From 2 to 4.5 months of age, 80 crossbred gilts were reared in a conventional grower unit where they were naturally exposed to mycoplasmal and bacterial pathogens that cause pneumonia and atrophic rhinitis. At 4.5 months of age, gilts were moved to environmentally regulated rooms (4.9 X 7.3 m) and assigned at random to 1 of 2 treatment groups: low aerial concentration of ammonia (4 to 12 ppm; mean, 7 ppm) or moderate aerial concentration of ammonia (26 to 45 ppm, mean, 35 ppm). Low concentration of ammonia was obtained by flushing of manure pits weekly, whereas moderate concentration of ammonia was maintained by adding anhydrous ammonia to manure pits that were not flushed. Gilts were weighed biweekly. Mean daily gain (MDG) was less (P < 0.01) for gilts exposed to moderate concentration of ammonia than for gilts exposed to low concentration of ammonia after 2 weeks in their respective environments. By 4 and 6 weeks, however, MDG was similar between the 2 treatment groups. After 6 weeks in these environments, 20 gilts from each treatment group were slaughtered, and prevalence and severity of lung lesions and snout grades were determined. At slaughter, body weight was greater (P < 0.01) in gilts exposed to low, rather than moderate, ammonia concentration (94.5 vs 86.8 kg; SEM, 3.3 kg). Percentage of lung tissue containing lesions (18 vs 12) and snout grade (2.8 vs 3.1) were similar between gilts exposed to low or moderate concentration of ammonia. The remaining 20 gilts in each treatment group were maintained in their respective environments, exposed daily to mature boars and bred at first estrus. Age at puberty was similar between gilts exposed to low or moderate concentration of ammonia (208 vs 205 days; SEM, 1.3 days), even though weight at puberty was less (P < 0.03) for gilts exposed to low concentration of ammonia than for gilts exposed to moderate concentration of ammonia (109.7 vs 118.2 kg; SEM, 4.5 kg).

A two-year-old mixed breed sow was requested to the Veterinary Pathology Laboratory of Cheju National University with a clinical signs of severe abdominal pain and sudden death. Grossly, there was severe hemorrhage in abdominal cavity. Most of internal parenchymas and subcutaneous muscle showed severe pale discoloration. Both ovaries were enlarged with oval to round protruding multilobular masses and dark red in color. And they were firm and contained multiple small cysts in their cut surface. Histopathologically, numerous neoplastic granulosa cells had spherical-to-oval, hyperchromatic nuclei and scant eosinophilic cytoplasms were distributed with follicular pattern in ovarian masses. And the typical Call-Exner bodies, distinctive microcanityies, were observed in the center of small neoplastic follicles. Based on the gross and histopathologic findings, this case was diagnosed as granulosa cell tumor. In our best knowledge, this is believed to be the first report of granulosa cell tumor in a sow in Korea.

Gross and histological findings were obtained on cysts formed in the reproductive organs, particularly in the mesosalpinx, mesovarium, and fimbria, of 144 gilts and 37 sows. Of the 181 gilts and sows, 63 (34.8%) were found to have cysts which totaled 89. The number of cysts totaled 38 for the gilts and 51 for the sows, with relative frequencies of 18.1% 48.6%, respectively. The total number of cysts and the incidence were greater in the sows than in the gilts

In the conditions of the Republic of Belarus as a result of task-specific selection and breeding work there was developed and approbated Berezinsky breed type of Belarusian meaty breed. Sows of the studied breed type were notable for high indices of reproductive signs: the average multiple pregnancy in three breeding swine herd was 11,1 pigs per farrowing; milkability - 55 kg, litter size at weaning stage at 35-day age - 87,1 kg. The predominancy over the forecast exponent indices made 4,7-5,7%. In course of the study there were analyzed the forecasted indexes of the basic breeding signs of Berezinsky breed type of Belarusian meaty breed for 2005-2010; productivity indices of the experimental sows; coefficient of variations of sow productivity.

In course of a long-term selection breeding activities in the conditions of the Republic of Belarus on the basis of Belarusian Large White breed of swine there were created two high-productive lines - Delfina 37755 and Svitanka 3884. Individual selection of animals was realized in accordance with the main indexes of productive ability, development and conformation type. There were selected parent lines, there were used methods of intrastrain breeding and hybrid between lines, mild inbreeding on parental line. Bores and breeding sows were evaluated in accordance with their posterity productivity by means of a control feeding method. Productive indexes for Delfina 37755 line were 11,7 piglets, for Svitanka 3884 line – 11,9 piglets; age of live weight gain of 100 kg – 189 and 182 days, respectively; average daily weight gain – 735 gram and 749 gram; forage expenses – 3,5 and 3,51 fodder units; backfat thickness – 27,2 and 26,2 mm; ham weight – 10,9 and 11,2 k, respectively

In the conditions of the swine breeding complex in the Republic of Belarus where had been applied the three-way crossing and self-replacement of swine herd there was studied the productivity of swine depending on duration of their embryonic development. There was developed new method of selection replacement gilts which made it possible to select a breeding swine flock with high adaptation abilities to the industrial housing conditions. Research results showed that the duration of pregnancy in the conditions of three-way rotational crossbreeding and self-replacement of swine herd was 114,5 +/- 0,03 days with variance between 103 and 121 days. In the majority of breeding sows (93%) the duration of pregnancy period was within the limits from 112 up to 117 days. Season of a year rendered influence on the duration of sow pregnancy: the longest one was in winter and spring, the shortest – in summer and autumn. With advancing age there was stated the increased duration of pregnancy period. Difference in duration for first-pregnant sows and sows with 8 farrows was 0,51 days. With increase of pregnancy duration there was noted the lowering of multiple fetation, but there was the increasing of live weight of piglets at birth, their growth energy and viability