• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.143-149
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• 2017

This study was carried out to collect basic data on the egg laying performance and disease occurrence on animal welfare-approved farms (AWAF) for laying hens with different housing types (windowless, open, and free-range house) and strains (Hy-line, Lohmann). Age at first egg laying was 151 d in the windowless house and 141 d in both the open and free-range houses, and the percentage peaks of each farm were 91.8%, 92.9%, and 86.3%. Average egg production according to housing types were 70.9%, 77.4%, and 65.6% at 18~38 wk old and 91.1%, 90.1%, and 76.2% at 32~36 wk. The average dirty and cracked egg ratio of the windowless, open, and free-range houses was 2.84%, 1.15%, and 0.23%, respectively. Mortality in the open house was lower than the other house types. Age of first egg laying for the Hy-line strain was 155 d and that for the Lohmann strain was 157 d, and the percentage peaks of the two strains were 92.9% (252 d) and 87.2% (237 d), respectively. Average egg production of the strains was 83.7% and 76.9%, respectively. The average dirty and cracked egg ratio of the Hy-Line and Lohmann strains was 3.85% and 2.97%, respectively. Mortality of the Hy-Line strain was lower than that of the Lohmann strain. There were significant differences (P<0.05) in the egg weight, HU, and egg yolk color of chickens raised in the open house compared with those of chickens raised in the other house types. In terms of antibody titer, that for Newcastle disease in open house chickens was lower than that of chickens raised in windowless and free-range houses. The antibody titer for low pathogenic avian influenza, avian infectious bronchitis, and avian pneumovirus was high at over 3.0 in all three farms. SG, Salmonella enteritidis, Salmonella pullorum, fowl adenovirus infection, and infectious laryngotrachitis were not detected in any of the three house types. The number of AWAF for laying hens has continuously increased in Korea, but there is currently little data on the housing types used on the AWAF for laying hens. Therefore, the results of the present study, in which analyzed the laying performance and disease occurrence on AWAF for laying hens, can use as basic data for the improvement of performance and prevention of disease on further AWFA for laying hens.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.55-63
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• 2019

This study was conducted to evaluate animal welfare approved farms in three housing systems (open, windowless, and free-range). The survey was conducted in 25 animal welfare approved farms, and 10 farms were surveyed for distribution status. The main breed in all animal welfare approved farms of laying hens was Hy-Line Brown variety. In the case of open house, laying hens were bred in traditional and panel houses simultaneously; however, the ratio of panel house was 58.3%, which was higher than that of the traditional house. All the windowless houses were made of panels and more than 15,000 laying hens were housed in a single windowless house. In the case of free-range house, it was maintained on a small scale of less than 12,000 birds. Fifty-six percent of the surveyed farms were breeding at $7{\sim}8birds/m^2$. In terms of male and female ratios, most farms maintained 1 male:15 females, but there was a farmhouse that switched 17 or 20 females to 1 male. The daily dietary allowance was 110~170 g, and 32% of the surveyed farms provided feed of more than 150 g/day, which showed that forage feed was important. The age of at the first egg was 123 days, 122 days, and 120 days, and the peak percent was 91.8%, 94.9%, and 86.5% in open, windowless and free-range houses, respectively. The average egg production rate was 74.0%, 84.6%, and 72.7% in open, windowless, and free-range houses respectively, thus, there was no correlation between feed intake and hen-housed eggs. Distribution of welfare certified eggs was mainly a direct deal with the consumer or through contract production. The ratio of direct transactions between large-scale marts and eco-friendly specialty stores of welfare approved eggs was higher than that of conventional eggs. The rate of contract sales of eggs in both the barn and free-range systems was high, and the percentage of courier sales farms was also high. Excluding courier services, price of eggs in the barn system rose to more than 30 won/egg in the second half of 2017 (after AI). Price of eggs in the free-range system rose to more than 50 won/egg in the second half of 2017 (after AI). In the case of courier sales, the same price of 500 won was maintained before and after AI. In conclusion, the results of this study can be used as basic data for improving the animal welfare certification system for laying hens in Korea.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.8
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• pp.1211-1218
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• 2014

