• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.13-17
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• 2012

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the dietary effect of chlorella vulgaris on egg production and lutein incorporation into chicken eggs. In Exp. 1, a total of three hundred, 70 wk-old Hy-Line brown layers were divided into six groups with five replicates and fed each experimental diet (corn-SBM based control diet and diets with 0.1, 0.3 or 0.5% chlorella powder and with 0.8 or 2.4% chlorella cultured media) for 6 wk, respectively. The egg production in the groups fed diets containing the chlorella powder and chlorella cultured media were higher than that of the control group (p<0.001). As dietary chlorella levels increased, the yolk color linearly increased. However, there were no significant differences in egg-shell qualities. The layers fed diet with 2.4% chlorella cultured media showed the highest Haugh unit value. In Exp. 2, a total of one hundred-eight 80 wk-old Hy-Line brown layers were assigned into four groups with three replicates per group (9 birds per replicate). The birds were fed one of four experimental diets (0, 0.5, 1.0 or 2.0% chlorella powder) for 4 wk, followed by a 14 d feeding of a withdrawal diet devoid of chlorella powder. At 2 wk, the lutein greatly increased with increasing levels of chlorella powder in birds fed diets containing more than 1%. The maximum incorporation of lutein into eggs was reached after 2 or 3 wk of feeding diets with chlorella powder. After a 7 d withdrawal, the lutein contents of egg yolks in the groups fed diets with more than 1% chlorella powder were still higher than that of control group (p<0.05). No significant differences in the lutein levels were found among groups after a 14 d withdrawal period. These results indicated that the use of chlorella in layer diets was effective in improving egg production and egg quality and for the production of lutein fortified eggs.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.17-24
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• 2006

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of forced molting and egg storage time on the various egg qualities. A total of 240 ISA Brown layers (60 wk of age) were employed as the unmolted treatment (Control). Two hundred and forty ISA Brown layers, molted at the age of 55 wk, were used as a forced molting treatment (T1), and the same number and strain of layers, molted at the age of 70 wk, were also used as the another forced molting treatment (T2). A total of 120 eggs were sampled from each treatment, and divided into six sets, 20 eggs per set. These six sets were stored for 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 days at $18^{\circ}C$ temperature, respectively. Eggs from T1 were collected from laying hens at the age of 68 wk, which started molting at 60 wk of age and achieved 50% egg production at 63 wk of age. Eggs from T2 were collected from hens at 82 wk of age, which started molting at 70 wk of age and achieved 50% egg production at 78 wk of age. The eggshell strength of T1 was significantly (p<0.05) higher than the Control and T2, and the storing periods did not affect the eggshell strength at all. Neither the forced molting nor the storing periods did not exert any consistent effect on the egg weight, eggshell thickness, eggshell color and egg yolk color. The albumin heights of T1 and T2 were significantly (p<0.05) lower than the Control, and it was remarkably reduced gradually as the storage periods increased in all three treatments. The Haugh unit showed very similar trends as the albumin height, indicating that both albumin height and Haugh unit were very much related to each other. In conclusion, the forced molting improves the eggshell strength, but decreases the albumin height and Haugh unit. The storage of eggs also decreases the albumin height and Haugh unit regardless of molting.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.143-151
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• 2008

