A genome-wide association study of fatness was performed using a high-density genotyping platform and two F2 resource populations established by crossing one broiler sire with dams from two unrelated highly inbred lines (Fayoumi and Leghorn). In total, 24 and 30 markers showed a significant association (P<0.01) with abdominal fat percentage in Broiler × Fayoumi (B × F) and Broiler × Leghorn (B × L) crosses, respectively. Compared to a previous scan in the same populations, with about one-tenth the marker density, the current study identified 12 additional genomic regions for fatness. These results demonstrate the power of high marker-density association studies in discovering quantitative trait loci (QTL).

The purpose of this study was to determine the genetic and phenotypic correlations between maternal and postweaning traits from a seedstock swine breeding system. The strongest phenotypic correlation was between percent lean and backfat at -0.72 (P<0.05). The genetic correlations between annualized farrowing interval and each of the postweaning traits (BF, PCL, and D100) were 0.41, -0.53, and 0.49 (P<0.05), respectively. The correlations between annualized farrowing interval and post-weaning traits suggest that selecting based on annualized farrowing interval would negatively impact the post-weaning traits in the herd. The direction of the correlation between number born alive and post-weaning traits could not be concluded from this study.

Ovomucin was hydrolyzed using enzymes or by heating under alkaline conditions (pH 12.0), and the functional, structural and compositional characteristics of the peptides in the hydrolysates were determined. Among the treatments, heating at 100 oC for 15 minutes under alkaline conditions (OM) produced peptides with the highest iron-binding and antioxidant capacities. Ovomucin hydrolyzed with papain (OMPa) or alcalase (OMAl) produced peptides with high ACE-inhibitory activity. The mass spectrometry analysis indicated that most of the peptides from OMPa were < 2 kDa, but peptides from OMTr and OM were > 2 kDa. OMAl hydrolyzed ovomucin almost completely and no peptides within 700-5,000 Da were found in the hydrolasate. The results indicated that the number and size of peptides were closely related to the functionality of the hydrolysates. Considering the time, cost and activities of the hydrolysates, OM was the best treatment for hydrolyzing ovomucin to produce functional peptides.

Ovotransferrin and ovomucoid were separated using two methods after extracting ovotransferrin- and ovomucoid-containing fraction from egg white. Diluted egg white (2x) was added with Fe3+ and treated with 43% ethanol (final conc.). After centrifugation, the supernatant was collected and treated with either a high-level ethanol (61%, final conc.) or an acidic salt combination (2.5% ammonium sulfate and 2.5% citric acid) to separate ovotransferrin and ovomucoid. For the high-level ethanol method, ovotransferrin was precipitated using 61% ethanol. After centrifugation, the precipitant was dissolved in 9 vol. distilled water and the residual ethanol in the solution was removed using ultrafiltration. The supernatant, mainly containing ovomucoid, was diluted with 4 vol. water, ethanol removed, concentrated, and then used as ovomucoid fraction. For the acidic salt precipitation method, the ethanol in the supernatant was removed, first. The ethanol-free solution was concentrated and treated with 2.5% ammonium sulfate and 2.5% citric acid combination. After centrifugation, the precipitant was used as ovotransferrin and the supernatant as ovomucoid fraction. The ovomucoid fraction from both of the protocols was further purified by heating at 65 oC for 20 min and the impurities were removed by centrifugation. The yields of ovomucoid and ovotransferrin were > 96% and > 92%, respectively. The purity of ovomucoid was > 89% and that of the ovotransferrin was > 88% purity. ELISA results confirmed that the activity of the separated ovotransferrin was > 95%. Both of the protocols separated ovotransferrin and ovomucoid effectively and the methods were simple, fast and easy to scale-up.

