• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.89-96
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• 2016

This study aimed to determine the effect of different dietary level of rice bran extract (RBO) on the laying performance, egg quality, blood parameter, cholesterol, and fatty acids in yolk of Hy-Line Laying hens. In all, 144 Hy-Line Brown laying hens (29 weeks old) were randomly allocated to one of 4 dietary treatments, with 4 replicates per treatment. A commercial basal diet was used and three additional diets were prepared by supplementing 2.5, 5.0 or 10.0 g/kg of RBO to the basal diet. The experimental diets were fed on an ad libitum basis to the bird during 8 weeks. Hen-day egg production increased (quadratic, p<0.05) with inclusion level of RBO, but feed intake, egg weight, and egg mass were not influenced by inclusion of level of RBO in diet. However, the supplementation of RBO did not have an effect on eggshell strength, eggshell thickness, egg yolk color, and HU during the feeding trial. There were no significant differences in the level of leukocyte. However, heterophil and lymphocytes decreased (quadratic, p<0.01) with inclusion level of RBO. H:L ratio tended to decrease (linear p=0.08) with inclusion level of RBO. As expected, increasing inclusion level of RBO in diets decreased (linear, p<0.01) the concentrations of total cholesterol in plasma. AST, ALT, glucose, and albumin were not affected by inclusion of RBO in diets. Egg yolk cholesterol increased (linear and quadratic, p<0.05) with inclusion level of RBO in diet. The results of this study indicate that dietary supplementation of RBO improves laying performance and decreased total cholesterol and egg yolk cholesterol levels in laying hens. Therefore, dietary RBO is considered a valuable functional ingredient to improve the performance of birds.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.1065-1076
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• 2024

Objective: This study aimed to assess the effects of dietary mulberry leaves on the growth, production performance, gut microbiota, and immunological parameters of poultry and livestock. Methods: The PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases were systematically analyzed to identify pertinent studies up to December 2022. The effects of mulberry leaf diet was assessed using the weighted mean difference, and the 95% confidence interval was calculated using a random-effects model. Results: In total, 18 studies that sampled 2,335 poultry and livestock were selected for analysis. Mulberry leaves improved the average daily gain and reduced the feed/meat ratio in finishing pigs, and the average daily gain and average daily feed intake in chicken. In production performance, mulberry leaves lowered the half carcass weight, slaughter rate, and loin eye area in pigs, and the slaughter rate in chickens. Regarding meat quality in pigs, mulberry leaves reduced the cooked meat percentage, shear force, crude protein, and crude ash, and increased the 24 h pH and water content. In chickens, it increased the drip loss, shear force, 45 min and 24 h pH, crude protein, and crude ash. Mulberry leaves also affect the abundances of gut microbiota, including Bacteroides, Prevotella, Megamonas, Escherichia-Shigella, Butyricicoccus, unclassified Ruminococcaceae, Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Escherichia coli in poultry and livestock. Mulberry leaves at different doses were associated with changes in antioxidant capacity in chickens, and immune organ indexes in pigs. With respect to egg quality, mulberry leaves at different doses improved the shell strength, yolk color, eggshell thickness, and eggshell weight. However, moderate doses diminished the egg yolk ratio and the egg yolk moisture content. Conclusion: In general, dietary mulberry leaves improved the growth, production performance, and immunological parameters in poultry and livestock, although the effects varied at different doses.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.241-247
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• 2014

The objective of this experimental was to investigate the effect of dietary Cu-sulfate and Cu-soy proteinate on productive performance and small intestinal microflora. A total 1,000 Hy-Line Brown laying hens (35 weeks old) were randomly allotted to 1 of 5 dietary treatments: Control, Cu-sulfate 50, 100 (50, 100 ppm Cu supplementation as Cu-sulfate) and Cu-SP 50, 100 (50, 100 ppm Cu supplementation as Cu-soy proteinate). Each treatment was replicated 4 times with fifty birds per replication, housed in 2 birds cages. Fifty birds units were arranged according to randomized block design. Feeding trial lasted 5 weeks under 16L : 8D lighting regimen. Hen day egg production was significantly (P<0.05) higher in Cu treated groups than control. Feed intake, broken and shell-less egg production was not significantly influenced by treatment. Eggshell color, eggyolk color, haugh unit, and eggshell thickness were not significantly influenced by treatment. However, eggshell strength was significantly (P<0.05) greater in Cu treated groups than control. Concentration of copper of liver was significantly (P<0.05) greater in Cu treated groups than control. Concentration of zinc and iron of liver were not influenced by treatments. Population of Cl. perfrigens and Lactobacilli in the small intestinal content were significantly (P<0.05) influenced by treatments. Population of Cl. perfrigens decreased and that of Lactobacilli increased in the Cu supplement groups. In conclusion, dietary Cu sulfate and Cu-soy proteinate similarly improves egg production, eggshell strength, and favors intestinal microbial population of laying hens.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.8
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• pp.1028-1033
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• 2010

