• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.449-457
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• 2010

This study investigated the effects of three kinds of water extract mixtures each with different ratios of A. capillaris, C. sinensis, S. chinensis, and V. coloratum on laying performance, egg quality, blood characteristics, and egg storage stability in laying hens. One hundred and sixty 35-wk-old laying hens (Hy-line brown) were divided into four groups of 10 birds each replicated times four. The treatments involved a basal diet (C, control) or diets containing three kinds of water extract mixtures at 200 ppm (T1, water extract mixture A; T2, water extract mixture B; T3, water extract mixture C). The egg production rate, egg mass, and feed conversion ratio were significantly improved in all treatments compared to those of control (p<0.05). Haugh unit and egg yolk color in all treated groups were significantly improved in comparison with control (p<0.05), but no significant differences were observed for egg shell quality. The content of total cholesterol in blood serum was significantly decreased in all treatments compared to that of control (p<0.05). The blood biochemical parameters of liver and kidney damage were significantly decreased in all treatments compared to those of control (p<0.05). Total antioxidant activity in the blood serum of all treated groups was increased as well. The Haugh unit and malondialdehyde content in the egg yolk during storage were significantly decreased in all treated groups compared to control (p<0.05). Consequently, the dietary supplementation of water extract mixtures of A. capillaris, C. sinensis, S. chinensis, and V. coloratum improved laying performance and egg quality but decreased egg quality deterioration with increased storage. These results suggest that medicinal plant extracts could be used as a feed additive in feed for laying hens.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.1553-1561
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• 2004

Two feeding trials were conducted with 128 pullets from 4 to 20 weeks of age and 96 laying hens from 23 to 63 weeks of age to evaluate the effects of scavenging and type of protein supplement on the feed intake and performance of improved pullets and laying hens. The experiments had a completely randomized design with four dietary treatments and four replicates. Treatments were: Control (Cont), scavenging but with access to a balanced concentrate at night; confinement (CF) and given the control feed ad libitum; scavenging and supplemented at night with the control feed, but with soybean meal replaced by cassava leaf meal (CLM); scavenging and supplemented at night with the control feed, but with fishmeal replaced y soybean meal (SBM). The mean daily dry matter (DMI), metabolizable energy (MEI) and crude protein intakes (CPI) of the pullets and laying hens, respectively, were 28%, and 18% higher for the confinement treatment (CF) compared to the scavenging treatments (p<0.001). The DMI, MEI and CPI of the pullets were not significantly different among scavenging treatments (p>0.05), but for the layers DMI, MEI and CPI were significantly higher for the CLM and SBM treatments compared to the Cont treatment (p<0.001). In the growing period, the average daily weight gain (ADG), supplement feed conversion ratio (FCR) and supplement feed cost/kg eggs (FCS) were not significantly different for CF compared to Cont, and among scavenging treatments (p>0.05). In the laying period, the hen-day production was significantly lower, and supplement FCR and FCS significantly higher for the CF compared to the scavenging treatments (p<0.001). Egg weight, and yolk, albumen and shell percentage and shape index were not significantly different among the scavenging treatments (p>0.05). However, shell and yolk percentages were significantly lower for the CF compared to the Cont treatment (p<0.01). Mortality was significantly higher for the CF compared to the scavenging treatments for pullets, and was significantly lower for the CF compared to scavenging treatments for laying hens (p<0.001). It was concluded that scavenging pullets and layers were getting around 28% and 18%, respectively, of their nutrient requirements from scavenging activities, resulting in correspondingly lower supplement feed conversion ratios and feed costs. Daily gains of the pullets were not affected by scavenging or protein supplement, but egg production and mortality were lower for the confined hens.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.7
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• pp.1048-1052
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• 2008

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of sodium selenite and zinc-L-selenomethionine on performance and egg Se concentration in laying hens. Two hundred and twenty-four CP Browns aged 71 weeks were divided according to a $2{\times}3$ factorial in a completely randomized design. One more group without additional Se supplementation was used as a negative control. Each treatment consisted of four replicates and each replicate contained eight laying hens. The dietary treatments were T1: basal diet; T2, T3 and T4: basal diets plus 0.3, 1.0 and 3.0 mg Se from sodium selenite/kg, respectively; T5, T6 and T7: basal diets plus 0.3, 1.0 and 3.0 mg Se from zinc-L-selenomethionine/kg, respectively. The findings revealed that feed conversion rate/kg eggs, egg production, egg weight, Haugh units and eggshell thickness were not affected by source and level of Se (p>0.05). Increasing level of dietary Se significantly increased (p<0.05 the Se content of eggs. Zinc-L-selenomethionine markedly increased p<0.05 egg Se concentration as compared with sodium selenite. The results indicated that Se source did not influence performance of laying hens. However, zinc-L-selenomethionine increased p<0.05 egg Se concentration more than sodium selenite.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Poultry Science Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.103-104
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• 2004

