반추 동물의 장내에서 발생하는 메탄은 주요 온실가스로, 배출을 완화하기 위한 다양한 연구가 활발히 진행되고 있다. 본 연구는 2,2’-Dithiodiethanesulfonic acid (DIA)가 in vitro 반추위 발효 특성과 가스 발생에 미치는 영향 평가를 통해 가공 방법 및 첨가 수준을 결정하고자 실시되었다. 실험 처리구는 대조구(무첨가), 양성 대조구(3-nitrooxypropanol, 120ppm), 그리고 원형-DIA와 가공형-DIA를 각각 60ppm, 120ppm, 240ppm 농도로 설정하여 진행하였다. 실험 결과, 원형-DIA의 첨가 수준이 증가함에 따라 총 가스와 메탄 발생량이 Linear하게 감소하였으며, 120ppm과 240ppm 농도에서 대조구 대비 유의적으로 감소하였다. 또한, 원형-DIA와 가공형-DIA의 첨가에 따라 총 휘발성 지방산 생성량은 대조구와 유의적인 차이가 없었다. 원형-DIA 240ppm 농도가 반추위 메탄 저감제로서 유망한 효과를 보였음을 확인할 수 있었다. 그러나, DIA의 메탄 저감을 규명하기 위한 미생물 분석 및 DIA의 급여 실험을 위한 효과적인 부형제 개발을 위한 연구가 필요하다.

Background: Artificial insemination (AI) relies on liquid storage of boar semen for handling and timing to improve reproductive efficiency. However, storage promotes reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation in sperm, which damages the membranes, mitochondria, and DNA, leading to a loss of motility and integrity. The addition of antioxidants is a practical method for preventing ROS generation and functional loss. Accordingly, the effects of 1 nM Mitoquinone (MitoQ) on the viability, motility, and sperm protein function of boar sperm were evaluated. Methods: Semen extended with sperm was stored at 4℃ for up to 7 days in the presence of 1 nM MitoQ. Viability was assessed using SYBR-14/PI, and motility and kinematics (ALH, BCF, LIN, STR, VAP, VCL, VSL, and WOB) were measured using the computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) system. Western blotting was used to quantify phospho-AMPK (Thr172), total AMPK, and β-actin with α-tubulin as a loading reference. Results: Viability was higher in MitoQ from days 3 to 7 (p < 0.001). Total motility was also higher on day 1 (p < 0.01) and was better preserved on days 3,5 (p < 0.05) and 7 (p < 0.001). Kinematics showed reduced ALH and increased BCF with MitoQ, with higher LIN (day 3, p < 0.05) and STR (days 5 and 7, p < 0.05). VAP and VCL were transiently higher on day 1 and then lower than those of the control thereafter, whereas VSL and WOB were unchanged. The phospho-AMPK/total-AMPK ratio was higher with MitoQ on all measurement days (p < 0.001). β-actin did not differ on day 1, showed a numerical increase on day 3, and was higher on day 5 (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Viability and motility were preserved with 1 nM MitoQ, and sperm swimming was straighter and more efficient. The higher phospho-AMPK/total-AMPK ratio, together with preserved β-actin, points to AMPK-based energy control and a stable cytoskeleton. This supports follow-up studies on the dose, extender conditions, and fertility outcomes of boar artificial insemination.

This study was conducted to elucidate the effects of feeding betaine or monosodium glutamate on the growth and carcass performance of Hanwoo steers according to the fattening stage under high-temperature stress. Farms in an area where THI was 78 or higher for more than 100 days were selected, and 30 head in the early fattening stage (14-15 months of age), 30 head in the mid-fattening stage (16-18 months of age), and 30 head in the late fattening stage (24-25 months of age) were tested, and 10 head were assigned to each treatment group. The experimental group was divided into control, T1 with 96% of the amino acid compound additive and 4% betaine, and T2 with the amino acid complex additive and 4% monosodium glutamate. 50 g per head were fed every morning for a total of 5 months from May 1, 2022 to September 30. In this study, there was no effect of betaine and monosodium glutamate on the growth and rectal temperature of Hanwoo steers at each fattening stage, but monosodium glutamate had a positive effect on the increase in rib eye area and decrease in back fat thickness in steers in the late fattening stage (P<0.05). Therefore, the results of this study indicate that monosodium glutamate did not have a direct effect on the growth of fattening Hanwoo steers, but it is thought to have a positive effect on the rib eye area and back fat thickness through protein metabolism and muscle development.

