• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.67-73
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• 2013

With an increasing concern on laying hen welfare, barn system has appeared as one of the alternatives to replace the conventional cage. This study was conducted to compare the early laying performance and egg quality at the barn system with those at the conventional cage. A total of 288 shaver-579 brown layers were used for 9 weeks ($21^{st}$ to $30^{th}$ weeks of age) feeding study. Feed consumption and egg weight were significantly (P<0.01) higher at barn than at cage. However, there were no significant differences between two housing systems on hen day egg production (HDEP), egg mass, body weight, feed efficiency and livability. In case of egg quality parameters, shell thickness, albumen height and Haugh unit were significantly (P<0.05) different between two systems. Haugh unit and albumen height were significantly higher in eggs produced at cage (88.97 and 8.16 mm) compared than those produced at barn (83.11 and 6.87 mm), whereas shell thickness was thicker in eggs produced at barn than those produced at cage. Shape index, breaking strength, blood spots and yolk index data were not influenced significantly by the types of housing system. To implement welfare bestowing production, this study showed that the barn system can replace the conventional cage without serious sacrifices on starting phase egg production. In addition, this study suggested that the barn system need to be optimized in view of daily feed consumption.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.253-261
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• 2016

Egg quality is a very important factor for both consumers and producers. Factors affecting egg quality include strain and age of hens; egg storage temperature, time, and humidity; laying season; and feeding. This study aimed to determine the effect of hen age and egg storage time on egg quality. A total of 700 eggs obtained from Hyline Brown commercial layers were used for this experiment, and they were separated into two hen age groups (30 vs. 60 weeks) with eight treatments and four storage times (day 0, 10, 20, and 30). The egg weight; shell color, thickness, and density; albumen height; Haugh unit (HU); yolk color; and the yolk and albumen pH and viscosity were measured for the egg quality assessment. The results showed that the age of the hen and egg storage time significantly affected almost all parameters of the internal and external egg quality. The shell thickness, albumen height, HU, yolk color, pH of yolk and albumen, and yolk viscosity significantly decreased with increasing hen age. The egg shell color was significantly lighter in eggs from 60-week-old hens than in those from 30 weeks-old hens. The egg weight; shell weight, thickness, and density; albumen height, HU; and albumen viscosity significantly decreased, but the yolk color and pH of the yolk and albumen increased with increasing egg storage time. The interaction effects between the storage time and hen age were significant in shell thickness, albumen height, yolk color, and yolk and albumen pH and viscosity. The eggs obtained from 60-week-old hens showed significantly lower shell thickness, albumen height, and HU values, which are considered typical egg quality measurements, than values of eggs from 30-week-old hens. Therefore, increasing hen age and egg storage time caused the deterioration of egg quality. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that hen age is the major factor affecting the quality of fresh eggs, whereas the storage time is the determinant factor affecting the quality of stored eggs.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.45-50
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• 2007

Ethanol extract of 20 botanicals in 3 concentrations i.e., 2.5%, 5% and 10% were evaluated for their efficacy to improve reproductive performance of mulberry silkworm (Bombyx mod L.) through feeding botanical enriched mulberry leaves during $2^{nd}$ day of $4^{th}$ age as well as $1^{st}$ and $3^{rd}$ day of $5^{th}$ age larvae. The preliminary screening was done by ranking the botanicals based on influence in most important reproductive contributing parameters such as single cocoon weight, effective rate of rearing, pupation rate, fecundity and recovery of eggs/kg cocoon. Five botanicals viz., Asparagus recemosus, Achyranthes aspera, Tribulus terrestris, Withania somnifera, Parthenium histerophorus ranked first were further evaluated at 8% 5% and 3% concentrations to confirm their effectiveness and standardize effective concentration. Among the rearing parameters, mature larval weight, shell ratio and number of cocoons/kg were not significantly influenced by the treatments. However, reproductive parameters such as effective rate of rearing (wt), pupation rate (%), fecundity (No.) and egg recovery (g)/kg cocoon were significantly (P<0.05) influenced by the botanicals. Higher fecundity and egg recovery were obtained on treatment with Withania somnifera irrespective of concentrations. However at 5% concentration, pupation rate, fecundity as well as egg recovery were found significantly higher than that of other concentrations, confirming its effectiveness for improving reproductive efficiency.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.279-284
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• 2011

