• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.944-947
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• 2007

This study was conducted to study the effects of dietary garlic powder on laying performance, egg traits and blood serum cholesterol level of quails. A total of three hundred quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) aged nine weeks were used. They were allocated to 3 dietary treatments. Each treatment comprised 5 replicates of 20 quails. The diets were supplemented with 0, 5 and 10 g/kg garlic powder. The experimental period lasted 21 weeks. The addition of garlic powder did not significantly affect body weight, egg production, feed consumption, feed efficiency, egg shell thickness, egg albumen index, egg yolk index and egg Haugh unit. Adding 5 and 10 g/kg garlic powder to the laying quail diets increased egg weight (p<0.01). Egg yolk cholesterol and blood serum cholesterol concentration were reduced with garlic powder supplementation. The results of this study demonstrated that garlic powder addition had a significant cholesterol-reducing effect in serum and egg yolk without adverse effects on performance and egg traits of laying quails.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.3_spc
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• pp.449-456
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• 2021

Objective: Seaweeds could be an alternative and functional feed resource. The purpose of this experiment is to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation of Sargassum meal on laying performance and egg quality of layers. Methods: Two hundred 36-wk-old layers were divided into five treatment groups. Each treatment had four replicates with 10 hens per experimental unit. The corn-soybean meal basal diet was formulated as control group. Sargassum meals were included 0%, 1%, 2%, 3%, or 5% to diets for five treatment groups, respectively. Treatment groups were isocaloric-isonitrogenous diets. Laying performance and egg quality were measured for eight weeks. Results: Sargassum meal supplementation did not affect daily feed intake. Supplementation 1% to 3% of Sargassum meal in diets increased daily laying rate and egg mass compared with those from control group (p<0.05). Egg qualities among five groups were all similar. Supplementation of 3% Sargassum meal increased the lightness of egg yolk (p<0.05). Eggs produced from layers fed 1% and 2% Sargassum meal had a higher consumer's acceptability than the control group (p<0.05). In blood characteristics, contents of glucose, nitrogen, triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) increased as the increase of supplementation ratio of Sargassum meal (p<0.05). In serum antibody titers, supplementation of 2% Sargassum meal stimulated a higher immunoglobulin M (IgM) level than that from control group (p<0.05). However, IgM content of layers fed diets with Sargassum meal ≥3% were decreased (p<0.05). There was no difference in IgA and IgG titers among groups. Conclusion: Supplementation of 1% to 3% Sargassum meal has shown to increase egg laying rate and egg mass of Leghorn layers. However, high supplementation (5%) would negatively affect laying performance. In consideration of laying performance, egg quality, consumer responses, and blood antibody, supplementation of Sargassum meal was suggested 2% in the diet for layers.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.7
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• pp.1015-1020
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• 2012

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of bacteriophage supplementation on egg performance, egg quality, excreta microflora, and moisture content in laying hens. A total of 288 Hy-line brown commercial laying hens (36-wk-old) were randomly allotted to 4 treatments in this 6-wk trial and dietary treatments included: i) CON, basal diet; ii) T1, CON+0.020% bacteriophage; iii) T2, CON+0.035% bacteriophage; iv) T3, CON+0.050% bacteriophage. There were 6 replicates for each treatment with 6 adjacent cages (2 hens/cage). Laying hens in T2 and T3 treatments had higher (p<0.05) egg production than those in CON and T1 treatments during wk 0 to 3. In addition, egg production in T1, T2, and T3 treatments was increased (p<0.05) compared with that in CON treatment during wk 4 to 6. At wk 4 and 5, birds in T2 group had higher (p<0.05) HU than those in CON. In addition, at wk 5 and 6, HU in birds fed T1 and T3 diets was greater (p<0.05) than those fed CON diet. E. coli and Salmonella spp. concentrations in excreta were decreased (p<0.05) by T1, T2, and T3 treatments. However, egg weight, egg shell color, yolk height, yolk color unit, egg shell strength, egg shell thickness, egg gravity, and excreta moisture content were not influenced by dietary treatments during the entire experimental period. In conclusion, bacteriophage supplementation has beneficial effects on egg production, egg albumen, and excreta microflora concentration in laying hens.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.10
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• pp.1478-1483
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• 2006