The effects of delta-aminolevulinic acid (DALA) or chito-oligosaccharide (COS) in layer diets on production performance, egg quality and hematological characteristics were investigated in this 8-week trial. Two hundred and seventy 27-week-old (Hy-Line brown) layers were randomly assigned to 5 treatments with 9 replications per treatment. Dietary treatments were i) Control (basal diet); ii) DALA1 (basal diet+DALA 2 mg/kg); iii) DALA2 (basal diet+DALA 4 mg/kg); iv) COS1 (basal diet+COS 100 mg/kg) and v) COS2 (basal diet+COS 200 mg/kg). In this study, no significant difference was observed in feed intake and egg shell quality (eggshell breaking strength and egg shell thickness) among treatments. The inclusion of DALA increased egg production during the first 4 weeks. Egg weight was increased in both DALA (quadratic, p<0.05) and COS (linear, p<0.05) treatments compared with the control treatment. Laying hens fed the DALA treatment had an increased yolk color unit (quadratic, p<0.05) and haugh unit (linear, p<0.05) compared with the control group. Similarly, these characteristics were also affected by COS treatments, with both values being linearly increased (p<0.05) in COS treatments compared with the control treatment. Additionally, birds fed DALA treatments significantly increased (quadratic, p<0.05) the number of RBC, WBC and lymphocytes compared with the control treatment. Dietary DALA supplementation linearly increased (p<0.05) the serum iron concentration at the end of the 8th week. The inclusion of COS increased (linear, p<0.05) the concentration of RBC, WBC and lymphocytes compared with the control treatment. In conclusion, dietary DALA at the lower dosage (2 mg/kg) could exert better effects in laying hens than higher dosage (4 mg/kg). Birds fed DALA supplemented diet had an increased iron availability, egg weight, eggshell quality and immunity. Moreover, the inclusion of COS (200 mg/kg) can increase egg weight, eggshell quality and immunity in laying hens. Therefore, both the utilization of COS and DALA could be considered as a new strategy for optimizing egg quality and health condition of laying hens.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.169-176
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• 2021

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of varying levels of hydrolyzed yeast on egg production and egg quality in aged laying randomly allotted to three dietary treatments such that egg production was similar in each treatment (6 replicates of 10 birds each). The layers were fed diets containing 0, 0.1, or 0.2% hydrolyzed yeast for eight weeks. No significant difference was observed in egg production during the first half of the experiment. Egg production and daily egg mass in groups fed diets containing hydrolyzed yeast were significantly higher (P<0.05) than those of the control groups during the second half of the experiment. Egg weight was not affected by the dietary treatment. Eggshell strength and thickness in groups fed diets containing hydrolyzed yeast were significantly higher than those of the control groups during the overall experimental period (P<0.05). Although no significant differences were observed in the Haugh units, yolk color in the group fed diets containing 0.1% hydrolyzed yeast was significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). The mammillary layer thickness increased in a linear manner and significantly following treatment with dietary hydrolyzed yeast (P<0.05). Antibody titer against avian influenza virus in the group fed diets containing 0.2% hydrolyzed yeast was significantly higher (P<0.05) than that in the control group. In conclusion, dietary hydrolyzed yeast improved egg production and eggshell quality of laying hens in the late stages of production.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.27-32
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• 2012

This experiment was conducted to investigate the dietary effects of turmeric powder (TP) on laying performances, egg qualities and its transfer into eggs. A total of two hundred, 60-wk-old, Lohmann Brown layers were divided into 4 groups, placed in to 5 replicates per group (10 layers each) and fed each one of four diets containing 0% TP (control), 0.10, 0.25 or 0.50% TP, respectively, for 7 wks. Egg production in the all groups fed diets containing TP were significantly higher than that in control (P<0.05). No differences in feed intakes, egg and eggshell qualities were observed among the treatments, but Roche color fan number (yolk color) in group fed diet with 0.5% TP was significantly higher than in control (P<0.05). In the groups fed diets containing TP, Haugh units after 2 wk of storage were significantly higher than that of control (P<0.05). The curcumin content of egg yolk in the groups fed diet containing 0.50% TP was significantly higher than those in the other groups (P<0.05). The cholesterol levels of egg yolk were not influenced by dietary TP. It was concluded that dietary TP was effective in improving laying performance and internal egg qualities. TP can be also used as a feed additive for the production of value-enhanced eggs with increased yolk color and curcumin content.

