• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.7
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• pp.994-998
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• 2017

Objective: An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of superdosing phytase on productive performance and egg quality in laying hens. Methods: A total of 200 42-wk-old Hy-Line Brown laying hens were allotted into 1 of 5 dietary treatments with 5 replicates consisting of 8 hens per replicate. The positive control (PC) and negative control diets (NC) were prepared based on the recommended P levels in layer diets. Supplemental phytase was added to the negative control diet at 10,000 (SD10), 20,000 (SD20), or 30,000 (SD30) fytase units (FTU)/kg. Productive performance was summarized for 6 weeks from 42 weeks to 47 weeks of age. Egg quality was assessed from 4 eggs per replicate randomly collected at the conclusion of the experiment. Results: The SD20 treatment had greater (p<0.05) hen-day egg production than PC, NC, and SD10 treatment groups. There was no difference in hen-day egg production between SD20 and SD30 treatment groups. However, SD30 treatment had greater (p<0.05) hen-day egg production than PC treatment, but showed no difference in hen-day egg production as compared to NC and SD10 treatment groups. However, egg weight, egg mass, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio were not affected by dietary treatments. Egg quality including eggshell strength, eggshell color, egg yolk color, and haugh unit was not influenced by dietary treatments. Conclusion: Superdosing level of 20,000 FTU/kg phytase in diets has a positive effect on egg production rate, but no beneficial effect on egg quality in laying hens.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.141-151
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• 2000

Over-grown seaweeds in Donghae(east sea of Korea peninsula) may impedes ocean environment, however, they can be a good nutrient resources for poultry feeds if they are utilized properly. In this study, seaweeds powder were tested for laying hens\` ration to investigate the effects on egg production rate, egg quality and calcium phosphorus excretion. One hundred 65wks-old brown layers were fed for 5 weeks alotted with seaweeds powder addition to experimental diet by 0(control), 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0%, respectively, and obtained following results; 1. Seaweeds proved a mid-protein low-energy feed resources with planty of K, Na, Ca, Mg, Sr and Fe. 2. Seaweeds addition by 0.5% and 1.0% improved egg production rate and egg-mass output markedly(p<0.05) than control. Seaweeds addition did not alter cholesterol level of yolk and yolk index, however egg shell thickness showed increasing trend by increasing seaweeds addition level. 3. Protein absorption and digestibility in seaweed addition treatments were significantly higher(p<0.05) than control group and protein contents of excreta in 0.5% and 1.0% treatments were reduced(p<0.05), which suggests effective protein metabolism for egg production. Increasing seaweeds addition reduces Ca and P contents in rectum and excreta, suggesting Ca and P utilization improvement in laying hens and lessening soil pollution. 4. In conclusion, seaweeds addition in layers' diet by 1.0% level improves egg-mass production and might be egg quality by increasing metabolism of protein, calcium and phosphorus.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.263-269
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• 2000

This study was carried out to set a standard of damage compensation by researching state of damage due to noises in laying and prelaying hens. Recently, there are many damage cases in chicken farms near construction site that were caused by noises of construction. Therefore disputes and complaints about economical loss have increased ceaselessly. But we have few research and report such a thing. The result have shown that the weight loss rate was ranged from 9.48% to 23.2% and mortality of laying period of hens was higher than prelaying period. Pathological findings were fatty liver, congestion and hemorrhage of intestine, erosion of proventriculus and gizzard in order of case frequency. And these signs in hens of laying period was more serious than prelaying period. Half-life rate of antibody titers against Newcastle disease and infectious bronchitis in sound stressed hens was no different compared with non-stressed hens. Egg production rate dropped from 38% to 45% according to strength of noises. Before being stressed, hens produced special, large, middle, small-size eggs in the order. But after being stressed, their egg Production rate of middle, small-size Increased while egg production rate of special, large-size decreased. Production rate of soft and broken shell eggs was 0.015% in the stressed flocks higher than 0.005% in the non-stressed flocks.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.7-12
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• 2000

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of feeding fermented food waste on the egg production and egg qualities in laying hens. A lot of 30 commercial layer(ISA Brown) at the age 58 weeks were placed in individual of 80% commercial feed and 20% fermented food waste(C80%+F20%), a mixture of 50% commercial feed and 50% fermented food waste (C50%+F50%), and a mixture of 20% commercial feed and 80% fermented food waste (C20%+F80%). Daily measurements were made on feed intake, egg production rate, egg weight, yolk color, Haugh unit, shell color during the experimental period. At the end of the experiment, body weight change and egg cholesterol contents were determined. The results indicate that up to 50% of basal diet could be supplied by fermented food waste with little depression in feed intake and efficiency in egg production (p＜0.01). Egg weight, egg shell thickness and Haugh units were not significant different between the treatments and the control. Egg color quality improved with increasing the proportion of the fermented food waste in the diet.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.628-632
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• 2008

