The usefulness of the RT-PCR-RFLP method for typing SLA class II genes (SLA-DRB1, -DQB and -DQA) which the authors established (Animal Science and Technology, 67: 211-217, 1996) was confirmed in fifty-five pigs of eight pig breeds: Landrace, Duroc, Berkshire, Meishan, Beijing Black, the Chinese miniature pig derived from Xiang pigs, the Philippine native pigs and Yucatan microswine. Since the RFLP combination pattern types (DRB1: Rsa I, Msp I; DQB: Hae III, Rsa I) of SLA-DRB1 and -DQB genes defined by the PCR-RFLP method of Shia et al. (Animal Genetics, 26: 91-100, 1995) were transformed into the results defined by this RT-PCR-RFLP method, the RFLP combination pattern types for SLA-DRB1 and -DQB were standardized. In SLA-DRB1 genes, the new RFLP patterns were found in the Chinese miniature pig derived from Xiang pigs (designated "n" for Rsa I digestion) and Meishan pigs (designated "f" for Msp I digestion). The fifty-five alleles of SLA-DRB1 reported so far (included in this report) have been classified into twenty-two groups by RFLP combination pattern types (Rsa I and Msp I). In SLA-DQB genes, the new RFLP patterns were found in the Philippine native and Meishan pigs (designated "h" for Hae III digestion), Meishan and Duroc pigs (designated "i" for Hae III digestion) and the Philippine native and Meishan pigs (designated "h" for Rsa I digestion). The twenty-four alleles of SLA-DQB have been classified into twenty-tree groups (included in this report) by RFLP combination pattern types (Hae III and Rsa I). The SLA-DQA alleles have been classified into four groups by EcoRI and Pvu II RFLP combination pattern types. The characteristics of the SLA class II genes for some breeds have been defined in this report. In SLA-DRB1 genes, three new combination pattern types (Rsa I-Msp I) were found in Meishan pigs (g-f and j-f) and the Chinese miniture pig derived from Xiang pigs (n-a). The SLA-DRB1: j-a type was predominant in the Philippine native and Meishan pigs. In SLA-DQB genes, nine new combination pattern types (Hae III-Rsa I) were found in the Philippine native pigs (h-c and h-h), the Chinese miniture pig derived from Xiang pigs (d-a and g-d), Beijing Black pigs (d-e and g-e), Berkshire pigs (g-d and g-e) and Meishan pigs (e-c, h-h, i-a). The SLADQB: h-h type was predominant in the Philippine native pigs.

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A comparison among BLUE's obtained using an animal model was realized. The BLUE's of age and season of calving over time on milk, fat and Solid-Non-Fat yield of Holstein cows in Japan were compared. The records were data files of the Hokkaido Dairy Cattle Milk Recording and Testing Association, accumulated from 1975 to 1995, given a total of 3, 746, 981 records from 1, 276, 385 milking cows. Cows were divided into three groups according to their respective birth year. Cows born in the period of 1973 to 1977 were categorized as group one, cows born in the period of 1978 to 1982 were group two and cows born after 1982 were group three. Fixed effects in the model were herd-year, calving month-age-year, and age subsets-year groups, while additive genetic and permanent environmental effects were considered as random. The BLUE's of age and season fitted by the polynomial model were able to remove undesirable variations in the estimations of milk and milk components. The results showed that in order to achieve higher accuracies in the estimations, the calving years have to be classified by year groups. The results also showed that the differences of calving age of cows between summer and winter were smaller in the group three cows and that the production curves are different among specific groups.

