• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.351-359
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• 2009

This study was carried out to investigate dietary effects of extracts of Skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis) (SCE) grown in Korea on growth performance, immune and physiological responses in broiler chickens. Total of seven-hundred fifty 1-d-old Ross male broiler chicks were divided into five groups and fed control diets (antibiotics medicated or non-medicated commercial diets) or each experimental diet (non-medicated diets containing 0.1, 0.3 or 0.5% SCE) for 5 weeks. The body weight gain and feed conversion rate in the groups fed diets containing 0.1% or 0.3% SCE were significantly improved as compared with those of non-medicated control group (P<0.05). The levels of total cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol of blood were not influenced by feeding the SCE. The average antibody titers against NDV and IBV in the groups fed diets containing SCE were significantly increased compare to those of the control groups (P<0.05). The number of coli form bacteria was significantly reduced by feeding 0.3% or 0.5% SCE as compared to that of non-medication control (P<0.05). The results demonstrated that the SCE used in this study modulated humoral immunity and the profiles of cecal microflora and thus can be used as a potential alternative substance to replace antibiotics for feeding broiler chicks.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.389-398
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• 2010

The present experiment was carried out to compare performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality among three major meat-type duck strains in Korea. Two commercial duck (CD) strains, produced from parent stocks (PS) (Cherry Valley and Grimaud), and $F_1$ strains, self-produced by farmers, were used in an 8-week feeding experiment. Both feed conversion ratio and production index were significantly higher in Cherry Valley strain compared with the other two at the ends of 6 and 8 weeks (p<0.05). However, no differences were found in carcass characteristics and meat quality, with the exception of abdominal fat weight where Grimaud were higher than the others. Overall, the results of the current study show that Cherry Valley CD strain had higher performance among three strains tested.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.177-186
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• 2009

It is well-known that unregulated over-expression of foreign gene may have unwanted physiological or toxic effects in transgenic animals. To circumvent these problems, we constructed retrovirus vector designed to express the foreign gene under the control of the tetracycline-inducible promoter. However, gene expressions in the tetracycline-inducible expression system (Tet system) are not completely regulated but a little leaky due to the inherent defects in conventional Tet-based systems. A more tightly controllable regulatory system can be achieved when the advanced versions ($rtTA2^SM2$) of rtTA and a minimal promoter in responsive components (pTRE-tight) are used in combination therein. In this study, we tried to produce human thrombopoietin (hTPO) from various target cells and transgenic chickens using the retrovirus vector combined with Tet system. hTPO is the primary regulator of platelet production and has an important role in the survival and expansion of hematopoietic stem cells. In a preliminary experiment in vitro, higher hTPO expression and tighter expression control were observed in chicken embryonic fibroblast (CEF) cells. We also measured the biological activity of the hTPO using Mo7e cells whose proliferation is dependant on hTPO. The biological activity of the recombinant hTPO from CEF was higher than both its commercial counterpart and hTPO from other target cells. The recombinant retrovirus was injected beneath the blastoderm of non-incubated chicken embryos (stage X). Out of 138 injected eggs, 15 chicks hatched after 21 days of incubation. Among them, 8 hatched chicks were hTPO positive. When the Go transgenic chicken was fed doxycycline (0.5 mg per 1 gram of feed), a tetracycline derivative, hTPO concentration of the transgenic chicken blood was 200 ng/mL. Germline transmission of the transgene was confirmed in sperm of the Go transgenic roosters. These results are informative to establish transgenic chickens as bioreactors for the mass production of commercially valuable and biological active human cytokine proteins.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.149-155
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• 2009

The present study was conducted to compare the carcass yields and meat characteristics of three types of commercial male chicks White mini broilers, Ross broilers and Hy-Line brown chicks under the identical feeding condition. One-hundred 1-d chicks of each type were randomly placed into four pens per group (25 chicks per pen) and fed corn-soybean meal based commercial diets for 35d, 18d or 49d, respectively. At the end of the feeding trial, the birds were sacrificed and subjected to carcass measurements. The dressing percentages of White mini broilers and Ross broilers were significantly higher (P<0.05) than that of Hy-Line brown cockerels. The rate of breast meat of Hy-Line brown cockerels was significantly lower (P<0.05) than those of White mini broilers and Ross broilers. However, Hy-Line brown cockerels showed higher (P<0.05) leg meats than the others. There were no significant differences in serum total cholesterol and the activities of glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase and glutamic-pyruvic transaminase among the groups. The breast meats of White mini broilers presented highest lightness value. The yellowness of breast and redness of leg meats of White mini broilers and Ross broilers were significantly higher (P<0.05) than those of Hy-Line brown cockerels. There were no significant differences in the SOD-like activity and change of pH in edible meats among the groups. The meat color in White mini broilers was significantly higher than that of Hy-Line brown cockerels. No significant differences were observed in term of flavor, tenderness and overall acceptability. In conclusion, the physico-chemical properties and sensory characteristics of edible meats were not greatly affected by genotype if they were similar body weights and kept under the identical feeding condition. But the Hy-Line brown cockerels were less desirable as a meat-type strain due to lower carcass yields and inferior growth and feed conversion ratio.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.341-350
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• 2009

