• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.267-274
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• 2017

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of feeding with dietary silicate based complex mineral (SCM) on the performance of laying hens. SCM at five levels (0%, 0.2%, 0.4%, 0.6% and 0.8%) was added to commercial diets, and fed to four hundred fifty Hy-Line Brown from fifty four to sixty five weeks of age. Egg production increased as the addition of dietary SCM to basal diets increased up to 0.6% (P<0.05). Furthermore, Feed intake increased in a manner similar to that of egg production (P<0.05). However, there was no difference in feed efficiency among the treatments. Eggshell thickness and breaking strength were significantly higher for the chickens fed with SCM than control from sixty weeks old to the end of experiment (P<0.05). Similarly, albumen height and Haugh unit were significantly higher for the chickens fed with SCM compared to those of control group (P<0.05). AST of birds fed SCM showed significantly higher than control (P<0.05). However, blood neutral fat level tended to increase in SCM treatments. Moreover, bone mineral density increased with SCM addition up to 0.4% (P<0.05). IL-2 (Interleukin-2) and IL-6 (Interleukin-6) levels appeared to be improved in the chickens fed with SCM addition diets, although not statistically different from all treatments. The results of this study indicated that the optimum SCM for improving the performance, egg quality and immunological competence of laying hens from 54 to 65 weeks of age was 0.6%.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.29-34
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• 2003

It has been well documented that white egg layers are far more resistant to fowl typhoid than the brown egg layers. In Korea, however, most consumers prefer brown eggs to white ones. Therefore, a study was conducted to Produce fowl typhoid-resistant crossbred layers producing somewhat brown-colored eggs. Several crossbred strains were obtained from crossbreeding white egg lines (W) with brown egg lines (B). These crossbred layers (W${\times}$B) produced eggs with varying degrees of brown-colored shells between the white eggs obtained from W (White) and the brown eggs from B (Brown). Eggs from the peak stage of production were collected and their eggshell color values were measured. The mean eggshell color values of White and Brown were 81.9 and 36.4, respectively. Eggs from the crossbred lines (W${\times}$B) were collected, and their eggshell color values were measured to re-group these eggs according to their color. The mean eggshell color values of Trt-White, Middle, and Trt-Brown were 70, 60, and 50, respectively (Fig. 1). A total of 247 people living in Daejeon area, mainly housewives, took part in this survey. First, they were offered eggs with varying degrees of eggshell color in a paper egg-tray, together with a questionnaire. After they filled out the first questionnaire, they were instructed that the eggshell color has nothing to do with its nutritive value. In the second questionnaire, their preference on both eggshell color and price, i.e., purchasing will, were investigated. In the first questionnaire, the Brown (eggshell color lightness 36.4) were most preferred, and the Trt-white (eggshell color lightness 70) were least preferred. No statistical significance was detected between Brown and Trt-Brown, and White and Trt-White. In the second questionnaire, the trend was the same as in the first. Although no significant difference was found between Trt-Brown and Brown, however, the Trt-Brown were most preferred, surpassing the Brown. In conclusion, regardless of the nutritive values, the Korean consumers prefer brown eggs to white ones, and this trend could be changed gradually through consumer education.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.35-40
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• 1994

A dietary self-selection study was carried out to get information for the improvement of feeding systems of egg-type growing pullets. Corn diet, soybean meal diet, wheat bran diet and soybean meal+fish meal diet were individually prepared for self-selection regime and 380 day-old chicks of a brown egg strain were offered either a control grower diet(C) or one of the 3 self-selection regime consisted of corn-soybean meal diet ($T_1$), corn-soybean meal-wheat bran diet($T_2$) and corn-soybean meal+fishmeal-wheat bran diet($T_3$) during 20 weeks of the growing period. Compared with pullets fed control diet(C), those fed the self-selection diets($T_1$, $T_2$ and $T_3$) were smaller in body weight at 20 weeks of age by 12% and consumed less energy and protein by 11% and 9%, respectively. Calculated metabolizable energy levels of feed consumed during the growing period were about 3,200 kcal/kg in $T_1$ and 2,300 kcal/kg in $T_2$ and $T_3$ and dietary protein levels were about 12~13% in all self-selection diets ($T_1$, $T_2$ and $T_3$) regardless of pullet age. The results of the study suggest that the conventional feeding system of egg-type growing pullets should be improved in order to control the body weight effectively and to reduce the cost of grower feed.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.9-14
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• 2007

