Earticle

The aim of this study was to analyze the reproduction and breeding status of 1655 Hanwoo (Korean cattle) cows raised in Gangwon East area (Gangneung, Taebaek, Donghae, Yangyang, Samcheok, Sokcho, and Goseong). The average age in months and the parity of Hanwoo was 43.6 and 1.7 respectively. Registration status of the cows were 42.0% (pedigree), 30.2% advanced), 20.0% (fundamental), and 4.0% (non-registry). Korean proven bull's number (KPN) 517 and KPN 588 were preferred 25.8%, 16.2% respectively for artificial insemination (AI) of the cows. Appearance rate of over 1st meat quality grade in the offsprings obtained from AI of top 6 KPNs was 90% which was above national average (slaughters only 77.81%, total 63.12). Results indicated genetic influence the KPN for meat quality grade of their offspring. Strong correleation between AI failure rate of mother cows and their offspring cows has been observed. KPN information, meat quality grade, and AI failure percentage would be quite useful factors to understand their relationship in further improvement of Hanwoo in Gangwon East area.

We investigated the effect of glutathione supplementation on body weight gain, feed intake, velvet antler yield and economic analysis in elk bulls. A total 14, 2-year old male elks were divided into 2 groups with control or glutathione treatment. Elks were fed concentrate feed at the level of 1.5% relative to body weight (3.1 kg). and allowed to consumed hay as roughage ad libitum. Glutathione was supplemented at the level of 6 mg/kg. Average daily gains (ADG) for 2-years old elks were 234.1± 7 and 247.6±22 kg in control and glutathione fed groups, respectively. Treated group had higher ADG than control (p<0.05). Individual daily DM intakes were 5.34±0.70 and 5.64±0.71 kg in control and glutathione supplemented groups, respectively. Glutathione-fed group showed an additional intake of 298 g on an average. Production of velvet antlers for elk yearlings was 4,229±720 g and 4,653±960 g in control and glutathione supplemented groups respectively. Analysis of economics efficiency revealed 8% higher revenue index in glutathione supplemented groups. In conclusion, glutathione supplementation showed increase of DM intake and ADG in elk bulls, and could also increase velvet antler production.

A field study was conducted to compare growth, feed utilization and nutrient excretions by feeding extruded pellet (EP) and moist pellet (MP). Slow growing flounder were used as the experimental animal to find out a prominent result in terms of growth and feed utilization. Weight gain of fish fed the experimental diets for 8 weeks reached 105.3 g for EP and 107.1 g for MP, while fresh feed intake was 98.7 g for EP and 279.4 g for MP. Feed conversion ratio was 0.94 and 2.61 for EP and MP, respectively which was 0.77 and 0.94 when corrected on dry matter basis. Even though protein efficiency ratio (2.26 vs 2.21), specific growth rate (0.69% vs 0.70%), daily weight gain (2.06 g vs 2.10 g) and mortality (4.0% vs 4.1%) were similar between EP and MP, protein retention efficiency of fish fed EP was superior (53.3%) to that of fish fed MP (39.6%). Protein intake of fish for 8 weeks was similar from 52.3 g for EP to 53.3 g for MP, while protein gain was higher in fish fed EP (27.9 g) than in fish fed MP (21.1 g). Protein excretion by feeding EP and MP reached 232 g and 300 g, respectively per kg gain, suggesting that protein loads could be greatly reduced in practical culture system through the use of EP. Phosphorus (P) intake was much lower in fish fed EP (1.63 g) than in fish fed MP (2.18 g), while retention of P was higher in fish fed EP (0.88 g) than in fish fed MP (0.78 g), showing the retention efficiency of 54.0% and 35.9%, respectively. Fish fed EP excreted 7.1 g of P per kg gain which was much lower than that of fish fed MP (13.1 g). The present results clearly showed that EP feeding for flounder is not only productive but also environmentally friendly.

This study is conducted to screen compounds affecting ruminal fermentation under in vitro incubation. Saponin, chitosan, metformin, zinc acetate, zinc chloride, zinc oxide, zinc sulfate, ascorbic acid, oil-coated ascorbic acid, nicotinic acid, eastern herb cocktail, charcoal extract and garlic sources (lyophilized and extract) were added to rumen culture fluid at 1.25% of substrate (100% timothy) volume at 24 h incubation. pH, total gas, ammonia, VFAs were measured. Ascorbic acid increased total gas production indicating fermentation level. All zinc compounds significantly decreased (p<0.05) although zinc sulfate increased propionate of volatile fatty acid (p<0.05). In following experiment, ascorbic acid, oil-coated ascorbic acid, garlic lyophilized, herb cocktail and zinc sulfate were added to rumen culture fluid at 2.5% of substrate with 3, 6, 12 and 24 h incubation. Zinc sulfate decreased both ruminal fermentation and VFAs production but ascorbic acid enhanced total gas production. Ascorbic acid increased fermentation regardless of supplement concentration although excessive zinc sulfate decreased fermentation. These results suggest that optimal level of trace compounds might affect ruminal fermentation in ruminant.

