• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.62 no.6
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• pp.884-892
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• 2020

Corticosterone is known as a biological stress index in many species including birds. Feather corticosterone concentration (FCC) has increasingly been used as a measure for chronic stress status in broiler chickens. As sample preparation is the first step of analytical process, different techniques of feather matrix disruption need to be validated for obtaining better result in analysing corticosterone extraction. The current study was a validation of pulverizing the feather by bead beater (BB) and surgical scissors (SS) processing prior to corticosterone extraction in feather of broiler chickens. The type of feather processing prior to the hormone extraction may alter the final output. Thereby, finding a standard method according to laboratory facilities is pivotal. This study carried out to determine the effects of feather pulverization methods on the extraction amount of corticosterone in broiler chickens. Feathers were sampled from four weeks old Ross 308 broiler chickens (n = 12 birds). All broiler chickens were kept under the same environmental condition and had access to feed and water. Feather samples were assigned to one of the following processing methods 1) using a BB for pulverizing and 2) using a SS for chopping into tiny pieces. Each sample was duplicated into two wells during enzyme immunoassay (EIA) analysis to improve the accuracy of the obtained data. The results showed lower standard errors and constant output of FCC by using the BB method compared with the SS method. Overall comparison of FCC showed a significantly higher (p < 0.001) amount of the FCC in the BB compared with the SS. Overall, using the BB method is recommended over the SS method for feather processing due to the ability to homogenize a large number of samples simultaneously, ease of use and greater extraction of feather corticosterone.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.10
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• pp.1482-1498
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• 2000

This paper reviews the meat-type chicken breeding with local breeds in China. The quality chickens are defined as purebred final products of local breeds, and semi-quality chickens as crossbreds of local breeds with specialized broiler (sire or dam) lines from western breeding organizations. The present status of the chicken production and the market in China, in comparison with the western countries, is reviewed, indicating that there is large market demand for (semi-) quality chickens in the present and future China. Breeding for (semi-) quality chickens emphasizes the sensory quality of chicken meat. The present status of breeding for (semi-) quality chickens with the local breeds is illustrated, including breeding goals and the existing breeding programs. The potential role of local breeds in breeding programs in China is discussed in relation to both providing higher quality (than commercial hybrid broilers) of chicken meat for the local market and meeting the objectives of genetic resource conservation. Besides, further research topics on breeding for (semi-) quality chickens are suggested.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.305-310
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• 2012

This work was carried out to investigate performance and carcass yield of large-type broilers at different stocking densities. Treatments were T1 (9.1 birds/$m^2$), T2 (10.3 birds/$m^2$) and T3 (11.5 birds/$m^2$) by the stocking density. Four hundred eight 1-day-old Arbor Acre broiler chicks were used for six weeks (starter, 0~1 wks; earlier, 1~3 wks; finisher, 3~6 wks) and divided into 3 treatments (4 replications/treatment, 30, 34 or 38 birds/replication). Research indexes were rearing viability ratio, body weight, body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, production efficiency factor and carcass ratio. Rearing viability ratio (%) was 89% or more for all treatments and there was no significant difference on weekly rearing viability ratio (%). Body weight of T2 was the greatest and that of T3 was the lowest at 1 weeks old (P<0.05). Body weight gain of T2 was the greatest and that of T3 was the lowest at 0~1 weeks old (P<0.05). However, body weight gain of T3 was the greatest and that of T1 was the lowest at 1~2 weeks old (P<0.05). Body weight gain of T2 was the greatest as 3,031 g among treatments at 0~6 weeks old (P<0.05). Feed intakes of T1, T2 and T3 were 1,417 g, 1,265 g and 1,355 g, respectively, and that of T1 was the greatest among treatments (P<0.05). There was no significant difference on body weight, body weight gain and feed intake. Feed conversion ratio of T1 was the greatest among treatments at 1~2 wks, 3~4 wks and 0~6 wks old (P<0.05). Production efficiency factors of T1, T2 and T3 were 363.5, 388.3 and 358.3, respectively, and there was no significant difference among treatments. Wing meat ratio of T1 was the higher compared to other treatments at the age of 4 wk (P<0.05). There was no significant difference on carcass ratio and partial meat ratio among treatments. Neck meat ratio of T2 was the lowest among treatments (P<0.05). This result may provide the standard data of different stocking densities for large-type broiler and the further research is needed.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 2013

This work was carried out to investigate performance and carcass yield of large-type broiler females at different stocking densities. Chicks (n = 492; 1-day-old; female; Arbor Acre broiler) were reared for six weeks (starter, 0~1 wk; earlier, 1~3 wk; finisher, 3~6 wk) and randomly divided into 3 treatments (4 replications/treatment, 36, 41 or 46 birds/replication). Treatments were T1 (10.9 birds/$m^2$), T2 (12.4 birds/$m^2$) and T3 (13.9 birds/$m^2$) by the stocking densities. Research indexes were livability, body weight, body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, production efficiency factor, carcass yield and primal cuts ratio (wing, leg, back, breast and neck). Livability (%) was 90% or more for all treatments, but there was no significant difference on weekly livability (%). Body weight of T3 treatment were the lowest at 3 wk and body weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio were the lowest at 2~3 wk (P<0.05). Production efficiency factors of T1, T2 and T3 were 331.0, 340.8 and 336.0, respectively, and there was no significant difference among treatments. Leg meat ratio of T2 treatment was higher compared to other treatments at the age of 4 wk (P<0.05). Carcass yield of T1 treatment was the highest as 76.2% at the age of 5 wk (P<0.05). However, there was no significant difference on carcass ratio and partial meat ratio among treatments at the age of 6 wk. This result may provide the standard data of different stocking densities for heavy female broilers.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.161-166
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• 2008

