Objectives of this study were to compare the inbreeding coefficients calculated using the regular algorithm (RA) and the algorithm proposed by VanRaden (VRA) with incomplete pedigrees and to investigate the inbreeding levels and the influence on inbreeding depression and breeding values for milk production in the Hokkaido Holstein population of Japan. Pedigree information used for calculation of inbreeding coefficients was obtained from the herdbook for registered Holsteins, dairy cattle milk records for nonregistered Holsteins, and INTERBULL evaluation files for bulls in foreign countries. These pedigree data consisted of 4,499,862 cows born between 1901 and 2000 and 130,301 bulls born between 1897 and 2000. An inbreeding coefficient for each animal was calculated using the recursive algorithm of the tabular method. Inbreeding coefficients were calculated using RA0 (RA algorithm assuming that all animals are related), RA50 (RA algorithm assuming that animals born before 1950 are unrelated), and VRA50 (VRA algorithm assuming that animals born before 1950 are unrelated). The data for estimation of inbreeding depression and breeding values comprised 1,620,939 cows and 4,810,604 records for 305-d lactation milk and fat yields, 1,239,977 cows and 3,372,368 records for protein yield, and 1,523,859 cows and 4,379,907 records for SNF yield. An animal model with inbreeding coefficients calculated using RA0 and VRA50 included a linear regression on inbreeding to estimate inbreeding depression as fixed effects. To reflect the reduced variance of Mendelian sampling, the ratio of error variance to additive genetic variance was corrected with inbreeding coefficients of sires and/or dams. Average numbers of generations for cows and bulls born in 2000 were 11.6 and 11.8 when the pedigree information is available, and 8.3 and 8.4 when animals born before 1950 are unrelated, respectively. Mean inbreeding coefficients for cows and bulls born in 2000 calculated with RA50 were 4.01% and 5.11%, respectively, and they increased to 4.18% and 5.15% with VRA50. These small increases occurred due to the fact that number of animals with unknown parents was small. The CPU time required for calculation of inbreeding coefficients was less with RA50 or VRA50 than with RA0. Mean inbreeding levels calculated using VRA50 were 0.26%, 0.56%, 1.23%, 1.89%, and 5.14% for cows and 0.31%, 0.43%, 0.77%, 1.97%, and 5.15% for bulls born in 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, and 2000, respectively. The average increases in inbreeding per year were 0.07%, 0.06%, and 0.22% for cows and 0.03%, 0.12%, and 0.45% for bulls born in the 1971-1980, 1981-1990, and 1991-2000, respectively. Estimates of inbreeding depression were -24.8 kg for milk, -0.9 kg for fat, -0.7 kg for protein, and -2.1 kg for SNF. Correlation between breeding values corrected using inbreeding coefficients calculated with RA0 and VRA50 was 0.999 or more for all traits. However, the average breeding value corrected using inbreeding coefficients with VRA50 was slightly lower than the one with RA0. The results of this study suggest that inbreeding coefficients with VRA50 could be used to understand approximately the outline of inbreeding levels in the Hokkaido Holstein population and to apply to not only genetic evaluation but also selection and mating programs considering inbreeding depression.

View full abstract

Eighty-nine females of Mishima cattle reared in Mishima Island in 1995 were divided into 6 groups according to maternal lines. In the present study, 2 animals each from 5 lines out of 6 were selected for analysis of the D-loop region of mitochondrial DNA. According to the variants obtained from the analysis, Mishima cattle was assigned into 2 maternal lineages. Maternal lines Takatada, Kamekichi and Yoshimaki were classified as haplotype M1, and Mimatsu and Shiraume were classified as haplotype M2. Thus, 5 maternal lines of Mishima cattle were categorized into 2 lineages, which means that the genetic diversity of Mishima cattle is quite low. The frequency of M2 was only 14.6% of all the Mishima cattle in Mishima Island in 1995. It is particulary necessary to take measures to conserve haplotype M2 immediately.

