• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.573-581
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• 2006

This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of supplemental methionine, lysine, choline, and sulfur on laying performance, metabolic parameters, and egg quality of hens fed diets containing sorghum (Sorghum vulgare) during the peak laying period. Lohman layers (n = 144), 30-wk of age as 6 replicate cages of 4 hens, were allocated randomly to receive basal diets containing either 22% corn (B) or 22% sorghum (BS) and diets BS plus 0.57% methionine, 0.66% lysine, 0.47% choline, or 0.05% sulfur for 98 d. Feed intake (FI) and egg production (EP) were recorded daily, egg weight (EW) was measured bi-weekly, and body weight (BW) was measured monthly. A sample of 12 eggs from each experimental group was collected every month to evaluate egg quality. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were collected for metabolite concentrations. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA as repeated measures and significant differences between the experimental groups were assessed using Duncan's Multiple Range test. Partial replacement of corn with sorghum in the basal diet did not affect BW, EP, and FCR but increased FI by 5.7% and EW by 2.4%. The effects of additives on laying performance were variable. Except for serum total protein (STP) concentration, other metabolic parameters were not affected by partial replacement of corn with sorghum in the basal diet. Hens fed diet BS had lower SPT concentration than hens fed diet B. Except for methionine supplementation, other supplements ameliorated depression in STP concentration. The additives did not affect other metabolic parameters. Egg quality responses to the experimental diets were also variable. Partial replacement of corn with sorghum in the basal diet did not affect eggshell characteristics (both thickness and stiffness), whereas it had variable effects on inner egg quality parameters (increased yolk index, depressed yolk color, and unaltered albumen index and Haugh unit). In conclusion, laying hen diets could include low-tannin sorghum (0.26%) up to 22% without necessitating extra supplements to overcome compromised performance.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.206-210
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• 2017

Objective: A study was conducted to test six threonine (Thr) levels (0.39%, 0.44%, 0.49%, 0.54%, 0.59%, and 0.64%) to estimate the optimal dietary Thr requirements for Longyan laying ducks from 17 to 45 wk of age. Methods: Nine hundred Longyan ducks aged 17 wk were assigned randomly to the six dietary treatments, where each treatment comprised six replicate pens with 25 ducks per pen. Results: Increasing the Thr level enhanced egg production, egg weight, egg mass, and the feed conversion ratio (FCR) (linearly or quadratically; p<0.05). The Haugh unit score, yolk color, albumen height, and the weight, percentage, thickness, and breaking strength of the eggshell did not response to increases in the Thr levels, but the albumen weight and its proportion increased significantly (p<0.05), whereas the yolk weight and its proportion decreased significantly as the Thr levels increased. Conclusion: According to a regression model, the optimal Thr requirement for egg production, egg mass, and FCR in Longyan ducks is 0.57%, while 0.58% is the optimal level for egg weight from 17 to 45 wk of age.

• 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.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.24-30
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• 1985

The effect of some organic solvents on interrupting diapause of Bombyx mori eggs was examined to provide a clue to the mechanism of diapause initiation. Methyl alcohol and benzene proved to be efficient in developing the prospective diapause eggs upto the stage of hatching or body pigmentation of the embryos. On the other hand, most of the eggs soaked in chloroform and mixture solution of chloroform-methyl alcohol (2:1) died in the early embryonic developmental stage with yellow or red brown colours, and the egg weights decreased upto ca. 40% of the original weight 8 days after the treatments. Methyl alcohol treatment for 2, 5 and 10 min to the 5hr-old-eggs led to empergence of the larvae, with high incidence (70∼80%) in the race of Kumchu X Chonghwa and with low indidence (1∼4%) in Daezo. The effect of same treatment to 20hr old eggs decreased to ca. 10% in the emergence of larvae in Kumchn X Chonghwa and increased to 20∼30% in Daezo, while the effect disappeared shortly after the diapause initiation (48hr-old-eggs). Considering the high dependency upon the egg age of the sensitivity to solvents, it was supposed that initiation and termination of diapause may be controlled by different mechanism. It was also suspected that the solvents exert their effect on the permeability of the eggshell.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.191-196
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• 2014

The identification and utilization of potential candidate genes with significant effects on economically important traits have become increasingly important in poultry breeding programs. The ovocalyxin-32 (OCX-32) gene is located chromosome 9 in chicken, plays an important role in eggshell formation. This study was performed to assess the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of OCX-32 gene and egg production traits in the Korean native chicken. Four Korean native chicken population (n = 181; including 46 females of Ogol, 46 females of white, 43 females of gray and 46 females of black) were used to analyze two SNPs (c.494A>C and c.267T>G) in the OCX-32 gene by PCR-RFLP (Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restricted Fragment Length Polymorphism). We measured egg production traits of age at first egg, first egg weight, egg production ratio and egg weight. The SNP c.494A>C was significantly associated with egg production ratio in Korean Ogol chickens (p<0.001) and egg weight in Korean white chickens (p<0.05). SNP c.267T>C was significantly associated with egg weight in Korean Ogol chickens (p<0.05). But there was no significant association in Korean gray and black chickens. Results suggest the possibility of using molecular markers in OCX-32 gene as a tool for performance and egg production traits in Korean native chicken breeding program.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.1006-1013
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• 2015

Heat-stress remains a costly issue for animal production, especially for poultry as they lack sweat glands, and alleviating heat-stress is necessary for ensuring animal production in hot environment. A high ${\gamma}$-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-producer Lactobacillus strain was used to investigate the effect of dietary GABA-producer on laying performance and egg quality in heat-stressed Hy-line brown hens. Hy-Line brown hens (n = 1,164) at 280 days of age were randomly divided into 4 groups based on the amount of freeze-dried GABA-producer added to the basal diet as follows: i) 0 mg/kg, ii) 25 mg/kg, iii) 50 mg/kg, and iv) 100 mg/kg. All hens were subjected to heat-stress treatment through maintaining the temperature and the relative humidity at $28.83{\pm}3.85^{\circ}C$ and 37% to 53.9%, respectively. During the experiment, laying rate, egg weight and feed intake of hens were recorded daily. At the 30th and 60th day after the start of the experiment, biochemical parameters, enzyme activity and immune activity in serum were measured. Egg production, average egg weight, average daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio and percentage of speckled egg, soft shell egg and misshaped egg were significantly improved (p<0.05) by the increasing supplementation of the dietary GABA-producer. Shape index, eggshell thickness, strength and weight were increased linearly with increasing GABA-producer supplementation. The level of calcium, phosphorus, glucose, total protein and albumin in serum of the hens fed GABA-producing strain supplemented diet was significantly higher (p<0.05) than that of the hens fed the basal diet, whereas cholesterol level was decreased. Compared with the basal diet, GABA-producer strain supplementation increased serum level of glutathione peroxidase (p = 0.009) and superoxide dismutase. In conclusion, GABA-producer played an important role in alleviating heat-stress, the isolated GABA-producer strain might be a potential natural and safe probiotic to use to improve laying performance and egg quality in heat-stressed hens.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.55-60
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• 2002

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation of plant phytase (Phytazyme$^{(R)}$) in corn-soybean meal based diets on utilization of phytase-bound phosphorus in laying hens and evaluate nitrogen(N) digestibility and phosphorus(P) availability in breeders. In the experiment one, three levels of the Phytazyme$^{(R)}$(0.05, 0.1, and 0.2% of diet) were added to diets containing a half of control TCP level(0.96%) for 4 wks. Feed consumption, egg production rate, egg weight and eggshell quality were recorded weekly. At the end of experiment, 8 birds per treatment were sacrificed, liver weight were weighed and right tibiae were removed for determination of P content. The second experiment was conducted to evaluate the P availability and nitrogen digestibility in breeders fed same diets for 2 wks. Feed and excreta were collected to determine the P and N contents for the last three days of experiment two. Addition of Phytazyme$^{(R)}$ resulted in no effects on feed intake, egg product rate, egg weight and egg shell quality. P excretion decreased and its availability enhanced as phytase supplementation increased in diets. Dietary supplementation of Phytazyme$^{(R)}$ above 0.1% level in corn-soybean meal based diets did not have an adverse effect on production and decreased level of phosphorus in excreta.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.143-147
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• 2005

