• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.85-98
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• 1996

Results of experiments on the nutrient requirements and feeding system of broiler breeder hens were reviewed, and daily requirements of energy and protein were calculated using the prediction equations reported by Scott(1977) and NRC(1981). The experimental reports on daily ME needs of broiler breeder hens were ranged from 400 to 450 kcal, however, the ME needs of caged hens were 92~93% to those of floor-housed hens due to the difference of ME need for activity. The ME needs of broiler breeders decreased with increasing environmental temperature corresponding to a drop of 25 kcal per day for each 5˚C rise. About 80~90% of the daily ME needs were used for body rnaintenance and activity of hens. Experimental results on daily protein needs of broiler breeder hens were ranged from 18 to 22 g, however, calculated protein needs decreased as the BW gain and eggmass output decreased after peak production, and about 60~65% of the daily protein needs were used for egg production. In the current practice, broiler breeder hens are restricted in feed, and consume their daily allowance in the first 2 to 6 h after dawn. The results suggest that eggshell quality can be significantly improved in hens fed during the afternoon when shell calcification is initiated, with no adverse effect on laying rate and fertility of eggs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.545-551
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• 2005

A feeding trial was conducted to determine whether dietary vitamin C (200 mg/kg) and vitamin E (250 mg/kg) prevent any drops in egg shell quality under heat stress in broiler breeder hens. One hundred and sixty molted Ross broiler breeders were housed randomly in an individual cage at 83 weeks of age. Four dietary treatments with forty hens and four replications per treatment were control (no additional vitamins), vitamin C-, or vitamin E-supplemented and combined supplementation of the two vitamins. After a tenday-adaptation period at 25$^{\circ}C$, the ambient temperature was kept at 32$^{\circ}C$ for a three-week-testing period. Egg production dropped dramatically over week but it did not show a significant change among treatments (p<0.05). However, egg quality parameters such as egg weight, specific gravity, shell thickness, SWUSA, puncture force and shell breaking strength from the birds fed the diet with the combined vitamins C and E were significantly improved over those of the control group during the heat stress period (p<0.05). The hens fed the vitamin C diet improved tibia breaking strength (37.16 kg), statistically higher than the birds fed the control and the vitamin E diets (p<0.05). The hens fed the control diet showed higher serum corticosterone levels, a mean of 5.97 ng/ml, than those of the other treatments (p<0.05). The heat stress resulted in elevated heterophils and decreased lymphocytes in serum, increasing the H/L ratios for all the treatments. However, the increases in H/L ratios were alleviated by feeding the diets containing vitamin C alone or together with vitamin E, although there were no significant differences in the ratio between the two groups (p<0.05). In conclusion, vitamins C (200 mg/kg) and/or E (250 mg/kg) supplemented to the diets for broiler breeder hens could prevent drops in egg shell quality and tibia bone strength under highly stressful environmental temperatures.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.181-187
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• 2000

This work was designed to investigate the performances of broiler breeder hens upon the addition were vitamin and mineral supplements in feeds. Animals were divided into for feed groups such as control, T$_1$,T$_2$and T$_3$, and each treatment has four replications. All broiler breeder hens were housed individually, and were fed with identical iso-metaboilic energy and iso-protein, except for vitamins and minerals. Different sources and levels of vitamins and minerals were added to the basic feeds according to the treatments. At the end of the experiments, general laying rate(hen days), average egg weight, hatching egg laying rate(Hen day) every day. Hatching egg weight, sterility, embryo mortality, hatching rate and chick weight were examined. Although, early laying rate in all treatment groups were reduced during cold term management, general egg laying rate was increased only T$_3$group which was contanining vitamin C. However, similar results were obtained in the rates of general and hatching egg laying. General egg laying rate were somewhat higher of Control, T$_2$and T$_3$ groups than that of T$_1$group. In addition, the laying rates of general and hatching eggs slightly improved in the T$_3$group rather than those of Control group. Egg weight was reduced with the increasing of laying rate, showing the highest in the T$_3$group. The laying rate showed significantly lower value than those of any other groups. Egg weight was about 65g in T$_3$group. The results of hatching performance for production ability of Broiler breeder hens were fed experimental diet, although the rates of non-hatched and hatched eggs increased in order of Control, T$_1$T$_2$and T$_3$groups. However, the rate of embryo mortality was declined in order Control, T$_1$T$_2$and T$_3$groups.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.137-143
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• 2004