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of coastal mud-flat bacteria origin protease supplementation on laying performance, nutrient digestibility and total protein concentration of serum in laying hens. A total of 252 laying hens were randomly allocated into three treatments with seven replications for eight weeks. Dietary treatments included 1) CON (basal diet), 2) PRO1 (basal diet + 0.05% protease) and 3) PRO2 (basal diet + 0.1% protease). During the entire experimental period, hen-day egg production was not affected by treatments (P>0.05). Difference of yolk height was increased in PRO1 treatment compared with CON treatment (P<0.05). Difference of egg weight was increased in PRO2 treatment compared with CON and PRO1 treatments (P<0.05). Shell quality, yolk color unit, haugh unit and egg yolk index were not affected by treatments (P>0.05). DM digestibility was improved in CON and PRO2 treatments compared with PRO1 treatment (P<0.05). N digestibility was improved in PRO2 treatment compared with CON treatment (P<0.05). Total protein concentration in serum were not affected by treatments (P>0.05). In conclusion, mud flat bacteria origin protease was effective for improving egg weight, yolk height and nutrient digestibility in laying hens.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.37-42
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• 2007

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of graded levels of a herbal recipe(Herb Mix $Gold^{(R)}$, Herb BIO Co.) supplemented to a commercial layer diet. The Herb Mix $Gold^{(R)}$ is an improved recipe of Herb $Mix^{(R)}$, fortified with Angelica gigas, Discorea japonica and Ligusticum jeholense. A total of 720 layers (Hy-Line Brown) of 45 wks old were assigned to one of six treatments; control, 0.2% Herb $Mix^{(R)}$, 0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.3% Herb Mix $Gold^{(R)}$, and 6 ppm Avilamycin. Each treatment had 6 replicates of 20 birds each housed in 2 birds cages. Birds were fed diets and water ad libitum for 5 weeks. Hen-day egg production was significantly (P<0.05) different among treatments. Herb Mix $Gold^{(R)}$ 0.2% treatment showed the highest egg production followed by Herb Mix $Gold^{(R)}$ 0.3%, Herb $Mix^{(R)}$ 0.2%, Herb Mix $Gold^{(R)}$ 0.1%, Avilamycin 6 ppm and the control. Hen-housed egg production, egg weight, soft and broken egg ration, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, shell strength, shell thickness, shell color index, Haugh unit and yolk color index were not significantly different among treatments. Nor was cfu of Cl. perfringens and E. coli and Lactobacilli in the small intestinal content significantly different among treatments. The number of white and red blood cells, hemoglobin, heterophil, lymphocyte, thus heterophil to lymphocyte ratio were not significantly modified. It was concluded that Herb Mix $Gold^{(R)}$ at the level of 0.2% in the layer diet improves laying performance.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.153-162
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• 2008

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the dietary effects of mixture of probiotics and colistin on laying performance, intestinal microflora and egg yolk cholesterol in laying hens. One hundred sixty 50-wk-old Hy-Line Brown layers were divided into four treatments and fed a commercial diet (Control) or experimental diets containing 0.2% mixture of probiotics or probiotics and colistin mixture (T1, Bacillus subtilis + Aspergillus oryzae + Lactobacillus plantarum; T2, Bacillus subtilis + Aspergillus oryzae; T3, Bacillus subtilis + Aspergillus oryzae+colistin) for 8 wk. No significant differences were found in laying performance and liver weight among the groups. The Haugh unit of treated groups were significantly improved (P<0.05) compared to that of control, but eggshell qualities were not changed by the treatments. The cecal ammonia concentration was significantly decreased in both T1 and T3 groups. The number of coli forms in cecal content and feces were significantly reduced in all treated groups compared to that of Control (P<0.05). The egg yolk cholesterol contents in the groups fed the diet containing mixture of probiotics and colistin were reduced in comparison with that of Control. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of mixture of probiotics and colistin improved quality of egg albumen, and reduced the egg cholesterol contents. They also reduced intestinal coli forms without harmful effects on overall productive and physiological responses in laying hens.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.197-203
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• 2008

A total of one hundred and ninety five nutritionists selected based on population scale in high schools in Gyunggi Province were questioned about utilization of eggs in school meals. Almost half of those nutritionists have utilized eggs in school meals $3{\sim}5$ times per month. Most frequent cooking methods of eggs were boiled eggs. Eggs obtained from food distributors and egg distributors were 80.8% and 13.2%, respectively. Also, the nutritionists in middle population area prefer to purchase graded eggs. The most frequently occurring problems in cooking eggs were egg shell braking and related food safety. The present study revealed that egg is good for school meals, but various menus for easy cooking are yet to be developed.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2004