Deep pectoral myopathy (DPM), also known as Oregon muscle disease or green muscle disease, was first described in 1968 by Dickinson et al as "degenerative myopathy" in turkeys. Even though this condition was first recognized in adult meat-type turkey and chicken breeders, it is becoming more and more common in meat-type growing birds. DPM occurs exclusively in birds that have been specially selected for breast muscle development. It is generally recognized that DPM is an ischemic necrosis that develops in the deep pectoral muscle (supracoracoideus or pectoralis minor muscle) mainly because this muscle is surrounded by inelastic fascia and the sternum, which do not allow the muscle mass to swell in response to the physiological changes occurring when muscle are exercised, as in wing flapping. The lesion does not impair the general health of birds and is generally found during cut-up and deboning, moreover, it can be both unilateral or bilateral, affecting just one or both pectoralis minor muscle, respectively. No public health significance is associated to DPM, but it is aesthetically undesirable. The fillet should be removed, whereas the rest of the carcass is still fit for human consumption. However, the required trimming operations determine the downgrading of the products and produce an economic loss for the industry, especially because it affects the more valuable part of the carcass. The incidence of DPM increases with market weight in broilers, with more cases reported in higher-yielding strains and in males. Increased bird activity (flock nervousness, flightiness, struggle, and wing flapping) induced by factors such as feed or water outages, lighting programs and intensity, human activity, and excessive noises in and around chicken houses should be looked at as a trigger for the development of DPM in broiler. However, most of the studies conducted to evaluate the incidence of DPM in poultry are concerned with parental commercial breeding stocks under experimental conditions (Bianchi et al. 2006. Poult Sci 85 : 1843-1846). There is a possible genetic relationship between the selection for large-breasted birds and this condition. Management procedures that discourage excessive wing flapping would reduce the incidence (Jordan and Pattison. 1998. Poultry diseases. 398-399).

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.424-429
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• 2005

In previous studies, it has been reported that both S. enteritidis, the most common serotype, and S. enteritidis Phage Type 4 (SEPT 4) isolates were identified as the most prevalent PT in domestic poultry and also in humans in Korea until 2002. The aim of this study was to analyze the genetic diversity and epidemiological properties of both PT isolates, and also to trace the source of SEPT 4 isolates from domestic poultry and humans by Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). In order to understand the molecular epidemiologic properties of SEPT 4 isolates, which have very similar phenotypic properties to our preliminary investigations (serotyping, phage typing, large plasmids and antibiograms), PFGE analysis with XbaI enzyme was performed on the representative SEPT 4 isolates. Thirty-six SEPT 4 isolates were analyzed and differentiated with 10 pulsed-field profiles (PFP) expressing very high discriminative ability (SID: 0.921). In PFP, SEPT 4 isolates from human patients showed a perfect genetic match with those from broiler chickens and meats. Therefore, this study was able to successfully trace the major source of SEPT 4 isolates and also to determine the usefulness of the PFGE method for genetic analysis of epidemic strains.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Near Infrared Spectroscopy Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.1032-1032
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• 2001

Artificial Neural Network (ANN) calibration techniques have been used commercially for agricultural applications since the mid-nineties. Global models, based on transmission data from 850 to 1050 nm, are used routinely to measure protein and moisture in wheat and barley and also moisture in triticale, rye, and oats. These models are currently used commercially in approx. 15 countries throughout the world. Results concerning earlier European ANN models are being published elsewhere. Some of the findings from that study will be discussed here. ANN models have also been developed for coarsely ground samples of compound feed and feed ingredients, again measured in transmission mode from 850 to 1050 nm. The performance of models for pig- and poultry feed will be discussed briefly. These models were developed from a very large data set (more than 20,000 records), and cover a very broad range of finished products. The prediction curves are linear over the entire range for protein, fat moisture, fibre, and starch (measured only on poultry feed), and accuracy is in line with the performance of smaller models based on Partial Least Squares (PLS). A simple bias adjustment is sufficient for calibration transfer across instruments. Recently, we have investigated the possible use of ANN for a different type of NIR spectrometer, based on reflectance data from 1100 to 2500 nm. In one study, based on data for protein, fat, and moisture measured on unground compound feed samples, dedicated ANN models for specific product classes (cattle feed, pig feed, broiler feed, and layers feed) gave moderately better Standard Errors of Prediction (SEP) compared to modified PLS (MPLS). However, if the four product classes were combined into one general calibration model, the performance of the ANN model deteriorated only slightly compared to the class-specific models, while the SEP values for the MPLS predictions doubled. Brix value in molasses is a measure of sugar content. Even with a huge dataset, PLS models were not sufficiently accurate for commercial use. In contrast an ANN model based on the same data improved the accuracy considerably and straightened out non-linearity in the prediction plot. The work of Mr. David Funk (GIPSA, U. S. Department of Agriculture) who has studied the influence of various types of spectral distortions on ANN- and PLS models, thereby providing comparative information on the robustness of these models towards instrument differences, will be discussed. This study was based on data from different classes of North American wheat measured in transmission from 850 to 1050 nm. The distortions studied included the effect of absorbance offset pathlength variation, presence of stray light bandwidth, and wavelength stretch and offset (either individually or combined). It was shown that a global ANN model was much less sensitive to most perturbations than class-specific GIPSA PLS calibrations. It is concluded that ANN models based on large data sets offer substantial advantages over PLS models with respect to accuracy, range of materials that can be handled by a single calibration, stability, transferability, and sensitivity to perturbations.