• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.341-347
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• 1992

Eggs used in this study were obtained from Saudi Arabian Baladi laying hens which were divided into four experimental groups and subjected to the following treatments: Commercial laying ration (17% CP, 3.6% Ca and 0.343%, available P) fed ad libitum as a control (C); Conventional force molting, feed removal for 10 days followed by 18 days full-feed of cracked corn (F); 15 days ad libitum intake of the control ration supplemented, to initiate forced-molt, with 0.35% aluminum as the sulfate (ALS) or the chloride (ALC). The hens were in production for 52 weeks and 17 months of age at the start of the trial and the post-treatment period lasted 36 weeks. During the treatment period F and AL treated groups had similar egg and shell weight, egg surface area, shell thickness and shell weight per unit of surface area but significantly (p<0.05) lower than the control. F had significantly (p<0.05) the highest and the control the lowest Haugh unit values whereas AL fed groups had significantly (p<0.05) lower meat spot incidence compared with the control which tended to have higher value than F group. ALC and F had significantly (p<0.05) the lowest yolk color grade whereas ALC had significantly (p<0.05) lower egg index than ALS and the control. During the post-treatment period the control had significantly (p<0.05) the highest egg index and blood spots incidence and ALS the lowest shell diensity compared with other groups. ALS had significantly (p<0.05) lower shell weight than ALC and the control whereas F and AL treated hens had significantly (p<0.05) the highest Haugh unit values and yolk color grades respectively. F had significantly (p<0.05) lower meat spots incidence than ALC and the control. The same results were observed for ALS compared with the control.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.748-757
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• 2019

The objective of the present study was to evaluate effects of probiotic mixture (PM) including Bacillus subtillus, Streptomyces galilaeus and Sphingobacteriaceae on egg production, egg quality, and eliminating odor in laying hens. A total of 240 Hy-Line Brown laying hens (50 wks of age) were divided into four treatment groups (60 replicates of birds, each) in completely randomized design. Groups were assigned to four experimental diets: CON (a basal diet of no PM additive as control), basal diet supplemented with either CP3 (0.3% commercial probiotics), PM3 (0.3% PM), or PM5 (0.5% PM 0.5). Data of egg production and egg quality were obtained during 6 weeks of experimental period. Egg production, Haugh unit, shell thickness, breaking strength, yolk color, and albumin high were significantly increased in CP3 and PM3 compared to those in CON and CP3. Ammonia levels and numbers of E. coli, total aerobic bacteria, Coliform, and Salmonella in feces were significantly increased in order of CON>CP3>PM3>PM5. The present study indicates that addition of 0.3% probiotic mixture including B. subtillus, S. galilaeus and Sphingobacteriaceae to diets may improve egg production, egg quality, and eliminate fecal ammonia of laying hens.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.337-345
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• 2010

The current study was conducted to estimate the effect of dietary taurine on performance, egg quality, blood parameter, liver lipids and lipid peroxidation level of laying hens fed high fat diet. Two hundred eighty laying hens, forty five weeks of age, were allocated to four treatment groups with seven replicates of 10 each per treatment for 4 weeks. Experimental diets were assigned to each of the four groups: control diet (CON), CON with 0.5% taurine (CT), CON with 5% soybean oil (HF), and CON with 5% soybean oil and 0.5% taurine (HFT). Egg weight was significantly lower in the control than the CT (P<0.05). However, the HFT was similar to the level compared to both control and HF. Serum concentrations of total cholesterol, triglyceride and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) were significantly decreased by about 30%, 36% and 20%, respectively in the HFT compared to the HF (P<0.05). In the liver tissue, triglyceride concentration tended to be lower by about 28% in the HFT compared to the HF (P<0.05). The hepatic lipid peroxidation level was significantly decreased by about 25% in the HFT compared to the HF (P<0.05). These results indicated that taurine supplementation improved the serum total cholesterol, triglyceride concentration, and decreased hepatic lipid peroxidation level without affecting performance in laying hens fed high fat diet.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.121-126
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• 2020