The commercial feed additive, native rumen microbes (RC), derived from a diverse microbial community isolated from the rumen of Hanwoo steers is being explored to enhance rumen fermentation and improve ruminant feed utilization. This study evaluated the impact of native rumen microbes supplementation on methane emissions, microbial diversity, and fermentation efficiency on in vitro assessment. Treatments were as follows: CON (basal diet, without RC); T1 (basal diet + 0.1% RC); T2 (basal diet + 0.2% RC). Rumen fermentation parameters, total gas, and methane production were assessed at 12, 24, and 48 h of incubations. The in vitro gas production was carried out using the Ankom RF Gas Production System. Supplementation of RC significantly reduced the total gas production at 12, 24, and 48 hours of incubation (p < 0.05). Volatile fatty acid concentrations were increased, while acetate and propionate were decreased (p < 0.05) at 48 h by the supplementation of RC. Notably, the 0.1% inclusion level of RC significantly reduced methane production by 28.30% and 21.21% at 12 and 24 hours. Furthermore, microbial diversity analysis revealed significant shifts (p < 0.05) in bacterial composition between the control and treatment groups, while supplementation also promoted the growth of bacterial populations, such as Succiniclasticum. These findings suggest that native rumen microbes supplementation, particularly at 0.1% inclusion level, can enhance rumen microbial composition while significantly reducing methane production in vitro.

Dietary fiber plays a important role in improving gut micriobiome and reproductive performance in gestating sows. This study aimed to evaluate effects of dietary supplementation with domestically produced alfalfa, provided in pelleted or mashed form, on body weight, body condition, litter performance, fecal score and fecal microbiome in gestating sows. A total of nine crossbred F1 gilts (Yorkshire × Landrace) with an average body weight of 230.33 ± 12.63 kg at 50 days of gestation were randomly assigned to three dietary treatments (n = 3 per treatment): (1) control (CON, basal diet), (2) Pellet (basal diet + 10% pelleted alfalfa), and (3) Mash (basal diet + 10% mashed alfalfa). Results indicated that alfalfa supplementation had no significant effect on weight gain during gestation (p>0.05), although sows in both alfalfa-supplemented groups showed numerically reduced weight loss during lactation compared to the control. The mashed alfalfa improved average daily weight gain of piglets during lactation (p<0.05). Moreover, the pelleted alfalfa alleviated constipation and numerically increased the relative abundance of positive microbes such as Firmicutes (phylum level), Lactobacillaceae and Ruminococcaceae (family level), and Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1, Lactobacillus, and Ruminococcaceae_UCG_002 (genus level) (p<0.05). On the other hands, it numerically decreased the relative abundance of negative microbes such as Proteobacteria in phylum level and Escherichia_Shigella in genus level. These findings suggest that domestically grown alfalfa, particularly in pellet or mash form, may be a valuable dietary fiber source for gestating sows to support piglet performance, gut health, and welfare. However, further studies with larger sample sizes are warranted to confirm these effects.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of supplementation of direct-fed microbials (DFMs) during the growing and finishing periods on growth performance and carcass characteristics in Hanwoo steers. DFMs were administered only during the first 3 months after arrival and the final 3 months before slaughter, and the feeding trial lasted for 740 days. During the growing phase, the treatment group showed a significantly higher average daily gain (ADG) of 0.89 kg compared to 0.80 kg in the control group (p<0.05). No significant differences were found between groups during the fattening phase. In the finishing phase, ADG was significantly higher in the treatment group (0.59 kg vs. 0.53 kg; p<0.05), although concentrate intake increased by 6.17% without statistical significance. At the end of the entire feeding period, the treatment group had a higher final body weight (803.05 kg vs. 763.51 kg), and overall ADG was significantly greater (p<0.05). For carcass traits, cold carcass weight was significantly higher in the treatment group (p<0.05), while no significant differences were observed in backfat thickness, loin eye area, or marbling score. However, the proportion of carcasses graded 1++ was higher in the treatment group (50.0%) than in the control group (30.0%). In conclusion, supplementation of direct-fed microbials during the growing and finishing periods improved average daily gain and increased the proportion of carcasses with higher quality grades in Hanwoo steers.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary tryptophan supplementation on growth performance, skin lesions, and blood parameters in weaned piglets. A total of 144 piglets (Landrace × Yorkshire × Duroc; initial BW: 6.63±0.21 kg) were randomly assigned to one of three dietary treatments, with six replicates of eight pigs each for 28 days. The treatments included a control diet (CON), a diet supplemented with 0.10 % tryptophan (T1), and a diet with 0.20% tryptophan (T2). Growth performance was assessed by measuring average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and feed efficiency (G:F). Skin lesions were scored on days 14 and 28, and blood samples were collected at the end of each phase for analysis of growth hormone, cortisol, and serotonin levels. Results indicated that tryptophan supplementation improved ADG and G:F compared with the control, particularly in the T2 group. Skin lesion scores were lower in the tryptophan supplemented groups, suggesting reduced aggression. Furthermore, blood serotonin levels tended to increase and cortisol levels showed a decreasing trend in tryptophan-supplemented groups, suggesting potential stress mitigation. These findings suggest that dietary tryptophan supplementation can enhance performance and welfare in weaned piglets under stress.