The fractional synthesis rates(FSR) were measured with 2l-wk and 3l-wk-old broiler breeder pullets and hens to investigate the effect of sexual maturity on FSR. The FSR were obtained from chicken tissues and blood samples using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry(HPLC/MS). A L-l-13C, 15N -leucine saline solution was infused by bolus injection as a tracer into broiler breeder pullets in the experiment. A rapid HPLC/MS method was developed to measure the isotopic enrichments of leucine in plasma, tissue samples, and eggs. The enrichments of stable isotope leucine incorporated into protein and the enrichments of the stable isotope free leucine were measured in liver, breast muscle and blood samples. Two sets of experiments were conducted. In experiment one, 2l-wk-old, sexually immature broiler breeder pullets were divided into groups of three and blood samples were collected at 20 or 30 min intervals until 1.5 h from initial injection. The pullets were sacrificed in groups of three at varying time intervals for 7 h after injection. The liver, breast muscle and blood samples were removed for analysis. The FSR were estimated to be 8.7l%/day for liver, 4.06％/day for breast muscle, and 5.08％/day for blood samples in 30 minutes after injection from the enrichment ratios. In experiment two, sexually matured 3l-wk-old broiler breeder hens were assorted into groups of three and blood samples were obtained at 20 or 30 min intervals for 2 h. The FSR for blood samples were determined. The broiler breeder hens were sacrificed in groups of three at various time intervals until 7 h after injection and liver, breast muscle and blood samples were removed for analysis. The FSR were calculated to be 5.96％/day for liver. Eggs were collected from five chickens daily for 10 days after large bolus injection. The average of total enrichments of stable isotope in egg albumin was increased by 0.064% at 4 days after injection and was back to normal in 7 days.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.49-55
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• 2006

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of feeding Bupleurum falcatum L.(BFL) on performance, blood component and hormonal secretion in broiler breeder hens. A total of 800 broiler breeder hens were allotted to four treatments(BFL ; 0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0%) with four replications for eight weeks. Weight gain was not significantly different between the groups in growing period($20{\sim}24$ weeks), but egg production and egg mass of broiler breeder hens fed BFL were significantly(p<0.05) higher than those of the control groups in laying period($24{\sim}28$ weeks). Dietary BFL did not affect serum triglyceride concentration, whereas serum cholesterol concentration was significantly increased(p<0.05) in 2.0% BFL-fed groups. No statistical differences were found in serum glucose, Ca, P, Mg, total protein, albumin, GGT, AST, ALT and BUN concentrations. However, albumin/globulin ratio was statistically higher in BFL-fed groups compared to the control groups(p<0.05). Serum estrogen concentrations were significantly increased by feeding a diet containing 0.5% BFL, but progesterone were not influenced. Serum IGF-I of BFL groups was greater than that of control groups at 28 weeks(p<0.05). In conclusion, the results suggest that the dietary addition of BFL into broiler breeder diets improved egg production, serum estrogen and IGF-I concentration, and decreased serum cholesterol concentration and albumin/globulin ratio.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.245-251
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• 2017

A dose-response experiment was conducted to determine the lysine requirement for broiler breeder hens during pre-peak production. Totally, one hundred and twenty-six flock 23-week-old Ross 308 broiler breeder hens with similar body weight were selected ($2,188{\pm}32g$) for a 6-week experiment. Hens were fed with a basal diet of corn-wheat-soybean meal formulated to achieve the Ross 308 breeder nutrient specifications (2016), except for lysine. The 7 graded, daily lysine intake levels used in this experiment were 732, 785, 838, 891, 944, 997, and 1,050 mg, and hens were restricted to 133 g of feed throughout this experiment. Pen based egg production were recorded once a day and all eggs were weighed daily. Age at sexual maturity was determined when the hens attained age at 25% production. Body weight at 23~29 weeks of age was not affected (P>0.05) by lysine levels. By fitting a linear-plateau model, the daily lysine requirements for feed conversion ratio, total produced egg weight, and age at sexual maturity at 23~29 weeks of age were estimated as 865, 907, and 891 mg, respectively. Using a quadratic-plateau model, the daily lysine requirement at 23~29 weeks of age were estimated as 974, 964, and 950 mg for feed conversion ratio, total produced egg weight, and age at sexual maturity, respectively. These results suggested that the daily lysine requirement for modern broiler breeder hens according to the National Research Council (1994) are insufficient for higher total produced egg weight, sexual maturity, and feed efficiency, and 120% of the NRC recommendation level would improve hen productivity when data are fitted under linear- and quadratic-plateau models.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Poultry Science Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.69-79
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• 2004

