• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.341-347
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• 1992

Eggs used in this study were obtained from Saudi Arabian Baladi laying hens which were divided into four experimental groups and subjected to the following treatments: Commercial laying ration (17% CP, 3.6% Ca and 0.343%, available P) fed ad libitum as a control (C); Conventional force molting, feed removal for 10 days followed by 18 days full-feed of cracked corn (F); 15 days ad libitum intake of the control ration supplemented, to initiate forced-molt, with 0.35% aluminum as the sulfate (ALS) or the chloride (ALC). The hens were in production for 52 weeks and 17 months of age at the start of the trial and the post-treatment period lasted 36 weeks. During the treatment period F and AL treated groups had similar egg and shell weight, egg surface area, shell thickness and shell weight per unit of surface area but significantly (p<0.05) lower than the control. F had significantly (p<0.05) the highest and the control the lowest Haugh unit values whereas AL fed groups had significantly (p<0.05) lower meat spot incidence compared with the control which tended to have higher value than F group. ALC and F had significantly (p<0.05) the lowest yolk color grade whereas ALC had significantly (p<0.05) lower egg index than ALS and the control. During the post-treatment period the control had significantly (p<0.05) the highest egg index and blood spots incidence and ALS the lowest shell diensity compared with other groups. ALS had significantly (p<0.05) lower shell weight than ALC and the control whereas F and AL treated hens had significantly (p<0.05) the highest Haugh unit values and yolk color grades respectively. F had significantly (p<0.05) lower meat spots incidence than ALC and the control. The same results were observed for ALS compared with the control.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.767-777
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• 2014

Characterizing local chicken types and their mostly rural production systems is prerequisite for designing and implementing development and conservation programs. This study evaluated the management practices of small-scale chicken keepers and the phenotypic and production traits of their chickens in Oman, where conservation programs for local livestock breeds have currently started. Free-range scavenging was the dominant production system, and logistic regression analysis showed that socio-economic factors such as training in poultry keeping, household income, income from farming and gender of chicken owners influenced feeding, housing, and health care practices (p<0.05). A large variation in plumage and shank colors, comb types and other phenotypic traits within and between Omani chicken populations were observed. Male and female body weight differed (p<0.05), being $1.3{\pm}0.65$ kg and $1.1{\pm}0.86$ kg respectively. Flock size averaged $22{\pm}7.7$ birds per household with 4.8 hens per cock. Clutch size was $12.3{\pm}2.85$ and annual production $64.5{\pm}2.85$ eggs per hen. Egg hatchability averaged $88{\pm}6.0%$ and annual chicken mortality across all age and sex categories was $16{\pm}1.4%$. The strong involvement of women in chicken keeping makes them key stakeholders in future development and conservation programs, but the latter should be preceded by a comprehensive study of the genetic diversity of the Omani chicken populations.

• KIEAE Journal
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.41-47
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• 2002

East Asian explain the changes of substance happened on earth and those of human life with the conceptual frame of "Gi-ki"(地氣; earth vital energy) and organize them by the system of "Feng-shui(風水) theory. The core of Feng-shui theory is reading the expression of the nature and feeling the Gi-ki from the expression. One of the properties of the earth is that the earth has a magnetic field associated with it- the Geomagnetic field. The geomagnetic field is produced by a combination of the effects of electric currents in the earth's liquid core, the magnetization of crustal rocks, external electric current systems that surround the earth and currents induced in the outer layers of the earth by magnetic field variations. The sameness of logic between Feng-shui and geopathic zones is that both are concerned with the discrimination of site and the energy of places, in other words both disciplines are concerned with how the environment can influence people. In this context the operation of Gj-ki can be related with the effect caused by geomagnetic field on site. In this study Jongmyo(宗廟), one of the representative traditional architecture in Korea is selected because the site selection and building layout follows Feng-shui faithfully according to Taejo silok (太祖實錄, Annals of King Taejo). Observing the landforms surrounding Jongmyo, Jongmyo is apparently located in auspicious places named Gumge Poranhyoeng(金鷄抱卵形, a Feng-shui landscape of golden hen sitting on eggs). The geomagnetic investigation of Jongmyo shows that the geomagnetic values of Toekan(the space near Hyeol) are relatively high and uniform and those of Sangweoldae and Haweoldae are decreased in accordance with the distance. The result shows that there is possibility that Feng-shui has scientific basis related with geomagnetic field. Feng-shui theory can suggest a direction for designing the sustainable building for living with nature.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.187-195
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• 1986

