• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.145-150
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• 2010

This study was conducted to evaluate effects of dietary Agariemycetes on egg quality and fecal noxious gas concentration in laying hens. A total of two hundred forty laying hens were randomly allocated to four treatments with five replicates of twelve chicks per pen. The experiment lasted 42 days with a 7-day adjustment period. Dietary treatments were as follows: 1) CON (basal diet), 2) A1 (basal diet + Agariemycetes 0.1%), 3) A3 (basal diet + Agariemycetes 0.3%) and 4) A5 (basal diet + Agariemycetes 0.5%). There was no significant difference in egg production and egg weight between CON and Agariemycetes treatments. During the second week of the experiment, eggshell breaking strength was higher in A3 and A5 treatments than that in CON treatment (P<0.05). Besides, eggshell breaking strength in P5 treatment was higher when compared with that in CON treatment (P<0.05) in the sixth week. During the second week of the experiment, eggshell thickness was higher in Agariemycetes treatments than CON treatment (P<0.05). Also, A5 treatment was higher than other treatments in the fourth week of the experiment (P<0.05). At the end of the second week, yolk color unit in A5 treatment was lower compared with CON treatment (P<0.05). During the fourth week of the experiment, CON treatment was higher than A3 treatment (P<0.05). During the second week of the experiment, Haugh unit in A3 treatment was greater than that in CON treatment (P<0.05). At the end of six weeks, Haugh unit in CON treatment was lower than other treatments (P<0.05). Fecal ammonia and hydrogen sulfide were increased in Agariemycetes treatments when compared with CON treatment (P<0.05). Compared with CON and A5 treatments, fecal mercaptans was higher than in other treatments in first of the experiment (P<0.05). In conclusion, this study indicated that the addition of Agariemycetes in the diet improved the egg quality and decreased the feacal noxious gas concentration in laying hens.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 2010

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of probiotics supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, fecal concentrations of Lactobacillus and Escherichia coli, emission of noxious gases from the feces, and circulating concentrations of the blood cells in early-finishing pigs. A total of sixty pigs [(Landrace ${\times}$ Yorkshire) ${\times}$ Duroc] (initial body weight 56.48 ${\pm}$ 1.66 kg) were used for the 28 days feeding trial. Dietary treatments included 1) CON (basal diet), 2) P1 (CON + 0.1% Agariemycetes) and 3) P2 (CON + 0.2% Agariemycetes). There were three dietary treatments with five replicate pens per treatment and four pigs per pen. There was no significant difference in ADG (average dairy gain) among the treatments (P>0.05). The gain/feed ratio was higher in P2 than CON (P<0.05). The P2 showed the highest digestibility of dry matter and energy (P<0.05). No significant difference was observed in the fecal Lactobacillus counts but fecal Escherichia coli population of P2 was lower than that of CON (P<0.05). The ammonia, $H_2S$ and total mercaptan was higher in P1 and P2 than CON (P<0.05). Blood characteristics were not affected by probiotics (P>0.05) supplementation. In conclusion, the results showed that dietary supplementation of probiotics at 0.2% level affected gain/feed ratio, dry matter and energy digestibility; reduced fecal Escherichia coli and emission of fecal noxious gases in finishing pigs.