Higher concentrations of ammonia ($NH_3$) and carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) in animal barns can negatively affect production and health of animals and workers. This paper focuses on measurements of summer concentrations of ammonia ($NH_3$) and carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) in a naturally ventilated laying henhouse located at an egg production facility in Bursa region, western Turkey. Also, indoor and ambient environmental conditions such as temperature and relative humidity were measured simultaneously with pollutant gas concentrations. The average $NH_3$ concentrations during summer of 2013 was 8.05 ppm for exhaust and 5.42 ppm for inlet while average $CO_2$ concentration was 732 ppm for exhaust and 625 ppm for inlet throughout summer. The overall minimum, average and maximum values and humidity were obtained as $16.8^{\circ}C$, $24.72^{\circ}C$, and $34.71^{\circ}C$ for indoor temperature and 33.64%, 63.71%, and 86.18% for relative humidity. The lowest exhaust concentrations for $NH_3$ and $CO_2$ were 6.98 ppm and 609 ppm, respectively. They were measured in early morning at the maximum diurnal ventilation rate in July 2013 and August 2013. The highest concentrations were 10.58 ppm for $NH_3$ and 904 ppm for $CO_2$ recorded in the afternoon when the ventilation rate was the lowest in June 2013.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.151-160
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• 2021

This study was conducted to determine the concentrations of particulate matter (PM) and NH3 emissions from different types of laying hens poultry houses during spring. The concentrations of PM and NH3 were measured three times (2-week intervals; March to May) in Floor-pen-, Aviary-, and Cage-type poultry houses. Overall, PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 concentrations were found to be low from 22:00 to 04:00. The PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 concentrations in Floor-pen and Cage houses were similar with no significant daily deviation. NH₃ concentrations measured over 24 h at the center and end of Floor-pen house were relatively constant. Irrespective of measurement location, NH₃ concentrations were the lowest in Floor-pen house. Moreover, NH₃ concentrations were higher at the end of Floor-pen and Aviary houses than that at the center; however, lower concentrations of NH₃ were detected at the end of Cage house. The concentrations of PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 around the poultry houses were 57.5 and 34.0 ㎍/m³, respectively, with the daily average PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 concentrations (4,730 and 447.7 ㎍/m³, respective) being the highest in Aviary house. The concentrations of NH₃ at the center and end of Cage house were the highest at 12.0 and 9.31 ppm, respectively. Furthermore, in Cage house, the emission factor of NH₃ was the lowest, whereas there was no significant difference on that of NH₃. In conclusion, among the three types of poultry houses assessed, PM (PM₁₀, PM_2.5) concentrations were higher in Aviary house, whereas NH3 concentrations were higher in Cage house.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.47-52
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• 2008

Broken eggs not only cause the economic loss in the egg producing industry, but also may not be good for the consumer's health. In order to identify the causes of eggshell breakage in laying hen houses, analyses on the status of eggshell breakage in the step of egg conveyer system of the laying hen house were conducted. The survey of eggshell breakage rate was implemented by four different stages egg conveying system. In the results, the breakage rate showed 4.7% in the egg collection belt, 2.5% in the egg elevator, 1.7% in the egg grading system and 0.9% in the egg conveyor belt. In particular, to Hy-line Brown variety, as the hens' raising week old increased, the breakage rate of eggshell increased while the strength of eggshell decreased. In the regression analysis between the breakage rate of eggshell and the strength of eggshell, the coefficient of determination ($R^2$) by the test of significance was computed as 0.7, therefore the changes of the strength of eggshell affects the breakage rate of eggshell. However, between the strength of eggshell and thickness of egg shell, and between the strength of eggshell and strain of eggshell, there was no significant difference detected in the regression analysis.