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of storage temperature and time on the quality parameters of eggs from laying hens at peak production. A total of 576 eggs were obtained from Lohmann Light-Brown hens, which were collected 3 times when the hens were 26, 27, and 28 weeks old. The fresh eggs were collected and measured within 2 h of being laid. Samples of 48 eggs each were stored in chambers for 2, 5, or 10 d inside a refrigerator ($5^{\circ}C$), at room temperature ($21^{\circ}C$), and at a high temperature ($29^{\circ}C$). As the storage temperature and time increased, egg weight, percentage of albumen, Haugh unit (HU), and yolk color significantly (p<0.001) decreased. In addition, egg shell weight, shell percentage, and albumen weight significantly (p<0.001) decreased with storage time. Yolk weight, yolk percentage, and albumen pH significantly (p<0.001) increased with increasing storage temperature, and yolk pH significantly (p<0.001) increased with increasing storage time. When the storage temperature was increased to $29^{\circ}C$, egg weight loss dramatically increased from 1.74 to 3.67% at 5 and 10 d of storage time, respectively. With the exception of the $5^{\circ}C$ storage temperature, HU dramatically decreased according to storage time and temperature, decreasing from 91.3 to 72.63 at $21^{\circ}C$ and from 87.62 to 60.92 at $29^{\circ}C$ during 10 d of storage; however, this decline was not found at $5^{\circ}C$. A rapid increase in albumen alkalinity was observed even after just 2 d of storage regardless of the storage temperature. Interactions between storage time and temperature were significant (p<0.001) with respect to egg weight loss, egg shell weight and percentage, albumen weight and percentage, yolk weight and percentage, albumen and yolk pH, HU, and yolk color. The results of the current study indicated that eggs from laying hens at peak production had significant deterioration of internal quality with increasing storage temperature and time. The results suggest that egg weight loss, albumen pH, and HU are parameters that are greatly influenced by the storage temperature and time of eggs from hens at peak laying.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.1638-1642
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• 2006

An experiment was conducted to elucidate the effect of graded levels of vitamin $D_3$ in White Leghorn (WL) layer breeders on egg production, shell quality, hatchability of eggs and juvenile performance of offspring during their late laying period (72-88 wk). White Leghorn breeder females were randomly divided into 5 groups of 50 each and were housed in individual California cages in an open-side housing system. Considering birds in five cages as a replicate, 10 such replicates were randomly allotted to each treatment. A basal diet was formulated containing all the nutrients as recommended for WL layers except vitamin $D_3$, which served as control. Another, four diets were formulated by supplementing graded levels of feed grade crystalline cholecalciferol to the basal diet that contained 300, 600, 1,200 and 2,400 ICU of vitamin $D_3$ per kg. Each diet was offered ad libitum to one of the above five treatment groups. The egg production, egg weight, daily feed consumption and the feed intake per dozen eggs or kg egg mass of the birds fed diet without any supplemental vitamin $D_3$ was comparable with those of supplemental groups. Similarly, the level of vitamin in the diet did not have any effect on any of the above parameters. However, the specific gravity of eggs laid by the birds fed the diet without supplemental vitamin $D_3$ was comparable with either 600 or 2,400 ICU supplemental groups but significantly higher when compared to the 300 and 1,200 ICU groups. The egg -shell breaking strength was significantly lowered in the 600 ICU supplemental groups as compared to the strength of other dietary groups. The Haugh unit, egg shell weight, shell thickness, tibia breaking strength, bone ash and calcium content were not influenced by vitamin $D_3$ concentration in the diet. Serum Ca concentration was influenced by vitamin $D_3$ level in the diet. The serum Ca concentration of birds fed either control or the vitamin supplemented diet up to 1200 ICU/kg diet was comparable. However, increasing the concentration of vitamin $D_3$ to 2,400 ICU/kg diet significantly enhanced the concentration of Ca in the serum, which was significantly higher compared to other dietary groups. The serum concentration of P and protein, however, was not influenced by level of vitamin $D_3$ in the diet. Neither fertility nor hatchability was influenced by vitamin $D_3$ concentration in the diet. Feeding a vitamin $D_3$ deficient diet or supplementation of vitamin to hens did not have any influence on their progeny chicks. It can be concluded that dietary supplementation of vitamin $D_3$ may not be essential for optimum production, shell quality, hatchability, and juvenile performance of WL breeders during 72 to 88 weeks of age.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.8
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• pp.1171-1175
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• 2005

