• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.686-691
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• 2005

Prolactin is considered to influence the taking of pauses in between ovulatory sequences in White Leghorn hens. Therefore modulating concentrations of prolactin using bromocriptine - a dopamine agonist during early life (17 to 36 weeks of age) could overcome the inhibitory effects of high concentration of prolactin on ovarian activity. The effect of modulation of prolactin concentration on egg production, sequence length and inter sequence pauses were studied by analyzing the oviposition records from 19 to 72 weeks were studied and compared with untreated controls. Bromocriptine administered subcutaneously (100 $\mu$g kg$^{-1}$ body weight or orally through feed (640 $\mu$g day$^{-1}$ bird$^{-1}$) resulted in a steady and sustained decrease in prolactin levels (p<0.01) during and after the withdrawal of treatment up to one reproductive cycle (72 weeks of age). The treated birds had comparatively longer sequences (p<0.01) and fewer pauses (p<0.01). Egg production increased (p<0.01) by fourteen per cent through subcutaneous administration and eleven per cent through oral feeding, over the control birds. It is concluded that the physiological pauses that occur during ovulatory sequences can be disrupted effectively using bromocriptine. Prolactin levels are modulated which may interfere with the follicular recruitment and subsequent oviposition thereby improve egg laying potential of the bird.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2004.06a
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• pp.204-204
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• 2004

조류에서는 포유류와 달리 암컷이 후대의 성을 결정하는 것으로 알려져 있다. 암컷은 일생동안 산란할 난자를 가지고 태어나며, 이들 난자가 배란되어 정자와 만나면서 수정됨과 동시에 닭의 성이 결정되어진다. 본 연구는 산란계가 어떤 특이적 경향으로 암 혹은 수(W, Z) 난자를 배란하는지의 여부를 인공수정 및 배양의 방법들을 이용하여 수행하였다. 본 연구는33개체의 37주령 Single Comb white Leghorn 암컷들을 사용하여 13주 (37∼50주령) 동안 연속적으로 수행하였다. 인공수정은 동종 동계의 수탉 정액을 이용하였으며, 발생이 완료된 후대의 성비 판별은 다음과 같은 방법으로 수행하였다. (중략)

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.455-459
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• 1996

The genetic parameters for various economic traits were estimated in a White Leghorn population selected for part period egg production over 16 generations. In early part of selection, egg number had moderate to high heritability (0.26 to 0.51) while age at sexual maturity, egg weight and body weight at 20 and 40 weeks of age had high heritability (0.54 to 0.83). The sire component heritability for all the traits except 20 week body weight declined in later periods of selection. Sex linked gene effects for egg number and age at sexual maturity were more important in early periods of selection in comparison to the later periods, while maternal effects remained important for 20 week body weight in all the periods. Egg number was negatively correlated with egg weight ($r_{G(S)}=-0.36$), age at sexual maturity ($r_{G(S)}=-0.84$) and 40 week body weight ($r_{G(S)}=-0.84$), while it was positively correlated with 20 week body weight ($r_{G(S)}=-0.34$) in base generation. The genetic association between egg number and 40 week body weight changed not only in magnitude but also in direction in later periods. The genetic correlation of egg number with egg weight as well as with age at sexual maturity also decreased in magnitude in later periods of selection.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.290-296
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• 2003

Tsaiya ducks and Leghorn hens are the two major laying birds raised in Taiwan. They are all excellent egg layers. Tsaiya ducks are small in body size (1.3 kg) with bigger egg weight (65 g) and stronger eggshell breaking strength than eggs from hens. The eggshell consists mainly of calcium carbonate, hence calcium plays an important role in the eggshell formation. Magnesium is also present in eggshell in small amounts, which may have effect on maintaining eggshell quality. In comparison studies, it was shown that the duck eggshells contained higher calcium and lower magnesium content than chicken eggshells. The eggshell magnesium content was not affected by the dietary magnesium levels (690-2380 ppm) in ducks, but in hens, it increased linearly with dietary magnesium levels. The palisade layer ($5000{\times}$) of the eggshell was found to have a compact form for ducks while there are many hallow vesicles in chicken eggshells. The eggshell magnesium deposition model is different for ducks and hens with ducks having a one-peak and hens having a two-peak model. The calcium deposition model is similar for both birds. Both the carbonic anhydrase specific activity and total activity in the shell gland mucosa of ducks are higher than those in hens. Ducks retain higher magnesium and lower calcium in the shell gland mucosa and secret less magnesium and more calcium into the shell gland lumen for eggshell deposition. The ATPase specific activity is maintained fairly constant during the eggshell forming stage, indicating continuous calcium transport into the shell gland lumen for eggshell formation. The magnesium content in duck eggshells is much lower than that in hens indicating that the magnesium content in the eggshell may have an effect on eggshell quality.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.67-75
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• 1989

