This study was carried out to investigate the effect of feeding fermented earthworm cast additives (FEC) on egg production, egg yolk fatty acids, blood lipid, cecal microorganism and fecal odor. The completely randomized experiment was applied, and the treatments were designed as 2 feeding regimens (control vs. FEC feeding), and FEC contained 3.5% top dressing to common diet. Egg production and egg weight of FEC group were significantly higher than that of control (p<0.05). Ratios of n-6/n-3 fatty acids in the egg yolk of FEC group were significantly higher than those in control group (p<0.05). Concentrations of HDL-C in FEC group was significantly higher than control group (p<0.05), but not triglyceride and total cholesterol. The caecal Lactobacillus of FEC group was significantly higher in FEC group than control group (p<0.05). concentrations from poultry house were significantly lower in FEC group than control (p<0.05). In conclusion, these study results showed that the addition of FEC at 3.5% to the diet has reduced odor of poultry house and improved the n-6/n-3 fatty acid of egg yolk and egg production in laying hens.

Tyrosinase (TYR) gene is located on chromosome 1 in chicken and it is composed of five exons and four introns. TYR gene is described as a key enzyme in melanin biosynthesis. Most examples of complete albinism in chicken have been due to defects in the tyrosinase gene. The association of feather color and sequence polymorphism in the Tyrosinase (TYR) gene was investigated using Korean Native chicken H breed (H_PL), Korean Native chicken L/W breed(L/W_PL) and `Woorimatdag` commercial chickens (Woorimatdag_CC). From L_PL and W_PL breed analyses, 4 synonymous SNPs (locus G33A, G116A, C217T and C247T) and 2 SNPs (G838A and G958A) were detected in 4th exon and 4th intron of TYR gene respectively. The genotype frequencies for 6 SNPs were compared between L_PL and W_PL and W_PL represented homozygous SNP types in all the analyzed SNP positions while L_PL displayed various SNP types.

Fowl adenovirus (FAV) is an important cause of several diseases, which result in considerable economic losses to the poultry farm. An outer capsid protein of FAV, fiber 2 is essential for virus growth, assembly or spread. This study was performed to produce about 22 kDa of recombinant fiber 2 protein and to immunize in laying hens to acquire the specific IgY antibody against the recombinant fiber 2. Laying hens were immunized with the recombinant fiber 2 intramuscularly in the breast muscle by injection 4 times at intervals of three weeks. At 12 weeks, serum- and egg yolk-antibody titers of hens against fiber 2 were increased up to 430,000 and 414,000, respectively. The recombinant fiber 2 could be recognized be the anti-His monoclonal antibody. Anti-fiber 2-IgY antibody could recognize the fiber 2 specifically in western blot analysis. These results suggested that the recombinant fiber 2 antigen could be used as an immunogen to elicit IgY antibody against fiber 2 and the anti-fiber 2-IgY could neutralize fowl adenovirus fiber 2 effectively.

To preserve chicken genetic materials like cryopreserved spermatozoa, various kinds of freezing agents like glycerol, dimethylsuloxide, dimethylformamide or dimethylacetamide have been used for rooster semen preparation. Recently, the usage of N-methylacetamide (MA) for Ogye rooster semen preservation resulted in hatched chicken successfully. In this study, we investigated the effects of 7, 9 and 11% of MA on the viability, fertility and hatchability of frozen-thawed rooster semen using artificial insemination. The results of viability, fertility and hatchability in frozen semen with 7%, 9% or 11% MA were , and of motile sperm rate, 21.5%, 34.7% and 25% of fertility rate, and 100%, 89.5% and 87.5% of hatchability rate. The results of control group with frozen semen were 96.0% of fertility rate and 92.2% of hatchability rate. With these results, the concentration range of MA as a freezing agent of rooster semen could be 7~9% of media. The higher concentration of 9 % MA could decrease the fertility rate of thawed semen not the rate of hatchability rate. So the use of MA without affecting fertility rate would be a key point of freezing method of rooster semen for poultry genetic resource preservation.

The Feather Color of chicken is considered as most obvious, and the purpose of this study is to identify the genotype following the SNP of MC1R, MITF and TYRP1, which are genes related to Feather Color, and develop a SNP marker that can be classified per breed. When a haplotype is observed through the combination of markers, a Korean Native Chicken can especially be distinguished when it is a CGG type in the SNP combination of the MC1R gene. In case of the TAG, TGG and TAA types, only Araucana was identified, and for the CAA type, Leghorn could specifically be distinguished. In the SNP combination of TYRP1 gene, only Leghorn was differentiated in case of the TTTCA and CCTCA types, and only Silky Fowl was identified in case of the CTTTA type. The SNP combination of MC1R gene enabled for Korean Native Chicken, Leghorn, and Araucana to be distinguished and each of the SNP and combination of TYRP1 gene allowed for all 4 breeds to be classified. If many researches are conducted about genetic polymorphism between breeds, then it is considered that the differences between breeds will be understood from a molecular biological aspect instead of simply distinguishing the breeds through Feather Color.