Egg production traits are economically important both for egg-laying and broiler lines of chicken. In sheep, the Q249R mutation in BMPR-IB is associated with ovulation rate. The present study cloned a partial chicken BMPR-IB fragment which contained the corresponding ovine Q249R mutation, including partial exon 6 and exon 7 and full-length intron 6. Five nucleotide changes were identified by alignment of the fragment amplified from Jining Bairi and Zang chickens. Among these nucleotide substitutions, the C/T transition at the base position of 35 and the A/G transition at the base position of 287 were found to be highly polymorphic, and named as SNPs C35T and A287G, respectively. For the SNP C35T, 331 hens of a synthetic broiler line were genotyped by a PCR-SSCP approach and allele C was found to be dominant. For the SNP A287G, 604 birds from the synthetic broiler line, a commercial egg-laying line, as well as three Chinese indigenous chicken breeds were genotyped by a PCR-RFLP technique. The associations of these two SNPs with egg production traits in the broiler line were analyzed. The results indicated that both the C35T and the A287G SNPs were not associated with egg production at 33wks and from 33wks to 42 wks (p>0.1), whereas the SNP A287G was associated with egg production from 47 to 56 wks (p<0.05). The dominance genetic effects on this latter trait and on egg production from 33 to 42 wks were significant (p<0.05).

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.108-116
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• 2006

To investigate the factors controlling the spring population of Acartia hongi, egg production, hatching time of egg and predation pressure were measured. Egg production was maintained the superior position between winter and spring. Egg production was positively correlated with not only water temperature when water temperature was below $7^{\circ}C$ but also chlorophyll-a concentration when it was from $7^{\circ}C$ to $21^{\circ}C$. A regressive equation of development time$(D_e,\;day)$ of eggs derived from water temperature$(T,\;^{\circ}C)$ was obtained as $D_e=18.9(T-0.4)^{-1.0}$, showing longer development time at water temperature below $5^{\circ}C$. In Cross Correlation Analysis(CCA) to examine the time-lag relationship among abundances of developmental stages of A. hongi, egg production rate calculated by multiplying population egg production rate by hatching time showed more significant correlation with nauplii abundance than population egg production rate. Therefore, it suggests that hatching time is also recognized by a factor controlling formation of population and especially, in winter, high abundance of egg derived from high daily egg production rate and delayed hatch by low water temperature become the origin of initial spring population of nauplii. Egg predation by Noctiluca scintillans, suggesting a negative factor in formation of A. hongi spring population, was observed. During spring, A. hongi eggs were found in $2.9\sim21.1%$ of individuals of N. scintillans. It was deduced that $1.2\sim49.5%$ of the eggs produced by A. hongi was preyed on by N. scintillans. In conclusion, the factors controlling spring population of A. hongi were regarded as high egg production by winter generation, the delayed development time of egg by low temperature, and egg predation of N. scintillans.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.7
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• pp.922-928
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• 2001

There exists considerable evidence that steroid hormones are involved in the regulation of ovulation rate and oviductal development in poultry. However, the effect of steroid hormones on egg productivity of Korean Native Ogol Chicken (KNOC) has yet to be studied. Therefore, this study was performed to relate the expression of steroid hormones, especially progesterone ($P_4$) and estradiol ($E_2$), with egg productivity during the laying period. Egg production and egg weight of 70 KNOC were recorded from 20 to 60wk. Blood was taken every 10 wk and serum $P_4$ and $E_2$ were measured by radioimmunoassay. Based on egg productivity and steroid hormones levels up to 60 wk, chickens were divided into two groups, high and low. Compared to the low egg production group, a significantly higher expression of $P_4$ at 30 wk was detected in the high group. Moreover, egg production in the high $P_4$ group significantly differed from that in the low group at 30 wk. On the other hand, a Significant difference (p<0.05) in $E_2$ expression was found between high and low egg weight groups at 30 wk. Although a significant difference in egg weight between two groups by $E_2$ was not detected, the high $E_2$ group showed a higher level of egg weight than the low $E_2$ group except for 25 wk. In the comparison of ovary weight and small yellow follicle number, the group with high egg productivity and steroid concentration showed greater levels than the low group. Taken together, the results indicate that $P_4$ is related to egg productivity whereas expression of $E_2$ is associated with egg weight in KNOC.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.299-306
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• 2004

