were recoded in the farrowing crate and classified; 4 ordinary and 4 non‐ordinary vocalizations were identified. However, frightened and space competition vocalizations were not detected in the farrowing pen. Screaming, fighting, playing, suckling competition, and suckling vocalizations were significantly (p<0.01) different in pitch, intensity and duration between the farrowing pen and the farrowing crate. Piglet call vocalization did not differ between the farrowing facilities. These findings will aid us in using the differences in vocalizations, under different conditions, as parameters of animal welfare assessment.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of freeze dried placenta supplementation on reproductive performance, colostrum and plasma biochemical composition in pregnant sows. Eleven Landrace × Large white sows were fed with corn-soybean meal diets supplemented with or without 1% freeze dried placenta powder from 10 days before their expected farrowing dates until 10 days postpartum. The colostrum protein content was significantly higher(P=0.043) in the treatment group than in the control group. Compared to the control group, the immunoglobulin G(IgG) concentration in the colostrum was significantly higher(P=0.004) in the treatment. In day 25 piglets plasma, the IgG concentration was higher(P=0.184) in the treatment than the control. The mortality rate was lower(P=0.102), and the piglet weight gain was higher(P=0.35) in the treated group. Overall, the treatment group showed greater levels of protein and IgG concentration in the colostrum, when compared to control group. Therefore, the freeze dried placenta supplementation on pregnant sows can enhance its colostrum composition, hence decrease the mortality and increase the growth rate of piglets.

Our objective was to evaluate the function of treahlose and erythritol in reducing ROS concentrations, which is associated with a general improvement in the quality of frozen-thawing miniature pig sperm. Semen was mixed in modified Modena B extender, added to cooling media and freezing media, followed by the supplement of 100 mM trehalose and/or 100 mM erythritol with spermatozoa (1000x 109cells/straw). The trehalose plus erythritol (TE) added group had less intracellular H2O2 than did control and trehalose (36.6±1.6 vs. 49.0±5.8 and 48.8±7.9; P<0.05). The percentage of viable acrosome-intact sperm (FITC-PNA-/PI-) was higher in erythritol and TE than controls (57.0±5.5% and 62.5±4.3% vs. 45.4±5.4%; P<0.05 and P<0.001). The percentage of sperm with high fragmented DNA was observed in control group when compared with erythritol and TE also trehalose (65.5±1.3% vs 59.3±0.7% and 59.0±0.3% vs 62.2± 0.8%; P<0.001). The percentage of sperm LPO was higher in control and trehalose than erythritol (4.4±0.5% and 5.0±0.5% vs. 3.5±0.2; P<0.01 and P<0.001), and was lowest in the TE (control and trehalose vs. TE: P<0.001, erythritol vs. TE: P<0.05). Also, we performed that surgical insemination based on above data to evaluate the function of new cryoprotectant such as trehalose plus erythritol in vivo. Finally, 1 pregnant gilt showed natural estrus was allowed to go to term and 8 live piglets were born. In conclusion, miniature pig sperm was successfully cryopreserved with trehalose plus erythritol provided the increasing the sperm quality and reducing the ROS.

본 연구는 국내에 보급되어 있는 여러 형태의 이유자돈사에 대하여 CFD(Computational Fluid Dynamics) 컴퓨터 시뮬레이션을 통해 가상으로 모델화하여 특성을 비교 분석하고 실제 돈사에서 각종환경요인과 이유자돈의 증체율 및 폐사율을 비교 분석함으로써 우리나라의 기후 조건에 적합한 모델을 제시하기 위하여 수행되었다. 실험돈사로는 복도-더그매 예열 음압환기방식 무창이유자돈사(Model-1), 더그매 예열 음압환기방식 무창이유자돈사(Model-2), 그리고 윈치커튼형 음압환기방식 개방이유자돈사(Model-3)가 이용되었다. 시뮬레이션 결과 Model-1이 Model-2와 Model-3에 비하여 전체적으로 낮은 풍속과 균일한 풍속분포도를 나타냈으며 모델간의 평균 온도, 평균 상대습도 및 평균 암모니아 농도가 차이가 없었으나(p>0.05) Model-1과 Model-3의 종료체중과 일당증체량이 Model-2에 비해 높았다(p<0.001). 따라서 Model-1이 Model-2와 Model-3에 비하여 우리나라의 기후 조건에 적합한 것으로 판단되었다.

One of the major problems in the modern pig industry is infectious disease. Susceptibility to infectious diseases is influenced by both constitutional (e.g. genotype, age, gender, and reproductive status) and environmental factors (e.g. nutrition, management, infections, and other forms of stress). Genetic variations within individual animals or herds can cause differences in the execution of immune functions against infectious agents in domestic pigs. The objectives of the present study were to identify genetic factor(s) responsible for piglet survival and mortality under commercial field conditions with infectious diseases as well as determine QTL regions for immune capacity in a pig reference family. Sex ratio was examined between normal grown and presumed dead groups of F2 animals generated by Korean native pigs (KNP) and Yorkshire (YS) breeds. The ratio of males was significantly higher in the presumed dead group than in the normal grown group. In order to study genetic factors associated with presumed mortality under disease outbreak, allelic frequencies of 239 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were compared between normal grown and presumed dead groups. Exactly 22 SNPs showed significant differences in their allelic frequencies between the two groups, and four of them were validated with another commercial population divided by normal and emaciated pigs. Furthermore, the relationships between 239 SNPs and immune-related traits were studied. These results demonstrate that identification of genetic components of animal immune systems and susceptibility to infectious diseases is possible and will be useful to improve disease resistance in individuals as well as in breeding programs.

