• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.15-22
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• 2023

This study was to investigate the relationship between chick weight in the growing period and the laying performance of Korean native chicken (KNC) breeders. We measured the body weights of 1,384 KNC breeders at 1-140 days of age at two-week intervals. The age at first egg laying, hen-day and hen-housed egg production, and the egg weights were investigated. Correlation coefficients between the body weight and egg production traits were analyzed. The results showed that the correlation coefficients between body weight and age at first egg laying were significantly positive before 4 weeks, but negative after 8 weeks of age. The correlation coefficients between body weight and egg production rate were estimated to be negative before 8 weeks and positive after 12 weeks of age. Coefficients of hen-day and hen-housed egg production were similar. There was little correlation between body weight and egg weight at 32 weeks of age, whereas a low positive correlation was with egg weight at 50 weeks. In conclusion, there was little correlation between body weight and laying performance before 8 weeks of age, whereas a significant positive correlation was with body weight after 12 weeks. The results suggest that as the chick's weight increases in the late growing stage, sexual maturity is faster, the egg production rate is higher, and the egg weight increases. Therefore, the weight management of KNC female breeders is very important in the late growing stage, and the body weight of chicks must be maintained above the standard weight.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.161-168
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• 2021

The present study investigated production traits, including body weight, egg production, egg weight, and egg quality in Korean indigenous parent stocks. Parent stocks produced from a nine-combination association from five pure line strains (C, D, F, K, and Y) were used. The body weight analyses results showed that the CY combination had the highest body weight (1,604.9 g) and the DK combination had the lowest (1,424.4 g). The average age at first egg of the nine combinations was 118.6 days; however, that of the YD combination was 111.6 days, making it the fastest growing combination, whereas the DK combination was the slowest, at 126 days. Hen-day egg production was 74% or more for the CF, CK, and DK combinations. The DK combination hens showed excellent persistence in egg laying. Hen-housed egg production exhibited results similar to those of hen-day egg production. Egg weight was significantly higher in the DK combination than in the other combinations and was observed to increase from 20 (43.9 g) to 40 (58.1 g) weeks. The egg quality analyses results showed that the combinations based on the F and K strains had a bright eggshell color, with relatively high egg weights. Eggshell strength and thickness were the highest in the DK combination (3.8 kg/cm², 0.38 mm). In summary, the CF and DK combinations showed excellent egg production ability and egg quality, while the YC, YD, and YK combinations with the Y strain as the paternal strain exhibited poor performance.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.83-95
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• 2024

This study aimed to assess the performance of laying hens across twelve crossbreed strains (i.e., CFCK, CFYC, CFYD, CKCF, CKYC, CKYD, YCYD, YCCF, YCCK, YDCF, YDCK, and YDYC) of Korean native chicken (KNC) and compare them with Hy-Line Brown layers. A total of 287 18-week-old laying hens were placed in battery cages by strains (2-5 birds per pen). Results indicated that the YCYD and YDYC strains exhibited numerically heavier body weights than Hy-Line Brown at week 18-64. CKYC and YDYC strains demonstrated more than 94% viability by week 64. The CFYC strain had an age of first egg laying of 127 days, and the YDCF strain reached an age of 50% egg production at 140 days, both earlier than their parent stock. The YDCF strain showed over 70% egg production for up to 60 weeks. Regarding egg quality, the CKCF and YCCF strains had numerically higher egg weights among the KNC groups at week 24-64, with the YDYC strain showing a darker (P<0.05) eggshell color compared to CKCF at week 40. Moreover, KNC crossbreeds showed a higher (P<0.05) egg yolk ratio than Hy-Line Brown. In conclusion, the YDCF and YCCF crossbreeds exhibited the most desirable new synthetic Korean native commercial layer based on egg production and quality parameters. Therefore, these strains could be a viable substitute for Hy-Line Brown layers.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.207-212
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• 2016

