• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.181-188
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• 2022

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of the metabolic energy levels of Korean native chicken breeder diets on laying performance, egg quality, fertility and hatchability. On the basis of dietary metabolic energy values (2,800, 2,700, and 2,650 kcal/kg), 168 twenty-week-old 'Woorimatdag' breeders (maternal line) were divided into three treatment groups (four replications per treatment with each replicate containing 14 birds) and reared until 32 weeks of age. We found that the body weight of hens increased with age, although there were no significant differences among treatments with respect to body weight or egg weight. Egg production ratio at 20-24 and 24-28 weeks of age tended to be low in birds fed the 2,700 and 2,650 kcal/kg diets, although the differences among treatments were none significant. Feed intakes was significantly decreased as the metabolic energy level reduced (P<0.05). There were no significant differences among treatments with respect to feed conversion ratio or the strength and thickness of eggshell. Similarly, we detected no significant differences among the three metabolic energy levels with regards to fertility, hatchability, or chick weight. In conclusion, our findings indicate that during the initial phase of laying, the metabolic energy level of 'Woorimatdag' breeder diets could be lowered to 2,700 kcal/kg without significantly influencing the laying performance of breeders or egg quality, fertility and hatchability, and chick weight.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.8
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• pp.1133-1139
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• 2009

This study was carried out to investigate effects of crude protein (CP) levels in total mixed rations (TMR) on growth performance and meat quality in growing Korean black goats. Thirty-six 6-month-old growing black male goats (initial body weight =17.95${\pm}$0.13 kg) were used. The goats were randomly divided into four treatments and 9 animals were allotted to each treatment. In terms of treatments, CP levels in TMR were 14, 16, 18, and 20% of dry matter (DM) and all diets were isocaloric (2.4 Mcal ME/kg DM). The experiment lasted for 20 weeks with a 15-day adaptation period. After the end of the trial, five goats from each treatment were slaughtered to measure carcass characteristics and meat quality. Average daily gain (ADG) significantly (p<0.05) increased as dietary CP levels increased, but the highest ADG was found on the 18% CP treatment. The higher CP levels in TMR significantly (p<0.05) decreased feed conversion ratio, but the lowest ratio was on the 18% CP treatment, suggesting a higher bioavailability of nutrients by balanced energy and protein levels on this treatment. There was no significant difference in dressing percentage among treatments, but there was a tendency for levels more than 16% CP in TMR to have a comparatively higher dressing percentage than the 14% treatment. The percentages of meat, fat and bone were not significantly influenced by dietary CP levels. Dietary CP levels did not influence chemical composition of goat meat. Furthermore, there was no significant difference among treatments in any of the sensory parameters except for tenderness. Tenderness was similar for 18 and 20% treatments, which were significantly (p<0.05) higher than the 14% treatment. The results from this study suggested that an adequate CP level in TMR for achieving optimal growth performance and meat quality of growing Korean black goats might be 18% of DM, and that dietary CP level above 18% seemed not to further increase growth performance and meat quality.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.267-277
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• 2000

These studies were conducted to investigate the effect of dietary supplemental lincomycin at different food waste supplements on performance and blood components of broiler chicks. Diets were based corn, soybean meal and contained 3,100㎉/kg ME, 21% CP for the rest two weeks. Three levels of dietary lincomycin(LM ; 0, 2.2, 4.4 mg/kg) and food waste(FW : 0, 7.5, 15%) were added for both experiments. Weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio(FCR) were measured for five weeks. Blood components, liver weight and abdominal fat ratio to body weight were examined at the end of experiment. Metabolizable energy of food waste used in formulating diet prior to feeding trials were measured 2,504(Expt 1) and 2,734㎉/kg(Expt 2), respectively. In Expt 1, weight gain of birds fed 4.4mg/kg LM was significantly higher than that of no LM treatment(P〈0.05). It also tended to increase in 7.5% food waste treatment compared to that of control but was not significantly different. FCR of chicks fed 2.2mg/kg LM supplement was significantly improved compared to that of other treatments. However, chicks fed food waste supplements had higher FCR than control as a dietary FW level increased(P〈0.05). There were no significance in blood components of all treatments. Liver to body weight ratio of birds fed 7.5% FW supplements decreased significantly(P〈0.05), but was no consistency in LM treatments. In Expt 2, weight gain of chicks fed 15% FW was not significantly different from the control and 7.5% FW. It tended to increase as dietary supplemental LM increased. It also increased in no LM treatment with 15% FW compared to that of control. However, the birds fed 2.2mg/kg LM with 15% FW exhibited higher weight gain than dther treatments. As FW supplement increased, the feed intake increased significantly(P〈0.05). There were no significance in blood components except serum calcium. Weights of liver were not affected by dietary FW or LM. The results of these experiments indicated that chicks fed 4.4mg/kg LM supplements maximized growth rate of all treatments and improved FCR in 2.2mg/kg LM.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.7
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• pp.981-986
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• 2013

