• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제30권12호
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• pp.1674-1678
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• 2017

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate genetic correlations between the behavioural profile and performance in laying hens as an indirect answer to the question whether the observed behavioural responses are associated with increased levels of stress in these birds. Methods: The assessment of birds' temperament was carried out using the novel objects test. The behavioural test was conducted in two successive generations comprising 9,483 Rhode Island White (RIW) birds (approx. 4,700 individuals per generation) and 4,326 Rhode Island Red (RIR) birds (approx. 2,100 individuals per generation). Based on the recorded responses, the birds were divided into two groups: a fearful profile (1,418 RIW hens and 580 RIR hens) and a brave/curious profile (8,065 RIW hens and 3,746 RIR hens). The birds were subjected to standard assessment of their performance traits, including SM, age at sexual maturity; ST, shell thickness; SG, egg specific gravity; EW, mean egg weight; IP, initial egg production; and HC, number of hatched chicks. The pedigree was three generations deep (including two behaviourrecorded generations). Estimation of the (co)variance components was performed with the Gibbs sampling method, which accounts for the discrete character of the behavioural profile denotation. Results: The analyses revealed negative correlations between the performance traits of the laying hens and the behavioural profile defined as fearful. In the group of fearful RIW birds, delayed sexual maturation (0.22) as well as a decrease in the initial egg production (-0.30), egg weight (-0.54), egg specific gravity (-0.331), shell thickness (-0.11), and the number of hatched chicks (-0.24) could be expected. These correlations were less pronounced in the RIR breed, in which the fearful birds exhibited a decline in hatchability (-0.37), egg specific gravity (-0.11), and the number of hatched chicks (-0.18). There were no correlations in the case of the other traits or they were positive but exhibited a substantial standard error, as for the egg weight. Conclusion: To sum up the results obtained, it can be noted that behavioural responses indicating fearfulness, i.e. escape, avoidance, and approach-avoidance may reflect negative emotions experienced by birds. The negative correlations with performance in the group of fearful hens may indirectly indicate a high level of stress in these birds, especially in the white-feathered birds, where stronger performance-fearfulness correlations were found. Fearful birds should be eliminated from breeding by inclusion of the behavioural profile in the selection criterion in the case of laying hens.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• 제55권2호
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• pp.115-122
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• 2013

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary ${\beta}$-mannanase supplementation and palm kernel meal (PKM) inclusion (5%) on laying performance, egg quality and nutrient utilizability of laying hens with 73 weeks of age. A total of 240 Lohmann brown laying hens with average 77.5% egg production were randomly allocated with 60 hens per treatment, 4 replicates per treatment and 15 hens per replicate. Experimental design was a completely randomized design with $2{\times}2$ factorial arrangement, with the factors being (1) two levels of PKM (0 vs. 5%) and (2) with or without dietary ${\beta}$-mannanase (480 IU/kg of diet CTCzyme$^{(R)}$) supplementation. All hens were housed in cages ($35cmW{\times}35cmD{\times}40cmH$) with 2 hens per cage for six weeks feeding trial. Laying performance was recorded daily during feeding trial. Egg quality, nutrients utilizability and blood assays were done at the end of feeding trial. Egg production was improved (P<0.05) by both dietary PKM inclusion and ${\beta}$-mannanase combined supplementation. Either ${\beta}$-mannanase or PKM did not affect feed intakes and feed conversion ratio of all diets. Egg weight of hens fed diet containing 5% of PKM had heavier (P<0.05) eggs compared with hens fed without PKM. Albumen height was improved (P<0.05) by dietary mannanase supplementation. Crude fat utilization of 5% PKM diet was higher than that of no PKM diet regardless of ${\beta}$-mannanase supplementation. Both DM and total carbohydrate utilization were decreased (P<0.05) in hens fed 5% PKM diet. Serum IgG and yolk IgY contents of PKM groups were lower (P<0.05) than those of no PKM groups. This result showed that 5% PKM diet, independent of dietary ${\beta}$-mannanase supplementation, was able to improve egg production. In addition, dietary ${\beta}$-mannanase supplementation could be used for improving the albumen height of eggs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제22권12호
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• pp.1661-1666
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• 2009