This work was carried out to investigate the ability of thirteen crossbreds for production of commercial chicken (CC) of Korean native chicken to be cut out for Korean circumstance. Total of one thousand three hundred of crossbreds were divided thirteen groups (100 birds/group) that were twelve groups (1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, 6A, 6B) to crossbreed with two sires (A, B) and six dams (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) of parent stock (PS) of Korean native chicken and one group (HH) as commercial Korean native chicken. Experimental diets were starter diet (0~7d; CP 22.0% ME 3,150 kcal/kg), early diet (8d~Wt 800 g; CP 19.0% ME 3,150 kcal/kg) and finished diet (Wt 800 g~12 wk; CP 18.0% ME 3,150 kcal/kg). Fertility of 1B group was higher than other groups. Hatchability per fertilization eggs and hatchability per setting eggs were 87.5~89% and 87.9~96.3%, respectively, and those of 4B and 6B groups were lower compared to other groups. Weekly body weight of HH group was lower than other groups. CV values of body weight of thirteen groups were showed over 12% as 12.5~18.2%, and especially, those of 2B, 3B, 5B, HH groups were lower compared to other groups. Weekly feed conversion ratios (FCRs) of 13 crossbreds were 1.7~2.3, 2.1~2.5, 2.4~2.7 and 2.7~3.2 at the age of 6, 8, 10 and 12 weeks, respectively. Weekly production indexes of 2A, 3A and HH groups were the lower than other groups and those of thirteen groups decreased following weeks. Feed costs per body weight gain (kg) were 1,069~1,255 won, 1,100~1,263 won, and 1.468~1,696 won at starter, earlier and finished period of broilers. These results leaded down to conclusion to be possible selection of new Korean native commercial chicken that have the excellent performance and economics.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.71-76
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• 2012

This study was carried out to investigate the performance of growing period of two-crossbred of Korean Native Chickens. A total of four hundred eighty female 2-crossbred chicks that restored strains and were aboriginal at National Institute of Animal Science. Treatments were four crossbreds (4 replications/crossbred, 30 birds/replication) as A) C strain ${\times}$ S strain, B) C strain ${\times}$ H strain, C) R strain ${\times}$ S strain, and D) L strain ${\times}$ H strain, respectively. Livability of C crossbred was the highest as over 90% and that of B crossbred was the lowest as 73~78% during growing period (P<0.05). Body weight of A crossbred was the highest at the 4 week and that of D strain was the lowest at the 4 and 8 week (P<0.05). Weekly body weight of B and C crossbreds were higher than A and D crossbreds (P<0.05). There was no significant difference among four crossbreds. Weekly feed intake of D crossbred was the highest among all crossbreds at 0~4 weeks (P<0.05). These results suggested the basic data on the record of growing phase of 2-crossbreed Korean Native Chickens.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.279-286
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• 2019

Currently, feather-sexing, which is based on differences in feather development at hatching, is a widely used chick sexing method in the poultry industry. For effective chicken feather-sexing, paternal early-feathering (EF) chickens and maternal late-feathering (LF) chickens must be bred. Therefore, it is critical to identify the effect of EF and LF patterns on production traits in chickens. Thus, the purpose of this study is to analyze and compare the production performances between 522 EF and 232 LF chickens in order to establish the Korean native chicken feather-sexing lines. The results showed that the survival rate of the LF group was significantly higher than that of the EF group from hatching to 52 weeks of age (P<0.05). Body weight, however, was not significantly different between the two groups at all ages. LF and EF groups did not significantly differ in age at first egg laying. However, the hen-day and hen-housed egg production of the LF group were significantly higher than those of EF group (P<0.01). No significant differences were found between the EF and LF groups in all egg quality indicators such as egg weight, eggshell color, albumin height and Haugh unit. Because the breeding target of Korean native commercial chicken is meat-type chicken, feather-sexing strains of Korean native chicken should be established using weighing-based paternal EF lines and laying-based maternal LF lines. Therefore, these results are critical for establishing desirable and effective feather-sexing strains.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.65-71
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• 2024

