• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Poultry Science Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.53-68
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• 2004

Eggshell quality is one of the most important factors that influence hatchability. The porosity and overall quality of eggshell have a very significant effect on exchange of vital gas (carbon dioxide and oxygen) between the developing embryo and the air during incubation. Thin-shelled eggs showed the greater weight loss than do thick-shelled eggs. causing the chick to have difficulty in hatching. Thin-shelled eggs also have a much greater chance of being cracked during handling. On the other hand. thick-shelled eggs showed the higher hatchability as a result of greater fertility and lower intermediate and late embryonic mortalities. Even a small percentage improvement in the eggshell quality could result in significant saving to the breeder industry in an increasingly competitive environment. Many factors including nutrition. management practices, environmental conditions and breeding are known to be related to eggshell quality. In this review brief accounts of each factor associated with eggshell quality and hatchability were provided. We conducted three experiments to investigate the effects of dietary Ca. vitamin D3 metabolite and some bioactive materials on eggshell quality and hatching egg production. The results of our studies showed that relatively high levels of dietary Ca in combination with 25-hydroxycholecalciferol had beneficial effects on improving eggshell quality and reproductive performances in aged egg-type breeder hens. It was also suggested that the proper use of some feed additives such as isoflavon and chitosan might provide means of improving eggshell quality and reproductive performances in aged egg-type breeder hens.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.671-682
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• 2006

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary Ca levels and some feed additives such as isoflavone and casein phosphopeptide (CPP) on eggshell quality and hatching egg production in aged egg-type breeder hens. A total of three hundred and sixty, 56-week-old Hy-Line Brown breeder hens were divided into six groups and fed experimental diets of two levels of Ca (3.3% or 3.6%) either with addition of 0.2% isoflavone, 0.5% CPP or devoid of all for 5 weeks. There were no significant differences in laying performances and settable egg production among the groups. Significant increases (P<0.05) in eggshell strength were observed with increasing dietary Ca and addition of isoflavone, but not with addition of CPP. Fertility and hatchability were not influenced by dietary Ca and addition of isoflavone or CPP. The treatment had few significant effects on tibial proximal compositions and breaking strength. The concentrations of Ca, P, estrogen and calcitonin in serum were not affected by the dietary treatments. These results indicated that relatively high level of dietary Ca in combination with isoflavone had a beneficial effect on improving eggshell quality in aged egg-type breeder hens. But hatching egg production was not affected by dietary isoflavone or CPP.

• 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.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.15-24
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• 2006

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary safflower seed (SFS) powder and chitosan on hatching egg production and eggshell qualify in aged egg-type breeder hens. A total of four hundred 54-week-old Hy-Line Brown breeder hens were divided into five the groups and fed experimental diets either with addition of 0.25 and 0.50% SFS powder or 0.10 and 0.20% chitosan or devoid of all for 6 weeks. There were no significant differences in feed intake and laying performances among the groups. The rate of sellable egg in the groups fed diets containing SFS powder or chitosan was significantly increased compared to that of control (P<0.05), irrespective of dose-dependent manner. The addition of SFS powder or chitosan significantly improved the eggshell strength (P<0.01). Eggshell thickness was also significantly increased in the groups 134 diets containing chitosan as compared with that of control (P<0.01). Fertility and hatchability of egg set were significantly improved by dietary chitosan that those of control (P<0.05). ike contents of tibial Ca and P were significantly increased in the groups fed diets containing 0.5% SFS powder, 0.1 and 0.2% chitosan as compared with those of control. The levels of blood estrogen, calcitonin and parathyroid hormone were not affected by the dietary treatments. The overall results indicated that the proper use of some feed additives such as safflower seed powder and chitosan might provide means of improving eggshell quality and reproductive performances in aged egg-type breeder hens.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.295-306
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• 2009

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary calcium (Ca) and vitamin $D_3$ metabolite on eggshell quality and hatching egg production in aged egg-type breeder hens. A total of five hundred and forty 60-week-old Hy-Line Brown breeder hens were randomly allocated to nine treatments in a $3\times3$ factorial design to determine the effects of dietary Ca levels (3.3, 3.9, and 4.5%), combined with three levels of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol [25-$(OH)D_3$ 0, 75, and $150{\mu}g/kg$], on eggshell quality and egg production for 10 weeks. There were significant Ca and 25-$(OH)D_3$ effects (P<0.01) on egg production rate. There was a linear (P<0.01) increase in eggshell strength and thickness with increasing dietary Ca and 25-$(OH)D_3$ levels. Dietary 25-$(OH)D_3$ had a significant effect (P<0.05) on hatchability of egg although fertility was not influenced by dietarylevels of Ca and 25-$(OH)D_3$. Dietary Ca levels affected Ca content in tibia (P<0.05). These results indicated that relatively high levels of dietary Ca in combination with 25-$(OH)D_3$ had a beneficial effect on improving eggshell quality and reproductive performance in aged egg-type breeder hens.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.70-77
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• 2001

A preliminary experiment was conducted to produce fowl-typhoid resistant egg type breeds, using three brown egg layer breeders (ISA, Hyline, and Lohman) and two white egg layer breeders (ISA and Lohman). Various economic parameters were measured from day-old to mature stages using parent stocks of each breed. No significant difference in viabilities of mature hens from 34 to 66 wk of ages was found between brown(93.3%) and white(93.5%) egg layer breeders (P>0.05). Also, there was no difference in viabilities of mature cockerels. Although not significant, the mature body weights of brown egg layer breeders tended to be heavier than those of the white egg layer breeders both in hens and cockerels. No difference in feed intakes of mature brown and white hens were detected. Ages of sexual maturity of white and brown egg layer hens were 147.7 and 140.5 d, respectively (P<0.05). Egg production of white egg layer hens during 23-66 weeks age was significantly higher than their counterpart (81.4% vs. 75.0%). Comparisons of Haugh Unit, egg shape index, yolk color, and egg weight between brown and white eggs were not significantly different; however, the brown eggshells were thicker and stronger than those of white eggs (P<0.05).