풀빅산(FA)은 Fe(III)을 킬레이트화하여 생물학적으로 이용 가능한 Fe(II)로 전환함으로써 대형 해조류의 성장을 촉진하고 손 상된 해중림의 복원을 돕는다. 이에 본 연구에서는 풀빅산의 공급에 따른해중림 개선에 미치는 효과를 조사, 분석하였다. FA 보충제는 철(Fe) 부족 해역 내 인공 어초에 설치되었으며, 해조류 군집 및 해양 환경조사는 사계절을 대표하는 학술 잠수를 통해 수행되었다. 연 구 결과, 풀빅산 공급으로 인해 가용 철(Fe) 농도가 증가하면서 해조류의 광합성과 영양소 흡수가 촉진되어 성장률이 향상되는 것으로 나타났다. 우점종의 총 생물량은 전체 해조류 총 생물량과 비우점종에 비해 더욱 강한 상관관계를 나타내었다. 이는 철 보충제가 특정 우점종의 양적 증가에 기여하며, FA 보충제가 설치된 어초에서 해조류 군집의 양적 및 구조적 변화를 유발했음을 시사한다. 본 연구 결과는 풀빅산을 해중림 복원에 적용하기 위한 기초적인 정보를 제공하며, 향후 해조류 생태계 관리 및 보존 전략 수립에 기여할 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.

We previously reported that pyridoxine and its derivatives exert antidiabetic effects by alleviating postprandial hyperglycemia via inhibition of carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes in normal sprague–dawley (SD) rats. In this study, we aimed to further evaluate whether long-term pyridoxal supplementation decreases the blood glucose levels using SD rats. SD rats were randomly assigned to groups fed a high-carbohydrate diet (66.1% cornstarch) with or without pyridoxal (4%) for 36 days. Changes in body weight, blood glucose levels, and food intake were measured daily for 36 days. Dietary supplementation with pyridoxal significantly decreased the blood glucose levels (P<0.001) and body weight (P<0.001) in mice. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels, which are good indicators of plasma glucose concentrations over prolonged periods, were also significantly decreased over five weeks (P<0.001). Similarly, dietary treatment with Acarbose ® (0.04%), a positive control, also significantly decreased the blood glucose and HbA1c levels and body weight. Overall, our findings suggest that pyridoxal inhibits weight gain and alleviates postprandial hyperglycemia by decreasing glucose absorption and HbA1c levels.