This study was conducted to identify the correlation of bacterial phytase ($Transphos^{(R)}$) to the calcium level in feed. Of all 21-week-old 720 HyLine brown laying hens, 2 birds of similar weight were placed on each individual cage. The experiment was conducted by $3{\times}2{\times}3$ factorial design with including 3 different levels of phytase (0, 300, and 1,000 DPU/kg), 2 different levels of calcium (3.5% and 4.0%), and 3 different levels of no NPP addition 0% (0.095 NPP), 0.5% (0.185% NPP), and 1.0% (0.275% NPP). The feeding trial maintained the ME level of 2,800 kcal/kg and 16% for crude protein. The diet was fed ad libitum and 17 hours of lighting was provided throughout the experimental period. Egg production seemed to increase, in the 300 DPU of bacterial phytase added group and the cracked egg tended to reduce in Transphos added group. The egg productivity between treatment groups did not show significant difference by dietary calcium level, whereas non NPP added group (0.095% NPP) was found to be low compared to NPP added groups (P<0.05). The highest mean egg weight and the highest daily egg mass were detected in 300 DPU phytase added group. Although the mean egg weight was significantly higher in treatment groups fed with 3.5% calcium containing feeds (P<0.05), daily egg mass was no among treatment groups. The mean egg weight and daily egg mass were the lowest in non NPP added group (0.095% NPP) compared to other treatment groups (P<0.05). The feed intake showed similar pattern regardless of the bacterial phytase and calcium levels in the diet. However, the treatment groups fed diets containing NPP level of 0.275% and 0.165% showed significantly higher feed intake than the group fed with 0.095% NPP (P<0.05). Although the feed conversion was not affected by calcium and NPP levels in the diet, the most improved result was obtained from 300 DPU phytase added group (P<0.05). The eggshell breaking strength and thickness increased as dietary calcium level increase the level of calcium increases in diet. The treatment groups fed diet containing 0.275% and 0.165% NPP revealed to show improvement in eggshell breaking strength and yolk color index compared to the NPP non added (0.095% NPP) treatment group. The result of the present study suggests that the appropriate level of microbial phytase is 300 DPU and at this level, tricalciumphosphate supplementation in feed can be reduced to 40% of NRC recommendation. Higher calcium level in feed fail to show synergistic effect by adding microbial phytase.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.283-291
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• 2004

Feeding trials were conducted with Euglena strains grown under different media. The effect of supplementation of Euglena on the laying performance, egg quality and fatty acid composition of egg yolk was studied. In experiment I, two hundred eighty 32-wk-old ISA Brown layers were randomly assigned to seven dietary treatments for 4 wks. Each treatment consisted of 4 replications with 10 birds each housed in two birds cages. Control diet was formulated to have $17\%$ CP and 2,750 kcal ME/kg. Euglena gracilis Z. (EG) was added to control diet at the level of 0.25, 0.5, $1.0\%$ and Euglena gracilis Z. bleached and DHA enriched (EGBD; a strain mutated by streptomycin and cultivated in DHA enriched medium) at the level of 0.5, 1.0, $2.0\%$ in the diet. In experiment 2, three hundred 84-wk-old ISA brown layers were randomly assigned to five dietary treatments: T1; Control, T2; T1 + EGBD $0.5\%$, T3; T1 + Euglena gracilis Z. DHA enriched (EGD; cultivated in DHA enriched medium) $0.5\%$, T4; T1 + EGD $1.0\%$, T5; T1 + EGD $2.0\%$. Each treatment had 5 replication of 12 birds each housed in two birds cages. In experiments 1 and 2, Euglena suppplementation did not significantly affect egg production but increased egg weight and feed intake. In experiment 1, EG was more effective in increasing egg yolk color score than EGBD. Egg yolk color of EG $1\%$ treatment showed the highest score. EGBD supplementation increased DHA concentration of egg yolk. EGBD $2\%$ treatment showed the highest DHA and the lowest palmitic and stearic acids concentration in the egg yolk. In experiment 2, EGBD $0.5\%$ treatment showed highest DHA level in egg yolk (P<0.05). It was conducted that EGBD is a single cell protein source rich in DHA, that can be used to produce DHA enriched eggs.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.103-110
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• 2009