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The annual genetic responses per genetic standard deviation (genetic gains) for carcass traits in beef cattle were compared for clone testing schemes and combined testing schemes of clone testing schemes and progeny testing schemes, and the optimum sizes of the clone group (the number of members in a clone) for these schemes were investigated. In the clone testing scheme, a bull in clone members is left as a candidate and the remainders are slaughtered and their carcass traits are taken measurements. In the combined testing scheme, the candidate bulls are progeny tested after clone testing to improve selection accuracy and they are selected by the selection index based on information from measured clone members and progeny. All comparisons in this study were done under the constraint of the constant testing ratio, K, the ratio of the number of tested animals to the number of selected candidate bulls. In the clone scheme, the genetic gain and the optimum size of clone groups increased with increasing K. In the combined testing scheme, increasing K resulted in increased optimum group sizes of clones, and the genetic gain decreased with increasing the size of progeny groups. When non-additive genetic effects were assumed to be present, genetic gains were low and the optimum sizes of clone groups were small. In all cases, the higher genetic gains were obtained in clone testing schemes than in the conventional progeny testing scheme in Japan.

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The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes of the long chain fatty acids in rumen liquor in response to the dietary ratios of concentrate and roughage. Three sheep fitted with rumen fistula were used to examine the changes of total and free fatty acids in the rumen microorganisms and microorganisms free-liquor. The diets were divided into 8:2, 4:6 and 0:10 ratios (Concentrate: Roughage). Sheep were fed these three diets once a day. The amount of rations was 2% body weight as dry matter basis. Ruminal fluids were taken before feeding and at 1.5, 3, 6, 12 and 18 hour after feeding. Samples were strained through double-folded cheese cloth and separated into protozoa, bacteria and microorganisms free-liquor fractions. Free fatty acid was separated by thin layer chromatography and each fatty acid was determined by gas chromatography. The dry weight of protozoa and bacteria increased with the increase of concentrate (P<0.01). In the high ratios of concentrate, the dry weight of protozoa increased before and 1.5 hour after feeding (P<0.10). The concentrations of total and free fatty acids of protozoa, bacteria and microorganisms free-liquor fraction increased with the increase of concentrate (P<0.01). The ratio of free fatty acids to total fatty acids of protozoa and bacteria increased with the increase of concentrate. In microorganisms free-liquor fraction, however, the ratio was high with high ratios of roughage (P<0.05). The stearic acid (C_18:0) in the total and free fatty acids of protozoa and bacteria increased with the increase of concentrate. The oleic acid in the free fatty acids increased with the increase of concentrate. The C_18:0 in the total and free fatty acids of microorganisms free-liquor fraction, on the other hand, increased with 4:6 (Concentrate: Roughage) diet. Results were assumed that microbial uptake and synthesis of fatty acids were accelerated with the increase of concentrate, but microbial hydrolysis of dietary lipid was accelerated with high ratios of roughage, and that biohydrogenation was accelerated in the 4:6 (Concentrate: Roughage) diet

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The regulation by nutrients on plasma concentrations of gastrin and secretin was examined using five abomasal cannulated growing Holstein steers. Six hundred ml of sodium bicarbonate, glucose, volatile fatty acids (VFAs), casein, soy protein and soy lipid solution were infused into the abomasum via the cannula for 30 minutes. Plasma samples were collected during and after the infusion, and gastrin and secretin concentrations were analyzed by RIA. The plasma concentration of gastrin was increased by infusion of sodium bicarbonate and protein. These results are identical to the reports for monogastric animals. Compared with casein, soy protein had a greater stimulating effect on gastrin secretion, even though the protein concentration was low. Glucose, VFAs and soy oil had no effect on gastrin secretion. Plasma secretin concentration was not changed by any of the infusions. This might suggest that nutritional regulation of secretin secretion is small in the ruminant.

