• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.581-585
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• 2011

Either the fasting during natural molting or the starvation in induced molting would be a severe metabolic stress to laying hens. The metabolic stress during starvation and subsequent refeeding syndrome could lead to unbalance of mineral homeostasis, including $Mg^{2+}$, $K^+$ and P required by ATP synthesis. Since $Mg^{2+}$ is a fundamental ion for normal metabolic processes and stress may not only increase in demands of $Mg^{2+}$ but also produce consequence of $Mg^{2+}$ deficiency, we investigated the changes of blood ionized and total ions related to starvation during molting in laying hens. We founded the significant decrease in blood $Mg^{2+}$ and $K^+$ accompanied by the changes of biochemical parameters relating to increased metabolic stress after molting. These results suggested that appropriate $Mg^{2+}$ and $K^+$ supplements to laying hens could have beneficial effects during molting and subsequent refeeding that could produce a severe hypomagnesemia and hypokalcemia.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.255-266
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• 2022

In crustaceans, molting is regulated by interactions between ecdysteroid and juvenile hormone (JH) signaling pathway-related genes. Unlike the ecdysteroid signaling pathway, little information on the role of JH signaling pathway-related genes in molting is available in zooplanktonic crustaceans. In this study, three genes (juvenile hormone acid O-methyltransferase (JHAMT), methoprene-tolerant (Met), and juvenile hormone epoxide hydrolase (JHEH)) which are involved in the synthesis, receptor-binding, and degradation of JH were identified using sequence and phylogenetic analysis in the brackish water flea, Diaphanosoma celebensis. Transcriptional changes in these genes during the molting cycle in D. celebensis were analyzed. Sequence and phylogenetic analysis revealed that these putative proteins may be functionally conserved along with those of insects and other crustaceans. In addition, the expression of the three genes was correlated with the molting cycle of D. celebensis, indicating that these genes may be involved in the synthesis and degradation of JH, resulting in normal molting. This study will provide information for a better understanding of the role of JH signaling pathway-related genes during the molting process in Cladocera.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.93-99
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• 1993

Studies were carried out to investigate physiological and biochemical analysis of recessive lethal mutant "nmn" and to observe the cuticle formation and dermal gland. All nmn homozygous larvae continued to eat a few mulberry leaves, and died without entering into molt. In case of artificial hatching, eggs had a higher nmn individual segregation ratio than in hibernating eggs. The percentage of nmn individuals with the hatching days was alike during 3days period. As a result of histological observation, nmn mutants dermal gland was different from normal dermal gland in form and size. Normal was formed new cuticle in the middle of the molting, but not in nmn mutant. Total protein content in haemolymph of the normal larva was more than that of nmn smutant and there was a difference between normal and nmn mutant protein components.omponents.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.17-24
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• 2006

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of forced molting and egg storage time on the various egg qualities. A total of 240 ISA Brown layers (60 wk of age) were employed as the unmolted treatment (Control). Two hundred and forty ISA Brown layers, molted at the age of 55 wk, were used as a forced molting treatment (T1), and the same number and strain of layers, molted at the age of 70 wk, were also used as the another forced molting treatment (T2). A total of 120 eggs were sampled from each treatment, and divided into six sets, 20 eggs per set. These six sets were stored for 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 days at $18^{\circ}C$ temperature, respectively. Eggs from T1 were collected from laying hens at the age of 68 wk, which started molting at 60 wk of age and achieved 50% egg production at 63 wk of age. Eggs from T2 were collected from hens at 82 wk of age, which started molting at 70 wk of age and achieved 50% egg production at 78 wk of age. The eggshell strength of T1 was significantly (p<0.05) higher than the Control and T2, and the storing periods did not affect the eggshell strength at all. Neither the forced molting nor the storing periods did not exert any consistent effect on the egg weight, eggshell thickness, eggshell color and egg yolk color. The albumin heights of T1 and T2 were significantly (p<0.05) lower than the Control, and it was remarkably reduced gradually as the storage periods increased in all three treatments. The Haugh unit showed very similar trends as the albumin height, indicating that both albumin height and Haugh unit were very much related to each other. In conclusion, the forced molting improves the eggshell strength, but decreases the albumin height and Haugh unit. The storage of eggs also decreases the albumin height and Haugh unit regardless of molting.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.205-211
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• 2011

This work was carried out to investigate the effect of the induced molting diet based on wheat bran on the postmolt performance of layers. Two hundred White Leghorn layers (65-old-wk) with over 80% egg production were used for 8 weeks in this work. Treatments were non-molt control (CO), fasting treatment for 10 days (FW), molt treatment with used molting diet for 4 wk (UM), molt treatment with molting diet based on corn-wheat bran for 4 wk (CW), and molt treatment with molting diet based on wheat bran for 4 wk (WM) as 5 treatments (4 replications/treatment and 10 birds/replication). Feed intake decreased at molting treatments at first weeks and increased after the 3rd week compared to control (P<0.05). Body weight (BW) loss were 18.6% of initial BW at first week in FW treatment, and were 11.4, 14.2 and 17.4% in UM, CW and WM treatments at 4th weeks (P<0.05). Egg production decreased at 1 week in molt treatment and stopped at 2 week in FW, whereas, other molting treatments didn't stop laying eggs. The birds started to lay egg at 4 week in FW and recovered at 5 week in other molting treatments. Egg quality (eggshell thickness, eggshell breaking strength, haugh unit) was high in molting treatments compared with control at 8th weeks (P<0.05). Finally, molting diet based on wheat bran affected BW loss and egg quality such as eggshell thickness, eggshell breaking strength and haugh unit.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.72-74
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• 1991