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of Se-enriched bean sprout, Se-enriched yeast and sodium selenite on productivity, egg quality and egg Se concentrations in laying hens. Using a Completely Randomized Design, 144 Rohman laying hens at 71 weeks of age were divided into four groups. Each group consisted of four replicates and each replicate contained nine hens. The dietary treatments were T1: control diet, T2: control diet plus 0.3 mg Se/kg from sodium selenite, T3: control diet plus 0.3 mg Se/kg from Se-enriched yeast, T4: control diet plus 0.3 mg Se/kg from Se-enriched bean sprout. The results showed that there was no significant difference (p>0.05) in feed intake, egg production and egg quality among treatments. Selenium supplementation from Seenriched yeast and Se-enriched bean sprout markedly increased (p<0.05) egg Se concentration as compared to the control and sodium selenite groups. The results indicated that Se-enriched bean sprout could be used as an alternative Se source in diets of laying hens.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제18권4호
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• pp.545-551
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• 2005

A feeding trial was conducted to determine whether dietary vitamin C (200 mg/kg) and vitamin E (250 mg/kg) prevent any drops in egg shell quality under heat stress in broiler breeder hens. One hundred and sixty molted Ross broiler breeders were housed randomly in an individual cage at 83 weeks of age. Four dietary treatments with forty hens and four replications per treatment were control (no additional vitamins), vitamin C-, or vitamin E-supplemented and combined supplementation of the two vitamins. After a tenday-adaptation period at 25$^{\circ}C$, the ambient temperature was kept at 32$^{\circ}C$ for a three-week-testing period. Egg production dropped dramatically over week but it did not show a significant change among treatments (p<0.05). However, egg quality parameters such as egg weight, specific gravity, shell thickness, SWUSA, puncture force and shell breaking strength from the birds fed the diet with the combined vitamins C and E were significantly improved over those of the control group during the heat stress period (p<0.05). The hens fed the vitamin C diet improved tibia breaking strength (37.16 kg), statistically higher than the birds fed the control and the vitamin E diets (p<0.05). The hens fed the control diet showed higher serum corticosterone levels, a mean of 5.97 ng/ml, than those of the other treatments (p<0.05). The heat stress resulted in elevated heterophils and decreased lymphocytes in serum, increasing the H/L ratios for all the treatments. However, the increases in H/L ratios were alleviated by feeding the diets containing vitamin C alone or together with vitamin E, although there were no significant differences in the ratio between the two groups (p<0.05). In conclusion, vitamins C (200 mg/kg) and/or E (250 mg/kg) supplemented to the diets for broiler breeder hens could prevent drops in egg shell quality and tibia bone strength under highly stressful environmental temperatures.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• 제63권6호
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• pp.1275-1285
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• 2021

The objective of the present experiment was to investigate the effect of dietary palm kernel meal (PKM) and β-xylanase supplementation on productive performance, egg quality, fatty liver incidence, and excreta characteristics in laying hens. A total of 320 Hy-Line Brown laying hens (33 weeks of age) were allotted to 1 of 4 treatments with 8 replicates in a feeding trial. Each replicate consisted of 10 consecutive cages with 1 hen per cage. The corn-soybean meal-based control diet was prepared. Additional diet was prepared by including 10% of PKM in the control diet with a partial replacement of corn, soybean meal, and animal fat. In addition, 0.025% β-xylanase was supplemented at the expense of celite to those 2 diets to produce 4 treatment diets in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. All hens were provided the diet and water ad libitum for 8 weeks. Results indicated no significant interactions between inclusion of dietary PKM and β-xylanase for all measurements; therefore, the main effects were mainly discussed. Hens fed diets containing 10% PKM had greater (p < 0.05) feed intake and yolk color than those fed diets containing no PKM. However, dietary PKM did not influence fatty liver incidence and excreta characteristics. Dietary β-xylanase supplementation had no effects on all measurements, regardless of inclusion of PKM. In conclusion, PKM can be a potential feed ingredient for laying hens at the inclusion of 10% in the diet. It appears that dietary β-xylanase used in the current experiment has little effect on layer productivity, regardless of inclusion of 10% PKM in the diet.

