ObjectiveThis experiment was to determine proper physical traits in the diet for goats by investigating the effects of physically effective neutral detergent fiber (peNDF) content on dry matter intake (DMI), digestibility, and chewing activity in black goats fed with total mixed ration (TMR).MethodsSix growing wethers of Korean native black goats (Capra hircus coreanae) aged 8 months and weighing between 26.9 kg and 27.1 kg (27.03±5.05 kg) were used in this experiment. Three diets of varying peNDF content were obtained by original TMR (T1), 12,000 rpm grinding (T2), and 15,500 rpm grinding (T3) of the same TMR diet. The peNDF1.18 content of the experimental diets was 23.85%, 21.71%, and 16.22% for T1, T2, and T3, respectively.ResultsAverage daily gain (ADG) was higher in T2 group compared to those of the control and T3 groups, but ADG and DMI were not affected by the dietary particle size and peNDF content. Also, there was no difference between apparent nutrient digestibility of dry matter, crude fiber, ether extract, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber. Although there was no significant difference, rumination and total chewing time were associated with decreased peNDF content.ConclusionThe feeding of peNDF-based TMR showed no impact on apparent nutrient digestibility and nitrogen balance. Further studies are required with a wider range of dietary peNDF level and particle size to better identify the effect of dietary peNDF and particle size on chewing activity and performance in goats.

Prostate cancer is the most common non-cutaneous cancers among men and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men. Aberrant activation of the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been exhibited to be one of the most common causes of treatment failure and death in cancer patients. In cancer cells with metastatic competence, the E-cadherin switch is a well-established hallmark. Suppression of E-cadherin through its transcriptional repressor SNAIL is thus a determining factor for EMT. TWIST1 is an important transcription factor in EMT, which is present under both physiologic (embryogenesis) and pathologic (metastasis) conditions, and enhances the invasiveness and migration ability of cells. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effects of taurine on EMT-related genes, such as E-cadherin, N-cadherin, TWIST1, ZEB1, SNAIL, and vimentin. EMT markers were detected by RT-PCR and western blotting. The results showed that taurine down-regulated the expression of N-cadherin, TWIST1, ZEB1, SNAIL, and vimentin. In contrast, taurine increased E-cadherin expression. Our findings indicate that taurine has EMT inhibitory effects on human prostate cancer cells.

ObjectiveThis research analyzed behavioral characteristics of Hanwoo (Bos taurus coreanae) steers during each season and growth stage to enable measurement of the animals’ welfare level for precision livestock farming.MethodsA hundred-eight beef steers were divided into three equal groups at a Hanwoo farm according to their growth stage: growing stage (GS), 8 months; early-fattening stage (EFS), 19 months; and late-fattening stage (LFS), 30 months. Twelve behavioral categories were continuously recorded for 13 day-time hours in each four seasons with three replications.ResultsTime spent standing was found to be significantly longer in summer at all growth stages (p<0.05). Hanwoos at the GS spent significantly longer standing time in spring and summer than those at the EFS and LFS (p<0.05). Lying time in summer was the shortest for all growth stages (p<0.05). Steers at the LFS spent significantly longer lying time than that at the GS (p<0.05) in summer. For GS and EFS, time spent eating in spring and autumn were longer than in summer and winter (p<0.05). Eating time was the longest for the GS in spring, autumn, and winter, excluding for the LFS in winter (p<0.05). Regarding ruminating, steers at the LFS spent significantly shorter time than those at other stages in all seasons (p<0.05). GS and EFS steers showed the longest walking time in summer compared with other seasons (p<0.05). At GS and LFS, drinking time in summer was the longest of all seasons (p<0.05). Sleeping time was significantly shorter in summer compared with the other seasons (p<0.05). Self-grooming time was the longest in winter for all growth stages (p<0.05).ConclusionSteers were found to have more variable behavioral patterns during summer and the GS and less active behaviors during the LFS, thus extra care seems necessary during the GS, LFS, and summer period.

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