• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.400-409
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• 2017

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary protein sources (soybean meal, SBM; low-gossypol cottonseed meal, LCSM; double-zero rapeseed meal, DRM) on laying performance, egg quality, and plasma parameters of laying hens. Methods: A total of 432 32-wk-old laying hens were randomly divided into 6 treatments with 6 replicates of 12 birds each. The birds were fed diets containing SBM, $LCSM_{100}$, or $DRM_{100}$ individually or in combination with an equal amount of crude protein (CP) ($LCSM_{50}$, $DRM_{50}$, and $LCSM_{50}-DRM_{50}$). The experimental diets, which were isocaloric (metabolizable energy, 11.11 MJ/kg) and isonitrogenous (CP, 16.5%), had similar digestible amino acid profile. The feeding trial lasted 12 weeks. Results: The daily egg mass was decreased in the $LCSM_{100}$ and $LCSM_{50}-DRM_{50}$ groups (p<0.05) in weeks 41 to 44. The $LCSM_{50}$ group did not affect egg production compared to the SBM group in weeks 41 to 44 (p>0.05) and showed increased yolk color at the end of the trial (p<0.05). Compared to the SBM group, the $LCSM_{100}$ and $LCSM_{50}-DRM_{50}$ groups showed decreased albumen weight (p<0.05), CP weight in the albumen (p<0.05) and CP weight in the whole egg (p<0.05) at 44 weeks. Plasma total protein (TP) levels were lower in the $LCSM_{100}$ group than in the SBM group at 44 weeks (p<0.05); however, TP, albumin, and globulin levels were not significantly different between the $LCSM_{50}$ group and the SBM group or between the $DRM_{50}$ group and the SBM group (p>0.05). Conclusion: Together, our results suggest that the $LCSM_{100}$ or $DRM_{100}$ diets may produce the adverse effects on laying performance and egg quality after feeding for 8 more weeks. The 100.0 g/kg LCSM diet or the 148.7 g/kg DRM diet has no adverse effects on laying performance and egg quality.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.498-505
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• 2023

Objective: This study was conducted to determine the optimal dose of novel iron amino acid complexes (Fe-Lys-Glu) by measuring laying performance, egg quality, egg iron (Fe) concentrations, and blood biochemical parameters in laying hens. Methods: A total of 1,260 18-week-old healthy Beijing White laying hens were randomly divided into 7 groups with 12 replicates of 15 birds each. After a 2-wk acclimation to the basal diet, hens were fed diets supplemented with 0 (negative control, the analyzed innate iron content was 75.06 mg/kg), 15, 30, 45, 60, and 75 mg Fe/kg as Fe-Lys-Glu or 45 mg Fe/kg from FeSO₄ (positive control) for 24 wk. Results: Results showed that compared with the negative and positive control groups, dietary supplementation with 30 to 75 mg Fe/kg from Fe-Lys-Glu significantly (linear and quadratic, p<0.05) increased the laying rate (LR) and average daily egg weight (ADEW); hens administered 45 to 75 mg Fe/kg as Fe-Lys-Glu showed a remarkable (linear, p<0.05) decrease in feed conversion ratio. There were no significant differences among all groups in egg quality. The iron concentrations in egg yolk and serum were elevated by increasing Fe-Lys-Glu levels, and the highest iron content was found in 75 mg Fe/kg group. In addition, hens fed 45 mg Fe/kg from Fe-Lys-Glu had (linear and quadratic, p<0.05) higher yolk Fe contents than that with the same dosage of FeSO₄ supplementation. The red blood cell (RBC) count and hemoglobin content (linear and quadratic, p<0.05) increased obviously in the groups fed with 30 to 75 mg Fe/kg as Fe-Lys-Glu in comparison with the control group. Fe-Lys-Glu supplementation also (linear and quadratic, p<0.05) enhanced the activity of copper/zinc-superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD) in serum, as a result, the serum malonaldehyde content (linear and quadratic, p<0.05) decreased in hens received 60 to 75 mg Fe/kg as Fe-Lys-Glu. Conclusion: Supplementation Fe-Lys-Glu in laying hens could substitute for FeSO₄ and the optimal additive levels of Fe-Lys-Glu are 45 mg Fe/kg in layers diets based on the quadratic regression analysis of LR, ADEW, RBC, and Cu/Zn-SOD.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.53-60
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• 2012