The goal of this study was to evaluate the growth performance of crossbred strains using Korean native chicken (KNC). The data were collected from 2012 through 2013 at Poultry Science Division, National Institute of Animal Science, Korea. The number of chicks analyzed in this study was 375. Crossbred were (A) , (B) , (C) , (D) and (E) . The fertility rates of strains were 94.9% in crossbred A, 91.9% in crossbred B, 91.8% in crossbred C, 89.7% in crossbred D and 93.8% in crossbred E, respectively. The fertility was highest in crossbred A, but crossbred C showed the lowest (p<0.05) based on the hatchability. The crossbreds B and C exhibited a superior performance on body weight gains during growing stages but crossbred D showed the lowest (p<0.05). The feed intake was to the pattern of body weight. The feed intake of crossbred D was significantly lower than other crossbreds. Also, feed conversion ratio of crossbred D showed the lowest (p<0.05). Egg production ratio of crossbred D was significantly higher compared to the other crossbreds. These results suggest that the development of new crossbreds of commercial Korean Native Chickens should be required for better performance.

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of additions of duck skin as pork fat replacer on the quality characteristics of duck meat sausage during refrigerated storage. The sausage made with only duck meat was severed as the control. Three treatments of sausages were produced with addition levels (T1, 1%; T2, 2% and T3, 3%) of duck skin. Our results showed that the addition of duck skin significantly (p<0.05) decreased the moisture content whereas significantly (p< 0.05) increased the fat content in the sausages. The sausages with duck skin had significantly (p<0.05) higher pH values until 4 weeks of refrigerated storages when compared to the control. CIE value was significantly (p<0.05) higher in T1 and T2 than those of other treatments after 7 days of refrigerated storage. Similarly the sausages with duck skin had significantly (p<0.05) higher CIE values as compared with the control after 4 weeks of refrigerated storage. The sausages with 1% duck skin processed the significantly (p<0.05) highest hardness, springiness, gumminess and chewiness values at all storage days. No differences were found between the control and treatment for color, flavor, taste, texture and overall acceptability. Based on the results obtained in the present study it is suggested that duck skin to levels of 1~2% can be used as fat replacer for manufacture of duck meat sausage with a positive effect on quality and texture characteristics. However, further research in necessary to improve taste and palatability of the products.

To evaluate the meat quality differences of Korean Native Chickens (KNC) available in Korean market, the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of a broiler and two KNC (HH and WD breed) were analyzed. The fat content of KNC WD breast meat was higher than that of KNC HH. The breast and thigh meats of KNC HH had higher and values than the broiler or the KNC WD. WD meats showed greater DPPH radical scavenging activity and higher pH values than the HH. For the fatty acid composition, there was no significant difference in total content of the saturated fatty acids among chicken breeds (p>0.05). KNC had greater content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially arachidonic acid (20:4) and DHA (22:6), compared with the broiler. KNC WD meats had higher composition of linolenic acid (18:3) than the KNC HH. For sensory evaluation, the WD breast meat showed higher taste and tenderness scores than the HH. On the other hand, the soup made by broiler had higher taste scores than the KNC. The breast and thigh meat from two KNC breeds showed different quality parameters that may come from the differences of genetic attributes, feed, and production strategy between two breeds.

This study were investigated the effects of dietary supplementation of yacon by-products and mugwort powder on performance, carcass characteristics, pH, TBARS (thiobarbituric acid reactive substance), WHC (water holding capacity), shear force and meat color of broiler thigh meat. Broiler chicks were fed diets for five weeks containing 0% yacon by-products and mugwort powder (Control), 0.5% yacon by-products powder (T1), 1.0% yacon by-products powder (T2), 0.5% mugwort powder (T3), and 1.0% mugwort powder (T4). There were no significant difference in performance among treatments, but mortality was decreased in diets by the supplementation of yacon by-products and mugwort powder than that of control. The total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride of control were higher than treatment groups and HDL-cholesterol of control was lower than treatment. The TBARS was significantly decreased by the supplementation of yacon by-products and mugwort powder compared to the control (P<0.05), especially, mugwort powder treatment group was significantly (P<0.05) more effective in improving freshness compared to other treatment groups. The WHC and shear force were not significantly different. CIE and value of treatment groups showed significantly higher value compared to the control, however, no difference in the CIE values was observed among treatment groups. In conclusion, a supplementation of yacon by-products and mugwort powder were effective in decreasing TBARS, total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol and increasing HDL-cholesterol concentration. Mugwort powder supplementation was most effective.

This study was carried out to investigate the performance of laying period of A and B strains of Korean native ducks (KND). One hundred sixty eight ducks were used in this work and divided into A and B strains (6 replications/strain, 14 birds/replication). Ducks were fed with laying ducks` feedstuff (CP 15%, ME 2,900 kcal/kg) for the age of 20~80 wk old. There was no significant difference on body weight, feed intake and egg weight between A and B strains. Weekly body wt of KNDs was the lowest at the age of 40~48 wk old, and that of those was high at the age of 24~32 wk and 64~80 wk old (P<0.05). Weekly feed intake significantly decreased at the age of 36~48 wk and 68~72 wk old (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference at the age of 52~56 wk old. Weekly egg wt was the lowest at the age of 32~40 wk old. Egg production ratio of B strain was higher compared to that of A strain at the age of 24~28 wk, 60~64 wk and 20~80 wk old. Weekly egg production ratio was the highest at the age of 28~32 wk old, and was high maintained until the age of 48 wk old. However, weekly egg production ratio decreased from the age of 52 wk old to the age of 68 wk old. Number of egg of B strain (267.5) was higher than that of A strain (235.6) at the age of 20~80 wk old. There was no significant difference on feed conversion ratio between A and B strain at the age of 28~36 wk old, but feed conversion ratio of A strain was higher than that of B strain at the other weeks (P<0.05). These results provided the basic data on the record of laying period of Korean native ducks.