This study was carried out to determine the effects of beta-carotene on the control of mastitis in dairy cows during the dry period. The relationship between the levels of plasma beta-carotene and the status of udder health in Holstein dairy cows were investigated. Blood samples were collected from 117 cows to compare the levels of plasma beta-carotene in lactating cows. The levels of plasma beta-carotene were 1.82 micro gram/ml in healthy cows(n=65) and 1.12 micro gram/ml in mastitic cows(n=52), respectively(p0.01). In the experiment to compare the level of plasma beta-caroten in the cows at different stages of lactation, the plasma beta-carotene levels were 1.73 micro gram/ml in lactating cows(n

Since Robert Koch found tubercle bacilli in 1882, the studies on tubercle bacilli of human and animal had been carried out. Being old tuberculin(OT) introduced in 1890, the specificity of the diagnosis of tuberculosis has been improved by continual uses of heat concentrated synthetic medium(HCSM) and purified protein derivatives(PPD) tuberculin. Now, two types of tuberculin test are used worldwidly; the single intradermal test(SIT) using bovine tuberculin and the single intradermal comparative tuberculin test(SICTT) using avian and bovine tuberculins. In the SICTT, each countries have used with different combination of both avain and bovine tuberculins' titers. However, this kinds of studies have not reported in Korea. Therefore, the studies on the combination of their tuberculins' titers were performed through intradermal test of guinea pigs sensitized with either Mycobacterium bovis or M avium and were examined in 10 cattles of SIT positive reactors. Also, IFN-y assay, the latest diagnostic method of bovine tuberculosis, was experimentally applied to SIT positive reactors. For determinint the optimal titers, sensitized guinea pigs with M bovis and M avium were intradermally injected avain and bovine tuverculin. In guinea pigs sensitized with M bovis, bovine tuberculin 50 T.U. showed significant difference from all tested concentrations of avian tuberculin(p0.05). In guinea pigs sensitized with M avium, there is significantly different between bovine tuberculin and avian tuberculin by 25 T.U.(p0.01). Therefore, optimal titers of bovine and avian PPD tuberculins' titers for the SICTT in Korea were 5,000 and 2,500 tuberculin units, respectively, and the swelling differences between bobine and avian site in SIT positive reactors were above 3mm. Also, in IFN-y assay, the 9 SIT positive reactors were showed all the positive reactions.

This study was carried out to develop a newly designed ovum pick-up(OPU) instrument for ultrasound-guided transvaginal follicular aspiration in cows. This new instrument consists of out- & inner-layer stainless pipes and a grip with a trigger(hand ) switch. Some gauge types of disposable needles and tubes can be attached to this inner pipe. With this instrument, while grasping an avary with one hand the other hand can handle in apiration and vacuum on/off with the least assitant's help. with this instrument the mean recovery rate of bovine follicular oocytes was 45.2%. In recovered oocytes, usable oocytes(Grade I & II) were 30.4% and this rate meant 1.4 oocytes per ovary. For 30 days after initial aspiration with this instrument, some adverse effects such as adhesion, hemorrhage, hematoma and other mass formation in/with ovaries were also examined by rectal examination, ultrasonographic and endoscopic images. Adhesion was found in one ovary 1 week after aspiration, and hemorrhagic lesion was found 1-2 days and petechia were found 3-5 days after aspiration and there was no remarkable adverse effects. It was found that this instrument could be applicable and safe for ovum pick-up in cows.

