• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.449-457
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• 2010

This study investigated the effects of three kinds of water extract mixtures each with different ratios of A. capillaris, C. sinensis, S. chinensis, and V. coloratum on laying performance, egg quality, blood characteristics, and egg storage stability in laying hens. One hundred and sixty 35-wk-old laying hens (Hy-line brown) were divided into four groups of 10 birds each replicated times four. The treatments involved a basal diet (C, control) or diets containing three kinds of water extract mixtures at 200 ppm (T1, water extract mixture A; T2, water extract mixture B; T3, water extract mixture C). The egg production rate, egg mass, and feed conversion ratio were significantly improved in all treatments compared to those of control (p<0.05). Haugh unit and egg yolk color in all treated groups were significantly improved in comparison with control (p<0.05), but no significant differences were observed for egg shell quality. The content of total cholesterol in blood serum was significantly decreased in all treatments compared to that of control (p<0.05). The blood biochemical parameters of liver and kidney damage were significantly decreased in all treatments compared to those of control (p<0.05). Total antioxidant activity in the blood serum of all treated groups was increased as well. The Haugh unit and malondialdehyde content in the egg yolk during storage were significantly decreased in all treated groups compared to control (p<0.05). Consequently, the dietary supplementation of water extract mixtures of A. capillaris, C. sinensis, S. chinensis, and V. coloratum improved laying performance and egg quality but decreased egg quality deterioration with increased storage. These results suggest that medicinal plant extracts could be used as a feed additive in feed for laying hens.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.10
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• pp.1391-1399
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• 2009

Two hundred and sixteen 68-week-old Hy-Line brown laying hens were used in a 6-week feeding trial to compare the efficacy of phytases Optiphos (OPT) and Natuphos (NAT), which were isolated from Escherichia coli and Aspergillus niger, respectively. Hens were randomly allotted into six treatments with six replications (six layers in three adjacent cages) per treatment according to their initial BW. The hens were then subjected to one of the following dietary treatments: i) Positive Control (PC; available phosphorus (AP) 0.4%); ii) Negative control (NC; AP 0.2%); iii) NAT1 (NC+250 FTU/kg NAT); iv) NAT2 (NC+500 FTU/kg NAT); v) OPT1 (NC+250 FTU/kg OPT); vi) OPT2 (NC+500 FTU/kg OPT). Feed intake, egg production, egg quality, apparent nutrient digestibility and serum P and Ca concentration were evaluated to compare the effect of the two phytases. Feed intake and eggshell thickness were not affected by the treatments. Superior effects (p<0.05) of OPT were only observed in egg production and egg weight compared with NAT. Characteristics such as eggshell breaking strength, apparent digestibility of N, Ca and P and serum P concentration were equally increased with the supplementation of both phytases (p<0.05), where no significant difference was observed in those characteristics between PC and phytase supplementation at 500 FTU/kg. Equally effective improvements (p<0.05) were also observed in egg production and DM digestibility, where no improvements were observed (p<0.05) between the PC group and the groups with phytase supplementation at 500 FTU/kg. Equal increases in the serum Ca level were observed when the groups with phytase supplementation were compared to the PC group. Overall, the results of this study suggest that NAT and OPT are equally effective at liberating phytate-bound complexes when included in 0.2% available phosphorus diets for 68-week laying hens; either source of phytase can be fed to commercial 68-week laying hens at 500 FTU/kg to correct the negative effects associated with a 0.2% available phosphorus diet. In conclusion, either source of phytase can be fed to commercial first cycle laying hens at 500 FTU/kg to effectively replace inorganic phosphorus when economically justified.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.7-12
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• 2002

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of feeding germanium colloid(GC) on the egg quality and immune response in 1aying hens. One hundred forty four layers, 32-wk-old ISA Brown, were used in a 40-d experimental assay with a 7-d adjustment Period. Dietary treatments included 1) control (basal diet; CON), 2) 0.5ppm GC (basal diet + 0.Sppm germanium), 3) 1.0ppm GC (basal diet + 1.0 ppm germanium) . For overall Period, hen-day e99 Production tended to be increased as the concentration of GC in the diets was increased with significant difference (linear effect, p<0.01) . Laying hens fed 0.5ppm GC diet were significantly (P<0.01) lower in egg shell breaking strength than laying hens fed CON or 1.0 ppm GC diets. Egg shell thickness and yolk color were not influenced by GC supplementation. Laying hens fed 1.0ppm GC diet were h19her in egg yolk Index than laying hens fed CON and 0.5ppm GC diets with significant difference (quadratic effect, p<0.02) . As adding level of germanium colloid increased in the diets, the total serum cholesterol and triglyceride tended to be decreased. However, the effect of GC supplementation did not show significant in the levers of total serum cholesterol and triglyceride. Also, HDL- and LDL+VLDL-cholesterol in serum were not statistically different among the treatments. Red blood cell and white blood cell count in blood tended to be increased as the concentration of GC in the diets was increased with significant difference (P<0.01) . Hematocrit concentration in blood was successfully Increased by supplementation of GC (P<0.01) . In conclusion, although egg quality was not influenced by GC supplementation, supplementing GC Improved Immune status in laying hens.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.177-188
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• 2005