This experiment was carried out to determine the effects of supplementation of L-carnitine and humic substances alone or in combination in laying hen diets on performance, egg traits and blood parameters. A total of 180 IGH type brown laying hens aged 22 weeks were employed in a completely randomized block design with one control group and three treatment groups. Each group was divided into five replicates as subgroups, each comprising 9 hens. The diets of the first, second and third treatment groups were supplemented with 0.1 g/kg L-carnitine, 1.5 g/kg humic substances (Farmagulator$^{(R)}$ Dry Plus) and 0.1 g/kg L-carnitine+1.5 g/kg humic substances, respectively. The experimental period lasted 18 weeks. Feeding supplemental carnitine, humic substances or carnitine+humic substances resulted in increases in body weight gain (p<0.05). Dietary treatments did not significantly affect daily feed intake, daily metabolizable energy intake, egg production, egg weight, feed efficiency, mortality, egg shape index, egg breaking strength, egg shell thickness, egg albumen index, egg yolk index, egg Haugh unit and the percentages of egg shell, albumen and yolk. Supplementation of humic substances reduced egg yolk cholesterol as mg per g yolk and mg per yolk (p<0.05). Blood serum parameters were not affected by the supplementation of carnitine, humic substances or carnitine+humic substances. The results in this study demonstrated that humic substances supplementation reduced egg cholesterol without adverse effects on performance, egg traits and blood parameters of laying hens. It was concluded that the usage of L-carnitine alone or in combination with humic substances in diets had no beneficial effects in laying hens.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.839-844
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• 2012

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of single or multi-particle size limestone on the egg shell quality, egg production, egg quality and feed intake in laying hens. A total of 280 laying hens (ISA brown) were used in this 10-wk trial. Laying hens were randomly assigned to 4 treatments with 14 replications per treatment and 5 adjacent cages as a replication (hens were caged individually). The experimental treatments were: i) L, basal diet+10% large particle limestone; ii) LS1, basal diet+8% large particle limestone+2% small particle limestone; iii) LS2, basal diet+6% large particle limestone+4% small particle limestone; iv) S, basal diet+10% small particle limestone. The egg production was unaffected by dietary treatments. The egg weight in S treatment was lighter than other treatments (p<0.05). The egg specific gravity in S treatment was lower than other treatments (p<0.05). The eggshell strength and eggshell thickness in S treatment were decreased when compared with other dietary treatments (p<0.05). The laying hens in LS1 and LS2 treatment had a higher average feed intake than the other two treatments (p<0.05). Collectively，the dietary multi-particle size limestone supplementation could be as efficient as large particle size limestone.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.91-96
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• 2000

This study was carried out to determine the effect of sound stimulation on growth performance, feeding behaviour and egg production of laying hens. A total of 180 laying hens(4 weeks old) were alloted to 18 cages with 10hens per cage and 6 cages per treatment. Laying hens were exposed to three sounds: control, Leq 50dB and Leq 75dB. The growth performance was measured fro m4 weeks to 17 weeks of age, feeding behaviour was observed at 5weeks, 7weeks, 10weeks and 50 weeks of age using data from real-time videotapes, while eg production was recorded from 20 weeks to 50 weeks of age. Growth performance was improved in the sound stimulated laying hens from 12 weeks to 17 weeks of age. In the 50dB simulated laying hens spent more longer time for feeding than others during the experimental period. Egg production of 50dB stimulated laying hens from 20 weeks to 50 weeks was higher than others, however 75dB stimulated laying hens were significantly lower than 50dB stimulated hens(P<0.05). The results indicated that the growth and egg production of egg type chicken can be influenced by sound stimulation through physiological rhythm.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 1986

The subject of this study was to obtain some genetic information for developing superior layer chickens. Heterosis and combining ability effects were estimated with 5,759 progenies of full diallel crosses of 6 strains in White Leghorn. Fertility, hatchability, brooder-house viability, rearing- house viability, laying-house viability, age at 1st egg laying, body weight at 1st egg laying, average egg weight, hen-day egg production, hen-housed egg production, and feed conversion were investigated and analyzed into heterosis effect, general combining ability, specific combining ability and reciprocal effect by Grilling's model I. The results obtained were summarized as follows; 1. The general performance of each traits was 94.76% in fertility, 74.05% in hatchability, 97.47% in brooder-house viability, 99.72% in rearing-house viability, 93.81% in laying-house viability, 150 day in the age at 1st egg laying, 1,505g in the body weight at 1st egg laying, 60.08g in average egg weight, 77.11% in hen-day egg production, 269.8 eggs in hen-housed egg Production, and 2.44 in feed conversion. 2. The heterosis effects were estimated to -0.66%, 9.58%, 0.26%, 1.83%, -3.87%, 3.63%, 0.96%, 4.23%, 6.4%, and -0.8%, in fertility, hatchability, brooder-house viability, laying-house viability, the age at 1st egg laying, the body weight at 1st egg laying, average egg weight, hen-day egg Production, hen-housed egg production and feed conversion, respectively. 3. The results obtained from analysis of combining ability were as follows ; 1) Estimates of general combining ability, specific combining ability and reciprocal effects were not high in fertility. It was considered that fertility was mainly affected by environmental factors. In the hatchability, the general combining ability was more important than specific combining ability and reciprocal effects, and the superior strains were K and V which the additive genetic effects were very high. 2) In the brooder-house viability and laying-house viability, specific combining ability and reciprocal effects appeared to be important and the combinations of K${\times}$A and A${\times}$K were very superior. 3) In the feed conversion and average egg weight, general combining ability was more important compared with specific combining ability and reciprocal effects. On the basis of combining ability the superior strains were F, K and B in feed conversion, F and B in the average egg weight. 4) General combining ability, specific combining ability and reciprocal effects were important in the age at 1st egg laying and the combination of V ${\times}$F, F${\times}$K and B${\times}$F were very useful on the basis of these effects. In the body weight at 1st egg laying, general combining ability was more important than specific combining ability and reciprocal effects, relatively. The K, F and E strains were recommended to develop the light strain in the body weight at 1st egg laying. 5) General combining ability, specific combining ability and reciprocal effects were important in the hen-day egg production and hen-housed egg production. The combinations of F${\times}$K, A${\times}$K, and K${\times}$A were proper for developing these traits. 4. In general, high general combining ability effects were estimated for hatchability, body weight at 1st egg laying, average egg weight, hen-day egg production, hen-housed egg production, and feed conversion and high specific combining ability effects for brooder-house viability, laying house viability, age at 1st egg laying, hen-day egg production and hen-housed egg production, and high reciprocal effects for the age at 1st egg laying.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2008