This experiment was conducted using 350 Lohmann Brown layers (67 weeks of age) to evaluate the dietary effect of organic or inorganic Se and Cu on their contents in chicken eggs. The layers were divided into seven groups and fed a commercial diet or one of the six experimental diets containing different levels of Se and Cu (T1, 0.3ppm organic Se; T2, 1.0ppm organic Se; T3, 1.0ppm inorganic Se; T4, 125ppm organic Cu; T5, 250ppm organic Cu; and T6, 250ppm inorganic Cu) for 5 weeks. No significant differences were observed in egg production and its qualities among groups. The contents of blood cholesterol in the birds fed various levels of Se and Cu were not significantly different as compared to control. Se contents in eggs were linearly increased as dietary Se levels increased for both sources, but Se contents from the groups fed organic Se were slightly higher than those fed inorganic Se. Sensory characteristics of eggs were not influenced by dietary treatments. In conclusion, Se contents in eggs were linearly increased as dietary levels of organic or inorganic Se increased, but eggs in layers fed the diet containing organic Se did not show higher Se contents than those in birds fed dietary inorganic Se.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.183-190
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• 2012

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of an unexpected change in housing environment on stress in poultry. Laying hens (Hy-line Brown), adapted to a free-range housing system for more than a month, were randomly divided into two groups to be subjected to an unexpected change of their housing environment: one half of them were individually housed into conventional battery cages and the other continually left in the same housing system throughout the entire period of the study. The sudden change resulted in an increase in egg production and albumen height (P<0.05), but decrease in eggshell thickness (P<0.05). The change had tendency to increase Haugh unit ($P{\leq}0.061$) and to decrease eggshell color ($P{\leq}0.074$), but did not affect body weight for 5 days thereafter. No significant changes were detected in liver color. Plasma concentrations of corticosterone was acutely increased one day after the change (P<0.05), then returned to similar control levels. The results of the present study indicate that unexpected changes in housing environment cause acute increase in stress hormone concentrations, but interpretation of the results should be cautious due to the experimental conditions.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.7
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• pp.1019-1025
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• 2006

Two experiments were conducted separately to study the effect of astaxanthin on production performance and egg quality in laying hens and meat quality in finishing pigs. In Experiment 1, four hundred Brown Hy-Line layers, 26 weeks of age, were randomly divided into five treatments according to a single factorial arrangement. Each treatment had four replicates comprising 20 birds each. The dietary treatments were: 0, 0.7, 0.9, 1.1 and 1.3 ppm of astaxanthin fed for 14 days. Then all the birds were fed an astaxanthin-free diet (0 ppm astaxanthin) for an additional 7 days. The results showed that dietary astaxanthin had no significant effect on layer production performance. There was no significant effect (p>0.05) on egg weight, yolk height and Haugh unit (HU) with increasing dietary astaxanthin level and increased storage time. Yolk color was linearly increased (p<0.01) with the increasing dietary astaxanthin level and significantly decreased with the increasing storage time (p<0.05). The TBARS value in yolk decreased linearly (p<0.05) with increasing amount of dietary astaxanthin and storage time. When the diets were replaced with the astaxanthin-free feeds, all parameters concerning egg quality decreased with increasing days of measurement, especially the yolk color, and HU significantly decreased (p<0.05). In experiment 2, thirty-six barrows ($L{\times}Y{\times}D$), $107{\pm}3.1kg$ BW, were randomly divided into three treatments according to a single factorial arrangement. Each treatment had three replicates comprising 4 pigs each. The dietary treatments were: 0, 1.5 and 3.0 ppm of astaxanthin fed for 14 days. The results showed that dietary astaxanthin had no significant effects on production performance. There was a linear effect (p<0.05) on dressing percentage, backf.at thickness and loin muscle area with increasing dietary astaxanthin level. There were no significant effects (p>0.05) on the TBARS value, drip loss, meat color, marbling and $L^*$, $a^*$, $b^*$ values. Cholesterol concentration in meat was not affected by dietary addition of astaxanthin. It could be concluded that astaxanthin supplementation was beneficial to improve egg yolk color; egg quality during storage and it also could improve the meat quality of finishing pigs.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.847-856
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• 2003