The research work was carried out to study the pathogenesis covering the clinical signs, gross and histopathological lesions in different organs, and reisolation and identification of the organisms after experimental infection with the local isolate of Salmonella enterica serovar. enterica subspecies (S.) Pullorum at different time interval of the experiment during the period February 2006 to December 2006. One hundred pullets (seronegative to S. Pullorum of 12 weeks age were purchased and divided into 5 (A, B, C, D and E) groups and each group consisted of 20 birds. Four groups (A, B, C and D) were infected orally with a dose of $10^6\;CFU$, $10^7\;CFU$, $2{\times}10^7\;CFU$, $10^8\;CFU$ of S. Pullorum, respectively, and one group (E) was treated as uninfected control. The used methods were necropsy and histopathology, culture of bacteria, staining and biochemical test of Salmonella. Five birds from each group were randomly selected and sacrificed $1^{st}$ week, $2^{nd}$, $3^{rd}$ and $4^{th}$ weeks of post infection (PI). From all the groups, the bacteriological samples (crop, liver, lung, heart, spleen, bile duodenum, ceca and blood) were collected with pre enriched in buffered peptone water in sterile poly bags. Liver, lungs, heart, spleen, intestine, etc. were collected in 10% buffered-formalin for histopathological examination. No clinical signs, gross and histopathological lesions were found in control group and no S. Pullorum was reisolated. Clinical sign of experimentally infected with S. Pullorum in pullets were loss of appetite (100%), slight depression (75%), ruffled feathers (85%), diarrhea (60%) and loss of weight (100%) in chickens. The feed intake and body weight at different weeks after PI differed significantly (p<0.01) among the groups. Grossly, the highest recorded lesion was button-like ulcer in the ceca (80%) and the lowest was white nodules in lungs (1.25%). S. Pullorum were reisolated from crop (91.25%), liver (91.25%), lung (83.75%), heart (71.25%), spleen (87.75%), bile (33.25%), duodenum (92.50%), ceca (97.50%) and from different group of infection (61.25%). The highest microscopic findings were intestinal and cecal mucosa and submucosa exhibited infiltration of mononuclear cells and congestion (96.25%), and the lowest finding was nodule formation in the lungs (3.75%). The pattern of the disease production by local isolate of S. Pullorum in Bangladesh is almost similar with other isolates in different countries.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.391-398
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• 2009

The objective of the present study was to compare of the effects of four molting methods on performance of laying hens. In total, 120 White Leghorn layers (62 weeks of age) were used. The four molting methods consisted of 10 days of feeding and the first 3 days of water withdrawal (FW1, 2) followed by ad libitum access to a layer diet 1 and 2 from day 11; 28 days of restricted feeding (NFW1); 28 days without withdrawing their feed (NFW2). Egg production of postmolt decreased until $3{\sim}4$ days at FW1 and FW2 treatments and until $16{\sim}18$ days at NFW1 and NFW2. 50% recovery of egg production were 7, 6, 7 and 5 week at FW1, FW2, NFW1, and NFW2 treatments, respectively. At day 14 of postmolt, the weight of livers, hearts, and oviducts decreased at molting treatments (P<0.05). Egg quality was improved on egg weight, eggshell thickness, eggshell break strength, and Haugh unit except egg yolk color (P<0.05).

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.173-179
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• 2011

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the dietary effects of multiple mixture of probiotics on laying performance and the faecal examination in laying hens (Hy-line Brown) at the early (21~40 wk) and middle (41~65 wk) laying term. Multiple probiotics were produced by developing products and the properties of microorganisms were examined for detecting of acid-resistance, bile salt-resistance and antibacterial activity against pathogenic enteric bacteria. Probiotics produced to the fermenting cultures of four selected organisms and soybean meal substrates by nine steps of NK proliferating system. The most microorganisms were shown higher resistance of acidity and bile salt. High antibacterial activities against Bacillus subtilis, Lactobacillus plantarum and Enterococcus faecium were observed, but was not against Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Total egg production of the treatment was significantly higher than control group but was not statistically different between 0.1% and 0.2% treatments (P>0.05). Average egg weight of the treatment in early laying term was also significantly higher than control but was not significantly different between 0.1% and 0.2% treatments (P>0.05). But the egg weight of the treatment in middle laying term was significantly higher than control and between 0.1% and 0.2% treatments (P>0.05). The mortality of 0.2% treatment was significantly lower than control (P<0.05), and 0.2% treatment in the early laying term was tended to decreased than 0.1% treatment and control. But there was not significantly between 0.1% and 0.2% treatments in middle laying term. In feed intake, 0.2% treatment in middle laying term was significantly increased than control and 0.1% treatment (P<0.05) but not in early laying term. In faecal examination, the total number of Lactobacillus of 0.1% treatment was significantly increased than control in whole laying term (P<0.05), but Coli form of the treatment was decreased than control in middle laying term. In conclusion, dietary long term supplementation of multiple probiotics improved performance of lay hens, egg weight and mortality drop by regulating enteric bacteria.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 1981