In this chapter 8, I discuss a running piglet disease(奔豚氣病), its causes, symptoms and prescription. The name of the running piglet(奔豚) disease dates back to old times, and it is not clinically reported these days. The symptoms of the running piglet disease(奔豚氣病) is characterized by unberable pain in the lower abdomen, the chest and the throat, followed by complete disappearance of these symptoms with passage of time. In my view, the causes of the running piglet disease(奔豚氣病) can be divided into three categories: startle and panic, and the excessive fluid(水飮). In this chapter 13, I elaborate on three diseases: a wasting-thirst(消渴), a dribbling urination(小便不利),1)a strangury disease(淋病). I discuss these three diseases in one chapter because they share the same symptoms of thirst and abnormal urination and the symptoms occur mainly in the kidney(腎) and the urinary bladder(膀胱). A wasting-thirst(消渴) has the main symptoms of drinking water and eating food excessively as well as urinating a lot. A disease symptomized by thirst(消渴) is typically divided into upper wasting-thirst(上消), middle wasting-thirst(中消), and lower wasting-thirst(下消) by clinicians. Specifically, I discuss the mechanism of disease of upper wasting-thirst(上消) and lower wasting-thirst(下消), treatment principles of and prescriptions for upper wasting-thirst(上消) and lower wasting-thirst(下消), and pathology of middle wasting-thirst(中消) in this chapter. Based on the view that a dribbling urination(小便不利) is not a disease per se but a label for the symptom of short and insufficient urination, I discuss water amassment syndrome(蓄水證), yang bringtness disease pattern(陽明病), and a dribbling urination(小便不利) that is accompanied by various diseases. A strangury disease(淋病) has the main symptoms of insufficient and trickling urination that is often accompanied by pain perception. In this chapter, I discuss about stone strangury(石淋) in particular. These three diseases merit in-depth discussion since they are clinically observed with high frequency.

It is not easy for porcine embryos produced by in vitro systems to develop into blastocysts with high quality. To solve this problem, many researchers have developed novel culture methods. However, the formation of blastocysts with high quality is still low. In this study, we aimed to produce piglet following transfer of in vitro produced early embryos ( cell stage embryos) or morula and blastocyst. The cell stage embryos were transferred to five estrus-synchronized recipients (200 embryos per recipient). One of the five sows farrowed three piglets, which contain two live piglets and one dead piglet, 114 days after embryo transfer. However, two recipients transferred with morula and blastocysts did not farrow. Microsatellite analysis confirmed that the genomic DNA of two live piglets were not genetically identical to that of the recipient. These results indicate that it is possible to obtain piglets by transfer of early embryos produced by in vitro production (IVP) systems.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of amino acid additives to weaned piglet diets on the pH and volatile fatty acids of pig slurries. A total of 135 weaned 22 -day-old piglets (Yorkshire x Landrace x Duroc) were used in this 56-d study. The three dietary treatments were as follows: (1) Control as a basal diet, (2) 1% amino acid additive and (3) 2% amino acid additive. Both pH and acetic acid values at 71 and 78 days were significantly different in all treatment groups (p<0.05). In addition, significant differences in propionic acid values were observed among treatment groups at 64 and 78 days (p<0.05). However, pH, acetic acid, and propionic acid values did not differ between 1% and 2% amino acid treatment groups. In conclusion, adding 1% and 2% amino acid to weaned piglet diets reduced the pH, acetic acid and propionic acid contents of pig slurries by acting as a probiotic. This may help formulate increase management strategies for improving the pig housing environment.

Antigen production in plant is a safe and effective strategy for vaccine development. In this study, rice transformants were developed for oral vaccine against pigs diarrhea disease. DNA cassette composed with the cholera toxin subunit B (CTB) connected to the 987P-fasG, for stimulating a strong oral immune response, was introduced to rice through Agrobacterium mediated genetic transformation. Copy number analysis by TaqMan real-time PCR for transgenes revealed that transgene of 1 to 8 copies have been introduced into T1 and T2 rice seeds. The expression level of mRNA in the transformants T1 and T2 generations were up to 35 times higher than the reference value in the result of analysis by Quantitative real time-PCR. In addition, the callus cultured from rice transformants was confirmed that the introduced gene has been maintained till 9-month subculture duration. The amount of mRNA expression value was also confirmed in callus, which was maintained above 2.6 times compared with that of the standard control for a long time. These results provide that the introduced antigen for plant-based vaccine against bacterial diarrhea disease can be maintained in the callus as well as in the transgenic plant and suggest that the callus culture of plant transformant will be an effective way to obtain a plant-derived edible vaccine.