The current study was carried out to investigate the effect of addition of Rhus veniciflua Stokes oil (RVSO) and black garlic extract (BGE) on the lipid oxidation in Hanwoo (Korean cattle) beef model systems. The RVSO at 0.2% inhibited the TBARS (2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) formation when tested in liposome model system. The antioxidant effect of RVSO was further found to be similar to 0.2% butylated hydroxy toluene (BHT) and 0.01% vitamin E. On the other hand, BGE at 0.1% also showed the inhibition of TBARS formation in 4% NaCl-added Hanwoo beef patty and found to have slightly lower (p<0.05) effect than 0.1% vitamin E but higher (p<0.05) effect than 0.1% BHT. Results of this study indicated that both RVSO and BGE possess strong antioxidant effects and help to increase the oxidative stability in Hanwoo beef products.

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of amino acids complex and choline supplementation on the antioxidant enzyme activities and oxidative stability of Hanwoo (Korean cattle) beef. Fifteen months-old-Hanwoo steers were assigned into two groups and fed on a basal diets with or without amino acids complex (≥25% L-lysine monohydrochloride+≥8% DL- methionine)+choline (≥25% choline chloride) for 12 months. After slaughter, the M. longissimus from carcasses were stored at 4℃ for 7 days. Catalase, glutathione peroxidase and total superoxide dismutase activities were found to be unaffected by supplementation of amino acids+choline. After 2 days of storage, significant decline (p<0.05) in lipid oxidation (2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, TBARS) was observed when supplemented with amino acids+choline. However, supplementation of amino acids+choline maintained meat color as indicated by higher CIE L* (Lightness), a* (Redness), b* (Yellowness) and C* (Chroma) values during storage. It was therefore concluded that supplemental amino acids+choline could stabilize the lipid oxidation stability and meat color in Hanwoo beef.

The study was conducted to investigate the differences in the compounds responsible for volatile flavors in Hanwoo and imported fresh beef from Australia, United States and New Zealand. Different imported beef samples were prepared as Angus beef from Australia, United States and New Zealand and the cross beef from the United States. Significant differences (p<0.05) in hexanal, benzaldehyde, octanal, nonanal, nonenal, decanal, E-2-decenal, hexadecyloxirane, tetradecanal, 2,2-dideutero octadecanal, octadecanal, pentadecane, 2,5-dimethyl pyrazine, 4-methyl-2-propyl-furan, 2-hexylfuran, 2-butylfuran, 2- pentylfuran, 2-heptyl furan were observed between loin and eye of round from Hanwoo and imported beef (p<0.05). In loin muscles, various volatile compounds such as hexanal, heptanal, octanal, E-2-octenal, nonenal, E-2-decenal, E,E,2,4-decadienal, 2-undecenal, heptane, 2-butyl furan were found to be significantly higher in Hanwoo beef as compared to imported beef. However, in the round muscles of Hawnoo eye compounds that were observed to be significantly higher were pentanal, hexanal, heptanal, benzaldehyde, octanal, nonanal, E-2 -decenal, octadecanal, 2-furan methanol and 2-pentyl furan. Further study need to be determined if those volatile compounds can be used as a bio-marker to identify origins of beef.

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are pluripotent cells derived from the inner cell mass cells of blastocyst with the potential to maintain an undifferentiated state indefinitely. Fully characterized ES cell lines express typical stem cell markers, possess high levels of telomerase activity, show normal karyotype and have the potential to differentiate into numerous cell types under in vitro and in vivo conditions. Therefore, ES cells are potentially valuable for the development of cell transplantation therapies for the treatment of various diseases in animals as well as in humans. However, important problems associated with ES cells from in vitro fertilized blastocysts particularly from humans must be resolved before taking up its therapeutic applications. Current techniques for directed differentiation into somatic cell populations remain inefficient and yield heterogeneous cell populations. This review therefore focuses on ES cells with respect to in vitro propagation and differentiation in basic cell and developmental biology for successful use of these cells in therapeutics.

Enforcement of the beef traceability system can block the sale of imported beef disguised Hanwoo and help customers to know detailed information of the Hanwoo beef while purchase. This study was carried out to investigate the possibilities of identifying DNA upon various ripening and roasting methods (soy sauce, gochujang sauce, 10% vinegar, 10% coke, 10% Cheongha, 10% Soju, completely burned out, raw, normal roasted, dried, and boiled) employed for beef traceability system. Completely burned out meat could not yied useful DNA in the sample, hence wa not analysed. The amplified peaks in most of the samples appeared equally barring completely burned out meat. However, roasted beef after ripened in soy sauce showed new peaks or deletion of a peaks with two markers. The DNA allele height and the amount of extracted DNA in roasted beef after ripening in 10% Cheongha was found to be higher than those in the raw beef. No significant correlations between DNA allele height and the amount of extracted DNA within the samples was noticed. Also, these results suggest that beef traceability using microsatellite (MS) markers is possible in various roasting beef because of bovine specific MS markers. Therefore, beef traceability system by DNA identify test would give the confidence in food safety and beef distribution system to customers.