This study was evaluated the dietary affect of ceramics on laying performance, intestinal microflora population, NH$_3$ and VFA gas emission from excreta and fatty acids composition of egg yolk in laying hens. A total of 180 layer at 34 weeks of age were fed the experimental diets containing 0.0 % (Control), 0.4 % and 0.8 % of ceramics powder for 6 weeks. It is concluded that 0.4 % ceramics powder supplementation in the 34 to 40 weeks laying hens diet, improves the laying performance and ratio of egg yolk n-6/n-3 fatty acids contents and decreasing emission of NH$_3$ and VFA gas from excreta.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.29 no.10
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• pp.1011-1014
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to investigate the egg freshness and eggshell characteristics of old laying hens by adding sea urchin shell powder to the feed of such hens to achieve the objectives continuously pursued by environmental management, such as business profitability and waste resource utilization. A total of 90 Hy-Line Brown layers (66 weeks of age) were randomly divided into 2 treatments with 3 replicates, each of which consisted of 15 older layers, for 4 weeks. These treatments included a control (i.e., 0%) and 2% sea urchin shell powder. The 2% supplementation of sea urchin shell powder increased the Haugh unit (HU) at 2 and 4 weeks and eggshell strength at 4 wks compared to the controls (p<0.05). The HU at 0 weeks, eggshell thickness from 0 through 3 weeks, and eggshell strength at 0 and 2 weeks were not different between treatments (p>0.05). These results suggest that the addition of 2% sea urchin powder to the feed of laying hens improves egg freshness and eggshell strength in old laying hens.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.772-776
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• 2010

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary domestic Skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis) extracts (SCE) on laying performance and egg quality in laying hens. There were no significant differences in feed intake, egg production, or relative liver and spleen weights. The egg weights in groups fed diets containing SCE were significantly increased as compared with the control. The number of cecal total microbes in the group fed a diet containing 0.5% SCE was significantly reduced as compared with other groups. The malondialdehyde contents in stored eggs were significantly lowered by feeding SCE. The Haugh unit in the groups fed diets containing SCE tended to be increased after 2 weeks storage, but not significantly. This result indicated that dietary domestic SCE may delay lipid oxidation in eggs when added to laying hen diets.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.26 no.7
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• pp.869-874
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• 2017

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation of various types of fermented red ginseng marc with red koji to laying hens on eggshell and egg yolk quality characteristics. A total of 240 Hy-line Brown laying hens (40 wk of age) were randomly allotted to 24 pens (6 replicates per treatment and 10 laying hens per replicate). Experimental diets consisted of 4 treatments containing basal diet (control), 1% fermented red ginseng marc powder with red koji, 1% fermented red ginseng marc pelleted with red koji and 1% fermented red ginseng marc coated with red koji. During the 8-wk feeding trial, there were no significant differences in eggshell strength, eggshell thickness and eggshell color among the treatments, except for eggshell strength at 4 and 8 wk and eggshell thickness at 0 wk. In addition, no differences in egg yolk color and egg yolk index were found for all treatments throughout the 8-wk feeding period, except for egg yolk color at 0 wk. Thus, using various types of fermented red ginseng marc with red koji to laying hens did not improve eggshell and egg yolk quality characteristics.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1993.10a
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• pp.504-509
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• 1993

A heavy load driving system for the gun laying control is designed with the analysis of performance in pointing accuracy and speed. To eliminate the firing noise and high frequency system noise, a .PI. filter is implemented in conjunction with the PI velocity control. To incorporate the gunner's commands in the PID position control loop easily, a .mu.-processor is utilized in the position control loop. Main difficulties in the heavy load driving system exist in the design of motor drivers and heat sinkers. With an appropriate design of the motor drivers and heat sinkers, the performance of the gun laying system is analyzed by the simulation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.11
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• pp.1605-1610
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• 2012

Two experiments were conducted to study the effects of red pepper (Capsicum frutescens) powder or red pepper pigment on the performance and egg yolk color of laying hens. In Exp. 1, 210, thirty-wk old, Hy-line Brown laying hens were fed one of seven diets containing 0.3, 0.6, 1.2, 2.0, 4.8 or 9.6 ppm red pepper pigment or 0.3 ppm carophyll red. Each diet was fed to three replicate batteries of hens with each battery consisting of a row of five cages of hens with two hens per cage (n = 3). In Exp. 2, 180, thirty-wk old, Hyline Brown laying hens, housed similarly to those in Exp. 1, were fed an unsupplemented basal diet as well as treatments in which the basal diet was supplemented with 0.8% red pepper powder processed in a laboratory blender to an average particle size of $300{\mu}m$, 0.8% red pepper powder processed as a super fine powder with a vibrational mill ($44{\mu}m$) and finally 0.8% red pepper powder processed as a super fine powder with a vibrational mill but mixed with 5% $Na_2CO_3$ either before or after grinding. A diet supplemented with 0.3 ppm carophyll red pigment was also included (n = 3). In both experiments, hens were fed the red pepper powder or pigment for 14 days. After feeding of the powder or pigment was terminated, all hens were fed the basal diet for eight more days to determine if the dietary treatments had any residual effects. In Exp. 1, there were no differences in egg-laying performance, feed consumption or feed conversion ratio due to inclusion of red pepper pigment in the diet. Average egg weight was higher (p<0.05) for birds fed 1.2, 2.4 or 9.6 ppm red pepper pigment than for birds fed the diet containing 0.3 ppm red pepper pigment. On d 14, egg color scores increased linearly as the level of red pepper pigment in the diet increased. In Exp. 2, feeding red pepper powder did not affect egg-laying performance, feed consumption or feed conversion ratio (p>0.05). However, compared with the control group, supplementation with all of the red pepper powder treatments increased egg weight (p<0.05). All the red pepper powder treatments also increased (p<0.05) the yolk color score compared with the control. The results of the present study suggest that both red pepper powder and pigment are effective feed additives for improving egg yolk color for laying hens.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.63 no.6
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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.