• 한국가금학회지
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• 제47권4호
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• pp.255-265
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• 2020

This study was performed to evaluate the effects of available phosphorus (AP) levels with or without supplemental phytase on the performance, egg quality, and serum biochemical parameters of laying hens. A total of 540 laying hens (40-week-old) were housed in cages and assigned to 6 dietary treatments with 5 replicates each, for 20 weeks. The treatments consisted of 0.20%, 0.25%, and 0.30% AP diets with or without phytase supplementation. During the 20-week period, egg production was lowest in hens fed the 0.20% AP diet; however, phytase supplementation in the diet completely corrected the adverse effect (P<0.05). No consistent difference was observed in egg production between hens fed the 0.25% and 0.30% AP diets and those fed the 0.20% and 0.30% AP diets with phytase supplementation. Similarly, egg mass was lowest in the 0.20% AP diet-fed group, and no difference in egg mass was observed in the 0.25% and 0.30% AP diet as well as the phytase-supplemented diet groups; however, egg mass was improved in the phytase-supplemented diet groups(P<0.05). Egg quality traits did not differ with dietary treatments. Serum alkaline phosphatase level showed a linear decrease (P<0.05) in the phytase-treated groups with increasing AP levels; moreover, a numerically linear increase (P<0.05) in serum Ca and P levels was observed in the phytase-treated groups. The results of this study indicate that phytase supplementation in the diet of laying hens could increase egg production and may lead to greater mineral absorption.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제14권6호
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• pp.850-854
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• 2001

Feed intake, egg weight, rate of lay and shell quality characteristics were measured in an Australian tinted egg laying strain from 31-42 weeks of age, housed at $30^{\circ}C$ and provided drinking water at 5, 10, 17 and $30^{\circ}C$. In a second experiment a European brown egg laying strain (59-66 weeks of age) housed at $30^{\circ}C$ were provided drinking water at 5, 10, 15 and $30^{\circ}C$. Brown egg layers given cool drinking water (5, 10 and $15^{\circ}C$) consumed more (p<0.05) feed and produced significantly (p<0.05) thicker and heavier shells than hens given drinking water at ambient temperature ($30^{\circ}C$). However the tinted egg layers given chilled drinking water only consumed more (p<0.05) feed and produced thicker (p<0.05) and heavier (p<0.05) shells when consuming drinking water at $5^{\circ}C$. As the tinted egg layers acclimatised to the environmental temperature there was a decline in the influence of cool drinking water on feed intake and shell quality. For brown egg layers, however, cool drinking water resulted in an improvement (p<0.05) in feed intake and shell quality over the entire period birds were provided cool water. These studies suggest that there is potential for using cool drinking water to improve feed intake and shell quality of hens housed under hot conditions. The combination of high ambient temperature and high drinking water temperature, a common occurrence in Australian layer sheds, should be avoided.