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of hatching time on body weights and body measurements in White Plymouth Rock selected for female lines of broiler parents stock, Thirty cockerels were mated to 300 hens and the hatching eggs produced by each hen were pedigreed for sire and dam. The total of 975 chickens were classified into 14 groups by hatching time and their body weights and body measurements were recorded every 2 weeks. The results obtained were as follows: 1. The body weight at 4,6 and 8 weeks of age, and the length of keel and shank were decreased as hatching times were delayed. Correlation coefficient between hatching tine and body weights or body measurements was negative. 2. Chickens from strain D were hatched 7.4 hours later in male and 7.2 hours in female than chickens from strain C and the growth rate of strain C was superior to that of. strain D.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 1980

About 6 to 8% of the eggs annually produced are broken or cracked between the hen and the consumer's carton. The majority of this breakage is due to interrelationships between egg shell quality and the many biological, environmental and managerial factors which have been individually identified as affecting breakage. Some of the factors associated with shell damage discussed in this review include age of hens, temperature ana humidity of the laying house, design of the cage systems and of the cage floors, type of material used to manufacture the cages frequency of daily egg collection in the laying house and, Probably most important, the frequency and quality of handling equipment maintenance. Age and genetic constitution of the hens, environmental temperature, and design and quality of equipment maintenance are the major factors that influence shell breakage. There is a curvilinear relationship between shell quality and shell breakage which explains why small changes in shell quality may be associated with large changes in the incidence of breakage. Published data indicate the incidence of breakage may range from as low as 1 to 2% to 35% or more for other egg producers.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.155-161
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• 2000

Unfortunately, there is no technique which is stable and repetitive to produce transgenic chicken, although various ways of gene transfer including PGC-and embryonic cell-mediated gene transfer, DNA microinjection, virus inoculation and sperm cells have been employed. The aims of this study were 세 develop and establish such a stable, repetitive and efficient way of gene transfer giving a faithful gene expression during development after the reconstruction of embryo in an UV-irradiated egg. A dual reporter plasmid (pJJ9), a fusion gene containing lacZ and GFP driven by a CMV promoter was used to exploit either merits of both reporting markers. lacZ with strong signal or GFP with vital marking. Electroporated embryonic blastodermal cells (EBCs) in the presence of the pJJ9 DNA faithfully showed 377 bp PCR product and lacZ or GFP expressions in the identical cells in vitro of in vivo. Furthermore, analyses of expression pattern of the foreign DNA demonstrated that microinjected EBCs cells into the UV-irradiated recipient egg should participate in normal developmental process, for example, proliferation and differentiation into various tissues. Thirty percentages of the manipulated eggs showed lacZ expression in their tissues. These results together with the specific procedures used in this study should facilitate avian transgenesis.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.811-823
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• 2021

Objective: Eggshell color is an important indicator of egg quality for consumers, especially for brown eggs. Various factors related to laying hens and their environment affect brown eggshell coloration. However, there have been no studies investigating hepatic functions of laying hens with variable intensity of brown eggshell color. Therefore, this study was aimed to identify potential factors affecting brown eggshell coloration in aged laying hens at the hepatic transcriptomic level. Methods: Five hundred 92-wk-old Hy-line Brown laying hens were screened to select laying hens with different intensity of brown eggshell color based on eggshell color fans. Based on eggshell color scores, hens with dark brown eggshells (DBE; eggshell color fan score = 14.8) and hens with light brown eggshells (LBE; eggshell color fan score = 9.7) were finally selected for the liver sampling. We performed RNA-seq analysis using the liver samples through the paired-end sequencing libraries. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) profiling was carried out to identify their biological meaning by bioinformatics. Results: A total of 290 DEGs were identified with 196 being up-regulated and 94 being down-regulated in DBE groups as compared to LBE groups. The Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) analysis revealed that these DEGs belong to several biological pathways including herpes simplex infection (toll-like receptor 3 [TLR3], cyclin-dependent kinase 1, etc.) and influenza A (TLR3, radical S-adenosyl methionine domain containing 2, myxovirus [influenza virus] resistance 1, etc.). Genes related to stress response (ceremide kinase like) and nutrient metabolism (phosphoenolpyruvate carboxy-kinase 1, methylmalonic aciduria [cobalamin deficiency] cblB type, glycine receptor alpha 2, solute carrier family 7 member 11, etc.) were also identified to be differentially expressed. Conclusion: The current results provide new insights regarding hepatic molecular functions related to different intensity of brown eggshell color in aged laying hens. These insights will contribute to future studies aiming to optimize brown eggshell coloration in aged laying hens.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.3_spc
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• pp.371-384
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• 2021