The aim of these experiments was to investigate the effects of bovine oviduct epithelial cells(OEC) derived from different segments to bind sperm binding and maintain their motility in vitro. In experiment 1, the number of sperm attached to OEC derived from isthmus or ampulla, the motility of unattached sperm during co-culture and fertilizing ability were assessed. In experiment 2, heparin treated sperm 9hsp) or no treated sperm (nsp) were used to evaluate OEC binding ability ofcapacitated sperm. In experiment 1, regardless ofthier origin, approximately 65% of the sperm were attached to OEC within 2h. From 6h of co-culture, the numbers of unattached sperm on ampullary OEC were significantly higher than those on isthmic OEC (p0.005). From 12h of co-culture, the motility of unattached sperm on isthmic OEC were significantly higher than those on ampullary OEC(p0.05). The cleavage rate of oocytes inseminated on OEC derived from isthmic segment was also significantly higher than those from ampullary segment (p0.01). In experiment 2, the numbers of unattached hsp on OEC were significantly higher than those of controls(p0.01), between 2~24h examination. From 12h of co-culture, the motility of unattached nsp were sighificantly greater than those of hsp(p0.01). These results show that bovine OEC derived from the isthmus play more important role(s) for sperm binding, maintaining motility and fertilization in vitro than those from the ampulla, and heparin induced capacitation may change sperm binding ability on OEC in vitro.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of bovine amniotic membrane grafts on healing of full-thickness skin wound in dogs. Two 3cm*3cm area-matched full-thickness skin wounds were induced bilaterally on the dorsolateral aspect of the trunk of 15 dogs Chlorhexidine-treated amnion, dried amnion, silver sulfadiazine and 0.9% sterile saline solution were applied on the wound area and examined grossly and histopathologically. Begining 14 days after wounding, amnion applied group had appreciably less amount of inflammatory exudate and hemorrhage than sulfadiazine and saline treated groups. From 14 days after wounding, the degree of wound contraction in amnion groups, especially in the dried amnion group was greater than that of the sulfadiazine and saline treated groups. The percentages of wounds completely healed on 28 days after wounding in saline treated group, chlorhexidine-treated amnion group, dried amnion group and sulfadiazine treated group were 33%, 50%, 83% and 50%, respectively. Microscopically neovascularization and fibrosis were first noticed on 5 days after wounding in the dried amnion group and sulfadiazie treated group, on 7 days in the chlorhexidine-treated amnion group and on 14 days in the saline treated group. Epithlialization in thedried amion and sulfadizine treated groups ws first noticed on 9 days after wounding, which was faster than that in the other groups. The present study suggests that bovine amniotic membrane, especially dried bovine amnion is effective on healing of full-thickness skin wound in dogs through both wound contraction and epithelialization.

The effect of isoprothiolane(di-isopropyl-1,3-dithiolan-2-ylidenemalonate) aganist fat necrosis in Hanwoo(Korean Cattle) sire was evaluated. The 10 heads of Hanwoo sire suffering from fat necrosis were given 50mg/kg body weight of isoprothiolane(0.2g/kg of Fujix, Japan) orally once a day for 8weeks. In 30% of these, the size of thenecrotic fat masses had decreased significantly 7 months after the adminstration. Isoprothiolane did not affect on live body weight and semen characteristics. However the sire affected with fat necrosis had higher MCHC(Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration) than normal sire inhematologic values 10 weeks after administration. Number of RBC(red blood cell) and PCV(packed cell volume) 10 weeks after administration had been increased than those before administration(p0.05). The serum concentrations of creatinine, triglyceride, and total cholesterol 10 weeks after administration were higher than those before administration while the concentration of glucose was vice versa. the isoprothiolane may reduce the oxidation of glucose, increase the glucose transfer to lipids, and increase blood supply to necrotic masses. These results indicate that isoprothiolane may be useful as the therapeutic agent against fat necrosis.

Substance P (SP) is colocalized with ACh in splanchnic nerves that innervate into adrenal medulla and the peptide has been shown to inhibit nicotinic agonists-induced catecholamine secretion. To elucidate the effects of SP on cytosolic Ca(2+) dynamics, the present study was conducted using fura-2-loaded isolated bovine adrenal chromaffin cells. Stimulation of the cells with nicotine (10-100mu-M) produced a rapid rise of cytosolic Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)]i), the peak level of which increased in a dose-dependent manner, followed by a gradual decay. In the presence of 10mu-M SP, the dose-response relationship of the peak levels shifted downward. Quantitative analyses implied that SP inhibits the nicotine-induced Ca(2+) influx in a noncompetitive manner. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor is composed of two major functional domains: an agonist-binding site and an ionophore or channel domain. Agonist binding activates ionophore / channel domain and causes mainly Na(+) influx. This Na(+) influx depolarizes the cell and activates voltage-dependent Ca(2+) channels. Based on this fact, the present results indicate that SP dose not block nicotine binding sites but interferes with other sites of nicotinic receptor / channel molecule, most probably a channel domain. It was suggested that SP colocalized with ACh in splanchnic nerves functions as a physiological modulator of catecholamine secretion by non-competitively suppressing ACh-induced cytosolic Ca(2+) dynamics in bovine a