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To examine whether addition of cellulase preparations enhances fiber digestion in cattle, in vitro culture experiments with ruminal microbiota and in vivo digestion trials were conducted. Two cellulase preparations with an optimal pH of 4-5 and 6-7 were subjected to this study. Little feed-NDF was digested by ruminal microbiota incubated at pH 5.5-6.0, and addition of cellulase preparations markedly enhanced NDF digestion. Also at pH6.5-7.0, cellulase preparations significantly increased NDF digestibility, but the effect was smaller because cellulase preparations with low optimal pH were used. In each case, the effect was enhanced by the combination of two cellulase preparations, and the greatest effect was noted when three preparations were combined. Addition of three preparations to cattle fed high-concentrate feed markedly enhanced NDF digestibility. Digestion of hay-NDF and cellulose powder in nylon bags suspended in the rumen was also greatly enhanced by cellulase preparations. Since ruminal pH was always 5-6 in these cattle, cellulase preparations with the optimal pH of 4-5 probably exerted a great effect. When three preparations were added to cattle fed high-roughage feed, NDF digestion was significantly improved, but again the effect was smaller due to the use of cellulase preparations with low optimal pH. These results indicate that addition of cellulase preparations to cattle feed improves fiber digestion, especially in cattle fed high-concentrate feed.

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Histochemical examination was carried out on 21 types skeletal muscles from different body parts of fattened Mishima steers (36 months of age, BW 518kg). Tissue was taken from central portion of each muscle, cut into serial frozen sections and stained by reactions for alkaline or acid preincubated myosin ATPase and NADH dehydrogenase (NADH-DH) activities. Myofibers were divided into type βR, αR and αW. Type βR fibers were moreover categorized into βR (S) with strong acid ATPase and βR (M) with moderate in M. serratus ventralis. In type βR fibers, formazan granules indicating the strongest NADH-DH activity dotted its central region and gathered more densely around its peripheral margin making often thin subsarcolemmal bands. However, the type βR fibers in the serratus muscle and medial head of triceps brachii were dotted evenly with larger granules. In type αR fibers, the granules were scarce in its central region and more dense in its peripheral. Type αW fibers were dotted with a few little granules indicating very weak NADH-DH activity. The muscles of Mishima steers had attained marked development of type βR fibers because of its largest diameter of all types or the same in almost all the muscles except for vastus lateralis and soleus. The well developed serratus muscle contained type βR fibers at 79% of the cross sectional area which play a main role in posture maintenance.

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To elucidate the mechanism of creaming in cow's milk, the creaming ability of various experimental milk systems was investigated, using milk samples reconstituted from 2 types of cream and skim milk, which were prepared by centrifuging (5, 000rpm for 15 minutes at 4°C) or standing (for 17 hours at 4°C), respectively. The skim milk prepared by centrifuging (C-skim milk) and the cream prepared by standing (S-cream) showed a high agglutinating ability for milk fat globules. The ability of the ultrafiltrates prepared from both types of skim milk was found to be higher than that of original C-skim milk or skim milk prepared by standing (S-skim milk). The content of immunoglobulin M (IgM) in S-cream was confirmed to be higher than that in cream prepared by centrifuging and both types of the skim milk. Heating S-cream or C-skim milk remarkably reduced their creaming abilities. The high molecular weight fraction (P1 fraction) eluted near the void volume on the gel filtration of whey was suggested to accelerate agglutination of milk fat globules. The polypeptide pattern of P1 fraction showed a marked resemblance to that of milk fat globule membrane reported by several researchers. In addition, the P1 fraction, especially that obtained from S-cream, was found to contain a substance(s) that became white fluff at 5°C, disappeared on warming to 40°C for 30 minutes and reappeared by cooling.

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It has been well known that glutamate (Na-Glu) protects fish myofibrillar proteins (Mf) from their thermal denaturation. However, this effect of Na-Glu on animal or poultry Mfs has not been studied. In the present study, thus, the effect of Na-Glu was investigated thermodynamically in Mfs of cattle, hogs, chickens, pacific whiting (PW) and walleye pollack by measureing of their Ca-ATPase activity. The results showed that Mfs of chicken, cattle and hogs had similar high resistance to thermal treatment, and that the heat stability of Mfs of PW and walleye pollack was less than that of chickens, cattle and hogs. The protective effect of Na-Glu on the thermal denaturation of chicken Mf was similar to that of hogs. It was shown, however, that chicken actomyosin and PW-Mf indicated two-step transitionwith the concentration of Na-Glu in their protective effect on thermal denaturation. This result suggested that the addition of Na-Glu caused structural changes to the heat-unstable Mf.

