• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.237-241
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• 2013

To evaluate the effects of anthocyanin-fortified barley (AFB) and whole crop barley (WCB) addition to diets, 200 Brown Nick hens were assigned to 5 treatments with 5 replicates for 8 weeks. All the treated groups differed in feed intake, egg production, egg weight, and egg mass compared to those of a control group. As the intake of barley was increased, feed intake, egg production, and egg mass decreased. In terms of egg quality, the yolk color (YC), the egg shell breaking strength (SBS), and the egg shell color (SC) differed up to 6 weeks of growth. Feeding the WCB and AFB to laying hens up to 8 weeks had a positive influence on albumin height (AH) and the haugh unit (HU). Up to 6 weeks of growth, increasing the amount of barley in the diets of the laying hens had a positive effect on the SC and the YC but had no effect on the SBS. Diets including 20% AFB and WCB increased the AH and HU to 9.10 and 94.53, respectively. The results suggest that the addition of AFB and WCB up to 10% to the diets of laying hens could improve the laying performance and the egg quality.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.7-13
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• 2001

This study conducted to investigate the effects of feeding Fermkito 50 on the egg production and egg quality hens. One hundred forty four, 50 weeks old ISA brown commercial layer, were used in a 28 d growth assay. Dietary treatments included 1) control(basal diet), 2) FERMO.5(based diet+0.5% Fermkito), 2) FERM1.0(basal diet+1.0% Fermkito), 3) FERM+YU(basal diet+0.5% Fermkito and 0.05% yucca extract). Overall (d 0 to 28), egg production tended to increase as the concentration of Fermkito 50 in the diets was increased without significant difference(P〈0.05). As adding level of Fermkito 50 increased in the diets, egg weight tended to increase. Laying hens fed FERM+YU diet were higher egg weight than laying hens fed control diet(P〈0.05). Egg shell breaking strength was not influenced by Fermkito 50. As adding level of Fermkito 50 was increased in the diets, yolk color tended to increase. Laying hens fed FERM+YU diet had improved egg yolk index compared to laying hens fed control diet. Total-cholesterol of egg yolk in FERM1.0 and FERM+YU treatments was significantly decreased compared to that in control diet(p〈0.05). Total-cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations in serum tended to increase as the concentration of Fermkito 50 in the diets was decreased(P〈0.05). Also, HDL-cholesterol concentration in serum with FERM1.0 and FEUM+YU treatments was significantly higher than control diet(P〈0.05). However, LDL-cholesterol concentration in serum with FERM1.0 and FERM0.5+YU treatments was significantly lower than control diet(P〈0.05). In conclusion, supplemental Fermkito 50 in laying hen diets can be used to improve egg quality.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.166-172
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• 2007

Egg quality indices are related with freshness, size of air chamber, loss of weight, and viscosity of the yolk and the protein. However, since the described quality parameters require measured in a destructive way, it is not suitable to inspect the egg quality with complete enumeration. Therefore, this study was performed to investigate the potential of image analysis method for evaluation of internal egg quality. Samples of 90 fresh eggs were collected immediately after laying and stored up to 24 days. Five eggs were randomly drawn from each storage condition (packing vs unpacking) at a regular interval and loss of weight, specific gravity and size of air chamber were measured. The image analysis for nondestructive measurement of size of air chamber was also studied. Results showed that the egg weight and gravity gradually decreased with increasing of storage days, while the size of air chamber linear increased caused by evaporation of water through the shell. A relationship a between conventional method and the image analysis method for measuring the size of air chamber was developed with the correlation coefficient of 0.928. The new finding implied that image analysis might provide a useful nondestructive tool to assess internal egg quality.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.67-75
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• 1989

Studies were conducted to compare the utilization of dietary calcium between brown laying Tsaiya duck and Leghorn hen. Birds were fed corn-soybean diets containing 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0% calcium, respectively, with five birds per treatment. The metabolizability of calcium was determined by the indicator method. Experiments were conducted three times each at the age of 27, 31 and 36 weeks. Results appeared that duck eggs were heavier with better shell quality in comparison with hen eggs. Ducks fed 1% calcium diet resulted in severely depressed egg production (19%), but not for hens which still had 56% egg production. The metabolizability of calcium for hens was significantly higher than that for ducks (P<0.05) when both were fed diets containing 1 or 2% calcium. As the dietary calcium level was increased to 3 to 5%, there was no significant difference in calcium metabolizability between ducks and hens. When the dietary calcium was between 2 to 5%, the ducks retained more calcium than did the hens. Plasma calcium content for both hens and ducks fed 1% calcium diet was about the same. When the amount of the dietary calcium was increased to 2-5%, the plasma calcium level of ducks was approximately 7-10 mg/dl higher than that of hens. The calcium content in the egg shell of duck was significantly higher than that of hens, too. As the dietary calcium level was increased, there was a decreased magnesium content in the eggshell of hens, but not for ducks. The magnesium level in the eggshell was higher in hens than that in ducks. It is concluded that ducks could retain significantly more calcium and maintain higher plasma calcium level which might be the reason for larger eggs with better shell quality by ducks.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.393-408
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• 2018