In trying to predict the effect of genetics on the broiler in the year 2000, this is a relatively short period of time as far as broiler genetics in concerned. Modern broiler genetics started around 1945 and tremendous gains when made in past 35 years. Futher improvements on broiler will depend on the evolution and revolution: 1. Evolution: (1) Growth rate has been made 4-5% per year. (2) Feed conversion has improved approximately 1% per year. (3) Abdominal fat is becoming a major complaint in broiler. (4) Because of the changing life-style, broiler meat sales in the future will be more and more in cut-up form. (5) Breeding for stress resistance and selection for docile temperament can be important in order to funker improve fled efficiency. (6) In female parent stock, reproduction characteristics are in many can negatively correlated with the desired broiler traits. (7) Egg production and hatchability in moot commercial parent nod m at a fairly high level. (8) In male parent stock, the heavier and mon super-meat-type male lines are desired to Product better broilers. 2. Revolution: Trying to forecast revolutionary change in broiler genetics is highly speculative, as sudden change are aften unpredictable. (1) Species hybridization, such as a turkey-chicken cross (2) Biochemical tools, such as blood typing. (3) Mutation breeding by radiation or chemical mutagentia. (4) Broiler breeding would be to change the phenotypic appearance by single gene, such as naked, wingless. (5) Changes in production techniques. such as growing in cage or growing in filtered air positive pressure houses.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.283-291
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• 2004

Feeding trials were conducted with Euglena strains grown under different media. The effect of supplementation of Euglena on the laying performance, egg quality and fatty acid composition of egg yolk was studied. In experiment I, two hundred eighty 32-wk-old ISA Brown layers were randomly assigned to seven dietary treatments for 4 wks. Each treatment consisted of 4 replications with 10 birds each housed in two birds cages. Control diet was formulated to have $17\%$ CP and 2,750 kcal ME/kg. Euglena gracilis Z. (EG) was added to control diet at the level of 0.25, 0.5, $1.0\%$ and Euglena gracilis Z. bleached and DHA enriched (EGBD; a strain mutated by streptomycin and cultivated in DHA enriched medium) at the level of 0.5, 1.0, $2.0\%$ in the diet. In experiment 2, three hundred 84-wk-old ISA brown layers were randomly assigned to five dietary treatments: T1; Control, T2; T1 + EGBD $0.5\%$, T3; T1 + Euglena gracilis Z. DHA enriched (EGD; cultivated in DHA enriched medium) $0.5\%$, T4; T1 + EGD $1.0\%$, T5; T1 + EGD $2.0\%$. Each treatment had 5 replication of 12 birds each housed in two birds cages. In experiments 1 and 2, Euglena suppplementation did not significantly affect egg production but increased egg weight and feed intake. In experiment 1, EG was more effective in increasing egg yolk color score than EGBD. Egg yolk color of EG $1\%$ treatment showed the highest score. EGBD supplementation increased DHA concentration of egg yolk. EGBD $2\%$ treatment showed the highest DHA and the lowest palmitic and stearic acids concentration in the egg yolk. In experiment 2, EGBD $0.5\%$ treatment showed highest DHA level in egg yolk (P<0.05). It was conducted that EGBD is a single cell protein source rich in DHA, that can be used to produce DHA enriched eggs.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.189-194
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• 2006

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of natural mineral complex supplementation on egg production and characteristic in laying hens. A total of two hundred forty laying hens were randomly allocated into four treatments with ten replications for six weeks. Dietary treatments included 1) CON (control, basal diet) 2) M0.5 (basal diet + 3% chitosan + 0.5% natural mineral complex), 3) M1.0 (basal diet + 3% chitosan + 1.0% natural mineral complek) and 4) M1.5 (basal diet + 3% chitosan + 1.5% natural mineral complex). In the egg production, the M1.5 treatment was significantly higher than other treatments(P<0.05). However, egg weight was significantly higher in M0.5 treatment than CON and M1.0 treatments(P<0.05). Egg shell breaking strength was higher in M1.5 treatment than M0.5 treatment. Egg shell thickness was the highest in M1.5 treatment compared to other treatments(P<0.05). The hens 134 M0.5 diet were improved egg yolk color compared to those fed other diets(P<0.05). The Haugh unit, CON and M1.0 treatments showed significantly different results compared to those of M1.5 treatment(P<0.05). The M1.5 treatment had higher Ca and Fe concentration in blood and higher K concentration in yolk than CON(P<0.05). In conclusion, supplementation of natural mineral complex in laying hen diets influenced on egg production, egg shell qualify and mineral concentration in blood and yolk.