The nutrient digestibility, nitrogen balance and in vivo metabolizable energy supply of Mucuna pruriens whole pods fed to growing Pelibuey lambs was investigated. Eight Pelibuey sheep housed in metabolic crates were fed increasing levels of Mucuna pruriens pods: 0 (control), 100 (Mucuna100), 200 (Mucuna200) and 300 (Mucuna300) g/kg dry matter. A quadratic (p<0.002) effect was observed for dry matter (DM), neutral detergent fibre (aNDF), nitrogen (N) and gross energy (GE) intakes with higher intakes in the Mucuna100 and Mucuna200 treatments. Increasing M. pruriens in the diets had no effect (p>0.05) on DM and GE apparent digestibility (p<0.05). A linear reduction in N digestibility and N retention was observed with increasing mucuna pod level. This effect was accompanied by a quadratic effect (p<0.05) on fecal-N and N-balance which were higher in the Mucuna100 and Mucuna200 treatments. Urine-N excretion, GE retention and dietary estimated nutrient supply (metabolizable protein and metabolizable energy) were not affected (p>0.05). DM, N and GE apparent digestibility coefficient of M. pruriens whole pods obtained through multiple regression equations were 0.692, 0.457, 0.654 respectively. In vivo DE and ME content of mucuna whole pod were estimated in 11.0 and 9.7 MJ/kg DM. It was concluded that whole pods from M. pruriens did not affect nutrient utilization when included in an mixed diet up to 200 g/kg DM. This is the first in vivo estimation of mucuna whole pod ME value for ruminants.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.7
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• pp.1026-1031
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• 2009

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of graded levels of butyric acid (butyrate) on performance, gastrointestinal tract health and carcass characteristics in young broiler chickens. Control starter (0-3 wk) and finisher (4-5 wk) diets were formulated to contain 2,900 kcal ME/kg and 22% CP, and 3,000 kcal ME/kg and 20% CP, respectively. Subsequently, four other experimental diets were formulated to contain 0.05% antibiotic (furazolidone) or 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6% butyric acid. Each diet was fed at random to 8 replicates of 6 chicks each throughout the experimental period (0-5 wk). The results showed that 0.4% butyrate in the diet was similar to antibiotic in maintaining body weight gain and reducing E. coli numbers but superior for feed conversion ratio. No added advantage on these parameters was obtained by enhancing the concentration of butyrate from 0.4 to 0.6% in the diet. Feed intake and mortality were not influenced by the dietary treatments. A reduction in pH of the upper GI tract (crop, proventiculus and gizzard) was observed by inclusion of butyrate in the diets of broilers compared to either control or antibiotic-fed group. Butyrate at 0.4% was more effective in reducing the pH than 0.2% butyrate. Within the lower GI tract, 0.4 and 0.6% butyrate was effective in lowering pH in the duodenum, but no effect was found in either the jejunum or ileum. The villus length and crypt depth in the duodenum increased significantly in all the butyrate treated diets irrespective of the level tested. Carcass yield was higher and abdominal fat content was lower significantly in all the butyrate treatment groups compared to the control or antibiotic group. From these findings, it is concluded that 0.4% butyric acid supplementation maintained performance, intestinal tract health, and villi development and carcass quality in broiler chickens.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.55-59
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• 2001