Background: Typical difficulties encountered during in vitro fertilization (IVF) to produce embryos in pigs include poor pronucleus formation and poor-quality fertilized embryos because of high polysperm invasion. In this study, we evaluated the effects of supplementation with apple seed extract (ASE) and coculture systems on porcine in vitro-fertilized embryo culture. Methods: Slaughterhouse-derived ovaries were used to obtain cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs). COCs were conventionally used to perform IVF. We examined the differences in apoptosis and metabolism during development following addition of ASE to normal culture and coculture systems. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), cell development-related factors, and apoptotic proteins were compared in porcine embryos produced under different conditions. Results: The expression of genes related to insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling was increased in the coculture system. In the ASE group, early apoptosis and necrosis were reduced in fertilized embryos and the late survival rate increased. Supplementation of the coculture system with ASE led to increased expression of BCL-2 and decreased expression of Casp-3 in the cytoplasm, thereby lowering the apoptosis rate and inducing MMP expression. In addition, compared with the extract-supplemented group in normal culture, the activity of MMP-2 decreased in the coculture system supplemented with ASE, activity of MMP-9 increased, and the expression of dynactin p62 and BrdU in the cytoplasm was higher than that in the other groups. Conclusions: The coculture system increased the activity of the embryonic cytoplasm compared with the non-coculture system. Supplementation with ASE may induce cell activity and inhibit the expression of apoptotic factors.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of amino acid complex additives, such as protected vitamin C (VC) or detoxified sulfur (DS), on the growth and metabolism of Hanwoo cattle under high-temperature conditions. Accordingly, farms in Temperature-Humidity Index (THI) regions ranging from 78 to 89 for over 100 days were selected. The experimental groups were control, T1 (lysine + methionine + VC, 50 g/head/day), and T2 (lysine + methionine + DS, 50 g/head/day) with 70, 77, and 71 animals each. The range of the THI for 115 days was 78-89, and this occurred in most of the experiment days. The results showed that there was no significant difference in rectal temperature among the groups. The body weight increased to 786.4 and 809.0kg in the T1 and T2 groups, respectively, compared to the control group (p<0.05). Linoleic acid showed a high result of 2.01% in the T1 group compared to the control group (p<0.05). Unsaturated fatty acids were higher at 55.70 and 56.54% in the T1 and T2 groups, respectively, compared to the control group (p<0.05), and the omega 6/3 ratio was reduced to 20.10% (p<0.05). These findings indicate that T1 has a positive impact on growth, meat quality, and fatty acid composition compared to the control group. In conclusion, amino acid complex with VC improved the body weight of Hanwoo steers and the unsaturated fatty acids and essential amino acids of their meat; however, further research is needed to clarify this impact on carcass performance.

γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a natural stress-reducing substance and is actively used as a human health supplement. However, minimal research has been conducted on its use in cattle. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of GABA on the growth performance, complete blood count, blood metabolites, and carcass characteristics of fattening Hanwoo steers. Twenty-one fattening steers were randomly assigned to one of three treatments: control (basal diet: concentrate feed + rice straw), T1 (basal diet + GABA supplement at 0.8% of feed/head/day), and T2 (basal diet + GABA supplement at 1.6% of feed/head/day). Feed intake and conversion ratio did not differ among the treatments. However, the average daily gain during the early fattening period increased linearly to 0.80 kg, 0.86 kg, and 0.92 kg in the control, T1, and T2 groups (p<0.05). Plasma γ-glutamyl transferase (37.5, 58.2, 42.8 U/ℓ) and creatinine (1.32, 1.34, 1.49 ㎎/㎗) levels in the GABA supplement group were increased compared to those in the control group. The carcass weight (422.7, 427.1, 454.1 kg), rib eye area (86.67, 92.57, 91.14 cm2), and marbling score (3.67, 4.29, 4.14) were numerically higher in the GABA supplement group than in the control group. Thus, GABA supplementation positively affected the average daily gain and carcass characteristics of Hanwoo steers. However, the effect of the GABA supplement level of GABA was small, and further research using rumen-protected coating technology on GABA is necessary.