View full abstract

The maternal plasma hormone and metabolites concentration, blood flow and net nutrient uptake by gravid uterus with different litter size were observed using 10 Saanen goats under maternal malnutrition. Surgery was done under general anesthesia at 105 days of pregnancy. The ultrasonic flow probe was surgically fitted around the uterine artery. Heparinized catheters were inserted into the uterine vein and carotid artery. Uterine blood flow was measured continuously for 24 h at 1 min interval and blood samples were collected every 3 h at an average of 119.0 (single, n=4), 113.5 (twin, n=4) and 121.5 (triplet, n=2) days of pregnancy. As percentage of requirement (maintenance+pregnancy), metabolizable energy intake was 56.4% (single), 59.4% (twin) and 71.4% (triplet). Retention energy in the triplet pregnant goats were lowest because the heat production was significantly (P<0.01) greater than in the single or twin pregnant goats. Plasma flow rate in the uterine artery, net glucose uptake by the gravid uterus, plasma glucose and urea nitrogen concentrations in the triplet pregnant goats were higher than in the single or twin pregnant goats. There were no clear differences in plasma free fatty acid concentration among each litter size. Molar ratio of plasma insulin and glucagon tended to be lower in the triplet pregnant goats. Our results suggest that the triplet pregnant goats could adapt to the energy deficit by increased secretion of glucagon to maintain glucose supply for fetuses. And furthermore, results showed that the techniques used in the present experiment would contribute to an accurate determination of nutrient uptake by gravid uterine tissues in ruminants.

View full abstract

In order to clarify the vitamin A restriction on the meat productivity of Japanese black steers, two experiments, each with eight Japanese black steers (first experiment : 10 months old, second experiment : 15 months old), were conducted. The vitamin A supplied group (VAS) was fed rice straw and concentrate supplemented with 4,800 IU/kg ad libitum. The vitamin A restricted group (VAR) was given free access to rice straw and concentrate supplemented with no vitamin A. The TDN and DCP contents of two concentrates were equal. After the plasma vitamin A of VAR steers decreased to below 40 IU/dl, the steers were slaughtered together with another pair of VAS. There were no differences in the daily gain, feed intake between the VAR and VAS. The rib eye area and yield estimated percentage of VAR was significantly higher than of VAS. There were no differences in BMS and BCS numbers between the two groups. The muscle percentage in the carcass was higher in VAR than in VAS, and the fat percentage in VAR was lower than in VAS. The omental fat weight of VAR was significantly higher than of VAS but there were no differences in mesenteric fat, digestive tract, liver and heart weight. The fat content and meat color of longissimus dorsi in VAR was not different from in VAS. Growth hormone response to the growth hormone releasing factor infusion tended to be smaller in VAR than in VAS. The results indicate that restriction of vitamin A decrease carcass fatness and increase carcass leanness.

View full abstract

Two selected strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), Lactobacillus plantarum FG1 and Pediococcus acidilactici CA25 associated with forage were used as additives to barley tea grounds for silage preparation, with or without acremonium cellulase (AUS). These strains were able to grow at an initial pH value as low as 3.5 and fermented glucose and fructose. The processing and conservation of barley tea grounds silage and their fermentation quality were studied in two separate experiments : 1) a small-scale fermentation system, and 2) a drum silo. Barley tea grounds contained about 10⁵-10⁶ (cfu/g of fresh matter) aerobic bacteria, 10³ to 10⁴ mould and yeast, but lactic acid bacteria counts were below the limit of detection (<10 cfu/g of fresh matter). Water-soluble carbohydrates were consistently at or below the detectable level (0.01 g/kg of dry matter). Silage treated with strains FG1 and CA25 showed a similar fermentation quality to the control silage in the experiment 1. However, silages treated with both AUS and LAB were well preserved and exhibited significantly (P<0.05) lower organic cell wall content and pH values, and significantly (P<0.05) higher content of lactic acid and crude protein as compared to the control in both experiments. All silages showed low contents of butyric acid, propionic acid and ammonia nitrogen. The results confirmed that barley tea grounds are a potential new resource for livestock feed.

