• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.103-110
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• 1996

This survey was conducted to investigate the situation of three types of laying hen houses and farmers' awareness of farm automation. Six windowless, three high-rising windowless and four open-sided laying hen houses were surveyed to compare their characteristics, and sixty farmers answered questionnaires. 1. Population density of laying hen was 13.9 birds/m^2$ in open-sided, 28.9 birds/m^2$ in high-rising windowless, and 44.9 birds/m^2$ in windowless laying hen houses. 2. Feeder space was $12{\sim}13.5cm$ in open-sided laying hen houses, but feeder space of windowless and high-rising hen houses was narrower than that of open-sided laying hen houses. 3. Thermal resistance values were $14.6{\sim}18.7\;m^2\;{\circ}C/W$ in wall, #22.0{\sim}23.7\;m^2\;{\circ}C/W$ in roof of windowless and high-rising windowless laying hen houses but the wall of open-sided laying hen houses was only $1.9\;m^2\;{\circ}C/W$. 4. Maximum ventilation capacity was 0.161{\sim}0.326$ cmm/bird in summer. Minimum rate of tunnel Ventilation laying hen houses in winter was $0.013{\sim}0.040$ cmm/bird, but minimum rate of crossflow and high-rising windowless laying hen houses was larger than that of tunnel ventilation houses. 5. One person managed about 8,100 birds in open-sided, and about 23,500 birds in windowless and high-rising windowless laying hen houses. 7. 90.7% of farmers responsed that they want to construct automatized laying hen houses in the future.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.93-98
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• 2014

This study was conducted to analysis the reason for implementing HACCP system, advantage and disadvantage of HACCP system implemented laying hen farm. The study was carried out by randomly selected fifteen laying hen farms located in all around Korea. All data were collected from fifteen laying hen farms before and after the implementation of HACCP system. The results were as follows: The egg production rate, livability rate and monthly used animal medicine fee did not changed after HACCP system implementation. However, monthly used disinfectant fee tended to be higher in HACCP farm compared to non-HACCP farm. 26.92% of the laying hen farmer responded enhancement of their farm competitiveness as the major propose for implementing HACCP system. The advantages of HACCP implemented laying hen farms were methodical farm management (22.39%), improvement of awareness (21.18%), improvement of the farm sanitation management level (15.30%), safety egg production (15.05%), productivity enhancement (7.29%), reduction of mortality rate (6.82%), and improvement of labor's welfare (5.89%). The disadvantages of HACCP implemented laying hen farms were HACCP recording (43.30%), alteration of consciousness (22.60%), HACCP monitoring (11.11%), HACCP education (9.97%), HACCP verification (6.90%), and A high turnover of labor (6.13%). In conclusion, implementation of HACCP system to laying hen farm did not affect on the productivity or the use of animal medicine. However, the HACCP system may enhance safety and sanitation of egg production for consumer.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.32 no.12
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• pp.987-990
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• 2023

This study exploded the correlation between feed and livestock manure characteristics across different livestock species. The selected farms included laying hen, fattening pig, and Hanwoo farms, with visits conducted to each farm at 1-day intervals. In the experiment, feed was provided to each livestock species every day at the same scheduled time, and samples of both feed and livestock manure were collected from each farm after 1 month. The correlation analysis revealed no significant effect on the crude protein content of the feed for each livestock species and the respective livestock manure characteristics. This could be attributed to the fact that the difference in nitrogen content of each feed did not have a substantial effect on the content of the livestock manure components or the differences in individual components were similar. Based on these results, it is crucial to conduct environmental impact assessments on farms using diverse feeding management approaches for each farm.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.1062-1068
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• 2019

