• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.8
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• pp.1049-1056
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• 2010

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary glutamine (Gln) on the productive performance and egg quality of laying hens. A total of four hundred Lingnan Yellow laying hens aged 34 weeks were randomly assigned into four groups (100 laying hens/group), and fed, respectively, with diets supplemented with 0% (control group), 0.2%, 0.4%, and 0.8% Gln during the 6-week feeding period. The results were as follows. First, the productivity of laying hens fed with 0.8% Gln in diet was significantly increased (p<0.05); however, the egg quality (egg weight, yolk weight, shell weight, egg shape index, shell thickness, shell density, shell breaking strength, yolk color, yolk index, and Haugh unit) was not affected compared with that of the control group (p>0.05). Second, luteinizing hormone (LH) (p<0.01), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) (p<0.01), triiodothyronine ($T_3$), and tetraiodothyronine ($T_4$) contents (p<0.05) in blood of laying hens fed with 0.8% Gln in diets were also significantly improved, and greater improvement in the duodenum and oviduct structure was observed in that treatment group. This study indicated for the first time that diets with 0.8% Gln were able to increase the productive performance of laying hens through stimulating hormone secretion and better development of both the duodenum and oviduct structure in laying hens.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.97-103
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• 2016

This study aimed of effects of replacing maize with rice or brown rice on laying performance, egg quality, and apparent fecal digestibility of nutrient in Hy-Line Brown laying hens. A total of 200, 25-week old Hy-Line Brown laying hens were randomly assigned to one of 5 treatments, each of which was replicated 4 times. Four experimental diets that were formulated two different grains (brown rice or rice) with two inclusion levels of (15 and 30%) as a replacement of maize. The experimental period was 8 weeks. During the experiment, hens were provided with feed and water ad libitum and were exposed to a 16:8=L:D lighting schedule. There were no differences in feed intake, egg weight, and egg mass during the 8 weeks of the feeding trial among groups. However, hen-day egg production was greater (P<0.05) for Brown rice treatment groups than that for basal and rice treatment groups. In addition, the supplementation of brown rice or rice did not have an effect on eggshell strength, eggshell thickness, and HU during of the feeding trial (Table 4). However, egg yolk color was less (P<0.05) for basal treatment groups than that for among treatment group. ATTD of dry matter (DM) and crude fat were greater (P<0.05) for brown rice 15 treatment than for rice 30 treatment. Crude protein (CP) was greater (P<0.05) for brown rice 15 treatment than for basal treatment. In conclusion, brown rice or rice grains is a good alternative energy feedstuff and can be used in laying hens, totally replacing maize, without any negative effect on the laying performance, egg quality, and nutrient digestibility.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.67-73
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• 2013

With an increasing concern on laying hen welfare, barn system has appeared as one of the alternatives to replace the conventional cage. This study was conducted to compare the early laying performance and egg quality at the barn system with those at the conventional cage. A total of 288 shaver-579 brown layers were used for 9 weeks ($21^{st}$ to $30^{th}$ weeks of age) feeding study. Feed consumption and egg weight were significantly (P<0.01) higher at barn than at cage. However, there were no significant differences between two housing systems on hen day egg production (HDEP), egg mass, body weight, feed efficiency and livability. In case of egg quality parameters, shell thickness, albumen height and Haugh unit were significantly (P<0.05) different between two systems. Haugh unit and albumen height were significantly higher in eggs produced at cage (88.97 and 8.16 mm) compared than those produced at barn (83.11 and 6.87 mm), whereas shell thickness was thicker in eggs produced at barn than those produced at cage. Shape index, breaking strength, blood spots and yolk index data were not influenced significantly by the types of housing system. To implement welfare bestowing production, this study showed that the barn system can replace the conventional cage without serious sacrifices on starting phase egg production. In addition, this study suggested that the barn system need to be optimized in view of daily feed consumption.

• 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.42 no.1
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• pp.61-67
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• 2015

The objective of this experiment was to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation of herbal medication (HM) on laying performance, blood parameter, and immune response in laying hens. A total of 800 Hy-Line Brown laying hens of 60 weeks of age were randomly allotted to one of four dietary treatments with four replicates per treatment. Three additional diets were prepared by adding 0.5, 1.0 or 1.5 % of HM to the basal diet. Feeding trial lasted 7 weeks under 16L:8D lighting regimen. The diet and water were available ad libitum. Hen-day egg production in groups fed diets with 0.5% and 1.5% HM was significantly (P<0.05) higher than that of control. Feed conversion ratio in group fed diet with 0.5% HM showed the lowest value (P<0.05). Egg weight, feed intake, broken and shell-less egg production were not affected HM supplementation levels. Egg yolk color was significantly greater in all HM supplemented groups than basal treatment. However, eggshell strength, eggshell thickness, eggshell color, and Haugh units were not affected by HM supplementation level. There were no differences in leukocyte counts among the treatments. Plamsa IgM concentration was (P<0.05) higher in all HM treated groups. In conclusion, dietary HM improved egg production, and IgM of 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 the Korean Society of Mechanical Technology
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.917-923
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• 2018