This work was conducted to evaluate the laying performance of Korean Native Ducks (KND) Pure-Line (PL). A total of 400 female pullets were hatched from PL to keep in National Institute of Animal Science, Korea. Twenty weeks old PL female ducks were divided into 4 groups (5 replications/group, 20 head/replications). Four groups were compared in a $2{\times}2$ factorial arrangement with strain (White strains, WW; Celadon strains, CC) and house type (flat house, cage house). On first egg laying day, CC strain laid eggs earlier compared to WW strain (P<0.01), but there was no significant difference between flat and cage house. Egg weight (EW) and body weight (BW) at first egg laying day have no difference among strains and houses. BW of CC strain was higher than WW strain at the age of 30 week (P<0.01). Weekly feed intake (FI) have no difference between flat and cage house, but FI of WW strain was high compared to CC strain during 20~30 weeks. There was no significant difference on EW between CC and WW strains, but EW was low at flat house compared to cage house (P<0.05). Weekly egg productions of WW strain and flat house were lower than CC strain and cage house, respectively (P<0.01). Finally, These results can provide the information that needed to introducing new strains.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.537-546
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• 2008

The experiment was conducted to determine the effect of the mixed herbal medicine for the substitution of antibiotics on the performance of laying hens. Day old hyline 1,500 layer chicks were randomly assigned to 4 treatments. Control were 600 and three each treatment was 300. Eggs were collected at every weeks for measuring egg production and week 26, 27, 28 for chemical analyses. Chemical analyses were done for fatty acid profile of egg yolks, amino acid, antibiotics residue in eggs(collect eggs after supplying OTC 21ppm/bird/day to control for four day at 26, 27, 28) during the laying period($19{\sim}77wk$). On $0{\sim}4$ week, T-3 showed higher feed intake than those fed the other diets and on $5{\sim}13$ week, T-2 showed highest feed intake among treatments. After birds were moved ($14{\sim}18$ wk) CT-3 showed highest, but for overall rearing period, there was not significantly different among treatments. In conclusion the mixed herbal medicine did not tended to influence palatability to rearing birds. Egg quality(egg yolk color, haugh unit, eggshell breaking strength) showed no difference among treatments. Ratio of unsaturated fatty acid (mg/100g)/saturated fatty acid (mg/100g) was not difference among treatments, but linolenic acid and docosahexaenoic acid(DHA) of the mixed herbal medicine treatments showed higher then control. The antibiotics residue of CT, T treatments egg was not detected and control was not detected or below allowance. In conclusion the mixed herbal medicine can be possible to feed laying hen without antibiotics.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.11
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• pp.1802-1810
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• 2021

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of supplementing herbal active ingredients (YGF251) which can promote the secretion of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in the diet on production performance, egg quality, blood hematology, and excreta gas emission in laying hens. Methods: A total of 288 ISA Brown (41-week-old) laying hens with an initial body weight of 1.83±0.68 kg were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 dietary treatments in a randomized block design based on body weight. Each treatment had 12 replicate cages having 6 adjacent cages per replicate (hens are kept in cages alone). The experimental period was 35 days. Dietary treatments were based on the corn-soybean meal-wheat-based basal diet and supplemented with 0.00%, 0.05%, 0.10%, or 0.15% YGF251. Results: There was a linear increased egg weight in weeks 1 to 5 (p<0.05), egg mass in week 1 (p<0.05) and weeks 1 to 5 (p<0.05), egg strength on day 7 (p<0.05), 21 (p<0.01), and 35 (p<0.01), eggshell thickness on day 21 (p<0.05) and 35 (p<0.01), haugh unit on day 21 (p<0.01) and 35 (p<0.05), serum IGF-1 concentration on day 21 (p<0.05) and 35 (p<0.01), and serum total protein concentration on day 35 (p<0.05) were observed with the supplementing YGF251 increased in the diet, while feed conversion ratio in weeks 1 to 5 (p<0.05) and excreta ammonia emission (p<0.01) decreased linearly with the dose of YGF251 increased. Conclusion: Dietary supplementation of YGF251 positively affected the production performance and egg quality of laying hens through increasing serum IGF-1 concentration in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, YGF251 supplementation improved barn environment by reducing excreta noxious gas emission.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.285-294
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• 2021

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the supplementary effect of a phytogenic blend (SPA: a mixture containing fermented Schisandra chinensis pomace, fermented Pinus densiflora needle extract, and Allium tuberosum powder in the ratio of 2:2:1) on egg production, egg quality, blood constituents, and visceral organs in laying hens. Methods: A total of 135 Hy-line brown laying hens (48-wk-old) were randomly allocated to three dietary treatments with 5 replicates of 9 hens. The control group (CON) was fed a basal diet (no exogenous SPA addition) and the experimental groups were fed the basal diet containing SPA at the level of 0.1% and 0.3% for 6 weeks. Results: The feed intake was significantly improved in SPA supplemented groups as compared with the control (p<0.05). However, egg production, daily egg mass, and feed conversion ratio were not different among the dietary treatments (p>0.05). For egg quality traits, only Haugh unit (HU) was significantly improved in SPA (0.3%) (p<0.05) as compared with other groups. However, HU was not affected during 4-wk of storage at 18℃ among the dietary treatments (p>0.05). Furthermore, SPA supplementation did not affect the blood biochemical constituents except for the phosphate content, which was significantly higher in SPA groups than the CON group (p<0.05). There were no significant differences in visceral organ characteristics and immune indicators (immunoglobulin A [IgA], IgG, and IgM) in SPA or CON groups. Conclusion: This study suggested that the supplementation of SPA may have beneficial effects on feed intake and egg quality in laying hens.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.319-325
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• 2021

