The melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) plays an important role in regulation of melanin pigment synthesis within mammalian melanocytes. Mutations within the gene encoding MC1R have been shown to explain coat color variations within several mammalian species including cattle. To develope a rapid and accurate method for the identification of Hanwoo, we performed a modified PCR-RFLP analysis of MC1R gene using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) within MC1R as a target. A size of 538 bp (537 bp for Hanwoo) was amplified by PCR, digested with Hpa Ⅱ, and electrophoresed on a 1.5% agarose gel. A PCR product from Hanwoo showed a single band of 537 bp, whereas two fragments of 328 bp and 210 bp were detected in both Holstein and Black angus.

This study was carried out to understand the contamination patterns of Listeria in pork processing plants. A total of 402 samples were collected from carcass, pork during processing, surfaces of equipment and environment, and 238 isolates of Listeria species were identified. L. innocua was found in 64.7% of the isolates, L. monocytogenes in 33.2%, and L. welshimeri in 2.1%. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis performed to investigate the origin and routes of Listeria contamination, showed 21 composite types of L. monocytogenes and 26 composite types of L. innocua. It was confirmed that Listeria contamination begins with contaminated incoming carcass and ever-present contaminants in the processing environments.

A male mixed breed dog with unknown age (case 1) and 5-year-old female golden retriever (case 2) were admitted to the Department of Veterinary Pathology at College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University after sudden death. At necropsy, stifle region of case 1 was replaced by coalescing firm tan nodules approximately 1-3 cm in diameter. Neoplastic nodules were also presented in the lung. In case 2, the spleen was enlarged 3-5 times its normal size and numerous firm tan nodules were noted in the kidney, pericardium, diaphragm and lymph nodes. Histopathologically, the neoplastic masses of case 1 consisted of plump spindle cells having abundant cytoplasm and indistinct cell borders that formed interlacing bundle.

Porcine juvenile pustular psoriasiform dermatitis (PJPPD) is a disease of young pigs and characterized by nonpruritic round eruption of skin. The cause of this disease is yet undetermined but is presumed to be genetic predisposition. There may be few opportunities for veterinarian to detect this disease compared with actual situation in field because these lesions resolve spontaneously in two months. The authors detected spontaneous PJPPD case and performed clinical and pathological studies on three pigs from one farm. The specific skin lesions were observed in the forty-day old pigs of mixed breed, which were produced by the sows received semen from the same boar, restrictively.

To analyze and identify selected risk factors for infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) infection in the growing and laying period of laying-hen flocks, a longitudinal field study was conducted with 27 commercial flocks reared in three provinces of Korea during the period from May 2003 to April 2004. Using monitored data for IBV infection status among study flocks we computed the multivariate odds ratios (ORs) and their corresponding confidence intervals (CIs), and population attributable risks (PARs). Multivariate logistic regression showed significant risk increments for: continuous entry of chick (OR=1.9, 95% CI, 0.7-69.1) and operation years of the layer house greater than or equal to 5 years (OR=3.2, 95%CI, 1.6-389.9).

The purpose of this study was to examine whether conjugated linoleic acid and selenium supplementation in broiler chicken diets would be effective, enhance indices of immune status and body weight, and modulate serum lipid concentration. Forty Hyline brown chickens, 1 weeks of age, were divided into 5 groups of 8 chickens. Chickens were fed the experimental diets supplemented with 1% CLA (conjugated linoleic acid; Group 1), 1% CLA + selenium (Group 2), 1% safflower-seed-oil as LA (Group 3), 1% safflower-seed-oil as LA + selenium (Group 4) or nothing (Control) for 4 weeks. After 4 weeks, serum, liver, spleen and abdominal fat were taken. Measurement of total immunoglobulin were executed using sandwich ELISA.

Melatonin, the principal hormone of the vertebral pineal gland, participates in the regulation of cardiovascular system in vitro and in vivo. However, the effects of melatonin on vascular tissues are still vague. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between phospholipase C (PLC) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS)/cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cGMP) signaling cascade in the relaxatory action of melatonin in isolated rat aorta. Melatonin induced a concentration-dependent relaxation in phenylephrine (PE)- and KCl-precontraceted endothelium intact (+E) aortic rings.

Melatonin, the principal hormone of the vertebral pineal gland, participates in the regulation of cardiovascular system in vitro and in vivo. Lithium inhibits both inositol polyphosphate phosphatase (IPPase) and inositol monophosphatase (IMPase), which are involved in a wide range of signal transduction pathways. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of lithium on endothelial-dependent relaxation to melatonin and on the melatonin-induced inhibition of contraction by phenylephrine (PE) in isolated rat aorta. Melatonin induced a concentration-dependent relaxation in PE-precontracted in endothelium-intact (+E) aortic rings.

To evaluate site-to-site variation within fecal pats from cattle with regard to detection of Escherichia coli O157 and determine the effect on the accuracy of prevalence estimates of assay of multiple samples collected from the same fecal pat. 120 freshly voided fecal pats collected from 2 beef feedlots. Procedures-5 samples were systematically collected from each fecal pat and analyzed for E coli O157 via selective preenrichment techniques, immunomagnetic separation, and biochemical tests. Presumptive isolates were definitively identified via agglutination assays and polymerase chain reaction techniques. Best estimators of prevalence were calculated from the distribution of E coli O157-positive samples per pat. Of the 120 fecal pats, 96, 13, 4, 2, 3, and 2 fecal pats had 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 E coli O157-positive samples, respectively. The greatest estimate of E coli O157 prevalence (20%) was achieved when all 5 samples were assessed; this estimate represented a 2.4- fold increase in prevalence, compared with that provided via analysis of 1 sample/pat (8.2%). Compared with assessment of 5 sites/pat, the relative sensitivity of detecting an E coli O157-positive fecal pat via analysis of 1 site/pat was 40.1%. Results suggest that estimates of E coli O157 prevalence derived from sampling of 1 location/pat are likely underestimates of the true prevalence of this pathogen in fecal pats (and by extension, cattle). Additional research is warranted to confirm these results in situations of high and low prevalence and across different feedlots.

Objective-To determine mortality rate over time, risk factors for death, and heritability of life expectancy in Boxers. Animals-1,733 purebred Boxers born in The Netherlands between January 1994 and March 1995. Procedure-Dogs were followed up from weaning (ie, 49 days of age) to 10 years of age through use of a written questionnaire sent to owners every 6 months. Mortality rate over time, risk factors potentially associated with death, and heritability of life expectancy were examined by use of a proportional hazards model based on the Weibull distribution. Results Estimated mortality rate during the 10-year study period for this birth cohort of Boxers was 45%. The probability of surviving to 5 years of age was 88%; the probability of surviving to 10 years of age was 55%. Estimated effective heritability of life expectancy was 0.076, meaning that in this population, an estimated 76% of the observed variation in life expectancy could be attributed to genetic differences among dogs that were passed from parents to their offspring. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-Results suggest that cumulative incidence of death from weaning to 10 years of age among this birth cohort of Boxers was 45%. The estimated heritability of life expectancy suggested that life expectancy can be improved by use of selective breeding.