• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.64 no.4
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• pp.717-726
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• 2022

The study evaluated different molt-inducing methods to achieve the main goal of molting in commercial layers during molting and post-molting periods. A total of 400 60-week-old Lohmann Brown layers were randomly divided into five groups (eight replicates of 10 birds for each group). Laying hens in the fasting control group received no diet from day 1 to day 10. The second group received a molt-inducing diet recommended by the breeding company. The third group received a wheat bran-based diet. The fourth group received a commercial layer diet with 8,000 ppm zinc (as zinc oxide, ZnO). The fifth group received an induced molting diet given to the second group with 8,000 ppm zinc, respectively. Egg production in the fasting control group and groups fed a diet with ZnO were significantly lower (p < 0.001) than those in groups fed the molt-inducing and wheat bran-based diets without ZnO during molting. Egg laying in the fasting control group was rapidly reduced and stopped on the 5.9th day of molting. In both groups having molt treatment with ZnO, egg production was similarly reduced and ceased on the 6.9th day and 7.0th day of molting, respectively, none of them differed significantly from the control. Layers fed molt-inducing diet or wheat bran-based diet did not reach the cessation of laying even on the 28th d of molting period. Relative weights of the ovary and growing oocytes of layers subjected to fasting or fed diets with ZnO were significantly lower than those of other groups. During the first two weeks of post molting, layers fed molt-inducing diet with ZnO showed higher egg production than the other two groups (p < 0.01). The eggshell strength in the group fed the commercial diet with ZnO was significantly higher than those fed the molt-inducing diet or wheat bran-based diets at 6 weeks of post molting (p < 0.05). These results suggest that the non-feed withdrawal molting using ZnO is more effective in inducing molting and increasing post-molt egg production and egg quality than other methods using a molt-inducing diet alone or wheat bran-based diet without ZnO.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.1196-1200
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• 2008

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the physiological changes of laying hens subjected to feed removal during induced molting while received probiotics in the drinking water. Post-molt performance and egg quality criteria were also studied. Ninety 78-week-old Hy-line W36 laying hens were divided into two treatment groups according to equal body weight and subjected to induced molting by continuous feed removal until around 30% BW reduction. The experiment lasted 12 wks consisting of 4-wk molting and 8-wk post-molt periods. Treatment 1 received no probiotics and was considered as the control. Treatment 2 was similar to the control except that hens received probiotics in the drinking water at 400 mg/L during feed deprivation. The results indicated that hens in both groups went out of production by Day 5. However, hens received probiotics reached 5 and 50% egg production sooner than the control (30 and 52 days vs. 31 and 54 days). Starvation during molting increased heterophil to lymphocyte (H/L) ratio, hematocrit and plasma T4 and $Na^+$ levels while plasma T3 and Cl- levels were decreased. Probiotics had no significant impact on BW reduction during molt. Post-molt egg production and egg mass were higher in hens which previously received probiotics, but these responses were not significant. However, feed conversion ratio was significantly better in hens which received probiotics. Hematocrit, plasma thyroid hormone concentrations (T3 and T4) and plasma $Na^+$, $K^+$ and Cl- levels during molting were not significantly influenced by supplementation of probiotics. However, H/L ratio showed a significant (p<0.05) reduction in birds which received probiotics suggesting beneficial effects of this product for feed-deprived laying hens. No significant difference was observed in post-molt egg quality criteria.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.15-20
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• 2008

This study aimed at evaluating the effects of a molting diet method in molt induction and post-molt performance of laying hens. Eighty-one ISA Brown hens at 62 wk of age were randomly divided into three groups. After a 4-wk preliminary period, a control group was fed a corn-soybean-based layer diet, and for the other groups, molting was induced by starvation (MS) or feeding a molting diet (MD). For the MS group, feed was withdrawn for 2 wk; this was followed by feeding a layer diet every other day for 1 wk and then the control diet. The MD group was fed a molting diet containing low-protein and low-energy diet based for 4 wk; this was followed by feeding a layer diet. They had a free access to their diet and water. Egg production, egg quality, feed intake, and ovary and oviduct weights were measured throughout the experimental period. During molting, the feed intake in the MD group was lower than that of the control. Body weight of the molted groups was significantly reduced. The MS group feeding totally ceased egg production within 4d; after the initiation of feeding and decreased; in the MD group, egg production to 9.3% by d 10. On d 14, the ovaries and oviducts of the molted groups were distinctly lighter than those of the control. Throughout the post-molt period, egg production and egg shell thickness of the molted group improved; but there were no significant differences. Eggs from the MD-fed or control group were heavier than those of the MS-fed or control group. Finally, feeding of a low-protein and low-energy diet effectively induces molting and increase post-molt production, but further research will be conducted to determine the effects of the molt diet with other ingredients and to reduce the energy level of the molt diet for maximizing molt induction and post-molt egg quality.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.11
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• pp.1715-1724
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• 2019