This study was carried out to investigate how chlorella dry powder added to the feed of laying hens influences on the egg quality and the composition of egg yolk's fatty acid. Moisture content, ash content, crude protein content, and crude fat content were 12.8%, 10.8%, 18.0% and 2.5%, respectively. The moisture content of the chlorella powder added to the feed was about 1.54%, the ash content was 6.53%, the crude protein content was 54.56%, and the crude fat content was 2.45 %. After feeding chlorella, compared to the control, the color of egg shell significantly became darker. The hardness of egg shell was increased for 10 days after chlorella feeding and was significantly strengthened. Thickness of egg shell was significantly thicker. The height of egg whites was increased. After 10 days of providing chlorella, the quality of egg white was 92.0 HU (Haugh Unit), which was significantly higher than 84.8 HU, the quality of the control. The color of egg yolk significantly revealed more yellow than that of the control. Egg weight was increased by 7.5% after 15 days of feeding chlorella. Protein content was increased by 11.9% and 10.7% after 10 and 15 days of feeding, respectively. The major compositions of fatty acid content of egg yolk fed with chlorella diet were oleic acid, trans-linoleic acid, palmitic acid, ${\alpha}$-linolenic acid, stearic acid, DHA, EPA, palmitoleic acid, and heptadecanoic acid, respectively. Palmitoleic acid was decreased in the eggs fed with chlorella diet compared to the control. The Saturated Fatty Acid (SFA) content of the control was higher than that of the eggs fed with chlorella. The content of Unsaturated Fatty Acid (UFA) was higher in egg yolks fed with chlorella than in the control. The ratio of UFA to Saturated Fatty Acid (SFA) was higher in egg yolks fed with chlorella than in the control. These results suggest that the addition of chlorella to the feed of the laying hens brings positive effects on the improvement of egg quality and lowering of the Unsaturated Fatty Acid of egg yolk.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.103-114
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• 1989

Reciprocal crosses were conducted between three strains of Taiwan Country chickens, developed in the National Chung-Hsing University, and two strains of Single Comb White Leghorns, developed in the Taiwan Livestock Research Institute. Traits studied were growing performances, laying performances, egg quality traits and traits concerning disease resistance, including resistance to Marek's disease virus and immune responses to Newcastle disease virus vaccine and to sheep red blood cell. Results indicated that laying performances of Taiwan country chickens were much inferior to White Leghorns, but they matured earlier, their eggs had better shell strength and larger proportion of yolk, and their general disease resistance was much better than White Leghorns. Heterosis were found in laying performances and egg quality traits. The heterosis in laying traits was so large that the hybrid laid as many eggs and as large eggs as did pure strains of White Leghorns. Strategies on the improvement of native chickens and the utilization of genetic merits of native chickens were also discussed.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.115-132
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• 2000

Eggshell strength and eggshell pigmentation are described in this paper since these are needed for quality egg production. A strong eggshell is determined by the components of the shell (cuticle, true shell and membranes) as well as the proper function of the gastrointestinal tract, the shell gland, the Kidneys and the endocrine system. When the puller reaches sexual maturity, the medullary bone must be ready for the laying hen at the peak egg shell formation. The amount of calcium in the layer diet, sources of calcium feed, the ratio of calcium and phosphorus in the layer diet, adequate levels of vitamin D and the dietary mineral (electrolyte) balance in the body fluid are important factors along with the levels of other nutrients. Biological, environmental and managerial factors such as the age of laying flock, temperature and humidity of the hen house, bird strain, disease, egg collection through transportation and others and influence the shell breakage at various stages of movement of the eggs from the producer to the consumer. The pigments present in eggshells are protoporphyrin-Ⅸ, biliverdin-Ⅸ and its zinc chelate and occasional traces of coproporphyrin-Ⅲ. However, there are several causes of changes in eggshell pigmentation such as the age of hen, disease, drugs and surface defects due to abnormal post-cuticular deposits.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.10
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• pp.1447-1455
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• 2011

