• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.237-244
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• 2004

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary Animunin Powder$^{?}$ on the egg quality characteristics, blood components and nutrient digestibility in laying hens. A total of two hundred seventy laying hens were randomly allocated into three treaments with fifteen replications for eight weeks. Dietary treaments included 1) Control (CON), 2) Control + $0.1\%$ Animunin Powder$^{?}$ (AM1), 3) Control + $0.2\%$ Animunin Powder$^{?}$ (AM2). During the period of 0~4weeks, the birds fed the AM1 diet had an improved egg production compared to the birds fed the CON (P<0.05). During the period of 4~8weeks the birds fed AM1 diet showed a statistically improved egg production compared to the CON (P<0.05). However, no significant differences were founded in the egg weight. During the period of $4\~8$ weeks the hens fed the AM2 diet had improved egg yolk color compared to the hens fed CON and AM1 diets (P<0.05). In the Haugh unit for the period of $0~4$$weeks, the AM2 treatment showed significantly improved results compared to the CON (P<0.05). Average egg shell breaking showed no significant differences through the experiment period, but in the period of $4\~8$weeks the AM2 treatment tended to be improved compared to the CON and AM1 treatment (P<0.05). There was no significant differences in egg shell thickness. In the serum cholesterol, the AM1 and AM2 treatments were significantly lower than the CON (P<0.05). The concentration of RBC and WBC in the AM treatments tended to increase but there were no significant differences. For the differences of lymphocytes between the end and initiation of the experiment, the hens fed the AM1 treatment were significantly different compared to the hens fed the CON and AM2 treatment (P<0.05). During the period of the experiment, the hens fed the AM1 diet were tended to show higher DM digestibility than the hens fed the CON and AM2 diet, but it was not statistically different. In conclusion, dieatry fed of Animunin Powder$^{?}$ could improve egg production, egg yolk color, and haugh unit.