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.83-90
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• 2003

This study was conducted to determine the effects of stocking density on performance and physiological responses of egg-type breeder layers in cages. A total of 264 Hy-Line Brown egg-type breeder layers at the age of 32 weeks were divided into 4 groups with 3 replicates of 22 birds (20 females, 2 males) per replicate and assigned to four stocking density treatments with 22 birds per cage with different sizes (980, 735, 640 and 560 $\textrm{cm}^2$/bird). The birds were fed the same experimental diet ad libitum for 12 weeks, and laying performance, egg and eggshell qualities, fertility and hatchability were determined. At the end of the experimental period, 9 birds were selected in each treatment in order to measure the scores of plumage condition. Antibody titers to Newcastle disease and infectious bronchitis were also determined. No significant differences were observed in laying performances, eggshell strength, Haugh unit, fertility and hatchability among the treatments. In birds housed 640 $\textrm{cm}^2$ per bird, eggshell thickness were significantly lower (P<0.05) than those of the other groups from 7 to 12 weeks. There was no significant difference in antibody titers to Newcastle disease. In birds housed 980 $\textrm{cm}^2$ per bird, antibody titers to infectious bronchitis were significantly (P<0.05) higher than those of the other groups. With increase in the level of stocking density, the scores of plumage condition were also significantly decreased (P<0.01). This study demonstrated that moderate increment of stocking density did not resulted in reduction in laying-performances of egg-type breeder layers. However, it seemed that the higher stocking density might give more stress to the birds from physical stimuli and thus were harmful environment causing higher mortalities compared to the lower ones.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.9
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• pp.1299-1304
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• 2005

An experiment was conducted to study the production performance of broiler breeder females (25 to 40 weeks of age) fed either reference diet or low non-phytate phosphorus (NPP) diet with or without microbial phytase (500 FYT/kg) supplementation. A weighed (160 g/b/d) quantity of feed from each diet was offered daily to 40 replicates of one bird each housed in California type cage having individual feeders. Each cage was considered as a replicate. A continuous 16-h light per day was provided using incandescent bulbs. Body weight, egg production, egg weight, feed per egg mass, egg specific gravity, egg breaking strength, shell thickness, tibia ash and serum Ca and protein concentrations were not affected by reducing the NPP level from 0.30 to 0.18% in the broiler breeder diet. Supplementation of phytase (500 FYT/kg) enzyme to the diet containing 0.18% NPP had no added advantage on any of the above production parameters. The serum inorganic P was increased significantly (p<0.05) by either enhancing the NPP content from 0.18 to 0.30% or supplementing phytase @500 FYT/kg to the diet containing low P which were found comparable. Retention of Ca and P was positive on all the diets. P retention decreased significantly (p<0.05) with either increase in NPP content or phytase supplementation in the diet. Neither NPP nor phytase supplementation influenced bone mineralization in terms of tibia ash and strength. The hatchability was not influenced by either increasing the NPP content or supplementing the enzyme phytase. Similarly, the P concentration in the egg yolk and day old chick, day old and 14th day body weight and leg score was not altered by increasing the level of NPP or supplementing phytase enzyme. The mortality was within the normal limits in all the three dietary groups. Thus, it can be concluded that 0.18% NPP (288 mg NPP intake/b/d) in the broiler breeder' diet is adequate in sustaining the optimum performance from 25 to 40 wks of age. Enhancing the NPP content or supplementation of phytase (500 FYT/kg diet) to diet containing 0.18% NPP had no added advantage on performance.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.12
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• pp.1702-1707
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• 2002

The effects of dark-control (D) and continuous green light (GL) exposure of incubated meat-type breeder eggs (Hybro) on embryonic growth from 5 to 15 days of age, hatching time, hatchability per cent and chick hatching weight were investigated in three consecutive experiments at 33, 38, and 41 weeks of age. A total of 798 eggs were used in this study. Eggs were set in an incubator on trays either in the D or under two tubes of 20-watt green fluorescent light during the first 18 days of incubation. Eggs from both treatments were transferred to the dark hatching compartment at 19 days of incubation. The light intensity was in the range of 1,340 to 1,730 lux at the surface of the eggs. GL incubation of eggs significantly (p<0.01) increased weight (expressed as an absolute value) and daily weight gain of embryos at 11 and continued to 15 days of age, hatchability per cent by 4.8%, reduced dead embryos per cent and chick weight at hatch by 37 and 2%, respectively and accelerated hatching time by about 24 h when compared with the D-control incubation. Chicks hatched at 504 h of incubation had significantly (p<0.01) higher body weight, expressed as an absolute value or as a percentage of egg weight, than those hatched earlier at 456 h of incubation. It was concluded that the GL incubation of meat breeder eggs reduced incubation period and chick weight at hatch and increased embryonic growth and hatchability per cent.