An experiment was conducted (28 to 44 weeks) to study the laying performance, shell quality, and nutrient retention of White Leghorn layers fed different levels of non-phytate phosphorus (NPP). Six levels of NPP (0.15, 0.18, 0.21, 0.24, 0.27 and 0.30%) at a constant calcium (Ca) level (3.5%) in maize-soya-deoiled rice bran based diets were formulated, and each experimental diet was offered ad libitum for 16 weeks to five replicates with five birds in each replicate. The body weight of WL layers fed diet containing 0.15% NPP was significantly (p<0.05) lower than those fed diet with 0.30% NPP, at 44 weeks of age. However, the hen day egg production, egg weight, daily feed intake and feed consumed per dozen eggs were not influenced by the variation in the NPP levels in the diet. The bone ash content was significantly (p<0.05) higher in the birds fed 0.30% NPP as compared with those fed diets up to 0.24% NPP. Bone ash content was intermediate in the birds fed diet containing 0.27% NPP. The tibia strength followed the same trend as that of bone ash. Dietary NPP content had no influence on serum Ca and protein concentration and activity of alkaline phosphatase. However, serum inorganic P concentration increased linearly with NPP content in the diet. The concentration of P was significantly (p<0.05) higher in the birds fed 0.27% NPP or higher as compared with those fed 0.15% NPP. Levels of dietary NPP had no influence on egg quality parameters like shell wt, shell thickness, shell strength and specific gravity. The retention of nutrients such as DM, N and Ca were comparable among the WL layers fed different levels of NPP. However, the retention of P decreased linearly with increase in the level of NPP in the diet. The retention of P in the birds fed diets up to 0.24% NPP in the diet was comparable, however further increasing the content of NPP (either 0.27% or 0.30%) reduced the retention of P. Based on the results of the present study, 0.15% NPP (180 mg/b/d) in the diets of WL layers is adequate for optimum production performance during 28 to 44 weeks of age, however, WL layers require 0.27% NPP (324 mg /b/d) in the diet for optimum production with better bone mineralization.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.11
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• pp.1709-1717
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• 2023

Objective: A pivotal study was designed to investigate the effect of Hydroxy (HYC) Cu, Zn, and Mn on egg quality and laying performance of chickens under tropical conditions. Methods: A total of 1,260 Babcock White laying hens (20-wk-old) were randomly assigned to one of 4 treatments with 15 replicates of 21 hens each in a Randomized Complete Block Design. The birds were reared for 16 weeks and were fed the corn-soybean meal diets supplemented with one of the following mineral treatments: T1, inorganic (INO, 15 ppm CuSO4, 80ppm MnSO4 and 80 ppm ZnO); T2, Hydroxy-nutritional level (HYC-Nut, 15 ppm Cu, 80 ppm Mn, 80 ppm Zn from Hydroxy); T3, Hydroxy-Low (HYC-Low, 15 ppm Cu, 60 ppm Mn, 60 ppm Zn from Hydroxy); T4, Hydroxy plus inorganic (HYC+INO, 7.5 ppm HYC Cu+7.5 ppm CuSO4, 40 ppm HYC ZnO+40 ppm ZnSO4, 40 ppm HYC Mn+40 ppm MnSO4). The egg production was recorded daily, while the feed consumption, feed conversion ratio (FCR) and egg mass were determined at the end of each laying period. The egg quality parameters were assayed in eggs collected over 48 h in each laying period. Results: Overall, no significant effect of treatments was observed on percent egg production, egg weight and FCR (p>0.05). Feed intake was significantly lower in birds fed Hydroxy plus inorganic (p<0.05) diet. The supplementation of HYC-Low significantly increased the egg mass compared to the other treatments (p<0.05). HYC supplementation alone or in combination with INO elicited a positive effect on shell thickness, shell weight, shell weight per unit surface area, yolk colour, albumen and yolk index for a certain period (p<0.05), but not throughout the whole laying period. Conclusion: Dietary supplementation of HYC-Low (15-60-60 mg/kg) showed similar effects on production performance and egg quality characteristics in laying hens as compared to 15-80-80 mg/kg of Cu-Zn-Mn from inorganic sources. This indicates that sulphate based inorganic trace minerals can effectively be substituted by lower concentration of hydroxyl minerals.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.831-837
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• 2013