The drinking water supply system applicable to the laying hen consists of air-water heat pumps, drinking water tanks, heat stroage tank, circulation pumps, PE pipes, nipples, and control panels. When the heat pump system has power of 7.7 to 8.7 kW per hour, the performance coefficient is between 3.1 and 3.5. The supply temperature from the heat pump to the heat stroage tank was stabilized at about $12{\pm}1^{\circ}C$, but the return temperature showed a variation of from 8 to $14^{\circ}C$. Stratified temperature in the storage tank appeared at $12.^{\circ}C$, $13.5^{\circ}C$ and $14.4^{\circ}C$, respectively. The drinking water supply temperature remained set at $15^{\circ}C$ and $25^{\circ}C$, and the conventional tap water showed a variation for $23^{\circ}C$ to $30^{\circ}C$. As chickens grow older, the amount of food intake and drinking water increased. $y=-0.0563x^2+4.7383x+8.743$, $R^2=0.98$ and the feed intake showed $y=-0.1013x^2+8.5611x$. In the future, further studies will need to figure out the cooling effect on heat stress of livestock.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2000

Present study was conducted to investigate effects of microbial phytase in laying hen diets on utilization of non-phytate phosphorus(NPP) whose levels were adjusted to be adequate or lower than that of NRC requirements. Birds of control roup were fed a diet containing 0.275% NPP and 3.4% Ca, satisfying the NRC(1994) feeding standard. bird on T1, T2 and T3 were allowed to eat diets containing NPP at 100, 80 and 60%, respectively, of Control group, and 4.0% Ca level along with a microbial phytase added at a level of 300 DPU. Three hundred and sixty, ISA Brown layers, 23-week-old, divided into four treatment groups with three replications per treatment and 30 layers per replication were fed the diets for 12 weeks. Levels of feed intake were not different among the groups, The egg mass/feed intake ratio appeared better in T2 group by about 8%, though without a statistical significance, compared to that of control. Egg production fate tended to be improved over the control group by feeding the 100%(T1) and 80%(T2) NPP diets added with phytase, with a significant difference for T2(p<0.05). Mean egg weight and egg shell quality, measured by breaking strength and thickness of the egg shell, of the T2 group tended to show numerically better, without a significance than those of control. Furthermore, birds of the T2 group showed higher calcium and phosphorus contents in tibia by about 9%(p<0.05) than the control. Overall performances of birds in T1 appeared better than those of control, but tended to be lower than those of the T2. The birds in T3 performed similar to the those of the other dietary groups except the relatively low tibia calcium level. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that supplementation of microbial phytase at a level of 300 DPU was effective to spare about 20% of NPP in laying hen diets without any adverse effects on production performances and bone quality.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.267-275
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• 1994

Three dietary ME levels of 3,200, 2,900 and 2,600 kcal /kg in the same 13% single-stage low protein diet were compared to evaluate the effect of ME levels of grower diets on egg-type pullet growth and subsequent laying performance. As the ME levels of grower diets decreased, cumulative feed and protein consumptions increased(P<0.05), however, the ME intake and body weight at 18 wk of age decreased(P<0.05). Grower feed cost decreased as the dietary ME level was decreased, but no significant difference was found among dietary ME levels of grower diets. During the laying period, sexual maturity, hen-day egg production and average egg weight were not significantly affected by the ME levels of grower diet, however, daily feed intake and feed required per egg decreased as the dietary ME level of grower diet was reduced(P<0.05). Results of this study indicate that pullets can be reared on the low ME diet of 2,600 kcal /kg and it would he economical to utilize the low energy diet during the growing period when they are reared on a 13% single-stage low protein diet.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.10
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• pp.1654-1659
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• 2018

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with fermented and non-fermented brown algae by-products on the laying performance, egg quality, relative organ weight, and blood profile of laying hens. Methods: Hy-Line Brown chickens (n = 180; 70-week-old) were randomly divided into 5 groups with 4 replicates per group (3 hens per cage, 4 cages per replicate), and fed with 5 experimental diets, namely the basal control diet (CON) or the control diet supplemented with 0.5% brown seaweed (BS), 0.5% seaweed fusiforme (SF), 0.5% fermented brown seaweed (FBS), or 0.5% fermented seaweed fusiforme (FSF), for 4 weeks. Results: Egg production rate and egg mass were greater in the BS group than in the other groups (p<0.05), and the SF and FSF groups had greater egg production than the control group (p<0.05). Egg weight was higher in the BS group than in the other groups (p<0.05). There were no differences in eggshell color, egg yolk color, eggshell strength, or eggshell thickness among the groups. There was no difference in Haugh units among the treatment groups, except for the FSF group, which had a significantly lower value (p<0.05). The non-fermented groups had greater relative organ weights, particularly the liver and cecum, than the other groups (p<0.05). Regarding blood profile, the supplemented-diet groups had higher albumin levels than the control group (p<0.05). The FBS group had higher total cholesterol and triglyceride levels than the other groups (p<0.05). The BS and FBS groups had higher glutamic pyruvic transaminase levels than the other groups (p<0.05). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that dietary brown algae supplementation can improve egg-laying performance; however, supplementation with fermented seaweeds had no positive effect on the egg-laying performance of hens.