In this study, the thermal environmental factors in a layer f(arm such as dry bulb temperature, relative humidity, black globe temperature and illumination intensity were measured and analyzed to serve as basis for effective design and plan of poultry houses. The correlation analysis between the different factors was also done. Heat Index as measure of the thermal stress was also calculated and analyzed. A $1,000m^2$ laying house, 4 meters high with 52,000 layers in six-stage type cages was used in the measurement of the different environmental parameters. The results were as follows; 1. The temperature of the inside air and materials was directly related to the increase in aerial temperature based on the dry-bulb, black globe temperature reading. The correlation factor of the outside to inside air based on dry bulb setting was very significant at 0.927 The dry bulb temperature for inside temperature ranged from $19.9\~28.8^{\circ}C\;with\;SD+2.2^{\circ}C$ while that of the outside air was $16.2\~33.1^{\circ}C,\;SD+3.5^{\circ}C$. In addition, the temperature of the inside air was very stable. 2. The black globe temperature of the inside air ranged from $20.1\~28.8^{\circ}C,\;SD+2.3^{\circ}C$ while that of the outside air was $16.2\~47.5^{\circ}C,\;SD+6.0^{\circ}C$. 3. The relative humidity of the outside and inside air was $72.4\~100\;and\;50.2\~85.6\%$ with an average of $89.2\;and\;71.7\%$, respectively. 4. The illumination intensity in the laying house was less than 7 lux, with an average of $1.2\~2.5lux$ relative to height indicating that the laying house was well isolated from outside radiation. 5. The heat index of the inside air of the laying house had a high variation from $20.5^{\circ}C,\;SD+2.5^{\circ}C$ while that of the outside air was $13.1\~45.5^{\circ}C$, with an average of $21.6^{\circ}C,\;SD+6.3^{\circ}C$.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.171-176
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• 2002

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of taurine supplementation on the egg production and egg quality in laying hen. In experiment 1, 19-wk-old laying hens were allowed one of four taurine supplemented diets (0 (control), 0.4, 0.8, and 1.2% taurine) for 10 weeks. The mean egg weight was lower about 1.2g in the 0.8% diet compared to the control. Egg production rate, egg mass, and feed intake in layers fed with 0.4, 0.8, and 1.2% taurine supplemented diets decreased by 8%∼24%, 3%∼l4% and 11%∼l5%, respectively, relative to the control. However, the feed conversion, parameters of egg quality, and the concentration of triacylglycerol and the level of cholesterol in yolk were not different among the treatments. In experiment 2, 81-wk-old laying hens were allocated one of three taurine supplemented diets(0 (control), 1 and 2% taurine) for 6 weeks. The egg weight, egg production rate, egg mass, feed intake, feed conversion, parameters of egg quality, and level of yolk cholesterol were not different among the treatments, but the concentration of triacylglycerol in yolk was higher by 14%∼19% compared to the control. In conclusion, these results indicated that taurine supplementation in early laying stage of layers decreased hen performance.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.161-167
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• 2003

A study was conducted to investigate the effect of supplementing earthworm meal (EWM) on the performance of laying hens and fatty acid composition in egg yolks. A total of 360 laying hens at 55 weeks of age were fed the experimental diets containing 0.0% (Control), 0.1% and 0.2% of EWM for 5 weeks. Eggs were collected and weighted every day and egg production and feed conversion were recorded every weeks during the experimental period. However fatty acid composition of egg yolk were measured at last week of experimental period. Amount of feed intake tended to increase by supplemental EMW, but feed conversion ratio of birds fed EWM was not different among three groups. Average egg production seemed to increase and significantly improved (P<0.05) when fed a 0.1% EWM and 0.2% EWM, respectively. Average egg weight was prone to decrease when fed a 0.1% EWM compared to that fed a 0% (control) or 0.2% EWM. Average daily egg mass tended to improve by the addition of EWM. It was more increased in 0.2% EWM treatment than 0.1% EWM. The ratio of egg yolk n-6/ n-3 fatty acids contents was 5:1 fed a 0.1% and 0.2% EWM. But these ratio was 10:1 in control group. It is concluded that 0.2% earthworm meal supplementation in the 55 weeks old laying hens diet, improves the laying performance and ratio of egg yolk n-6/ n-3 fatty acids contents (P<0.05).