Objective: For many generations, most species of farm animals have been subjected to intense and strictly targeted selection for improvement of their performance traits. This has led to substantial changes in animal anatomy and physiology, which resulted in considerable differences between the current animal breeds and their wild ancestors. The aim of the study was to determine whether there is breed-specific variability in behaviour as well as differences in emotional reactivity and preferences of laying hens. Methods: The investigations involved 50 Green-legged Partridge, 50 Polbar, and 50 Leghorn hens. All birds were kept in the same conditions, and the behavioural tests were carried out at 30 weeks of age. We used the tonic immobility test and a modified open-field test including such objects as water, commercial feed, feed enriched with cereal grains, finely cut straw, and insect larvae, a sandpit, a mirror, and a shelter imitating a hen nest. Results: The research results demonstrate that the birds of the analysed breeds differ not only in the excitability and emotional reactivity but, importantly, also in the preferences for environment-enriching elements. Ensuring hens' well-being should therefore be based on environmental modifications that will facilitate acquisition of essential elements of chickens' behaviour. The greatest emotional reactivity was found in the Leghorn breed, which may be a result of correlated selection aimed at an increase in chicken productivity. Conclusion: The differences in the behaviour of the birds from the analysed breeds indicate that laying hens cannot be regarded as one group of animals with the same environmental requirements.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.81-90
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• 2023

Animal welfare was introduced relatively late to Korea in comparison with Western countries. Nonetheless, the Korean government has continuously improved animal welfare-friendly regulations as policy instruments. Given the current situation, it is predicted that spontaneous settlement of the animal welfare policies will be difficult and may cause conflict in the farm animal industry. To identify and categorize conflicts caused by animal-welfare-related policies in the last five years, we investigated the awareness of animal welfare among Korean hen farms and the level of compliance with the animal welfare regulations. We collected a sample of 53 egg-laying chicken farm operators (e.g., owners or head managers) was collected through the on-site survey (90% confidence level (Z-score: 1.65) and 10.18% tolerance, based on a number of 797 egg-laying farms in 2020). Ethical conflicts on the farms were categorized into three different types according to the hen farm's ethical awareness level: passive, moderate, and active. Additionally, we investigated the correlation between compliance with regulations and ethical consideration. This study confirmed that compliance with animal welfare-related regulations significantly correlated to the level of ethical consideration of farm operators. Interestingly, we also observed that farm operators did not comply with the regulation despite their high level of awareness of animal welfare. This conflict implies contradiction and unresolved ethical dilemmas. Therefore, this study argues that the policies cause conflict in the field despite the certain level of effectiveness on animal welfare regulations.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.73-80
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• 2023

Vitamin D3 is an essential nutrient which plays an important role in calcium metabolism for eggshell formation, in calcium and phosphorus metabolism for bone mineralization, and in maintaining host immunity. Although there have been a great deal of studies investigating the role of vitamin D3 in eggshell quality and vitamin D3 contents in eggs, no attempts have been made to monitor the eggshell quality and vitamin D3 contents in eggs at farm level. Thus, this survey was conducted to measure eggshell quality and vitamin D3 contents in eggs laid from laying hens fed diets containing different levels of vitamin D3. Eggs from four commercial laying hen farms were sampled before and 1, 2, 3 and 5 weeks after provision of the vitamin D3-enriched diets added with the level of 16,500 IU and 29,000 IU. Dietary vitamin D3 did not affect the eggshell color and breaking strength, but increase the eggshell thickness. In addition, vitamin D3 contents in eggs were elevated as vitamin D3 in diets was increased. It is concluded that addition of dietary vitamin D3 into the diets of laying hens at the commercial laying hen farms could improve eggshell quality and vitamin D3 contents in eggs. It is expected that the prediction equation for egg vitamin D3 contents might be produced if more data on vitamin D3 contents in diets and eggs at the farms are to be analyzed.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.151-156
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• 2012

