• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.189-194
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• 2006

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of natural mineral complex supplementation on egg production and characteristic in laying hens. A total of two hundred forty laying hens were randomly allocated into four treatments with ten replications for six weeks. Dietary treatments included 1) CON (control, basal diet) 2) M0.5 (basal diet + 3% chitosan + 0.5% natural mineral complex), 3) M1.0 (basal diet + 3% chitosan + 1.0% natural mineral complek) and 4) M1.5 (basal diet + 3% chitosan + 1.5% natural mineral complex). In the egg production, the M1.5 treatment was significantly higher than other treatments(P<0.05). However, egg weight was significantly higher in M0.5 treatment than CON and M1.0 treatments(P<0.05). Egg shell breaking strength was higher in M1.5 treatment than M0.5 treatment. Egg shell thickness was the highest in M1.5 treatment compared to other treatments(P<0.05). The hens 134 M0.5 diet were improved egg yolk color compared to those fed other diets(P<0.05). The Haugh unit, CON and M1.0 treatments showed significantly different results compared to those of M1.5 treatment(P<0.05). The M1.5 treatment had higher Ca and Fe concentration in blood and higher K concentration in yolk than CON(P<0.05). In conclusion, supplementation of natural mineral complex in laying hen diets influenced on egg production, egg shell qualify and mineral concentration in blood and yolk.