In this study, we investigated the effects of feeding diets with different levels of energy and nutrient density on the egg quality of laying hens during the pre-peak and peak periods. A total of 192 (Hy-line brown) laying hens were used in a 15-week trial. The hens were randomly allotted to one of four treatments, each with four replicates (12 hens per replication). We assessed the effects of four level of dietary energy (2,710, 2,850, 2,870 and 2,890 kcal/kg) and three levels of nutrient density (Methionine + Cysteine: 0.56%, 0.85%, 0.80% and Crude Protein: 14.5%, 19%, 18%). Differences in the energy and nutrient density contents of diets showed no significant effect (P>0.05) on the average daily gain, average daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio, egg weight, or egg production of hens during the pre-peak and peak periods. However, hens subjected to 2,890 kcal/kg during the pre-peak period were found to lay eggs with significantly thicker shells, and yolk color was found to be significant enhanced in hens fed this diet during the pre-and peak periods. In contrast, we detected no significant effects of dietary energy or nutrient density on the Haugh unit or eggshell strength. In summary, increasing the energy level of diets from 2,710 to 2,890 kcal/kg was found to have positive effects on the shell thickness and yolk color of eggs produced by laying hens.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.772-776
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• 2010

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary domestic Skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis) extracts (SCE) on laying performance and egg quality in laying hens. There were no significant differences in feed intake, egg production, or relative liver and spleen weights. The egg weights in groups fed diets containing SCE were significantly increased as compared with the control. The number of cecal total microbes in the group fed a diet containing 0.5% SCE was significantly reduced as compared with other groups. The malondialdehyde contents in stored eggs were significantly lowered by feeding SCE. The Haugh unit in the groups fed diets containing SCE tended to be increased after 2 weeks storage, but not significantly. This result indicated that dietary domestic SCE may delay lipid oxidation in eggs when added to laying hen diets.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.19-23
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• 2002

This studs was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary carbohydrase (multi-enzyme: $\alpha$-galactosidase and mannanase) on egg quality and nutrient digestibility in laying hens. One hundred forty four, 47-wk-old, ISA Brown commercial layers were used in a 28-d feeding trial after a 7-d adjustment period. Dietary treatments were 1) CON(basal diet), 2) ME 0.1 (basal diet +0.1% multi -enzyme), 3) ME 0.2 (basal diet + 0.2% multi-enzyme). Fer overall Period, hen-day egg Production, egg weight, egg shell breaking strength and egg shell thickness were not influenced by the multi-enzyme. As the adding levels of multi-enzyme increased in the diet, egg Yolk color and egg Yolk index tended to increase with significant differences. Digestibility of DM was not affected by multi-enzyme. However, digestibility of N increased significantly as the concentration of multi-enzyme in the diet was increased. In conclusion, supplemental carbohydrase in laying hen diets nay have some roles in improving the egg Yolk color and N digestibility.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.1015-1019
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• 2003

A 50 day feeding trial was conducted with White Leghorn (WL) laying hens, 42 weeks old, to determine if feeding of varying levels of aflatoxin (AF), ochratoxin A (OA) or their combinations has any effect on their performance and egg quality parameters. Feeding of $T_4$, $T_7$, $T_8$, $T_9$ and $T_10$ caused significant reduction in feed intake of hens. Hen day egg productions were significantly reduced at all the levels of toxins except 0.5 ppm of AF. Maximum reduction in egg production was noticed at 2 and 4 ppm of AF and OA, respectively. Average body weight and egg weight were not affected by toxin feeding. The feed efficiency in terms of net feed efficiency and feed consumed per dozen egg produced was significantly reduced at higher levels of both the toxins and their combinations. Feed consumption for production of 1 kg egg mass remained uninfluenced due to aflatoxin feeding whereas significant increase in the value of the same was noticed at 4 ppm level of OA and combination of 1 and 2 ppm of AF and 2 and 4 ppm of OA ($T_9$ and $T_10$), respectively. Various levels of OA (1-4 ppm) and all the combination of two toxins ($T_8$, $T_9$ and $T_10$) significantly altered the shape index of eggs in laying hens. The shell thickness was significantly reduced by higher level of AF (2 ppm), OA (2 and 4 ppm) and their combination. Albumen index, Haugh Unit and yolk index remained unchanged due to incorporation of toxins in the diet. It is concluded that AF, OA either singly or in combination at higher levels could depress the performance in terms of egg production and feed efficiency significantly. The egg quality parameters i.e. shape index and shell thickness were also significantly affected.