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation of Rhodobacter capsulatus KCTC-2583 on egg-yolk and serum cholesterol, egg production and quality parameters during the late laying periods in hens. A total of 160 Hy-Line Brown layers (54 wk-old) were randomly allotted to 4 treatment groups on the basis of laying performance. Each treatment had 4 replicates with 10 birds each (40 birds per treatment). Two hens were confined individually with cage size $35{\times}35{\times}40$ cm and each 10 birds (5 cages) shared a common feed trough between them forming one experimental unit. Dietary treatments were; basal diet supplemented with 0 (control), 0.05, 0.10 and 0.15% R. capsulatus KCTC-2583. Experimental diets were fed in meal form for 56 d. Dietary supplementation of increasing levels of R. capsulatus KCTC-2583 reduced (linear, p<0.05) egg-yolk cholesterol and triglycerides (d 28, 42 and 56) concentrations. Also, serum cholesterol and triglycerides (d 21, 42 and 56) concentrations were linearly reduced (p<0.05) with increasing dietary R. capsulatus KCTC-2583. Laying hens fed a diet supplemented with increasing levels of R. capsulatus KCTC-2583 had increased (linear; p<0.05) overall egg production, egg weight, egg mass and feed efficiency. However, dietary treatments had no effect (linear or quadratic; p>0.05) on feed intake of laying hens. At d 28 and 56, breaking strength and yolk colour of eggs were linearly improved (p<0.05) in laying hens fed dietary increasing levels of R. capsulatus KCTC-2583. Dietary treatment had no effects (linear or quadratic; p>0.05) on albumin height, shell thickness and shell weight at any period of experiment. These results indicate that dietary supplementation of R. capsulatus KCTC-2583 has the potential to improve the laying hen performance and lead to the development of low cholesterol eggs during late laying period in Hy-Line Brown hens.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.71-78
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• 1990

This study was conducted to estimate heritabilities and genetic correlations on egg shape index and egg qualities in Korean Native Ogol fowl. The date analysis were a total of 58,320 eggs in 450 pullets bred from 150 dams and 20 sires of korean Native Ogol fowl raised at Chungnam National University from June 18, 1987 to April 6, 1989. The results obtained are summarized as follows：1. On the egg shape index and egg qualities, the egg shape index at first egg, 300 and 500 days of age were 75.044, 74.169 and 72.601 ； the shell thickness were 0.342, 0.320 and 0.326 mm： the albumen height were 6.014, 5.161 and 4.807mm：the Haugh units were 83.903, 71.348 and 71.136, respectively. 2. The heritabilities estimates of egg shape index and egg qualifies based on the varience of sires, dams and combined components were 0.120-0.827, 0.485-0.503 and 0.232-0.872 for egg shape index at first egg, 300 days and 500 days of age： 0.197-0.819. 0.184-0.756 and 0.279-0.557 for shell thickness at first egg, 300days and 500days of age：0.202-0.678, 0.119-0.394 and 0.225-0.527 for albumen height at first egg, 300 and 500 days of age 0.108-0.669, 0.237-0.251 and 0.354-0.443 for Haugh units at first egg 300days and 500days of age. 3. The genetic correlation coefficients of egg shape index and egg qualifies were as follows; between egg shape index and shell thickness, albumen height and Haugh units were 0.596-0.909, 0.384-0.943 and 0.121-0.619：between shell thickness and albumen height. Haugh units were 0.082-0.596, -0.076-0.167：between albumen height and Haugh units were 0.374-0.964.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.133-138
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• 2011

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of supplementing different levels of kaolin (Exp. 1) and effects of age of layers and levels of kaolin (Exp. 2) on the performance, egg and shell quality parameters of laying hens. In Exp.1, 64 laying hens of 58 wks age were randomly allotted to 4 treatments of 16 hens in each. Dietary treatments were basal diet supplemented with 0.0, 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6% kaolin. In Exp. 2 96 laying hens were divided into 6 groups of 16 hens each in a 2 ${\times}$ 3 factorial arrangement (two different ages, 30 and 58 wk and three levels of kaolin, 0.0, 0.2 and 0.4%). In both the experiment there were linear decreases in feed intake (P<0.001), improvement in FCR (P<0.05), and egg production (P<0.05), with increasing dietary kolin level. Supplementation of kaolin had no effect on the egg and shell quality parameters in both experiments. Thus, it is concluded that kaolin may improve performance, and 0.2% level showed the best laying performance.