• 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.

• 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.18 no.8
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• pp.1171-1175
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• 2005

An experiment was conducted (28 to 44 weeks) to study the laying performance, shell quality, and nutrient retention of White Leghorn layers fed different levels of non-phytate phosphorus (NPP). Six levels of NPP (0.15, 0.18, 0.21, 0.24, 0.27 and 0.30%) at a constant calcium (Ca) level (3.5%) in maize-soya-deoiled rice bran based diets were formulated, and each experimental diet was offered ad libitum for 16 weeks to five replicates with five birds in each replicate. The body weight of WL layers fed diet containing 0.15% NPP was significantly (p<0.05) lower than those fed diet with 0.30% NPP, at 44 weeks of age. However, the hen day egg production, egg weight, daily feed intake and feed consumed per dozen eggs were not influenced by the variation in the NPP levels in the diet. The bone ash content was significantly (p<0.05) higher in the birds fed 0.30% NPP as compared with those fed diets up to 0.24% NPP. Bone ash content was intermediate in the birds fed diet containing 0.27% NPP. The tibia strength followed the same trend as that of bone ash. Dietary NPP content had no influence on serum Ca and protein concentration and activity of alkaline phosphatase. However, serum inorganic P concentration increased linearly with NPP content in the diet. The concentration of P was significantly (p<0.05) higher in the birds fed 0.27% NPP or higher as compared with those fed 0.15% NPP. Levels of dietary NPP had no influence on egg quality parameters like shell wt, shell thickness, shell strength and specific gravity. The retention of nutrients such as DM, N and Ca were comparable among the WL layers fed different levels of NPP. However, the retention of P decreased linearly with increase in the level of NPP in the diet. The retention of P in the birds fed diets up to 0.24% NPP in the diet was comparable, however further increasing the content of NPP (either 0.27% or 0.30%) reduced the retention of P. Based on the results of the present study, 0.15% NPP (180 mg/b/d) in the diets of WL layers is adequate for optimum production performance during 28 to 44 weeks of age, however, WL layers require 0.27% NPP (324 mg /b/d) in the diet for optimum production with better bone mineralization.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.1638-1642
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• 2006

An experiment was conducted to elucidate the effect of graded levels of vitamin $D_3$ in White Leghorn (WL) layer breeders on egg production, shell quality, hatchability of eggs and juvenile performance of offspring during their late laying period (72-88 wk). White Leghorn breeder females were randomly divided into 5 groups of 50 each and were housed in individual California cages in an open-side housing system. Considering birds in five cages as a replicate, 10 such replicates were randomly allotted to each treatment. A basal diet was formulated containing all the nutrients as recommended for WL layers except vitamin $D_3$, which served as control. Another, four diets were formulated by supplementing graded levels of feed grade crystalline cholecalciferol to the basal diet that contained 300, 600, 1,200 and 2,400 ICU of vitamin $D_3$ per kg. Each diet was offered ad libitum to one of the above five treatment groups. The egg production, egg weight, daily feed consumption and the feed intake per dozen eggs or kg egg mass of the birds fed diet without any supplemental vitamin $D_3$ was comparable with those of supplemental groups. Similarly, the level of vitamin in the diet did not have any effect on any of the above parameters. However, the specific gravity of eggs laid by the birds fed the diet without supplemental vitamin $D_3$ was comparable with either 600 or 2,400 ICU supplemental groups but significantly higher when compared to the 300 and 1,200 ICU groups. The egg -shell breaking strength was significantly lowered in the 600 ICU supplemental groups as compared to the strength of other dietary groups. The Haugh unit, egg shell weight, shell thickness, tibia breaking strength, bone ash and calcium content were not influenced by vitamin $D_3$ concentration in the diet. Serum Ca concentration was influenced by vitamin $D_3$ level in the diet. The serum Ca concentration of birds fed either control or the vitamin supplemented diet up to 1200 ICU/kg diet was comparable. However, increasing the concentration of vitamin $D_3$ to 2,400 ICU/kg diet significantly enhanced the concentration of Ca in the serum, which was significantly higher compared to other dietary groups. The serum concentration of P and protein, however, was not influenced by level of vitamin $D_3$ in the diet. Neither fertility nor hatchability was influenced by vitamin $D_3$ concentration in the diet. Feeding a vitamin $D_3$ deficient diet or supplementation of vitamin to hens did not have any influence on their progeny chicks. It can be concluded that dietary supplementation of vitamin $D_3$ may not be essential for optimum production, shell quality, hatchability, and juvenile performance of WL breeders during 72 to 88 weeks of age.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.11
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• pp.1617-1621
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• 2002