Objective: As laying hens become aged, laying performance and egg quality are generally impaired. One of the practical methods to rejuvenate production and egg quality of aged laying hens with decreasing productivity is a forced molting. However, the changes in intestinal microbiota after forced molting of aged hens are not clearly known. The aim of the present study was to analyze the changes in excreta bacterial communities after forced molting of aged laying hens. Methods: A total of one hundred 66-wk-old Hy-Line Brown laying hens were induced to molt by a 2-d water removal and an 11-d fasting until egg production completely ceased. The excreta samples of 16 hens with similar body weight were collected before and immediately after molting. Excreta bacterial communities were analyzed by high-throughput sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes. Results: Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria were the three major bacterial phyla in pre-molting and immediate post-molting hens, accounting for more than 98.0%. Lactobacillus genus had relatively high abundance in both group, but decreased by molting (62.3% in premolting and 24.9% in post-molting hens). Moreover, pathogenic bacteria such as Enterococcus cecorum and Escherichia coli were more abundant in immediate post-molting hens than in pre-molting hens. Forced molting influenced the alpha diversity, with higher Chao1 (p = 0.012), phylogenetic diversity whole tree (p = 0.014), observed operational taxonomic unit indices (p = 0.006), and Simpson indices (p<0.001), which indicated that forced molting increased excreta bacterial richness of aged laying hens. Conclusion: This study improves the current knowledge of bacterial community alterations in the excreta by forced molting in aged laying hens, which can provide increasing opportunity to develop novel dietary and management skills for improving the gastrointestinal health of aged laying hens after molting.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Poultry Science Conference
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• 2002.11a
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• pp.130-132
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• 2002

This experiment was conducted to investigate the influence of different dietary ME and CP on post-molt performance of spent laying hens. Four hundred and thirty two, ISA brown after molt induction were fed 6 experimental diets containing 3 ME(2,750, 2,800, 2,850 kcal/kg) and 2 CP(15, 17%) levels in factorial design. The influence of ME and CP were measured on body weight, egg production, egg weight and feed intake throughout 24 weeks of production. Egg mass and FCR were calculated for the entire experimental period body weight remained less in hens receiving 2,800 kcal/kg. ME and showed the highest egg Production coupled with 15% CP. Feed intake decreased with the increasing level of ME and CP. As the results of this experiment, 2,800 kcal/kg ME can be used to maintain the low body weight and to obtain higher egg production with 15% CP in induced molting hens.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.369-376
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• 2003

This experiment was conducted to investigate the influence of different levels of metabolizable energy (ME) and crude protein (CP) on post-molt performance and egg quality of spent laying hens. Four hundred and thirty two, ISA Brown hens at sixty six weeks of age after molt induction were fed six experimental diets containing three ME (2,750, 2,800, 2,850 kcal/kg) with two CP (15, 17%) levels in a factorial design. The influence of ME and CP were evaluated on egg production, egg weight and feed intake throughout 24 weeks of production. Egg mass and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were measured during the experimental period. Haugh unit, yolk color and eggshell breaking strength were measured at 5%, 50%, peak, post peak and end stage of egg production. The hens fed 2800 kcal/kg diet along with 15% CP recorded the highest outcome of egg production (P<0.05). The egg weight has been shown to increase with hens receiving 2,800 kcal/kg ME. Daily egg mass tended to increase in hens fed with 15% CP and 2,800 kcal/kg ME. Feed intake decreased significantly with the level of ME and CP in the diet increased (P<0.05). Yolk color was improved significantly in eggs laid by the hens receiving 17% CP than 15% diet. It also tended to be higher in 17% CP with 2,800 or 2,850 kcal/kg ME diet treatments. Egg shell breaking strength increased with hens receiving diets of 15% CP and 2,800 kcal/kg. From this experiment it can be concluded that the ME level of 2,800 kcal/kg coupled with 15% CP could be used to achieve the higher egg production and better eggshell strength in induced molting hens.