The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of egg storage, broiler breeder age, and the change of egg weight during incubation on growth rate of chicks and 43-day-old dressing percentage. The trials involved hatching eggs obtained from 27-wk-old hens and stored for 6 d for the Young-EXP group, from 28-wk-old hens and stored for 0 d for the Young-CON group, from 51-wk-old hens and stored for 6 d for the Old-EXP group, and from 52-wk-old hens and stored for 0 d for the Old-CON group, The hens were two commercial broiler breeder flocks of the same strain (Cobb) but of different egg producing stages(early and middle stages of egg production). The chicks were grown on floor pens for 6 wks, The differences of setting egg weights between Old-CON and Old-EXP groups were 1 g, but those between Young-CON and Young-EXP groups were 2.9 g(P<0,05). The loss of egg weight during 18 d incubation did not greatly differ among four groups, but the loss of egg weight during 21 d incubation was significantly (P<0.05) more in the middle stage of egg production groups than in the early stage of egg production groups. The mean birth weights of the middle stage of egg production groups were significantly(P<0,05) heavier by 8,7 g than those of the early stage of egg production groups; however, the differences of 6-wk-old body weight were not significant between egg producing stages. The differences of body weights in both egg producing stages were not significantly influenced by egg storage period in overall wks of ages. Egg storage and hen age did not greatly influence to the 43 d dressing percentages, either, The correlations of the setting egg weight with 18 d egg weight during incubation, growth rate of chicks, or 43 d dressing percentage were not significant.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.1164-1170
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• 2008

In this study, the effects of propolis and vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) supplementation in diets were investigated on feed intake (FI), body weight (BW), body weight gain (BWG), feed conversion rate (FCR) and digestibility and on egg production and qualities (weight, mortality, shell thickness) in laying hens exposed to heat stress. A total of 150 Hyline White Leghorn, aged 42 weeks, hens was divided into five groups of 30 hens. Chicks were randomly divided into 1 positive control, 1 control and 3 treatment groups. The chicks were kept in cages in temperature-controlled rooms at $22^{\circ}C$ for 24 h/d (positive control, Thermoneutral, TN group) or $34^{\circ}C$ for 9 h/d from 08.00-17.00 h followed by $22^{\circ}C$ for 15 h (control, heat stress, HS group) and fed a basal diet or basal diet supplemented with vitamin C (250 mg/kg of L- ascorbic acid/kg of diet) or two levels of propolis (2 and 5 g of ethanol extracted propolis/kg of diet). Increased FI (p<0.05) and improvement in FCR (p<0.05), hen day egg (p<0.05) and egg weight (p<0.05) were found in Vitamin C and propolis-supplemented laying hens reared under heat stress conditions. Mortality rate was higher in the control group than TN, vitamin C and propolis groups (p<0.05). Digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein and ether extract improved with increasing of both dietary vitamin C and propolis (p<0.05). Vitamin C or propolis supplementation did not affect either the percentage shape index, yolk index or haugh unit and albumen index (p>0.05). However, the egg shell thickness and egg shell weight appeared to be increased in Vitamin C and propolis groups in comparison to HS group birds (p<0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation of laying hens with anti-oxidants (vitamin C and propolis) can attenuate heat stress-induced oxidative damage. These positive effects were evidenced by increased growth performance and digestibility, improvement of egg shell thickness and egg weight in comparison to non-supplemented birds. Moreover, supplementation with propolis (5 g/kg diet) was the most efficient treatment.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.930-938
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• 2019

Objective: Estimate genetic parameters, the rate of inbreeding, and the effect of inbreeding on growth and egg production traits of a Thai native chicken breed Lueng Hang Kao Kabinburi housed under intensive management under a tropical climate. Methods: Genetic parameters were estimated for weight measured at four weekly intervals from body weight at day 1 (BW1D) to body weight at 24 weeks (BW24) of age, as well as weight at first egg, age at first egg (AFE), egg weight at first egg, and total number of eggs (EN) produced during the first 17 weeks of lay using restricted maximum likelihood. Inbreeding depression was estimated using a linear regression of individual phenotype on inbreeding coefficient. Results: Direct additive genetic effect was significant for all traits. Maternal genetic effect and permanent environmental hen effects were significant for all early growth traits, expect for BW24. For BW24, maternal genetic effect was also significant. Permanent environmental hen effect was significant for AFE. Direct heritabilities ranged from 0.10 to 0.47 for growth traits and ranged from 0.15 to 0.16 for egg production traits. Early growth traits had high genetic correlations between them. The EN was lowly negatively correlated with other traits. The average rate of inbreeding for the population was 0.09% per year. Overall, the inbreeding had no effect on body weight traits, except for BW1D. An increase in inbreeding coefficient by 1% reduced BWID by 0.09 g (0.29% of the mean). Conclusion: Improvement in body weight gain can be achieved by selecting for early growth traits. Selection for higher body weight traits is expected to increase the weight of first egg. Due to low but unfavorable correlations with body weight traits, selection on EN needs to be combined with other traits via multi-trait index selection to improve body weight and EN simultaneously.