The recessive lethal mutation 'non-molting of Nho' (symbol, ㎚n) was founded on one preservation stocks. All dwarf larvae continued to eat a few mulberry leaves and very slightly increasing body-size over a 7 days, and then died without entering into molt. Linkage experiments showed that ㎚n was linked with Knob(K) on the 11th linkage group. Precise localization of the gene was performed by mating with ㎚ gene. This mutant was confirmed to be allelic with the ㎚ gene located on the same chromosome.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.171-176
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• 2008

Animal welfare advocates, claim that the induced molting by fasting be avoided. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of molting induced by various feeding methods on productivity and egg quality in laying hens. We used 400 flocks of 60-week-old leghorn laying hens in four treatments(five replicates of 20 hens each): fasting method (C), feeding single corn grain diet (T1), feeding single wheat bran diet (T2) and feeding single alfalfa meal diet (T3). As the result of the experiment, egg production and daily egg mass significantly decreased only in T1 compared with the control during the $1{\sim}4th$ week after the secondary egg laying (P<0.05). Although the amount of feed intake was significantly less in T1 group during the $1{\sim}4th$ week compared to the control, no significant difference was detected during the total period (P>0.05). In addition, no significant difference of feed conversion was observed between treatment groups. In terms of egg quality, the egg shell thickness was significantly improved in T1 group than the control group by feeding only corn at the 10th and 14th week after the secondary egg laying (P<0.05), but the significant decrease was observed at the corn (T1) and wheat bran (T2) fed treatment groups than the control group at the 26th week of the experiment (P<0.05). The eggshell strength and haugh unit did not show any difference by the molting methods. Egg yolk color was significantly decreased in T1 and T2 group than the control group at the 6th week (P<0.05). However, T1 and T2 group resulted to show significantly high egg yolk color at the 18th week of the experiment (P<0.05). As the result of the experiment, no large difference was observed in the productivity by the feeding molting method and by the fasting induced molting method. In addition, the single diet fed feeding induced molting method by using alfalfa revealed to show more satisfactory trend than the corn or wheat bran single diet fed feeding induced molting methods even if no statistically significant difference was found in terms of egg productivity.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.243-247
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• 2002

A study was conducted to investigate the effect of induced molting on the relative weight and hormone levels of thyroid, ovary, and adrenal glands in spent laying hens. Three hundred sixty 77-wk-old, Babcock White hens were divided into 36 experimental units of 10 hens each and induced to molt for seven weeks. A diet containing 16% CP and 2,800 kcal ME/kg was fed ad libitum from 84 to 126 weeks of age. Thirty-six birds were randomly selected for blood collection and slaughtered at Pre-molt, 5% egg Production, Peak, and end Phase of the egg Production. Weights of the thyroid, ovary, adrenal glands, and plasma T3, T4, cortisol, and estradiol contents were measured at each stage. Weight of the thyroid reached its highest level at 5% e99 Production stage. The ovary weight was greatly reduced during molting, but started to increase after induced molting until the end of the egg Production Phase (P<0.05). Plasma T3,T4 and cortisol were found to be the highest at the start of the Post-molt Production stage, but reached their minimum at the end Phase of e99 Production. Plasma estradiol was the lowest at the 5% egg Production stage. The Present study demonstrated that molting is a complex Process that require the involvement of endocrine glands to trigger their specific hormones, which play a key role in molt induction.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.161-168
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• 1997

To clarify the effect of anti-juvenile hormone analogue (AJH) on the larval ecdysis by feeding at early stage of the 4th instar, the total amount of protein and activity of chitinolytic enzymes in the integument of Bombyx mori were analyzed, PAGE pattern of the protein was observed and the morphological changes of integument during molting period were also observed and the morphological changes of integument during molting period were also observed by means of TEM. The total amount of protein was greatly increased in premolting, then reached maximum level just before ecdysis, and rapidly decreased after the larval ecdysis in the control, while in the AJH treatment, increased 12 hr later than the control and its maximum was only 82.6% of the control. Two specific proteins, which were presumed as the protein originated from endocuticle, also appeared 12 hr later than the control and were maintained to 132 hr after AJH treatment from the aspects of the Native- and SDS-PAGE patterns, although those of the control disappeared instantly after ecdysis. Chitinase and $\beta$-N-acetylglucosaminidase activities were also suppressed and delayed by AJH treatment. Furthermore, it was observed that the apolysis took place 12 hr later than the control but new epicuticle was not formed at least until 132 hr after AJH treatment. From these results, it is suggested that the larval molting process of silkworm develops 12 hr later than the control but new epicuticle was not formed at least until 132 hr after AJH treatment. From these results, it is suggested that the larval molting process of silkworm develops 12 hr later than the control by AJH treatment but no further processing takes place just after apolysis.