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of drinking ion water on the performance, egg quality, and serum biochemical properties of laying hens in a high-temperature environment. A total of 180 laying hens with equal egg production rates were randomly divided into three treatments with five replicates. Treatments were applied from 24 to 27 weeks of age and included the supply of ion water (IW), tap water (TW), and cold water (CW). The results showed that the egg production rate, egg weight, and feed intake of hens were significantly (P<0.01) improved in the IW group compared with those in the TW group but did not differ from those in the CW group. Egg quality parameters such as albumen height, Haugh unit, and eggshell thickness were found to be higher in the IW than in the TW group (P<0.05); however, no significant differences were observed in comparison with the CW group. Serum Ca and P concentrations tended to increase (P<0.10) in the IW group, and serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and albumin levels were greater (P<0.05) in response to IW than those to TW. This study provides evidence that the supply of IW can relieve the high-temperature stress during the summer. In particular, because the improved effects of the IW were confirmed to be similar to those of CW, it shows potential as a method to manage the drinking water of hens in the summer season along with the supply of CW.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.225-228
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• 1992

The study was undertaken to determine the effect of various levels of dietary magnesium on the metabolizability of magnesium in laying Tsaiya ducks and Leghorn hens. Twenty-five Tsaiya ducks and 25 Leghorn hens were raised in individual cages. The basal diet was mainly consisted of corn starch and isolated soybean protein. At the beginning of the experiments, birds were fed the basal diet added with 500 mg/kg Mg (1070 mg/kg in total by analysis) for 10 days in order to make the birds adapt to the new diet. Then, they were randomly divided into five treatments with five birds for each treatment and fed the experimental diets containing 690, 1070, 1690, 2150 or 2380 mg/kg Mg for 21 days and during the last five days excreta were collected. The experiment was repeated three times each at the age of 25, 31 and 36 weeks. The metabolizability of magnesium in the diet was determined by the indicator method. The metabolizabilities of magnesium for Tsaiya duck and Leghorn hen were 59.9% and 62.5%, respectively as the diet contained 690 mg/kg magnesium, and were significantly decreased (p<0.05) to 39.7 and 30.7%, respectively when the dietary magnesium content was increased to 2380 mg/kg.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.686-691
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• 2005

Prolactin is considered to influence the taking of pauses in between ovulatory sequences in White Leghorn hens. Therefore modulating concentrations of prolactin using bromocriptine - a dopamine agonist during early life (17 to 36 weeks of age) could overcome the inhibitory effects of high concentration of prolactin on ovarian activity. The effect of modulation of prolactin concentration on egg production, sequence length and inter sequence pauses were studied by analyzing the oviposition records from 19 to 72 weeks were studied and compared with untreated controls. Bromocriptine administered subcutaneously (100 $\mu$g kg$^{-1}$ body weight or orally through feed (640 $\mu$g day$^{-1}$ bird$^{-1}$) resulted in a steady and sustained decrease in prolactin levels (p<0.01) during and after the withdrawal of treatment up to one reproductive cycle (72 weeks of age). The treated birds had comparatively longer sequences (p<0.01) and fewer pauses (p<0.01). Egg production increased (p<0.01) by fourteen per cent through subcutaneous administration and eleven per cent through oral feeding, over the control birds. It is concluded that the physiological pauses that occur during ovulatory sequences can be disrupted effectively using bromocriptine. Prolactin levels are modulated which may interfere with the follicular recruitment and subsequent oviposition thereby improve egg laying potential of the bird.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.145-150
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• 2003

A feeding trial was carried out to investigate the effect of dietary complex probiotics on performance. egg qualities and intestinal microflora in laying hens. Three hundred twenty ISA Brown laying hens, 34 weeks of age, were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments containing 0, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.4% complex probiotics for 12 weeks. There were four replicates per treament. Total egg production, soft and broken egg number tended to improve as dietary complex probiotics increased, but was not significantly different. Average egg weight was significantly higher in the 0.1% and 0.2% complex probiotics than the control(P<0.05). Daily egg mass also increased by adding complex probiotics compared to that of control, but was not statistically different. No significant difference was found in feed intake and feed conversion ratio. Eggshell breaking strength and thicknes were not significantly different, whereas yolk color was significantly lower in the supplemental 0.2% probiotics than the comtrol at 12 weeks of age(P<0.05). There was no significant difference in Haugh unit. Total number of cecum Lactobacillus and naerobes were significantly higher in the complex probiotics than control(p.0.05). However, the number of ileal Lactobacillus and naerobe were not significantly different. It was concluded that dietary complex probiotics could improve the egg weight and intestinal beneficial microbes.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.97-107
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• 2018

