• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.237-241
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• 2002

To observe the effect of Induced molting on the recovery patterns of abdominal fat, visceral organs, and muscle tissues in spent laying hens after induced molting, three hundred sixty 77-wk-old, Babcock White hens were divided into 36 experimental units of 10 hens each and subjected to molt induction for seven wk. The post-molt production phase was spread over 84 to 126 wks of age. Thirty-six birds were randomly slaughtered and dressed at the pre-molt, 5% egg production, Peak, and end Phases of e99 Production. The body weight, abdominal fat, relative weight and length of visceral organs were measured. Proximate compositions of breast and thigh muscles were analyzed at each stage. The body weight was found to be minimal at the 5% egg Production stage, but increased as the egg Production increased for the rest of production. The pattern of abdominal fat change was very similar to that of body weight. The relative weight of the liver decreased to the lowest at the start of Post molting stage, but Peaked at the end Phase of egg Production (P<0.05). However, he heart and gizzard were observed to reach their maximum weight at the 5% egg Production (P<0.05), whereas they were, similar to those of the pre-molt phase for the rest of the production stages. Both intestine and reproductive tracts were found o be significantly smaller at 5% egg Production than at the other stages; however, their sizes increased gradually, reaching leak at the end Phase of e99 Production (P<0.05). Fat contents in breast and thigh muscles decreased significantly to the lowest at the start of the Post-molt stage, but increased to the highest at the end Phase of e99 Production (P<0.05). Thus, he Present study indicated that the molting process reduced body weight by decreasing the weights of abdominal fat and other visceral organs. Molting also influenced the breast and thigh muscle composition by decreasing fat content.