Studies of non-cage or alternative systems have been discussing in EU because the EU has banned use of conventional cages for laying hens since 2012. This survey was carried out the information related to laying hens' welfare in Korea. Laying hens' breeding systems divided into deep litter, free range and alternative system, and livestock housings divided into windowless housing and open-type housing. The ratios of trough and bell feeder types were 37.5% and 62.5%, respectively. The ratios of nipple, trough, and bucket in waterer types 75%, 12.5%, and 12.5%, respectively. What stocking density is the most appropriate for production and welfare has been aroused. All laying hen farms met the required standards of stocking density ranged from 3.4 birds/$m^2$ to 7.6 birds/$m^2$ in this survey. According to welfare standards for laying hens, perch length should not be less than 15 cm. However, most laying hen farms did not satisfied the standards. We believe that presentdata contribute to develop alternative systems and to improve animal welfare in Korea.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.7
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• pp.145-150
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate farmers' field survey to improve animal welfare certification standards and to obtain basic data on the animal welfare level for certified farmers to develop evaluation methods of animal welfare level suitable for domestic farm environment. The subjects of the study were selected 10 animal welfare laying certified farmhouses. The farming certified farming facility survey collected breeding form, head, feed and drink space, breeding density, length and shape of perch. Animal welfare was assessed by the presence of sand bath, spawning, enrichment measures, free range, feathers pecking. The results of the study showed that most the certified animal welfare laying hens complied with the certification standards. All the farms were providing the nest box, but there were farms with more than 20% of the spawning rate. The perches were provided in sufficient length, but only three of ten farms were using rounded perches. Feather damage has been identified in most survey farms, which is likely to be due to feather damage caused by roosters producing both fertilized eggs. In this study, 10 farm households were surveyed. It was not possible to represent the whole certified farmhouse. Therefore, it should be analyzed thoroughly to evaluate the level of animal welfare.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.61-80
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• 2010

Poultry welfare has recently appeared as worldwide concern as well as Korea. The recent action plan for farm animal welfare introduced by the European Commission intends to expand the body of regulatory standards. In this context, many countries and/or organization are on the verge of establishing the most optimum poultry welfare standards. To establish the most optimum standards, comparative analysis of feeding regimen before and after welfare-bestowed environment need to be preceded. Most guidelines or standards for poultry welfare do not suggest the nutritional requirements and feeding system in detail, although it is deterimental especially for the farmer. This review intends to find scientific base to establish detailed welfare feeding guidelines. However, only limited research has been conducted in the view of actual poultry welfare. The results indicated the incidence of SDS, ascites, skeletal dysfunctions caused by fast growth rate in broiler, feather pecking and cannibalism in laying hen, and feed restriction in broiler breeder could be reduced by changing nutritional regimen and feeding strategies or both. The regimen and feeding strategies are certainly near to the direction that the poultry welfare ought to be in the right track. In this article, feeding and drinking guidelines in many standards as well as welfare feeding experiments have been reviewed and compared In the view of chicken productivity, welfare physiology and poultry health.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.299-307
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• 2022

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the effects of different social ranking order (SRO) and the enrichments (perch and dust-bath) allocation (EA) on behavior of laying hens in furnished cages. Methods: Total experimental period was 4 weeks. There were 216 Hy-line brown layers beak-trimmed at 1 d of age and selected randomly at 14 weeks of age from a commercial farm, and randomly divided into 36 cages with 6 hens in each cage. High enrichments (perch and dust-bath) allocation (HEA) and low enrichments (perch and dust-bath) allocation (LEA) were provided. Video observations of behavior were obtained from the focal hens between 14 and 18 weeks of age and perching, dust-bathing and other general behaviors of the hens with different social orders were measured. Results: Perching behavior of high SRO hens (HSR) were significantly higher than that of medium SRO hens (MSR), and that of the MSR were significantly higher than that of low SRO hens (LSR) (p<0.01), except for lying on perch (p>0.05). The hens in the high EA cage (HEAC) showed more lying behavior on perch than those in the low EA cage (LEAC) (p<0.01). The different SRO and EA did not affect dust-bathing behavior except vertical wing-shaking behavior (p<0.05). The LEA did not affect general behaviors (p>0.05), except standing and preening behaviors (p<0.01 and p<0.05), of which the hens in the HEAC showed less standing (p<0.01) and more preening behavior than the hens in the LEAC. Conclusion: The SRO of laying hens has a significant effect on the perching behaviors, but SRO and EA have little effect on dust-bathing and general behaviors.