A feeding trial was conducted to determine whether dietary vitamin C (200 mg/kg) and vitamin E (250 mg/kg) prevent any drops in egg shell quality under heat stress in broiler breeder hens. One hundred and sixty molted Ross broiler breeders were housed randomly in an individual cage at 83 weeks of age. Four dietary treatments with forty hens and four replications per treatment were control (no additional vitamins). vitamin C-. or vitamin E-supplemented. and combined supplementation of the two vitamins. After a ten-day-adaptation period at 25 $^{\circ}C$. the ambient temperature was kept at 32 $^{\circ}C$ for a three-week-testing period. Egg production dropped dramatically over week but it did not show a significant change among treatments (P<0.05). However. egg weight. SG. shell thickness. SWUSA. puncture force and shell breaking strength of the birds fed the diet with the combined vitamins C and E were significantly improved than those fed the basal diet during the heat stress period (P<0.05). The hens fed the vitamin C supplemented diet showed a tibia breaking strength of 37.16 kg statistically higher than those of the basal and the vitamin E supplemented groups (P<0.05). The hens fed the basal diet showed higher serum corticosterone levels. a mean of 5.97 ng/ml. than those of the rest of treatments (P<0.05). The heat stress elevated heterophils but decreased lymphocytes in serum. and it changed H/L ratios of all the treatments. The increases in H/L ratios were alleviated in the bird by feeding vitamin C and/or vitamin E supplemented diets. but they did not differ significantly (P<0.05). In conclusion. vitamins C (200 mg/kg) and/or E (250 mg/kg) supplementation to diets could prevent drops in egg shell quality and tibia bone strength by alleviating stressful effects from high temperature in broiler breeder hens.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.62 no.4
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• pp.521-532
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• 2020

The production performance of broiler breeder hens in response to different levels of total lysine during the early laying period was investigated. A total of 126 Ross 308 parent stock hens were offered one of seven dietary treatments formulating elevated contents of total lysine ranging from 0.55% to 0.79% (0.04 scale; 133 g of feed) from 23 to 29 weeks of age. Each treatment had six replicates with three birds per pen. Body weight was recorded triweekly and eggs were collected and weighted at 9:00 am daily. One hen from each pen was euthanized to collect blood samples and visceral organs were harvested and weighed. Egg production, egg weight and egg mass were lower (p < 0.05) in hens offered a diet containing 0.55% total lysine compared to those fed the diet containing higher total lysine. Hens offered a diet containing 0.71%, 0.75%, and 0.79% total lysine had greater (p = 0.008) egg production rate compared to those offered a diet containing lysine less than 0.71%. The number of total eggs produced tended to be greater (p = 0.083) in hens offered a diet containing 0.71 and 0.75% total lysine compared to the other treatments. The number of settable egg production was higher (p < 0.001) in hens offered a diet contacting 0.79% total lysine compared to those fed the diet containing lower levels of total lysine. The relative weights of oviduct and ovary were lower (p < 0.05) in hens offered a diet containing 0.59% total lysine compared to the other treatments. No difference found in body weight, the number of total eggs, double-yolk eggs and abnormal shell eggs among the treatments. The urea nitrogen, estradiol-17 beta and progesterone in plasma were not affected by treatments. Based on linear- and quadratic-plateau models, total lysine requirements for egg production, settable egg production and egg mass at the early laying period were to be 0.73%, 0.77%, and 0.71%, respectively. Modern broiler breeder hens likely require higher total lysine than NRC recommendation in a diet for enhancing productivity during the early-laying period.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.234-239
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• 2010

Effects of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and vitamin E (VE) supplementation in the diet of breeder hens on the egg quality and hatchability, lipid peroxides of the egg yolk, and development of the newly-hatched offspring chicks were investigated. A total of 800 Avian 48, 28 wk-old broiler breeders were assigned randomly to 4 groups with 4 replicates of 45 females and 5 males. Each group was fed one of the following four diets with different oil sources and levels of VE: corn oil (CO), fish oil (FO), CO+VE and FO+VE. The results showed that: i) Addition of FO in the breeder diet reduced the whole egg weight, yolk weight, albumen weight, yolk color score and neonatal offspring chick body weight without affecting the hatchability as compared to the CO treatment. ii) Addition of VE efficiently reduced the lipid peroxides of egg yolk from hens fed diets containing FO. iii) VE in the breeder diet significantly promoted the development of liver and heart of the chick offspring.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.21-27
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• 2018

Fowl adenovirus (FAdV) and chicken anemia virus (CAV) have gained much importance as an immunosuppressive and economically important emerging pathogen of poultry. This study was carried out to investigate the prevalence of FAdV and CAV infection in chickens. The groups were divided into Korean native chickens, broiler, layer hens and broiler breeder and set up groups according to age. As results, 12.5% of the native chicken, 2.5% of broiler and 6.7% of layer chicken were positive, respectively by PCR for FAdV. Serological test showed that 84.8%, 79.0%, 97.7% and 96.1% of chickens were positive for antibody to FAdV in native chickens, broiler, layer hens and broiler breeder. The prevalence of CAV infection were 20.0%, 7.5%, 16.7% and 10.0%, based on CAV gene detection by PCR. In serological test of CAV, 40.6%, 35.9%, 84.8% and 73.9% of chickens were positive in that groups.