• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.896-907
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• 2024

Objective: The potential of aqueous extract of Christ's thorn jujube (Ziziphus spina-christi) leaves (SLAE) to reduce the negative impacts of heat stress on production performance and physiological traits was investigated in dual-purpose layers under subtropical farming. Methods: A total of 200, 25-week-old laying hens (Inshas strain) were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments including SLAE at 0, 2.5, 5.0, and 7.5 mL/kg, respectively. The average temperature-humidity index value was 26.69 during the experimental period. The SLAE contained saponin (0.045%), total flavonoid content of 17.9 mg of quercetin equivalent/100 g and overall antioxidant capacity concentration of 17.9 mg of ascorbic acid equivalent/100 g. Results: The maximum final body weight (BW), BW gain, egg weight, number, and mass occurred at the level of SLAE7.5 inclusion. The egg quality was significantly higher in SLAE groups than in control, and overall, SLAE7.5 had the most favorable influence at 28 and 32 weeks. Liver and kidney function, as well as lipids profile, improved significantly by SLAE inclusion; the lowest concentrations of these parameters were in SLAE7.5 hens. Treatment with SLAE7.5 increased total antioxidant capacity and endogenous antioxidant enzymes compared to control, whereas no effect on superoxide dismutase was noticed. Conclusion: The addition of SLAE at 7.5 mL/kg diet improved egg laying performance and quality, metabolic profiles, and antioxidant status during hyperthermia conditions.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.7
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• pp.1235-1242
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• 2021

Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify through infrared thermal imaging technology the facial surface temperature (FST) of laying hens in response to the variations in their thermal environment, and to identify the regional differences in FST to determine the most stable and reliable facial regions for monitoring of thermoregulatory status in chickens. Methods: Thirty Hy-Line Brown hens (25-week-old) were sequentially exposed to three different thermal conditions; optimal (OT, 22℃±2℃), low (LT, 10℃±4℃), and high temperature (HT, 30℃±2℃). The mean values of FST in five facial regions including around the eyes, earlobes, wattles, beak and nose, and comb were recorded through infrared thermography. The maximum FST (MFST) was also identified among the five face-selective regions, and its relationship with temperature-humidity index (THI) was established to identify the range of MFST in response to the variations in their thermal environment. Results: Hens exposed to OT condition at 15:00 displayed a higher temperature at wattles and around the eyes compared to other regions (p<0.001). However, under LT condition at 05:00 to 08:00, around the eyes surface temperature showed the highest value (p<0.01). In HT, wattles temperature tended to show the highest temperature over almost time intervals. Main distribution regions of MFST were wattles (63.3%) and around the eyes (16.7%) in OT, around the eyes (50%) in LT, and wattles (62.2%) and comb (18.3%) in HT. The regression equation between MFST and THI was estimated as MFST = 35.37+0.2383×THI (R² = 0.44; p<0.001). Conclusion: The FST and the frequency of MFST in each facial region of laying hens responded sensitively to the variations in the thermal environment. The findings of this experiment provide useful information about the effect of the thermal conditions on the specific facial regions, thus offering an opportunity to stress and welfare assessment in poultry research and industry.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.558-569
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• 2020

This study examined the frequency of a broiler's stay in each area as stock density using an ICT-based image analysis technique from the perspective of precision livestock farming (PLF) according to the increase in the domestic broiler farms to understand the normal behavior patterns of broilers by age. The broiler was used in the experimental box (3.3×2.7 m) in a poultry house in Gyeonggi province. The stock densities were 9.5 birds/㎡ (n=85) and 19 birds/㎡ (n=170), respectively, and the frequency of stay by feeding, water, and rest area was monitored using a top-view camera. The image data of three-colored-specific broilers identified as the stock density were acquired by age (12, 16, 22, 27, and 29 days) for six hours. In the collected image data, the object tracking technique was used to record the cumulative movement path by connecting approximately 640,000 frames at 30 fps to quantify the frequency of stay in each area. In each stock density, it was significant in the order of the rest area, feeding, and water area (p<0.001). In 9.5 birds/㎡, it was at 57.9, 24.2, and 17.9 %, and 73.2, 16.8, and 10 % in 19 birds/㎡. The frequency of a broiler's stay could be evaluated in each area as the stock density using an ICT-based image analysis technique that minimizes stress. This method is expected to be used to provide basic material for developing an ICT-based management system through real-time monitoring.