• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.245-251
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• 2007

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of modification of a herbal recipe(Herb $Mix^{(R)}$) on the growth of pullet and laying performance of hens. The formula of Herb $Mix^{(R)}$, a mixture of Rehmannia glutinosa, Angelica gigas, Discorea japonica, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Schisandra chinensis and Ligusticum jeholense, was modified in mixing ratio. A total of 1,120 pullets(Hy-Line Brown) of 14 wks old were assigned to seven treatments; control, Herb $Mix^{(R)}$(HM), R. glutinosa fortified HM, A. gigas fortified HM, D. japonica fortified HM, G. uralensis fortified HM, S. chinensis fortified HM, L. jeholense fortified HM and Flavomycin supplemented diet. Each treatment had 8 replicates of 20 birds each housed in 2 birds cages. Body weight at 10% egg production was significantly(P<0.05) influenced by treatments. Birds fed A. gigas fortified HM diet were heaviest followed by L. jeholense fortified HM, HM-original and D. japonica fortified HM, Flavomycin supplemented diet and R. glutinosa while those fed control diet were lightest. Also, age reaching 50% egg production and peak production was earliest in A. gigas fortified HM and latest in the control. Egg production, feed intake, feed conversion and egg weight were significantly influenced by treatments. Significant improvement in egg production and feed intake was shown in A. gigas fortified HM treatment. Feed conversion ratio was lowest in antibiotic(Flavomycin) treatment and egg weight was heaviest in L. jeholense fortified HM treatment. There were no significant differences among treatments in intestinal microflora but cfu of Cl. perfringnes and E. coli tended to be lower in HM treatments than the control. Among the leucocytes of blood, the HM treatments were lower than the control in counts of white blood cell and heterophils. It was concluded that modification of Herb $Mix^{(R)}$ fortifying with A. gigas, D. japonica and L. jeholense significantly influence growth and laying performance of birds.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.105-115
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• 2019

In this study, viability, growth performance and egg production performance were investigated to determine the productive characteristics of 12 Korean domestic chicken varieties which have been collected and conserved for over 25 years in National Institute of Animal Science, Rural Development Administration, Korea. The 1,134 hens were tested and their production traits including survival rate, body weight, age at first egg laying, hen-day and hen-housed egg production, egg weight, and egg quality were measured. Survival rate was the highest in Korean Rhode-D and Korean Native Chicken (KNC) White and the lowest in Korean Cornish Brown (92.2% and 54.3%, respectively). Body weights from 4 to 50 wks were consistently high in the order of Korean Cornish, Korean Rhode, KNC, Korean Ogye, and Korean Leghorn breeds. There was no significant difference in weight between varieties within a breed. Age at first egg laying was the shortest in Korean Leghorn, while it was the longest in Korean Cornish. The hen-day egg production from $1^{st}$ egg to 57 wks was the highest in Korean Leghorn-K, and the lowest in Korean Cornish Brown. Egg weight was the heaviest in Korean Leghorn-F and the lightest in KNC White. The Haugh unit was the highest in Korean Rhode-C and the lowest in Korean Ogye. Taken together, these results suggest that it is desirable that the Korean Cornish variety is improved as the Korean meat breed because of its excellent growth ability, the Korean Leghorn variety is improved as the Korean layer breed because of its good laying performance, and the Korean Rhode and KNC varieties are improved as strong viable breeds because of their good survival rate.