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary herbal plant mixture on the performance in laying hens under heat stress. One hundred ninety two 54-weeks-old ISA Brown commercial layers, were used in 56 d experimental assay. Dietary treatments included CON (control; basal diet), HPM0.05 (basal diet ＋ 0.05% herbal plant mixture), HPM0.1 (basal diet ＋ 0.1% herbal plant mixture), and HPM0.2 (basal diet ＋ 0.2% herbal plant mixture). For overall period, the hens fed with HPM0.1 and HPM0.2 diets showed lower in the hen day egg production than the hens fed with CON diet(P＜0.05). At the end of the experimental period, egg weight was heavier in HPM 0.1 treatment than in CON (P＜0.05). There were no significant differences among the treatments in egg shell breaking strength, egg shell thickness, Haugh unit, and yolk color unit. Total cholesterol concentration of yolk tended to decrease as the level of herbal plant mixture in the diet increased. Total protein of blood was higher in the hens fed with herbal plant mixture than in the hens fed with CON diet (P＜0.05). Albumin concentration of blood was increased in HPM0.05 and HPM0.1 treatments compared with CON(P＜0.05). Red blood cell (RBC) and white blood cell (WBC) concentrations in serum were increased in HPM0.1 and HPM0.2 treatments compared with CON treatment (P＜0.05). In conclusion, dietary herbal plant mixture in laying hens under heat stress adversely affected egg production but increased total protein, albumin, RBC and WBC in blood.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.81-88
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• 2002

The objective of this study was to investigate the line-by-feed additive interaction on egg traits and yolk cholesterol level in laying hens. Hy-line W-98 (white shell line) and Hy-line Brown (brown shell line) were used as experimental stocks and three groups were assigned in each line. The age of hens used in this study were from 40- to 46-wk-old. Two different levels of chitosan were also used as additive in chicken diet. The first (CH$_{30}$) and second (CH$_{60}$) experimental groups were fed basal diet added 30mg and 60mg chitosan/kg feed, respectively. And the control group (CON) hens were fed with basal diet only. The eggs were collected and analyzed at the end of 40, 42, 44, and 46-wk-old. In the mean egg weight, the CH$_{30}$ in Hy-line Brown was significantly heavier (P<0.05) than CON, but the CH$_{30}$ in Hy-line W-98 was significantly lighter (P<0.05) than CON. Whereas, the mean egg weight did not significantly differ between CH$_{60}$ and CON in both line. The mean albumen percentage in Hy-line Brown did not show significant between experimental groups and control group. On the other hand, the mean albumen percentage of CH$_{60}$ in Hy-line W-98 was significantly lower (P < 0.05) than that of CON, but there was no significantly different between CH$_{30}$ and CON. In the mean yolk percentage, it showed a reverse trend as shown in the mean albumen percentage; there were significantly higher (P<0.05) in CH$_{60}$ than in CON fur the Hy-line W-98, and higher in CH$_{30}$ than in CON for the Hy-line Brown. However, the mean shell percentages did not significantly differ between experimental groups and control group in both lines. In the mean yolk cholesterol levels, the CH$_{30}$ and CH$_{60}$ in both lines were lower by 0.46 mg ∼2.80 mg per gram yolk than CON. Although the interaction effect of line-by-supplementing level of chitosan in hens diet on the pooled mean of yolk cholesterol level was no significant, it showed a highly significant interaction (P<0.01) at three of four experimental ages.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.773-780
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• 2017

Objective: "Hatchability" is an important economic trait in domestic poultry. Studies on poultry hatchability focus mainly on the genetic background, egg quality, and incubation conditions, whereas the molecular mechanisms behind the phenomenon that some ducklings failed to break their eggshells are poorly understood. Methods: In this study, the transcriptional differences between the livers of normally hatched and assisted ducklings were systematically analyzed. Results: The results showed that the clean reads were de novo assembled into 161,804 and 159,083 unigenes (${\geq}200-bp$ long) by using Trinity, with an average length of 1,206 bp and 882 bp, respectively. The defined criteria of the absolute value of log2 fold-change ${\geq}1$ and false discovery rate${\leq}0.05$ were differentially expressed and were significant. As a result, 1,629 unigenes were identified, the assisted ducklings showed 510 significantly upregulated and 1,119 significantly down-regulated unigenes. In general, the metabolic rate in the livers of the assisted ducklings was lower than that in the normal ducklings; however, compared to normal ducklings, glucose-6-phosphatase and ATP synthase subunit alpha 1 associated with energy metabolism were significantly upregulated in the assisted group. The genes involved in immune defense such as major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I antigen alpha chain and MHC class II beta chain 1 were downregulated in the assisted ducklings. Conclusion: These data provide abundant sequence resources for studying the functional genome of the livers in ducks and other poultry. In addition, our study provided insight into the molecular mechanism by which the phenomenon of weak embryos is regulated.