This study aimed to evaluate the dietary effect of organic sulfur (OS) supplementation on performance, egg quality and serum constituents in laying hens. A total of 360 Lohmann brown laying hens at the age of 31 weeks were distributed into four treatments having five replicates of 18 hens each until 54 weeks. The hens were fed four levels (0.0, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.4%) of OS with basal diet. The number of eggs was investigated daily, and egg quality was confirmed every 8 weeks. Sulfur content in eggs, interleukin 2 (IL-2), T help cells (CD4+) and cytotoxicity cells (CD8+) were measured at the termination of the experiment. The result of the study showed that egg production tended to increase with 0.4% OS in diet after 39 weeks of age and, there was a significant effect (P<0.05) from 47 to 54 weeks of age. Egg quality traits of albumen height and haugh unit increased significantly (P<0.05) owing to the addition of OS to the diet. The polyunsaturated fatty acids in yolk were gradually increased while saturated fatty acids were decreased with increasing levels in OS (P<0.05). Total sulfur concentration in the eggs increased significantly (P<0.05) in treatments fed OS. Moreover, albumin, AST and HDL cholesterol levels in serum improved significantly (P<0.05) owing to the addition of OS. The IL-2 concentration and the ratio of CD4+ and CD8+ in blood were generally higher (P<0.05) at 0.4% OS. Therefore, it can be recommended that supplementary OS diet affected the performance, egg quality and stimulated immune response in laying hens.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.97-103
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• 2013

The present study examined effects of production performance, immune activity and egg quality by raising on exercise yard in laying Hens, the results of which could be used as baseline data to enhance animal welfare and the safety of livestock products. A total of 90 Hy-line-Brown laying hens of 13 weeks old were used in the experiment for 38 weeks. The cage group (Cage group) was raised in a cage, where an area of $0.084m^2$ was assigned to two hens, while hens in the exercise yard $1.1m^2$ group ($1.1m^2$ group) was assigned to a combination of a chicken house ($0.11m^2$) and a exercise yard ($1.1m^2$) per a hen. Hens in the exercise yard $2.2m^2$ group ($2.2m^2$ group) was assigned to a combination of a chicken house ($0.11m^2$) and a exercise yard ($2.2m^2$) per a hen. Treatment was replicated 3 times with ten birds per replication. Ten birds were arranged according to randomized block design. While initial egg production rate was significantly higher in the Cage group, $1.1m^2$ group exhibited a slightly higher rate in the mid- and late-stage of the experiment, although the difference was not statistically significant. Exercise yard treatment groups exhibited a higher feed intake rate than the Cage group up until the hens were 39 weeks old (P<0.05), but the difference dissipated from that age on. The age at first egg in the exercise yard treatment groups was 16 days later than that for the Cage group (P<0.05), although differences in the quality of the eggs were not observed. The results of immune activity test showed that IgA in the exercise yard treatment groups was significantly higher than that in the Cage group (P<0.05). IgG, IgM, and corticosterone were also higher in the exercise yard treatment groups. The soil in exercise yard increased of organic matter and decreased of cation exchange capacity (CEC) in raised hens. In sum, raising hens in a exercise yard raise style decreased the rate of initial egg production, which was followed by a slight increase during the latter part of the experiment. The exercise yard raise hens' immune activity was heightened.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.113-123
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• 1987

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of age of hen and oviposition time on egg weight, egg shell quality and e88 shape index in White Leghorn laying hens. The data were collected from 150 laying hens for about 4 months from September 1, 1986 to January 6, 1987. The results obtained from this study were summarized as follows; The percentage of the eggs produced before noon was decreased and that of the eggs produced after noon was increased as the hen gets older. Egg weight was increased rapidly to 270 days of age but after 270 days of age the rate of egg weight increase was slowly downed. The egg shell thickness became thinner and egg shell breaking strength was reduced and egg shape index was increased as the hen gets older. The egg weight was decreased as the oviposition time was proceeded and the regression coefficients of egg weight on oviposition time were -0.6788--0.4170, which means that the egg weight was decreased 0.4170-0.6788g per one hour delay of oviposition time. Egg shell thickness was increased 0. 0.00377-0.00643mm and egg shell breaking strength improved 0.0287-0.034kg/$\textrm{cm}^2$ per one hour delay of oviposition time. But it seems that there was no relationship between the oviposition time and the egg shape index.