The present study was carried out with the aim to evaluate the viability of layings (delivery of fertilized and unfertilized eggs) with egg laying duration of elite bivoltine races. The temporal aspect of mating in terms of egg layings duration may also have impact on the number of eggs laid, pattern of egg laying and their viability. After different interval of egg laying duration, moth of Bombyx mori are removed from oviposition site after they have completed egg laying. Present investigation confirmed that there are no significant difference in relation to the occurrence of viable (fertilized) and non viable (unfertilized) eggs and duration of oviposition. Percentage of unfertilized eggs varied from 2.41 to 3.42% in case of CSR-3, 2.59 to 3.62% in case of CSR-6, 2.82 to 3.66% in case of CSR-16 and 2.58 to 3.40% in case of CSR-17 in different treatments. The occurrence of unfertilized eggs are also not significant in the different treatments specially in those eggs which were laid 24 hours after oviposition and kept for 4 months hibernation schedule.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.235-243
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• 2017

This experiment was aimed at investigating the effects of dietary supplementation with fermented rice bran (FRB) or fermented broken rice (FBR) on egg-laying performance, egg quality, blood parameters, and cholesterol level in egg yolk of Hy-Line Brown egg-laying hens. Altogether, 144 Hy-Line Brown egg-laying hens (32-week-old) were randomly allocated to one of 4 dietary treatment groups, with 4 replicates per treatment. Of them, 3 treatments diets were prepared by supplementing the basal diet with 0.1% probiotics (PRO), 1% fermented rice bran (FRB), or 1% fermented broken rice (FBR) at the expense of corn. Hen-day egg production was higher (P<0.05) in PRO and FRB treatment groups than in the basal treatment groups. However, feed intake, egg weight, egg mass, and feed conversion ratio did not differ among the treatment groups. Additionally, supplementation with FRB or FBR did not affect eggshell strength, eggshell thickness, egg yolk color, and Haugh unit during the feeding trial. There was no significant difference in leukocyte count. Total cholesterol level was lower (P<0.05) in the FRB treatment group than in the basal treatment groups. Asparate aminotransferase, alanine transferase, glucose, and albumin levels were unaffected by dietary supplementation with FRB or FBR. Egg yolk cholesterol level was lower (P<0.05) in the FRB and FBR treatment groups than in the basal treatment groups. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with FRB or FBR improved egg-laying performance, and reduced the levels of total serum cholesterol and cholesterol in egg yolk of Hy-Line Brown egg-laying hens.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.10
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• pp.1654-1659
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• 2018

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with fermented and non-fermented brown algae by-products on the laying performance, egg quality, relative organ weight, and blood profile of laying hens. Methods: Hy-Line Brown chickens (n = 180; 70-week-old) were randomly divided into 5 groups with 4 replicates per group (3 hens per cage, 4 cages per replicate), and fed with 5 experimental diets, namely the basal control diet (CON) or the control diet supplemented with 0.5% brown seaweed (BS), 0.5% seaweed fusiforme (SF), 0.5% fermented brown seaweed (FBS), or 0.5% fermented seaweed fusiforme (FSF), for 4 weeks. Results: Egg production rate and egg mass were greater in the BS group than in the other groups (p<0.05), and the SF and FSF groups had greater egg production than the control group (p<0.05). Egg weight was higher in the BS group than in the other groups (p<0.05). There were no differences in eggshell color, egg yolk color, eggshell strength, or eggshell thickness among the groups. There was no difference in Haugh units among the treatment groups, except for the FSF group, which had a significantly lower value (p<0.05). The non-fermented groups had greater relative organ weights, particularly the liver and cecum, than the other groups (p<0.05). Regarding blood profile, the supplemented-diet groups had higher albumin levels than the control group (p<0.05). The FBS group had higher total cholesterol and triglyceride levels than the other groups (p<0.05). The BS and FBS groups had higher glutamic pyruvic transaminase levels than the other groups (p<0.05). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that dietary brown algae supplementation can improve egg-laying performance; however, supplementation with fermented seaweeds had no positive effect on the egg-laying performance of hens.