Objective: Wheat bran (WB) was co-fermented with Aspergillus oryzae and phytase (Phy) to determine whether co-fermentation improve WB phosphorus and fiber utilization in Isa-brown layers. Methods: A total of 112 Isa brown layer were randomly divided into 7 treatments with 8 replicates per a treatment and 2 hens per a replicate. The treatments included basal diet (control), basal diet supplemented with 250 unit/kg Phy (control+Phy), diet with 10% WB (10% WB), diet with 5% WB and 250 unit/kg Phy (5% WB+Phy) diet with 10% WB and 250 unit/kg Phy (10% WB+Phy), diet with 5% fermented WB supplemented with molasses and phy (PCFWH) and 125 unit/kg Phy (5% PCFWH), and diet with 10% PCFWH (10% PCFWH). The intestinal microbial population, intestinal morphology, serum antioxidant enzyme activities, and excreta phosphorus content were assessed. Results: In PCFWH, spore counts, protease activity, xylanase activity, and ferulic acid were 8.50 log/g dry matter (DM), 190 unit/g DM, 120 unit/g DM, and 127 ㎍/g, respectively. Xylobiose and xylotriose were released in PCFWH, while they were not detectable in WB. Antioxidant capacity was also enhanced in PCFWH compared to WB. The 10% WB+Phy and 10% PCFWH groups produced higher egg mass, but hens fed 5% WB+Phy had the lowest amount of feed intake. Eggs from 10% PCFWH had better eggshell weight, eggshell strength, and eggshell thickness. Birds fed with 10% PCFWH also had higher serum superoxide dismutase and catalase activities. Compare to control, 10% PCFWH significantly reduced excreta phosphorus content. Conclusion: Diet inclusion of 10% PCFWH improved egg quality, antioxidant status, and excreta phosphorus content of laying hens.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.10
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• pp.1566-1574
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• 2022

Objective: This study investigated the effects of dietary methyl sulfonyl methane (MSM) and selenium (Se) on the laying performance, egg quality, gut health indicators, egg yolk Se content, and antioxidant markers in laying hens. Methods: One hundred ninety-two 73-wk-old laying hens were randomly divided into four groups with eight replicates of six hens each. Four diets were prepared in a 2×2 factorial arrangement with or without MSM and Se. The trial lasted for 12 wk. Results: There were no interaction effects or main effects (p>0.05) on laying performance and egg quality. However, feed intake increased in Se-fed hens (p = 0.051) and decreased in MSM-fed hens (p = 0.067) compared with that of hens in the control group. Dietary MSM increased (p<0.05) the ileal villus height and villus height:crypt ratio in hens compared with those receiving the non-supplemented control diet. Dietary MSM and Se did not affect the percentage of short-chain fatty acids in the ileal contents. Dietary Se enriched the Se content in egg yolk compared with that of the non-supplemented control diet (p<0.05). Dietary Se increased (p<0.05) glutathione peroxidase levels in the liver and serum samples compared to the control diet. The total antioxidant capacity in the liver increased (p<0.05) in laying hens that were fed MSM-supplemented diets than in hens fed the control diet. Dietary MSM significantly increased the relative superoxide dismutase levels in serum samples (p<0.05). Conclusion: Supplementation with either MSM or Se independently improved the antioxidant capacity of laying hens. Furthermore, dietary Se produced Se-enriched eggs, but this effect was neither additive nor synergistic with dietary MSM.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Poultry Science Conference
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• 2003.07b
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• pp.37-54
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• 2003

It has been recognized that the hen. like its mammalian counterparts. provides young chicks with antibodies as protection against hostile invaders. This system facilitates the transfer of specific antibodies from serum to egg yolk. and provides a supply of antibodies called immunoglobulin Y(IgY) to the developing embryo and the hatched chick. The protection against pathogens that the relatively immuno-incompetent newly hatched chick has. is through transmission of antibodies from the mother via the egg. Egg yolk. therefore. can be loaded with a large amount of IgY against pathogens which can immobilize the existing or invading pathogens during the embryo development or in day-old chicks. Thus. the immunization of laying hens to various pathogens results in production of different antigen-specific IgY in eggs. Egg yolk contains 8~20 mg of immunoglobulins (IgY) per $m\ell$ or 136~340 mg per yolk suggesting that more than 30 g of IgY can be obtained from one immunized hen in a year. By immunizing laying hens with antigens and collecting IgY from egg yolk. low cost antibodies at less than ＄10 per g compared to more than ＄20.000 per g of mammalian IgG can be obtained. This IgY technology opens new potential market applications in medicine. public health veterinary medicine and food safety. A broader use of IgY technology could be applied as biological or diagnostic tool. nut-raceutical or functional food development. oral-supplementation for prophylaxis. and as pathogen-specific antimicrobial agents for infectious disease control. This paper has emphasized that when IgY-loaded chicken eggs are produced and consumed. the specific antibody binds. immobilizes and consequently reduces or inhibits the growth or colony forming abilities of microbial pathogens. This concept could serve as an alternative agent to replace the use of antibiotics. since today. more and more antibiotics are less effective in the treatment of infections. due to the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria.