• 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.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.239-246
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• 2022

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and a probiotic mixture on egg production and quality, blood parameters, and stress levels (corticosterone) in Hy-Line parent stock during summer in Korea. A total of 105 Hy-Line parent stock aged 24 weeks were randomly divided into three groups, each containing thirty-five birds: control, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and probiotics (1 × 10⁸/g Bacillus licheniformis, 1 × 10⁷/g Lactobacillus plantarum, and 1 × 10⁷/g Corynebacterium butyricum). The hens were fed a diet containing 50 ppm GABA or 0.1% probiotics for 6 weeks. Compared with the control group, the hen-day egg production, egg mass, and feed conversion ratio over the total period were significantly higher in the probiotic group (P<0.05). In contrast no significant differences were detected among groups with respect to egg weight, albumen height, Haugh units, yolk color, shell thickness or shell strength. Similarly, no significant difference were observed among groups with regards to biochemical profile (total cholesterol, triglyceride, glucose, total protein, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, albumin, and inorganic phosphorus). However, compared with the control group, we did detect significant reductions in corticosterone levels in the GABA and probiotics groups (P<0.05). On the basis of our findings in this study, it would appear that dietary GABA and probiotics can alleviate heat stress in Hy-Line parent stock, with probiotics in particular being found to promote significant improvements in the hen-day egg production, egg mass, and feed conversion of laying hens during the summer season in Korea.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.253-258
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• 1993

The study on the nutritive value and the potential use of two kinds (local vs. import) of sesame meal (SSM) in layer diets as substitute for soybean meal (SBM) at 25, 50, and 75% was carried out. Three hundred and thirty six layers were kept individually on a battery cage and fed isonitrogenous diets, 16% crude protein (CP), for 252 days. The local and the imported SSM contained on air dry basis 35.7 and 36.3% CP, 24.7 and 9.1% ether extract (EE), respectively. Their amino acid contents are all lower than those reported by NRC (1984). The local material contained remarkably lower lysine (0.44 vs. 0.94), methionine + cystine (1.06 vs. 1.75) and threonine (0.52 vs. 1.22) than the imported meal. Imported SSM could be substituted for SBM as high as 50% in layer ration without statistically adverse effect on egg production, feed intake, body weight gain, average egg weight and egg size, while local SSM was inferior to the control in all aspects. However, when production performance of the groups fed either kind of SSM was compared, no significant difference was found at the two lower substitution levels.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.524-530
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• 2012

Laying hens were fed commercial diets added with supplemented fat (SFAT) at 0.6, 1.2, and 1.8% in order to study the long term dietary effects - on - their productive performance from 22 to 75 wk of age. Five hundred and seventy six Single Comb White Leghorn hens were assigned to one of the four dietary treatments. The experimental phase consisted of three periods of 18 wk each. The final body weight and gain of hens fed on diets with SFAT at 1.2% and 1.8% were lower (p<0.05) than those hens given no SFAT. The SFAT at the 1.2% and 1.8% levels improved egg production rate, egg weight and mass, as well as FCR. Mortality and feed consumption were not affected by dietary SFAT. Administration of a diet with SFAT significantly decreased the cracked-broken egg ratio (p<0.01). The beneficial effects of SFAT on egg production performance were particularly more pronounced at intermediate and later ages. Hence, SFAT by period interactions were significant for all traits studied except feed intake. Hens fed SFAT deposited significantly higher abdominal fat than those on the no-SFAT diet. As a result, SFAT at 1.2% and 1.8% inclusion levels provided benefits in terms of efficient table egg production.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.195-205
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• 1994

Effects of the addition of \beta-glucanase to barley-based layer diets were examined by feeding 200 Leghorn layers with corn-based (Control) and \beta-glucanase supplemented diets (Barley+ Enzyme). The results obtained are sumrrarized as follows. 1. There were no siginificant (P>0.05) differences in hen-day egg production(%) and average egg weight between two treatments, indicating that the \beta-glucanase supplemented barley could successfully replace the commonly used corn in the layer diets. 2. Although there was no statistical difference (P>0.05) between two treatments, the daily feed consumption was numerically high in layers fed the barly diet compared to the corn-based diet. 3. Availabilities of crude fat and crude fiber of the barley diet were significantly poor (P<0.05) as compared to corn diet. 4. The \beta-glucarase supplementation depressed the viscosity of barley diets and excreta from therm. 5. Both serum and egg yolk cholesterol were not significantly affected by the addition of \beta-glucarase in the barley based diet. Our data indicate that the barley grain supplemented with \beta-glucarase can be sucessfully used as an energy source of layer diet when there is a price advantage. Although some possibilities to produce low cholesterol egg were recognized in this study, further studies pertaining to long-term feeding experiment and elucidaton of the metabolic interrelationship between serum and yolk cholesterol, are required to confirm the result.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.250-256
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• 2011

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of whole egg supplementation on the blood lipid profiles and cholesterol levels of C57BL/6 mice. Sixty-six mice were divided into two groups: normal-diet supplemented and high-cholesterol diet supplemented. Lyophilized whole egg powder was mixed with the two diets at 2 and 10%: normal diet only, normal diet with 2 and 10% whole egg powder, high cholesterol diet only, high cholesterol diet with 2 and 10% whole egg powder. The mixed diets were fed for 5 wk and feeding condition (body weight change, feed intake, and feed efficiency ratio (FER)), blood lipid profiles (total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol, hepatic and fecal lipids (TG, TC)), and fecal bile acids were determined. No significant differences were found in body weight gain or FER after whole egg supplementation in both the normal and high-cholesterol diet fed groups. In the normal-diet fed mice, HDL-C increased significantly in the 2 and 10% whole-egg powder groups. In the high-cholesterol diet fed mice, administering 10% egg powder increased the atherogenic index compared to the control. Furthermore, administration of whole egg powder increased fecal bile acids dose dependently (p<0.05). These results indicate that administering 2% hen whole egg powder did not affect blood lipid profiles and was more beneficial for health by increasing HDL-C and aiding in the excretion of cholesterol by fecal bile acids than those in the control.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.105-115
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• 2019

In this study, viability, growth performance and egg production performance were investigated to determine the productive characteristics of 12 Korean domestic chicken varieties which have been collected and conserved for over 25 years in National Institute of Animal Science, Rural Development Administration, Korea. The 1,134 hens were tested and their production traits including survival rate, body weight, age at first egg laying, hen-day and hen-housed egg production, egg weight, and egg quality were measured. Survival rate was the highest in Korean Rhode-D and Korean Native Chicken (KNC) White and the lowest in Korean Cornish Brown (92.2% and 54.3%, respectively). Body weights from 4 to 50 wks were consistently high in the order of Korean Cornish, Korean Rhode, KNC, Korean Ogye, and Korean Leghorn breeds. There was no significant difference in weight between varieties within a breed. Age at first egg laying was the shortest in Korean Leghorn, while it was the longest in Korean Cornish. The hen-day egg production from $1^{st}$ egg to 57 wks was the highest in Korean Leghorn-K, and the lowest in Korean Cornish Brown. Egg weight was the heaviest in Korean Leghorn-F and the lightest in KNC White. The Haugh unit was the highest in Korean Rhode-C and the lowest in Korean Ogye. Taken together, these results suggest that it is desirable that the Korean Cornish variety is improved as the Korean meat breed because of its excellent growth ability, the Korean Leghorn variety is improved as the Korean layer breed because of its good laying performance, and the Korean Rhode and KNC varieties are improved as strong viable breeds because of their good survival rate.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.694-699
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• 2009

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of chilled drinking water on the productivity of laying hens under constant high ambient temperature. A total of seventy-two, 123-day-old Hy-line brown layers was divided into two equal groups. The first group (UDWG) was given unchilled water ($23.0{\pm}2.5^{\circ}C$) as a control, and the second group (CDWG) was given chilled water ($16.0{\pm}0.5^{\circ}C$). The laying hens were kept at $30^{\circ}C$ constant temperature with 50% relative humidity and were exposed to 17 h of light per day. Feed intake, egg production, egg quality (egg weight, shell weight, shell thickness, egg color, yolk color, and Haugh unit), and blood samples were collected and analyzed. The results showed that the feed intake of CDWG laying hens was significantly higher (11.64%) than the UDWG counterparts (p<0.01). Egg production of CDWG was also significantly higher (11.27%) than the UDWG counterparts (p<0.001). Furthermore, we observed that the CDWG laying hens had significantly higher (11.72%) levels (p<0.10) of blood calcium, with a corresponding value of 21.92 mg/dl compared to the UDWG hens (19.62 mg/dl). The higher calcium concentration in the CDWG animals may contribute to increased egg production. The CDWG laying hens also contained higher (12.53%) phosphorus concentrations in blood compared to the UDWG (4.22 mg/dl vs. 3.75 mg/dl), although not statistically different (p>0.10). Egg weight and egg quality were not affected by chilled drinking water. In conclusion, providing chilled drinking for laying hens under high ambient temperature improved feed intake and egg production.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.243-254
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• 2000

The effect of supplemental microbial phytase and non - phytate phosphorus(NPP) levels on layer productivity and nutrient digestibility were conducted in 640 21 weeks - old HyLine brown layer for 12 weeks. Supplemented phytase levels were 0, 300, 500 and 1,000 DPU/kg diet. NPP levels were adjusted with tricalcium phosphate(TCP), which were 0(0.11% NPP), 0.5(0.20), 1.0(0.29) and 1.5%(0.38). ME, CP and Ca levels were maintained at 2,800㎉/kg diet, 16% and 3.5%, respectively. Egg production was increased with phytase compared to without phytase(P〈0.05). Increasement of egg production was higher latter of experimental period. Egg production was not different to phytase levels. Egg production in TCP levels were increased in above 0.5% compared to 0% TCP. Difference of egg production by TCP was higher after 6 week. Especially, egg production to supplemental phytase was higher in 0% TCP. Egg weight was not different to phytase and TCP levels. Egg mass was increased with phytase compared to without phytase, but not difference significantly. There was similar to phytase levels. Egg mass in TCP group was increased in TCP supplementation(P〈0.05). Feed intake was not different in phytase levels, and greater with increasing TCP levels(P〈0.05). Feed conversion was improved with phytase(P〈0.05), and not difference in TCP levels. All of nutrients digestibility tended to improve with phytase, P(P〈0.05), especially. There were not different among phytase levels. The effect of adding phytase was higher in low phosphorus diets compared normal levels. Eggshell breaking strength and eggshell thickness also improved in added phytase(P〈0.05). Tibial ash and P content were slightly increased with phytase, and Ca content also was higher(P〈0.05) compared without phytase. We concluded that supplemental phytase in low phosphorus diet was showed to increase laying performance, feed efficiency, nutrients digestibility, egg quality, and bone development. Phytase supplementation was able to compensate for low NPP diet. We also thought optimum phytase level is 300 DPU, and can decrease NPP supplementation adding phytase in later diet.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.727-735
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• 1996

The effects of four factors-two dietary protein levels (12 and 16%), feeding methods(ad libitum and restricted), strains (A and B), and age of hens-on egg quality and laying performance were examined. Use of the 12% dietary protein level resulted in significantly lower (p < 0.05) hen-day egg production, higher feed intake to about 85% of the ad libitum intake decreased mean hen-day production. Significant feeding method-by-age interactions ($F{\times}A$) were obtained for all parameters. Restricted feeding had favorable effects on shell strength and Haugh unit values after 28 and 16 weeks of egg production, respectively. There was significant difference in shell strength between the two strain. Examination of the three-factor interaction among protein levels, feeding method and strain ($P{\times}F{\times}S$) disclosed that the favorable effect of the A strain on shell strength was significant only with the 16% protein-restricted fed group. The other treatment group did show a trend for greater shell strength of the A strain. Mean values for all the parameters examined changed significantly (p < 0.01) with the age of hens. Feed intake per dozen eggs tended to increase, with some fluctuation, as the hens aged. There was a linear decrease in Haugh unit scores and shell strength. The effect of restricted feeding on either shell strength or Haugh unit scores were favorable for the aged chickens.