• 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.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.189-197
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• 2022

This study was conducted to compare the egg productivity, egg quality, and blood characteristics of laying hens with different laying rates, and the frequency and cumulative duration of the sitting behavior observed before laying was investigated. Twelve 45-week-old Hy-Line Brown laying hens were randomly assigned to two treatment groups with three replicates. Treatment groups were classified as layers laying over 80%(high egg performance layers; HEP) and layers laying below 50%(poor egg performance layers; PEP). The experiment lasted 4 weeks. HEP showed higher hen-house egg production ratio and egg mass and lower feed conversion ratio(FCR) (P<0.05) compared with PEP, although egg weight was higher in PEP (P<0.05). In terms of egg quality, PEP showed differences in eggshell quality (eggshell color, eggshell thickness, and eggshell weight) (P<0.05). Additionally, HEP showed high triglycerides(TG), and PEP showed high alanine transaminase(ALT) level (P<0.05) in serum collected in the morning. In the afternoon, the HEP showed higher lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) levels (P<0.05). No differences in the Ca: P ratio were observed between layers with different laying rates. One hour before egg laying, HEP exhibited sitting behavior 4 times on average, each lasting 25 minutes. In conclusion, egg production and quality differ between HEP and PEP, and HEP showed frequent sitting behavior before egg laying. However, additional research is necessary to explore approaches other than specific behavioral observation to distinguish poor layers in the flock for application in farms.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.59-68
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• 2006

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation of activated charcoal (AC) mixed with wood vinegar on performance and egg quality in laying hens. A total of one hundred ninety two, 56-wk-old Lohmann brown laying hens were divided into four groups, consisting four replicates of 12 birds each and fed one of the four experimental diets containing AC 0%, AC 0.5%, AC 1%, AC 2% for 5 wks. The blood profiles and contents of total lipid and cholesterol, fatty acid profiles in egg yolk were determined. There were no significant differences in laying performance, feed intake and vitelline membrane strength among the treatments. The eggshell breaking strength and Haugh unit were significantly increased in 2% AC group compared to the other groups (P<0.05). Egg yolk index in 2% AC group was significantly higher (P<0.05) than those of the control and 0.5% AC group and yolk color was significantly improved by the dietary AC (P<0.05). The levels of serum total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and enzyme activities were not influenced by feeding AC. Total lipid of egg yolk in 1 % and 2% AC groups was significantly decreased (P<0.05) compared to that of the control, although there was no significant difference in yolk cholesterol. In conclusion, the addition of activated charcoal with wood vinegar in layer diet resulted in improving egg quality by means of enhancing eggshell breaking strength, Haugh unit, yolk index and yolk color.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.323-329
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• 2014

The objective of this experiment was to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation of copper-soy proteinate (Cu-SP) and herbal mixture (HBM) on growth performance, blood parameter, and immune response in laying hens. A total 800 Hy-Line Brown laying hens (60 weeks old) were randomly allotted to 1 of 4 dietary treatments : (1) Control : control diet, (2) Cu-SP : control diet + 100 mg/kg Cu-soy proteinate, (3) HBM : control diet + 0.15% herbal mixture, and (4) Cu-SP + HBM : control diet + 100 mg/kg Cu-soy proteinate + 0.15% herbal mixture. Each treatment was replicated 5 times with forty birds units were arranged according to randomized block design. Feeding trial lasted 5 weeks under 16L : 8D lighting regimen. The diet and water were available ad libitum. Result indicated that during feeding trial of the experiment, hen-day egg production was significantly (P<0.05) higher in Cu-SP and HBM treated groups than control. However, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, egg weight, broken and shell less egg production were not significantly influenced by treatments. Eggshell strength was significantly (P<0.05) higher in Cu-SP than control. Eggshell thickness, eggshell color, egg yolk color, Haugh unit were not significantly influenced by treatments. The level of WBC and stress index (heterophil : lymphocyte) were higher in supplemented groups than the control. The concentration of plasma IgG was higher in supplemented groups than the control. The result of this experiment showed that dietary copper-soy proteinate or herbal mixture tended to improve egg production and affect positively on immune response of laying hens.