This study was conducted to evaluate the feeding value of the Flammulina veluipes media by-product(FMB) in laying hens(Hy-Line Brown). A total of three hundreds sixty were fed corn-soy based experimental diets containing 0(control), 5.0(T1), and $10\%(T2)$ FMB for 12 weeks. There were no significant differences among the treatments in egg production, egg weight, egg mass, feed conversion and viability during the experimental period. Feed intake was significantly(P<0.05) lowered in control(120.5g) than 72(123.9g). There were no significant differences among the treatments eggshell breaking strength, thickness and haugh unit, whereas the yolk color of T1 and T2 were significantly love. than control(p<0.05). In conclusion, the FMB can be used as resource of feed in laying hen feed at $5.0\%$ level without effect on performance and egg qualify. However, dietary pigments must be added when the FMB was used as a feed ingredients more than $10\%$ in diets.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.12
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• pp.1705-1710
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• 2003

A small body size of Brown Tsaiya laying duck is desirable to reduce maintenance requirements, so the body weight at 40 weeks of age (BW40) has to be maintained at its current level. Egg weight has to be maintained at around 65 g to meet market requirements. Eggshell strength at 40 weeks of age (ES40) must to be increased in order to maintain a low incidence of broken eggs. Thus, number of eggs laid up to 52 weeks of age (EN52) has to be increased without negative correlated response on ES40. A new linear genetic selection index was used: $I_g=a_0{\times}GEW40\;(g)+a_1{\times}GBW40\;(g)+a_2{\times}GES40\;(kg/cm^2)+a_3{\times}GEN52\;(eggs)$ where GEW40, GBW40, GES40 and GEN52 were the multitrait best linear unbiased prediction (MT-BLUP) animal model predictors of the breeding values respectively of egg weight and body weight at 40 weeks of age (EW40, BW40), ES40 and EN52. The coefficients $a_0$, $a_1$, $a_2$ and $a_3$ were calculated with constraints of 0.0 g, 0.0 g and $0.013kg/cm^2$ for expected genetic gains in EW40, BW40 and ES40 respectively and maximum gain in EN52. Since 1997, the drakes and the ducks were selected according to their own indexes, with this new genetic selection index. From G0 to G4, the average per generation predicted genetic responses in female duck were +0.05 g for EW40, +0.92 g for BW40, $+0.035kg/cm^2$ for ES40 and +2.13 eggs for EN52. Which represented respectively 0.07%, 0.06%, 0.67% and 1.0% of the means of the EW40, BW40, ES40 and EN52. For ES40 and EN52, it represented also respectively 16.1% and 21.6% of the additive genetic standard deviation of these traits. Thevse results indicated that selection of laying Brown Tsaiya by a restricted genetic selection index and with MT-BLUP animal model could be an efficient tool for improving the efficiency of egg production, increasing egg shell strength and egg number while holding egg weight and body weight constants.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.61-66
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• 2003

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary germanium biotite supplementation on egg quality and fecal noxious gas content in laying hens. One hundred and forty-four 40-wk-old, ISA Brown layers were used in this experiment. Dietary treatments were 1) CON(control diet), 2) GB0.5(control diet + 0.5% germanium biotite), 3) GB1.0 (control diet + 1.0% germanium biotite) and 4) GB1.5(control diet + 1.5% germanium biotite). Hen-day egg Production and egg shell breaking strength were not influenced by germanium biotite supplementation. However, egg weight decrease as the level of germanium biotite supplementation increased in the diets increased(Cubic effect, p<0.02). Eggshell thickness, yolk color and yolk index were not influenced by garmanium biotite supplementation. Serum triglyceride concentration as dietary germanium biotite increased (linear effect P<0.02; quadratic effect, p<0.05). Dietary supplementation of germanium biotite reduced fecal NH$_3$-N concentration (P<0.01), propionic acid(P<0.01), butyric acid( P<0.05) and acetic aicd(P<0.01) concentrations in the feces. In conclusion, the results of this experiment indicated that dietary germanium biotite supplementation did not affect egg shell quality, but reduced fecal NH$_3$-N concentration.