The objective of these experiments gas to investigate the feeding of Powerfeel supplementation on performance and intestinal microflora of broiler chicks. Five treatments were allocated into 0, 0.025, 0.050, 0.075, 0.10% Powerfeel with four replications for five weeks. Diets contained 21.5% CP, 3,100 kcal/kg ME for the first three weeks and 19% CP, 3,100 kcal/kg ME for the rest two weeks. Weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion were weekly measured. E. coli and Salmonella were examined from cecum and ileum at the end of experiment. ND titer were also measured at five weeks old after first and booster vaccination at 14 and 21 days of age. In experiment 1, Weight gain of Powerfeef treatments was significantly higher for five weeks (P〈0.05). Feed intake increased on all Powerfeel treatments. Chicks fed Powerfeel improved feed conversion ratio(FCR) significantly compared to that of control (P〈0.05), but was not shown the consistency. In experiment 2, Weight gain and feed consumption of chicks fed Powerfeel were tended to increase, but were not statistically different from control. Powerfeel treatments showed significantly lower FCR than control(P〈0.05). The number of Salmonella and E. coli of chicks ileum fed Powerfeel were highly decreased, compared to those of control in both experiments. Powerfeel supplementation seemed to decrease the number of both Salmonella and E. coli in illeum, but was not consistency in cecum. Chicks fed Powerfeel showed significantly higher ND titer than control (P〈0.05). These results indicated that the optimum level of Powerfeel to maximize the performance of broiler chicks were estimated from 0.050 to 0.075% in broiler diets.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.301-312
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• 1982

A series of growing and digestion trials was conducted using Sprague- Dawley weanling male rats in order to determine the effects of two protein sources (casein and ISP (isolated soyprotein) ), three protein levels (10, 20 and 30%), and two feeding patterns (ad libitum and meal feeding) on the growth, protein and energy metabolism, and body composition of rats. The total energy level of experimental diets was kept constant in 3,600 kcal ME /kg diet. The results were as follows : 1) The amount of food intake and the weight gain of meal-fed group were lower than those of ad libitum group. Though the intake of meal-fed group on 20 and 30% casein diet was only 85% of ad libitum group, it was able to gain as much as ad libitum group. 2) There were no significant differences in the food efficiency ratio (FER) and the energy efficiency (weight gain per 100 kcal GE intake) between ad libitum and meal feeding group. The FER and the energy efficiency of 20 and 30% casein diets of meal-fed group were greater than those of ad libitum group. 3) Though the gross energy intake (GE ), the digestible energy (DE) and the metabolizable energy (ME) tended to be lower at meal-fed group, the DE/GE and the ME/GE ratios for meal-fed group were the same as those for ad libitum. 4) Though meal- fed group fed less amount of nitrogen than ad libitum group, there were no differences in nitrogen balance and the retention of rats among the treatments. Actually meal-fed group retained more nitrogen than ad libitum group at the levels of 20 and 30% dietary protein. 5) After growing and digestion trials, the body composition of rats was constant among all treatments. Significantly high negative correlation coefficient (r = -0.77) was found between the body fat content and the body moisture content. Consequently, this study suggests that meal- fed group on 20 and 30% casein diets has shown more effective utilization of the ingested food and energy than ad libitum group, and increasing tendency of weight gain and the body fat deposition. Those influences of meal feeding pattern in rats were more effective on the casein diet than on the ISP diet.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.1568-1575
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• 2000