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This study examined the effects of both early training, for the purpose of habituating cattle to being led by humans, and early rearing conditions on the subsequent tractability of Japanese Black cattle. First, newborn calves were temporarily separated from their mothers, and a trainer attempted to induce these calves to follow him for approximately 20 minutes a day from the first until the seventh day after birth. Nine calves received this early training, while nine other calves received no training. Four trained calves (AT) and four control calves (AC) were artificially reared in a group pen. The other five trained calves (NT) and five control calves (NC) were naturally suckled on a grazing pasture. After weaning at the age of three months, all calves were reared together in a herd. The AT calves had the shortest flight distance (P<0.05), and the other calves had similar flight distance to each other at four months of age. The leading test, in which each calf was captured by hand and led for ten meters to a platform, was conducted once a day for six days after the calves reached seven months of age. At the beginning, the capture time for the artificially reared calves was shorter than that for the naturally suckled calves (P<0.05); however, this difference subsided as the calves became accustomed to being captured by humans. As the test progressed, the leading time for the artificially reared calves was shortened, while that of naturally suckled calves was extended. Therefore, after the fourth day, there were significant differences in the leading time for artificially reared and naturally suckled calves (P<0.05). Overall, the level of fear of humans was lower in artificially reared calves than in naturally suckled calves. The early training reinforced the artificially reared calves' affinity to humans, and the leading time of the AT calves tended to be shorter than that of the AC calves. However, naturally suckled calves showed little response to early training.

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The domestic fresh broiler leg meat contracts begin trading on Kanmon Commodity Exchange in 1999. The broiler futures contracts would be the first futures trading as livestock in Japan. The main findings are four things: (1) Among six agricultural products (red beans, imported soybeans, corn, raw sugar, raw silk, dry cocoon) on the futures markets in Japan, total volumes of deliveries per year were 62, 612 contracts in 1990 and 30, 174 contracts in 1997. The ratios on the Japanese agricultural futures market (yearly volumes of deliveries/yearly volumes of trading) were 0.18% in 1990 and 0.07% in 1997. The volumes of deliveries would be estimated at less than 1% of the trading volumes in the broiler futures market on Kanmon Commodity Exchange. (2) Broiler products from the processing plants which slaughtered more than 0.3 million head per month could be acceptable for delivery against futures contracts. In case of the broiler plants which slaughtered 0.3 million head per month, the average coefficient of variation on the integrated income by selling broiler boneless leg & boneless breast meat at daily price was 7.57 (%/year) since 1990 to 1997. Even the slightest price fluctuation is of crucial concern in broiler industry where profit margins are measured in fractions of one yen, and a substantial change could spell catastrophe. The broiler slaughter plants' profits change by price fluctuation. (3) 51 Japanese broiler companies that slaughtered more than 0.3 million head per month in 1996 would be able to deliver boneless leg meat of Japanese domestic chicken on the broiler futures market. The ratio of their output to national distribution was 79.8% in 1996 and less than 9.92% of their output would be delivered on the broiler future markets. (4) 32 Japanese broiler distributors (first receivers) that dealt with more than 1, 000 tons per month in 1996 are supposed to accept boneless leg meat of Japanese domestic chicken on the broiler futures market. The ratio of their dealing amount to national distribution was 83.88% in 1996 and less than 9.42% of their dealing amount would be delivered on the broiler futures market. I suppose the broiler futures market prices on Kanmon Commodity Exchange would be reliable to Japanese broiler industry. This broiler futures trading on Kanmon Commodity Exchange would be a case study for the beef and pork futures trading in Japan.

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