The feather-sexing method is widely used commercially for chick sex identification. However, for feather-sexing to be industrially practical, the early-feathering (EF) and late-feathering (LF) genes must existed within the foundation stock, a suitable feather-sexing lines must be established, and the accuracy of sex identification by feather-sexing must be ensured. Therefore, this study introduces the method of constructing the Korean native chickens (KNC) feather-sexing lines using EF and LF genes and evaluates the effectiveness of feather sex determination on commercial chicks produced from the constructed KNC lines. The results showed that both EF and LF chickens existed within the foundation stock, with the frequency of LF genes ranging from 0 to 0.205. In feather-sexing line establishment, the paternal strain of the grandparent stock (GPS) was fixed as EF (kk) for both sexes, while the maternal strain was composed of males with LF homozygotes (Z^KZ^K) and females with EF (Z^kW). Thus, in the parent stock (PS), male breeder had EF (Z^kZ^k) and female breeder had LF (Z^KW), resulting in chicks produced from their crosses having LF (Z^KZ^k) for males and EF (Z^kW) for females, allowing sex determination based on feather development. Additionally, to evaluate the effectiveness of feather-sexing for the produced commercial chicks, a study was conducted on 1,000 samples of the produced chicks to investigate the concordance between vent-sexing and feather-sexing, showing a matching rate of 93.1%.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.133-141
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• 2012

This study was carried out to investigate the performance of laying period of two-way crossbred of Korean native chickens. A total of four hundred eighty female 2-crossbred chicks that restored strains and were aboriginal at National Institute of Animal Science. Treatments were four crossbreds (4 replications/crossbred, 30 birds/replication) as A) C strain ${\times}$ S strain, B) C strain ${\times}$ H strain, C) R strain ${\times}$ S strain, and D) L strain ${\times}$ H strain, respectively. There were no significant difference on age, egg weight, and body weight at first egg among crossbreds (P>0.05). Body weight of D crossbred was lower compared to other crossbreds at the age of 24, 32, 40 and 60 week (P<0.05). Feed intake of A crossbred was highest among crossbreds (P<0.05). Weekly egg weight of A crossbred was the highest among crossbreds all laying period except 48~52 and 60~64 weeks. Hen-house egg production of A and B crossbreds was higher than that of C and D crossbreds (P<0.05). Hen-day egg production decreased after at the age of 36 weeks. Weekly egg production of A and B crossbreds was higher compared to C and D crossbreds (P<0.05). These results suggested the basic data on the record of laying period of 2-crossbreed Korean Native Chickens.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.125-135
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• 2018

This study was conducted to evaluate the productivity and meat quality of three newly-developed crossbreds of Korean native chicken (2A, 2C, and 2D) as compared with commercial Korean native chicken (CKNC) and commercial broiler. Totally, 400 birds of different crossbreds were randomly allotted to eight pens, each with 50 birds. The birds were reared ad libitum and slaughtered at the age of 12 weeks. Fifty male chickens were slaughtered at the same day in the same slaughterhouse were selected for the comparison of meat quality. The crossbred 2C had greater body weight than that of CKNC (P<0.05), and had similar uniformity with lower death rate. Although shank length of 2C was the longest among the Korean native chicken breeds, the ratio of shank length to body weight was the lowest among them (P<0.05). The crossbred 2C had similar inosine 5'-monophosphate (IMP) content as that of CKNC in breast meat, and the highest IMP content in thigh meat (P<0.05). In a sensory analysis, the crossbred 2C generally showed, similar savory taste and texture as that of CKNC, and the overall acceptability of thigh meat was the highest in CKNC and broiler. Based on the present results, the possibility of commercialization of a newly-developed crossbred of Korean native chicken was confirmed.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.29-37
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• 2020

This study was performed to investigate the effect of mixed rearing of male and female chickens on the stress response in Korean native chickens. To identify the degree of the stress response, heterophil-lymphocyte ratio (H/L ratio), heat shock protein genes (HSPs) expression, and intracellular nuclear DNA damage rate were analyzed before and after the mixed rearing of male and female chickens. The results showed that the H/L ratio of chickens after mixing males and females was more than thrice as higher than before mixing (P<0.001), but the differences between males and females were not significant. HSP-70, HSP90-α, and HSP90-β expression levels were 2.5 to 3.4 times higher after mixing male and female chickens, compared to before mixing (P<0.01). In the mixed rearing of male and female chickens, the increase in HSPs expression in females was higher than in males. Comet indicators in intracellular DNA damage rate analysis showed a significant increase after mixing male and female chickens compared to before mixing (P<0.001). However, there was no significant difference between males and females with respect to DNA damage rate. Taken together, these results suggest that male and female mixed rearing acts as a strong external stressor in both male and female chickens.