Two hundred and sixteen single comb white egg layers of the White Leghorn hens of 24 weeks of age were randomly allocated to 12 groups with three replications of six hens in each. Hens were fed in a factorial arrangement 2${\times}3{\times}$2, on diets containing either 16 or 18% crude protein with 0, 3 or 6% fish meal, replacing groundnut meal with soybean meal. Soybean meal incorporation improved (p<0.05) egg production, feed intake, feed conversion efficiency and egg weights. Egg quality traits of specific gravity, shape index, albumen index, yolk index and shell thickness remained unchanged. Laying performance was significantly (p<0.05) better at 18% than on 16% dietary protein level. Use of fish meal linearly improved egg production and feed conversion efficiency on diets supplemented with groundnut meal and fish meal incorporation showed quadratic improvement on feed conversion efficiency with SBM diets at 16% dietary protein level. Therefore, use of soybean meal as substitute of groundnut meal is recommended in layer diets, at 16% dietary protein level and fish meal incorporation could be beneficial for layers.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.253-260
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• 2002

Fowl red mite, Dermanyssus gallinae, is the most important ectoparasite affecting egg layers worldwide. More than 35 compounds have been used for fowl red mite control. Although some of them are efficient, several compounds are unsuitable in terms of food safety and environmental problems. Some compounds are efficient in theory but inadequate in practice. It is also expensive in material and labor to control effectively. Effective doses are very close to toxic doses and repeated treatment is required. Repeated, long term treatment of compounds on fowl red mite populations, may cause heritable resistance against the mites. In this study, antigenicity of fowl red mite and house dust mite, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, were identified by SDS-PAGE, silver staining, Western blotting and ELISA to investigate immune effects against fowl red mite using somatic antigens of fowl red mite and house dust mite. By SDS-PAGE, silver staining and Western blotting, several common antigens (110, 60, 56, 49, 46 kDa) of both fowl red mite and house dust mite were recognized. To identify immune effect of somatic antigens of fowl red mite and house dust mite, sixty white leghorn broilers(1 week old) were used. Among sixty white leghorn broilers, twenty were immunized with fowl red mite somatic antigens(Group I), twenty immunized with house dust mite antigens(Group II), and twenty were control group without antigen(Group III), respectively. After immunization, it was identified that antibody titers were increased both in group and II. Then all groups were challenged with fowl red mites. After 2 months, measurements of body weights, packed cell volume(PCV), ELISA OD values and numbers of mites were significant(p<0.05). These results suggest that fowl red mite and house dust mite, which are easy to collect and maintain, can be good vaccine candidates against fowl red mite in chicken.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.524-530
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• 2012

Laying hens were fed commercial diets added with supplemented fat (SFAT) at 0.6, 1.2, and 1.8% in order to study the long term dietary effects - on - their productive performance from 22 to 75 wk of age. Five hundred and seventy six Single Comb White Leghorn hens were assigned to one of the four dietary treatments. The experimental phase consisted of three periods of 18 wk each. The final body weight and gain of hens fed on diets with SFAT at 1.2% and 1.8% were lower (p<0.05) than those hens given no SFAT. The SFAT at the 1.2% and 1.8% levels improved egg production rate, egg weight and mass, as well as FCR. Mortality and feed consumption were not affected by dietary SFAT. Administration of a diet with SFAT significantly decreased the cracked-broken egg ratio (p<0.01). The beneficial effects of SFAT on egg production performance were particularly more pronounced at intermediate and later ages. Hence, SFAT by period interactions were significant for all traits studied except feed intake. Hens fed SFAT deposited significantly higher abdominal fat than those on the no-SFAT diet. As a result, SFAT at 1.2% and 1.8% inclusion levels provided benefits in terms of efficient table egg production.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.314-356
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• 1982