Sixty four, 30-week-old, Lohmann Brown-Lite laying hens were randomly allocated to one of four treatments with eight replicates per treatment and two hens per replicate for a 10 week study. The control diet was a high energy (11.81 MJ/kg) diet and the moderate energy (11.39 MJ/kg) diets were formulated dropping the level of animal fat. The three moderate energy diets were fed either unsupplemented (0.0%) or supplemented with 0.05 or 0.10% glycine. There were no significant differences (p>0.05) in hen-day egg production, egg weight, feed intake or feed conversion between birds fed the unsupplemented moderate energy and high energy diets. Significant differences were detected concerning egg components and quality measurements as assessed by albumen percentage (p = 0.02), yolk weight (p = 0.02), yolk percentage (p<0.01), yolk to albumen ratio (p<0.01) and yolk color (p = 0.01) between birds fed the unsupplemented moderate and high energy diets. Glycine supplementation of the moderate energy diet linearly increased (p<0.01) egg weight and feed intake with no significant (p>0.05) effects on egg production or feed conversion. Glycine supplementation significantly increased egg content (p<0.01), albumen weight (p<0.01) and percentage (p<0.01) as well as yolk weight (p<0.01) while yolk percentage (p = 0.04), yolk to albumen ratio (p = 0.01) and egg shell percentage (p<0.01) were linearly decreased. Supplementation with glycine produced a tendency (p = 0.09) towards an increase in the percentage of large eggs (63-72.9 g) produced with a concomitant decrease in the percentage of small (below 53 g) eggs (p = 0.09). The overall results of this study indicate that glycine supplementation of laying hen rations has the potential to increase egg production and weight. These increases appeared to be mediated through increases in feed intake and the ileal digestibility of fat and energy.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.835-840
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• 2005

The main objective of the present study was to determine the effect of dietary $\beta$-cyclodextrin ($\beta$-CD) on egg laying performance and cholesterol content of egg yolk. Feed intake, egg production and egg weight varied slightly, but not significantly, between hens fed either a control diet or a diet containing one of an increasing series of $\beta$-CD concentrations (2%, 4% or 6%). However, feed intake, egg production and egg weight were all lower in the hens fed on 8% $\beta$-CD (p<0.05). No difference in haugh unit values, egg yolk color and egg shell thickness were found between the different treatments. The cholesterol content of egg yolks (mg/g yolk) was significantly decreased by 0.71, 2.98, 4.00 and 4.24 mg in eggs from hens maintained on 2%, 4%, 6% and 8% $\beta$-CD, respectively (p<0.05). These observations indicate that appropriate supplementation of diets with $\beta$-CD can reduce the cholesterol content of eggyolks, thus raising the prospect of the production of a healthier functional food.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2000

Present study was conducted to investigate effects of microbial phytase in laying hen diets on utilization of non-phytate phosphorus(NPP) whose levels were adjusted to be adequate or lower than that of NRC requirements. Birds of control roup were fed a diet containing 0.275% NPP and 3.4% Ca, satisfying the NRC(1994) feeding standard. bird on T1, T2 and T3 were allowed to eat diets containing NPP at 100, 80 and 60%, respectively, of Control group, and 4.0% Ca level along with a microbial phytase added at a level of 300 DPU. Three hundred and sixty, ISA Brown layers, 23-week-old, divided into four treatment groups with three replications per treatment and 30 layers per replication were fed the diets for 12 weeks. Levels of feed intake were not different among the groups, The egg mass/feed intake ratio appeared better in T2 group by about 8%, though without a statistical significance, compared to that of control. Egg production fate tended to be improved over the control group by feeding the 100%(T1) and 80%(T2) NPP diets added with phytase, with a significant difference for T2(p<0.05). Mean egg weight and egg shell quality, measured by breaking strength and thickness of the egg shell, of the T2 group tended to show numerically better, without a significance than those of control. Furthermore, birds of the T2 group showed higher calcium and phosphorus contents in tibia by about 9%(p<0.05) than the control. Overall performances of birds in T1 appeared better than those of control, but tended to be lower than those of the T2. The birds in T3 performed similar to the those of the other dietary groups except the relatively low tibia calcium level. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that supplementation of microbial phytase at a level of 300 DPU was effective to spare about 20% of NPP in laying hen diets without any adverse effects on production performances and bone quality.