Toll-like receptors (TLR) recognize pathogenassociated molecular patterns (PAMP) of infectious microbes. Activation of TLR with PAMP can result in immune response by modulation of innate and adoptive immune system. This study aimed to investigate the acute effect of Salmonella challenge on TLR RNA expression in cecum and spleen of birds from different genetic lines. Chicks from broiler, Leghorn, and Fayoumi lines were challenged or mock challenged with Salmonella. The RNA expression levels of TLR2, TLR4 and TLR5 genes were assessed by quantitative RT-PCR in cecum and spleen tissue harvested at 2 or 18 h post-challenge. The results demonstrate a significant genetic line effect on TLR expression in the spleen of Salmonella infected birds, which may partly explain the genetic variability in immune response to Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis. The higher level of TLR2 and TLR4 RNA expression observed in the spleen of Fayoumi line compare to Leghorn and broiler lines in Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis challenged birds may be associated with the stronger immune response to the infection and might be useful characteristics to be considered in breeding immunocompetent chickens.

A study was conducted to measure the quantity of fat and muscle from 4 primal cuts of cull sows from the four USDA market grades based on weight, and to develop prediction equations for estimating cull sow knife separable lean content. Lean and fat weights by primal within and across the USDA cull sow weight classes. These prediction equations could assist processors in their decision to purchase cull sow weight classes that meet the processors needs for pork products with defined lean:fat content, such as brats and sausage. Hot carcass weight and 10^th rib backfat resulted in a prediction equation that had an R-square greater than 0.90. This equation was developed across weight classes and was more predictive that any one single class equation.

The objective of this study was to develop a simple, sequential separation method for multiple proteins from egg white. Separated proteins are targeted for human use, and thus any toxic compounds were excluded. The methods for individual components and the sequential separation were practiced in laboratory scale first, and then tested for scale-up. Lysozyme was separated first using a cation exchange resin and then ovomucin using isoelectric precipitation. Ovalbumin and ovotransferrin were separated from the lysozyme- and ovomucin-free egg white by precipitating ovotransferrin twice using (NH4)2SO4 and citric acid combination. After centrifugation, the supernatants were used for ovalbumin separation. The precipitants were used as ovotransferrin fraction, and the supernatant was desalted using ultrafiltration, and then heat-treated to remove impurities. The yield of ovomucin and ovalbumen was > 98% and that of ovotransferrin and lysozyme was > 82% for both laboratory and scale-up preparations. SDS-PAGE and Western Blotting of the separated proteins, except for ovomucin, showed > 90% purity and the activities of separated ovalbumin, ovotransferrin, and lysozyme were > 96%. The protocol separated four major proteins in sequence, and the method was simple and easily scaled-up. The separated proteins can be used as functional components.

The purpose of this study was to estimate the relationship between purebred and crossbred sow reproductive performance. The relationship between purebred and crossbred performance is the foundation of all successful breeding programs. The heritability estimates for all traits ranged from 0.11 to 0.22. The estimated genetic correlations (standard error) for NBA and NBD between the first parity at the nucleus level and parities 2 and greater at the commercial level were 0.98 (±0.20) and 0.40 (±0.22), respectively. The results of this study indicate that a relationship between purebred and crossbred performance exists. Thus, selection on purebred individuals may result in improvement in crossbred performance.

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between individual sires breeding values (BV) for litters/sow/year (LSY) and progeny farrowing rate means. The correlation between the LSY BV and the sire progeny mean farrowing rate was 0.21 for those sires who had 10 or more daughters. The correlation between LSY BV and sire progeny mean for farrowing rate suggests that selecting for LSY could positively impact farrowing rate.

Ovotransferrin from chicken egg white was separated without using organic solvents. Egg white was diluted with 1 vol. of distilled water (DW), and then homogenized. After removing ovomucin by centrifugation after adjusting the pH to 4.5-5.0, the resulting supernatant was added with ammonium sulfate and citric acid, and then centrifuged after holding overnight at 4 oC. The precipitant, which contains ovotransferrin, was dissolved in DW and the ovotransferrin was re-precipitated using ammonium sulfate and citric acid. The precipitant collected after centrifugation was dissolved with DW, and then desalted and concentrated. The purity of ovotransferrin was determined, the protein identified, and the yield calculated after freeze drying. Over 85% purity and over 83% yield were obtained from the combinations of 5.0% (w/v) ammonium sulfate and 2.5% (w/v) citric acid followed by 2.0% (w/v) ammonium sulfate and 1.5% (w/v) citric acid. The method was simple and cost effective. The isolated ovotransferrin can be used as is or after modifications for various applications such as antimicrobial, anticancer treatments, and iron supplementing agents for human.