In order to improve the efficiency of the main economic traits in layers the present selection index is based on body weight, age at first egg, egg production and egg weight. But as the edible parts of the egg, the yolk and the albumin, are very important economic traits, this study was conducted to estimate the selection indices combining the latter traits with the former traits, and to examine the accuracy of the indices. The experiment were 351 Single Comb White Leghorns(S. C. W. Leghorn) and 326 Rhode Island Reds (R. I. Red), improved by the closed flock breeding system at the Daejeon Branch Station of the National Livestock Breeding Station. The egg compositions were checked a total of 6097 eggs. The data for each traits were collected and analysed until 500 days of age from March 1, 1979.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.117-123
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• 2010

This work was carried out to investigate the effect of the induced molting with low-protein and energy diet on the postmolt performance of layers. Eighty White Leghorn layers (61-old-wk) with over 80% egg production were used for 12 weeks in this work. Treatments were non-molt control (CO), fasting treatment for 10 days (FW), molt treatment with low-protein and low-energy molting diet for 3 weeks (LO), and molt treatment with standard molting diet for 3 weeks (ST) as 4 treatments (2 replications/treatment and 10 birds/replication). Body weight (BW) loss was 26.5% of initial BW at 2 week in FW treatment, and was 17.3% and 14.2% in both LO and ST treatments (P<0.05). Layers in molting treatments were fed with commercial layer diet after completion of molting since BW of layers was recovered for 7 weeks. Heart weight ratio was shown as 0.47, 0.43, 0.46 and 0.46% at CO, FW, LO and ST treatments, respectively, and liver weight ration of body weight was shown as 2.56, 1.30, 1.47 and 1.52%, respectively. Thus, those of molting treatments decreased compared to non-molt control (P<0.05). Oviduct weight ratio were shown as 3.95, 1.17, 1.54 and 1.67%, respectively, and similar with the results of liver (P<0.05). Feed intake decreased at LO and ST treatments during molting period and increased from the 5th week compared to control. Egg production decreased at 1 week in molt treatment and stopped at 2 week in FW, 3 week in LO, and 4 week in ST treatments. The birds started to lay egg at 4 week in FW and at 5 week in LO and ST treatments. Egg production was recovered until 50% at 6 week in FW and was recovered as 66.1 and 71.6% at 8 week in LO and ST treatment, respectively. Egg weights were similar among all treatments. Eggshell thicknesses were 0.41, 0.47, 0.46 and 0.46 mm at CO, FW, LO and ST treatment, respectively, but the higher in molt treatments than control (P<0.05). Eggshell breaking strength was 3.83 and 3.81 kg/$cm^2$ in FW and LO treatment, respectively, and high compared to control. However, eggshell breaking strengths were 3.54 and 3.78 kg/$cm^2$ and were not statistically different. Haugh units were 75.6, 81.1, 80.6 and 79.9 in 4 treatments and high in molt treatment. Finally, dietary low-protein and low-energy may induce molt as few effect on performance of layers.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.657-664
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• 1997

432 Babcock ISA white leghorn pullets reared for 8 weeks on a standard managemental conditions were exposed to feed/nutrient and light restrictions from 9 to 20 weeks of age. Four feeding regimes i. e. 100, 85 or 70 percent of the recommended allowance and low energy (2,500 Kcal/kg) low protein (13% CP) ration were fed each in the three light regimes i. e. (A) Natural day light starting from 13.24 hr/day at 8 weeks of age and ending 10.41 hr/day at the end of 20 weeks; (B) Constant 11 hr/day light and (C) starting with 13 hr/day at 8 weeks and decreasing @ 20 min/week till 20 weeks of age. At the age of 20 weeks all the birds were shifted to separate cages under uniform lighting feeding and management. During the 21st week light was increased to 12 hr a day and thereafter with an increase of 30 min per week, increased to 16 hr a day at the age of 29 weeks. From 20 weeks onward till 72 week age, all the birds were offered commercial layer rations ad libitum, prepared according to climatic conditions. The results of the study revealed that birds reared under natural and constant light had higher weights than decreasing light, yet they could not out perform during production period. The effect of feed and nutrient restriction, on the other hand, was found significant during rearing as well as production period. The birds exposed to higher level of feed and those exposed to nutrient restriction were lighter in weight. The 100% fed birds laid their first egg at an early age. However, those reared on 85% of the recommendation excelled all other groups in terms of produced number of eggs, egg mass, hen housed and hen day production and net returns.