Improvement of Kolbroek Boar Growth Performance and Carcass Quality through Dietary Crude Protein Supplementation

Kolbroek pigs have numerous advantages as an indigenous breed including its contributions to food security. However, there are numerous concerns over the current feed regime that compromises its growth performance and carcass quality. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the growth performance traits, attainment of puberty, backfat thickness (BFT), and carcass traits when boar fed diets supplemented with 10% (standard diet), 13% and 16% crude protein. Fifteen pigs per protein diets were individually housed and fed ad-libitum for eight weeks in a complete randomised design. Average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were measured on a weekly basis. At the end of the trial, all boars were slaughtered and carcass quality parameters measured. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were calculated between growth performance parameters. Our data revealed that there was an increase in final body weight, ADG, ADFI accompanied by decreases in BFT and the age of attainment of puberty. There was also a positive correlation between ADFI and ADG (r = 0.78) accompanied by a low positive correlation between ADG and BFT (r = 0.12) with a high negative correlation between FCR and ADG (r = -0.94). The water holding capacity (WHC), dressing percentage and marbling mass appeared to decrease while the eye muscle area increased with protein supplementation of the diet. There were also increases in the lungs, liver, small plus large intestines and stomach with no changes in the pancreas and heart tissues. Accompanying these was observations that the meat colour lightness improved accompanied by a decline in meat redness and yellowness. In conclusion, supplementation of boar diet with increasing crude protein improved the carcass quality and growth performance of Kolbroek boars.

An Investigative Immunoassay Targeting Two Osteopontin Epitopes in Boar Semen

The identification of superior sire is largely dependent on the semen quality evaluations, currently through computer-aided sperm class analyser (CASA). Immunoassays present a viable method for analysis of proteins associated with fertility, such as osteopontin. We have targeted osteopontin at an upstream epitope at position 249 - 267 amino acids and a downstream epitope at position 59 - 74 amino acids of full osteopontin protein in raw, BTS, Kobidil, Tris and Citrate liquid preserved Large white and Kolbroek boar semen. The Genetool analysis software was used to quantify the amount of osteopontin detected. Three boars per breed were used and experiments were repeated five times. Our results revealed that the downstream 15 amino acid epitope was more sensitive to osteopontin antibody. Between total motility and osteopontin, Kolbroek boar semen preserved in Kobidil, Citrate, BTS and Tris extenders revealed positive correlations of 0.564, 0.471, -0.960 and 0.330, respectively. Large white boars semen showed correlations of -0.043, 0.655, 0.778, and 0.202 Kobidil, Citrate, BTS and Tris, respectively. For rapid motility and osteopontin, Kolbroek boar semen revealed positive correlations of 0.842, 0.601, 0.164 and 0.202, respectively while large white boars semen showed correlations of -0.909, -0.144, -0.210, and 0.089, respectively. Only BTS and Kobidil showed high negative correlations between osteopontin and viability in Kolbroek (-0.975) and Large white (-0.746) boar semen, respectively. No significant correlations with osteopontin were observed when Tris extender was used in both breeds. In conclusion, Kolbroek boar semen requires osteopontin in Kobodil extender while large white boar semen requires osteopontin in BTS extender.

南非猪品种遗传资源保存的研究进展

南非地方猪是其农业系统中的重要组成部分,有助于提高农民的生活质量,在推动社会经济发展方面起着重要作用。研究者对南非猪的数量、繁殖和群体遗传结构、属性和风险进行了研究,结果发现,它们的生存环境中存在寄生虫感染;与其他品种相比,在各种疾病暴发时,它们能更好的生存,且能更好地利用纤维和劣质饲料。通常,为了满足动物的营养需要,南非农民饲养的群体规模一般较小,但这容易导致种群近亲繁殖,且易受疾病侵害。目前,南非猪遗传资源的保存还很不完善,因此,很有必要制定相应的资源保护策略去缩小科研与政策间的差距。