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of dietary xanthophylls supplementation on pigmentation and antioxidant properties in the egg yolk. ISA Brown laying hens aged 50 weeks were fed five kinds of xanthophyll combination such as control(neither natural nor artificial xanthophylls in feed), T1(Commercial diet containing natural xanthopylls in grain + Lutein 10ppm + Capsantin 10ppm), T2(T1 + Capsanthin 65ppm), T3(T1 + Canthaxanthin 65ppm), T4(T1 + Capsanthin 10ppm + Canthaxanthin 65ppm), and T5(T1 + Capsanthin 65ppm + Canthaxanthin 10ppm). The pH values of all egg yolks were not significantly different during storage or feeding periods. CIE L$^{*}$(lightness) values of T2 ~ T5 egg yolks were lower than those of control and T1. Conversely, the CIE a$^{*}$(redness) value of T2 ~ T5 egg yolks showed significantly higher(P<0.05). Egg yolk from chicks fed xanthophylls increased CIE b$^{*}$ values. The CIE b$^{*}$(yellowness) values of T2 ~ T5 egg yolks were higher than control and T1 during storage at 37$^{\circ}C$ for 48 hours respectively. In the antioxidation experiment, dietary xanthophylls supplementation affected lipid antioxidation of egg yolk during storage. The TBARS(O.D.) of egg yolks from chicks fed xanthophylls were lower than that of control during incubation at 37$^{\circ}C$ for 10 hours. In conclusion, dietary xanthophylls supplementation influence to color difference and retardation of lipid oxidation in egg yolk.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.102-112
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• 2003

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of food waste and probiotics supplementation on productive performance and egg composition of laying hens. Total 120 layers (Brown Tetran) 22 weeks old were divided into five groups with 4 replicates for each treatments and raised in battery cage. The experimental design was completely randomized. The egg Production rate was significantly increased in layer supplemented with 0%, 0.5%, 1.0% and 1.5% of probiotic supplemented diets compared to control (P<0.05). At feeding with food waste and probiotic supplementation had no effect on the egg shell strength (P>0.05). Haugh unit of the eggs was significantly increased in layers fed with 1.5% of probiotic supplemented diet (P<0.05). The different levels of inclusion of the food waste and probiotic supplementation had not effect on egg shell color, blood spot and albumen index of the eggs (P<0.05). There were not significant differences in over all acceptability, juiciness, texture and color of the eggs from layer fed with different levels of wood waste and probiotic supplementation. The appearance and flavor significantly deteriorated in eggs from layers fed with probiotic diets compared to control (P<0.05).

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.41-48
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• 1994

In order to get information for the improvement of feeding systems of egg-type layers, a dietary self-selection study was conducted. Corn diet, soybean meal diet, wheat bran diet, soybean meal+fish meal diet, and limestone diet were individually prepared for self-selection regime. Forty brown layers were offered either a control laying diet (C) or one of the 3 self-selection regime consisted of corn-soybean meal-limestone diet ($T_1$), corn-soybean meal-wheat bran-limestone diet ($T_2$) and corn-soybean meal+fish meal-wheat bran-limestone diet ($T_3$) for one wk each at 31 wk and 41 wk of age. In all dietary treatments, most of the eggs were laid from 0700 h 1300 h and hens consumed more feed, energy and protein on egg forming days than on non-forming days. On egg forming days, hens fed self-selection regime consumed less energy and protein than those fed control diet. On egg forming days, the consumption of feed, energy and protein increased continuously from 1000 h 2200 h in the control diet group but they decreased during the last 3 hours from 1900 h to 2200 h in self-selection regime groups. Up to 1600 h, calcium intake of the self-selection regime groups were much less than that of the control group but after that time, they increased markedly and were much more than that of the control group. The results of the study suggest that the practical self-selection regime for layers should be developed to meet the daily cyclic requirement for nutrients without consuming an excess energy and protein at certain times of the day.