View full abstract

This study was performed to clarify the effects of postmortem deboning time on physical, chemical, morphological and organoleptic properties of chicken breast meat during postmortem aging. Sensory evaluation after post-deboning aging for 4 days at 0°C showed that chicken breast deboned at 4 h postmortem was the most tender and nondry among those deboned at 1, 2, 6 h postmortem. Chicken breast deboned at 6 h postmortem was more palatable than that deboned at 4 h postmortem. Cooling loss, cooking loss and shear force value of chicken breast deboned at 1 or 2 h postmortem was larger than those deboned at 6 and 24 h postmortem. These results were consistent with those of the sensory evaluation for nondryness and tenderness. From morphological observation, the distance between Z lines in myofibrils of chicken pectoral muscle deboned at 8 or 16 h postmortem was longer than that deboned at 1 h postmortem. The latter myofibrils were observed to be wounded partially, suggesting that the rigor mortis was accelerated after deboning. it was also shown that weakening of Z lines of chicken pectoral muscle deboned after 4 h postmortem was significantly increased and its tenderization was also accelerated. From these results, it was concluded that deboning of chicken breast after 4 h postmortem improved meat qualities such as tenderness and nondryness.

View full abstract

To determine the presence of peptides in the fermented milk, peptides in yogurt commercially available was studied. A 70% ethanol-soluble fraction was prepared from the yogurt whey, and peptides contained therein were isolated and analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography with ODS columns, which resulted in many peaks. Thus, the primary structure of these peptides was studied based on the amino acid composition and N-terminal sequence analyses. As a result, 24 peptides were identified which include 14 derived from β-casein and 10 from κ-casein. No peptides derived from αs1-casein was found. The β-casein derived peptides were noted at 47-93 fractions and 166-209 fractions of its peptides chain, while theκ-casein derived peptides were noted at 24-65 fractions and 107 fraction to the C-terminal, two regions respectively. Among the identified peptides, none of them corresponded with any functional peptides derived from the known casein. However, some peptides had such functional peptides within them. Further, the presence of bitter peptides (β-casein-CN (192-209), (193-209)) was also noted.

View full abstract

An activated sludge system is a method which uses microbial function. Therefore, the number of microbes or microbial species in the system might be reflected on the quality of the final effluent. The level of microorganisms in the activated sludge system with filter membrane for swine wastewater was counted, and the relationship between the level of microbes in the aeration tank and quality of the final effluent was studied. Significant positive relationships between the pH in the aeration tank and the quality of the final effluent (biochemical oxygen demand ; BOD, chemical oxygen demand ; COD, total nitrogen ; T-N, ammonium nitrogen ; NH₄-N and nitrite-nitrate nitrogen ; NOx-N) were observed. Significant relationships were obtained between the pH and the number of aerobes, denitrifying bacteria and eumycota in the aeration tank. Significant relationships were also observed between the level of BOD in the final effluent and the number of aerobes, anaerobes and denitrifying microbe in aeration tank. Positive relationships between the level of COD in the final effluent and the number of eumycota and actinomycetes were observed. The number of eumycota in the aeration tank was also reflected T-N and NH₄-N on the final effluent. Negative relationships were obtained between NOx-N in the final effluent and denitrifying microbe, eumycota and iron-reducing microbes in the aeration tank. This study suggests that the number of some microorganisms in the aeration tank of activated sludge system for swine wastewater are reflected on the quality of the final effluent.

View full abstract

Microbes which have the ability to influence the brightness of color (stimulation value) in the final effluent of activated sludge system for swine wastewater were identified. Significant positive relationships were obtained between the number of eumycota, actinomycetes, iron-reducing microbes in aeration tank of the system and the stimulation value in the effluent. Streptococcus, actinomycetes and eumycota with each selected medium lowered the pigment in the effluent. In contrast, anaerobes and Lactobacillus increased the stimulation value in the same treatment. Actinomycetes in soil decreased the stimulation value in the effluent. The microbes that were grown in BTB lactose medium and ammonia-assimilating bacteria in soil also decreased the pigment in the effluent whereas anaerobes and eumycota with each selected medium raised the stimulation value.

View full abstract