• 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.17 no.1
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• pp.7-15
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• 1990

The present study was undertaken to determine the effect of different body hair color (Native type) and commercial white laying hen (Improvement, Nick Chick strain) on cholesterol, triglyceride and protein concentration in serium. Experimental hens were selected out of yellow-brown body hair color strain (10 heads), green-black body hair color strain (13 heads), white body hair color strain (7 heads), black-bone strain (10 heads) as native type and commercial white laying hen (30 head,3) as improved variety. Experimental diet was fed identically for 4 weeks in total groups. The results of the experiment obtained were summerized as follows：1. Serium cholesterol contents were the highest in commercial white laying hen ($172.50\pm$13.45 mg/100 $m\ell$) (p＜0.01;, and higher in white color strains than body hair color strain groups. Body hair color strain groups were similar in serium cholesterol contents. 2, Serium triglyceride concentration also showed no response among native type groups, however commercial white laying hen group shelved significatly difference. (p＜0.01) 3. Serium protein contents were the highest in commercial white laying hen group ($6.24\pm$0.23 mg/100 $m\ell$). (p＜0,01) Increasing the serium cholesterol, triglyceride and protein contents in commercial white laying hen group than color strain group of native type was considered to improved grade.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.12
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• pp.1789-1794
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• 2003

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of substituting different levels of hazelnut kernel oil meal (HKOM) for dehulled soyabean meal (DSBM) in diets for Japanese quail. Five diets in which HKOM was replaced with 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% of DSBM protein in a growing diet for a 5 week period using 450 Japanese quails of initial age of 1 week and in a layer diet for a 112 days period using 180 Japanese laying quails of initial age of 7 week were examined in experiments 1 and 2, respectively. Hence, treatment groups were: control (0 HKOM), 0.25 HKOM, 0.50 HKOM, 0.75 HKOM and 1HKOM. In the experiment 1, 1 HKOM decreased BWG compared with the 0 HKOM and 0.25 HKOM, while it increased FCR compared with the 0HKOM at day 21 (p<0.05). Compared with the other groups, 0.75 HKOM and 1 HKOM decreased BWG (p<0.01) at day 28. While the FCR of 1 HKOM was higher (p<0.01) than that of 0 HKOM, 0.25 HKOM and 0.50 HKOM, respectively, that of 0.75 HKOM was higher than that of 0 HKOM and 0.25 HKOM diets at day 28. However, at day 42 of age, BWG, FCR and the feed intake (FI) were not affected (p>0.05) by inclusion of HKOM. Mortality rate, carcase yield and liver, heart and gizzard weight (% of body weight) were not affected (p>0.05) by inclusion of HKOM to the diet. In the experiment 2, egg production was decreased (p<0.05) by the 1 HKOM diet compared with the 0.50 HKOM diet. While FCR increased by the 1 HKOM diet compared with the 0.25 HKOM and 0.50 HKOM diets (p<0.05). Feed intake for quails fed with the 0 HKOM diet was higher (p<0.05) than for quails fed with 0.50 HKOM diet. The egg yolk weight for 0 HKOM diet group was lower (p<0.05) than for quails in 1 HKOM diet group. In conclusion, the results indicate that DSBM can be replaced by HKOM in diets for growing and laying Japanese quails. However 50% HKOM has higher laying performance than 100% HKOM in the laying period.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.271-277
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• 2014

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of the meat from spent laying hen on the shelf-life and physicochemical properties of emulsified sausage. Four types of sausage were made: 0% (Control), 10% (T1), 20% (T2) and 30% (T3) of spent hen meat added. Each sausage type was tested in triplicate. The addition of spent hen meat resulted in decreased crude fat and cooking loss, and increased WHC (water holding capacity), CIE $a^*$ and hardness. Values for crude fat and cooking loss were significantly decreased by the addition of spent laying hen meat relative to the control (P<0.05). Especially, T3 was significantly (P<0.05) decreased compare to other treatment groups. Spent laying hen meat addition had no significantly effects on moisture, crude protein, crude ash, pH, WHC, TBARS (thiobarbituric acid reactive substance) values, shear force, total plate counts (TPC), CIE $L^*$ and $b^*$ values. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that the addition of spent laying hen meat to emulsified sausages tended to improve sausage quality.