Studies were conducted to compare the utilization of dietary calcium between brown laying Tsaiya duck and Leghorn hen. Birds were fed corn-soybean diets containing 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0% calcium, respectively, with five birds per treatment. The metabolizability of calcium was determined by the indicator method. Experiments were conducted three times each at the age of 27, 31 and 36 weeks. Results appeared that duck eggs were heavier with better shell quality in comparison with hen eggs. Ducks fed 1% calcium diet resulted in severely depressed egg production (19%), but not for hens which still had 56% egg production. The metabolizability of calcium for hens was significantly higher than that for ducks (P<0.05) when both were fed diets containing 1 or 2% calcium. As the dietary calcium level was increased to 3 to 5%, there was no significant difference in calcium metabolizability between ducks and hens. When the dietary calcium was between 2 to 5%, the ducks retained more calcium than did the hens. Plasma calcium content for both hens and ducks fed 1% calcium diet was about the same. When the amount of the dietary calcium was increased to 2-5%, the plasma calcium level of ducks was approximately 7-10 mg/dl higher than that of hens. The calcium content in the egg shell of duck was significantly higher than that of hens, too. As the dietary calcium level was increased, there was a decreased magnesium content in the eggshell of hens, but not for ducks. The magnesium level in the eggshell was higher in hens than that in ducks. It is concluded that ducks could retain significantly more calcium and maintain higher plasma calcium level which might be the reason for larger eggs with better shell quality by ducks.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.948-953
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• 2007

The relative performance and immune response was evaluated in White Leghorn layers fed liquid DL-methionine hydroxyl analogue-free acid (MHA-FA) relative to dry DL-methionine (DLM) in maize-soybean-sunflower based diets. Three graded levels of methionine (Met) from DLM or MHA-FA were added to the basal diet containing 0.27% Met on an equimolar basis to achieve 0.30, 0.36 and 0.42% Met in the diet. Each diet was fed ad libitum to 25 replicates of one bird (individual feeding) each, from 24 to 40 weeks of age. A regime of 16 h light was provided and all the layers were kept under uniform management throughout the experimental period. None of the parameters studied were influenced by the interaction between source and level of Met in diets. Similarly, the majority of parameters, except for daily feed consumption and immune response (influenced by level) and egg specific gravity and shell thickness (influenced by source), were not affected by either source or level of Met in the diets. Feed consumption was significantly lower in the birds fed a diet containing 0.42% Met compared to those fed lower levels of Met. The cutaneous basophilic hypersensitivity response to PHA-P and antibody titre (32 and 40 wk) to inoculation of sheep red blood cells increased significantly by increasing the concentration of Met in the diet from 0.30 to 0.36%. Thus, the Met requirement for immune competence was higher than for optimum production. The source of Met significantly influenced the egg specific gravity and shell thickness. The specific gravity and shell thickness of eggs increased significantly when MHA-FA was used as the source of Met in the diet compared to DLM. From the study it is concluded that Met requirement for immune competence (360 mg/b/d) is higher than for optimum production (300 mg/b/d). MHA-FA was comparable with DLM as a source of Met for production performance and immunity, when the bioavailability of MHA-FA was considered as 88% of DLM. Further, MHA-FA improved egg shell quality compared to DLM.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2002

Eggs obtained from 46 and 42 weeks old meat (Hybro) and layer (Leghorn) breeders flocks, respectively were used to examine the effects of genetic type of birds and egg size (small, medium and large) on variables of eggshell characteristics and hatchability traits. The variables measured were egg weight (EW), egg surface area (ESA) and eggshell characteristics (shell conductance (EC), per cent shell (PS), shell thickness (ST), shell volume (SV), shell density (SD) and hatchability traits (per cent hatchability (HP), early dead embryos (ED), late dead embryos (LD), pips with live embryos (PL) and pips with dead embryos (PD)). Genetic type of bird influenced all egg characteristics and HP of eggs. Eggs produced by the small Leghorn bird had lower EW, ESA, EC, ST, SV and HP than those produced by the heavy Hybro bird. The reduction of HP was associated with an increase in the percentage of ED and PL. Egg size influenced all variables measured except ST. Small size eggs had lower EW, ESA and EC and higher PS and SD than those of large eggs. Medium size eggs produced a higher HP when compared with that of large size eggs. The reduction of HP in large eggs was associated with higher percentage of ED, LD and PL. There were significant interactions between the genetic group of birds and egg size on LD and HP. Large egg size of Hybro birds had higher LD and lower HP than those of small size eggs produced by the same flock. However, There was no difference in HP and LD among the different egg sizes produced by Leghorn birds. It was concluded that genetic make up of birds and egg size influence eggshell characteristics and HP. The type of bird (heavy or small) influences the optimum egg size for successful hatching. Attention should be given to the size and eggshell characteristics of eggs of breeders' flocks for achieving maximum HP.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.73-79
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• 1988

Experiments were conducted to determine whether supplemental cobalt (Co) or nickel (Ni) would prevent the signs of zinc (Zn) deficiency in chicks fed a high calcium (1.5%) corn-soybean diet and to examine the difference in $^{65}Zn$ absorption rates between inbred Ancona and crossbred New Hampshire X Single Comb White Leghorn chicks. In the initial experiment, the supplementation of 27 ppm Ni, 27 ppm Co or 54 ppm Co to a basal diet increased weight gain and reduced feather defects; 54 ppm Ni tended to increase weight gain but did not reduce feather defects. In further experiments, chicks fed the diet supplemented with 54 ppm Co usually showed increased weight gain and reduced feather defects; however, chicks fed a diet supplemented with 54 ppm Ni less frequently showed these effects. In another test, Ancona chicks fed a diet supplemented with 30 ppm Zn (except during a $^{65}Zn$ absorption study period) showed lower weight gain, more feather defects and less $^{65}Zn$ absorption than did New Hampshire X Leghorn cross chicks. Similar results were achieved with two strains of chicks fed the basal and 54 ppm Ni, 54 ppm Co or 60 ppm Zn supplemented diets. The sparing effects of Co on Zn which were commonly observed and the lesser effect of Ni or Zn were shown to be, at least in part, the result of increased availability of dietary Zn. That Ancona chicks required more Zn than New Hampshire cross chicks for the development of feathers and for growth is partly the result of decreased Zn absorption from the type of diets fed.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.10
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• pp.1460-1464
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• 2001

This study compared the lipid metabolism of white Leghorn layers between the growing and the laying periods. The study was conducted on thirty layers in the growing period (14 weeks old) and in the initial laying period (36 weeks old; 14 weeks from the onset of laying). Results indicated that all plasma lipid traits were significantly different (p<0.05) between the two periods. The estrogen concentration in the laying period was about 3 fold that in the growing period. Triacylglycerol (TG) concentration in the laying period was about 12 fold that in the growing period. The phospholipids, cholesterol, glycerol and non esterified fatty acid (NEFA) in the laying period were also higher than those in the growing period (p<0.05). Lipogenic enzyme activities in the laying period were higher than in the growing period (p<0.05). High-density lipoprotein (HDL) was the largest lipoprotein portion in growing layers. In laying hens, the major lipoprotein portion was very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL). It was also shown that protein is the primary component of HDL and TG is the largest portion of VLDL in both periods. In laying hens, VLDL contained more TG than that in growing layers (p<0.05). The VLDL particle size in laying hens was larger than that in growing layers (p<0.05). This study indicates that the lipid metabolism traits of a layer in the laying period were different from those in the growing period. The lipogenesis related traits in the laying period were markedly greater than in the growing period.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.35-42
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• 1982

Data pertaining to the first generation of a Synthetic White Leghorn flock were used to estimate the heritabilities of and genetic correlation between partial egg production(egg number or percentage) or diversely segmented part records and other traits such as age at sexual maturity, residual and annual egg production, and to compare the expected genetic gain from selection on partial egg number or partial percent production with correlated response in other traits. The estimated heritabilites for six measures of egg Production were ranged from 29 to 35, while heritability for age at sexual maturity (SM) was intermediate (48). Genetic correlations between partial egg number (P) and annual egg number. (A), and partial percent production (P') and annual percent production (A') were 51 and 72, respectively. Genetic correlation between P and SM was estimated largely negative (-.64), while correlation bettween P' and SM was positively intermediate(34). In comparing direct response from selection on partial production (P or P') with another response in correlated trait, selection on P would be 25% more efficient than selection of P' for improving A, while selection of P' would be 94% more efficient than selection P for improving A' For shortening SM selection of P would be 98% more efficient than selection on P'.