• Animal Bioscience
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• 제35권3호
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• pp.444-452
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• 2022

Objective: An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of different levels of crude protein (CP) and two rearing systems (cage and floor), on blood parameters and digestive and reproductive organ development of brown laying hens. Methods: A total of 400 Hisex Brown laying hens between 30 and 45 weeks of age were distributed in a completely randomized design and a 2×4 factorial arrangement, with main effects including two rearing systems (cage and floor) and levels of CP (140, 150, 160, and 180 g/kg), in a total of eight treatments and five replicates of 10 birds each with initial body weight of 1,877 g (laying hen in cage) and 1,866 g (laying hens in floor). The parameters evaluated were plasma total protein, albumin, uric acid, total cholesterol, relative weights of oviduct, abdominal fat, liver, gizzard, crest and dewlap, length of small intestine and oviduct. Results: The blood parameters were similar in birds reared in cage and floor systems. The birds reared on the floor showed greater small intestine and oviduct weight (%) and lower liver and pancreas weight (%). A significant interaction was observed between factors for the relative gizzard, crest and dewlap weight, serum protein, uric acid, and total cholesterol (p<0.05). The diets with 140 g/kg CP resulted in lower serum protein and lower cholesterol in birds reared in floor system, while birds reared in cage system showed no effect of CP on both parameters. Birds reared in cage and fed with 140 and 150 g/kg CP presented lower uric acid. The group of birds reared in floor system fed 180 g/kg had greater uric acid. Conclusion: The dietary protein level can be reduced up to 140 g/kg for Hisex Brown hens (30 to 45 weeks of age) without an important effect on metabolic profile and organ development in both rearing systems.

• 한국환경과학회지
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• 제24권9호
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• pp.1233-1237
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• 2015

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of red ginseng marc powder on egg freshness in laying hens during 4 weeks. A total of 60 Hy-line Brown laying hens, 50 week of age, were randomly assigned to 2 groups with diets containing 0% and 2% red ginseng marc powder. There were 3 replications per group with 10 laying hens per pen. Throughout the period of the trial, there were no effects of red ginseng marc powder on egg weight (but not 4 weeks). Haugh Unit (HU) values were observed by showing significant differences between red ginseng marc powder and controls at 0 and 4 weeks, except for HU at 1 through 3 weeks. For egg yolk color, red ginseng marc powder has no difference in comparison with controls at 0, 3 and 4 weeks (but not 1 and 2 weeks). In conclusion, the dietary supplementation with 2% red ginseng marc powder improved HU values throughout the experiment.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• 제62권4호
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• pp.521-532
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• 2020

The production performance of broiler breeder hens in response to different levels of total lysine during the early laying period was investigated. A total of 126 Ross 308 parent stock hens were offered one of seven dietary treatments formulating elevated contents of total lysine ranging from 0.55% to 0.79% (0.04 scale; 133 g of feed) from 23 to 29 weeks of age. Each treatment had six replicates with three birds per pen. Body weight was recorded triweekly and eggs were collected and weighted at 9:00 am daily. One hen from each pen was euthanized to collect blood samples and visceral organs were harvested and weighed. Egg production, egg weight and egg mass were lower (p < 0.05) in hens offered a diet containing 0.55% total lysine compared to those fed the diet containing higher total lysine. Hens offered a diet containing 0.71%, 0.75%, and 0.79% total lysine had greater (p = 0.008) egg production rate compared to those offered a diet containing lysine less than 0.71%. The number of total eggs produced tended to be greater (p = 0.083) in hens offered a diet containing 0.71 and 0.75% total lysine compared to the other treatments. The number of settable egg production was higher (p < 0.001) in hens offered a diet contacting 0.79% total lysine compared to those fed the diet containing lower levels of total lysine. The relative weights of oviduct and ovary were lower (p < 0.05) in hens offered a diet containing 0.59% total lysine compared to the other treatments. No difference found in body weight, the number of total eggs, double-yolk eggs and abnormal shell eggs among the treatments. The urea nitrogen, estradiol-17 beta and progesterone in plasma were not affected by treatments. Based on linear- and quadratic-plateau models, total lysine requirements for egg production, settable egg production and egg mass at the early laying period were to be 0.73%, 0.77%, and 0.71%, respectively. Modern broiler breeder hens likely require higher total lysine than NRC recommendation in a diet for enhancing productivity during the early-laying period.