Growing pigs (N=25; 18 kg) were used to study effects of L-carnitine and protein intake on plasma carnitine, energy and carnitine balance, and carnitine biosynthesis. Corn-soybean meal basal diets containing low or high protein (13.6% or 18%) were formulated so that protein accretion would be limited by metabolizable energy (ME). Each basal diet was supplemented with 0 or 500 mg/kg L-carnitine and limit fed to pigs for 10 d in a balance trial. Final carnitine concentration was compared with weight/age matched pigs measured on d 0 to calculate carnitine retention rates. Supplementation of carnitine increased (p<0.01) plasma free carnitine (by 250%), short-chain (by 160%) and long-chain acyl-carnitine concentrations (by 80%) irrespective of blood sampling time (p<0.01). The proportion of long-chain carnitine esters decreased by 40% (p<0.01) by carnitine supplementation; whereas, the proportion of short-chain acyl-carnitine concentration was not changed (p>0.10). All criteria of energy balance were unaffected by L-carnitine (p>0.10). Total body carnitine retention was increased by 450% over unsupplemented controls (p<0.01). Carnitine biosynthesis rates in pigs fed diets without L-carnitine were estimated at 6.71 and $10.63{\mu}mol{\cdot}kg^{-1}{\cdot}d^{-1}$ in low protein and high protein groups, respectively. In supplemented pigs, L-carnitine absorption and degradation in the intestinal tract was estimated at 30-40% and 60-70% of L-carnitine intake, respectively. High protein feeding effect did not affected plasma carnitine concentrations, carnitine biosynthesis or carnitine retention (p>0.10). We conclude that endogenous carnitine biosynthesis may be adequate to maintain sufficient tissue levels during growth, but that supplemental dietary carnitine (at 500 ppm) sufficiently increased plasma acyl-carnitine and total body carnitine.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.894-899
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• 2007

An experiment was conducted using a [6, 6-$^2H$]glucose isotope dilution method to determine the effects of plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.) on plasma glucose metabolism in sheep taken from a thermoneutral environment and exposed to a hot environment. The sheep were fed either mixed hay (MH) of orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) and reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.) at a 60:40 ratio or MH and plantain (PL) at a 9:1 ratio in a crossover design for each 23-day period. In both dietary treatments the metabolizable energy (ME) and crude protein intake were designed to be isoenergetic and isoproteinous at around maintenance level. The sheep were taken from a thermoneutral environment ($20^{\circ}C$, 70% RH) and exposed to a hot environment ($28-30^{\circ}C$, 70% RH) for 5 days. The isotope dilution method using a single injection of [6, 6-$^2H$]glucose was performed on the $18^{th}$ day of the thermoneutral environment and on the $5^{th}$ day of heat exposure. Plasma glucose pool size was numerically lower (p = 0.26) during heat exposure on both dietary treatments, and numerically higher (p = 0.13) on the MH diet irrespective of environmental temperature. Plasma NEFA concentration (p = 0.01) and glucose turnover rate (p = 0.03) were decreased during heat exposure, but remained similar between diets. It could be concluded that, although no positive impact of plantain on glucose metabolism was found under the present experimental conditions (plantain constituted only 10% of basal diet), plantain herb is an alternative to MH for rearing sheep in both thermoneutral and hot environments.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.253-259
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• 1999

The objects of this experiment was to investigate the effect of dietary several supplemental probiotics on performance and intestinal microflora of Lohmann brown laying hens from 68 to 80 weeks. Basal diets based on corn and soybean meal contained 18.0% CP and 2,720㎉/kg ME. Bacillus subtilis, Lactobacillus salvarius isolated from piglet(LSP) were fed at the level of 0.1 and 0.2% in a one way design. There were four replicates of 40 hens each per treatment. Egg production, feed intake, feed conversion ratio(FCR), eggshell quality were measured at every four weeks and intestinal microflora were examined at the end of experiment. Egg production of bird fed 0.2% individual probiotics was significantly higher than that of control(P 0.05). Birds fed the diet containing 0.2% LSC and LSP had significantly lower FCR than other treatments(P 0.05). However, egg weight of birds fed control and 0.2% BS diet showed higher than other treatments. Feed intake of 0.2% BS and 0.1% LSP treatment was significantly higher than other treatments, but was not consistency of all treatments(P 0.05). Eggshell breaking strength and thickness of hens fed probiotics tended to increase compared to that of control, but was not significantly different. Intestinal anaerobes, Lactobacillus spp. and yeast of hens fed all tested probiotics were significantly increased compared to those of control. The number of intestinal E. coli of all probiotics treatments except 0.1% LSP tended to decrease. Intestinal Lactobacillus spp. was increased significantly by 0.1% dietary LSC, whereas intestinal yeast showed significant increase in LSP treatments(P〈0.05). The results of this experiment indicated that feeding probiotics to laying hens improved the egg production, FCR and increased beneficial microflora.