• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.25 no.11
• /
• pp.1611-1616
• /
• 2012

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of sodium nitrate consumption on egg quality and quantity, and some blood parameters of native breeder hens of West Azerbaijan province. One hundred native hens were used from wk 25 to 32 of age. These birds were divided into two groups. One group was fed the control diet (CD) but the other fed the same diet supplemented with 4.2 g/kg sodium nitrate (ND). After 2 wks of adaptation, eggs were collected daily and egg mass and egg production were measured weekly for five weeks. To assess the egg quality parameters, two eggs from each replicate pen were collected for three consecutive days each week. At the end of experimental period (wk 32 of age), blood samples of 5 birds per replicate were collected from the wing vein into anticoagulant tubes. Dietary sodium nitrate didn't affect the egg production, shell stiffness, shell thickness and Haugh unit (p>0.05) but it decreased the both egg production and egg mass during the last three weeks (wks 30, 31 and 32) (p<0.05). Furthermore, a treatment effect was observed for yolk colour (p<0.05). Both the egg production and egg mass were increased over time (p<0.05). No significant treatment${\times}$time interaction was observed for egg weight, egg production and egg mass (p>0.05). No effect of time or treatment${\times}$time were observed for shell stiffness (p>0.05). Over time, shell thickness was decreased while Haugh unit increased (p<0.05). None of the blood TP and TG or the activity of ALT, AST and LDH enzymes were affected by dietary consumption of sodium nitrate at wk 32 of age (p>0.05). Sodium nitrite decreased both the TAC and TC at wk 32 of age (p<0.001). It was concluded that the lower body antioxidant capacity of nitrate fed birds resulted in the lower performance (egg weight, egg production and egg mass).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.1-4
• /
• 1993

Least square means for egg weight (EW), average shell thickness (ST), shape index (SI), shell surface area (SA) and shell breaking strength (BS) were determined in the Philippine native (PN) and F2 upgrades with New Hampshire (NH-N) and White Leghorn (WL-N) blood, respectively. Eggs of PN were smaller in size but had higher SI while their egg shells were thinner and weaker than those of the two upgrades. Highest EW, SA and BS means were observed in WL-N. Significant (p<0.01) positive correlations of EW and SI with SA and BS were noted.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.19 no.10
• /
• pp.1478-1483
• /
• 2006

This experiment was carried out to determine the effects of supplementation of L-carnitine and humic substances alone or in combination in laying hen diets on performance, egg traits and blood parameters. A total of 180 IGH type brown laying hens aged 22 weeks were employed in a completely randomized block design with one control group and three treatment groups. Each group was divided into five replicates as subgroups, each comprising 9 hens. The diets of the first, second and third treatment groups were supplemented with 0.1 g/kg L-carnitine, 1.5 g/kg humic substances (Farmagulator$^{(R)}$ Dry Plus) and 0.1 g/kg L-carnitine+1.5 g/kg humic substances, respectively. The experimental period lasted 18 weeks. Feeding supplemental carnitine, humic substances or carnitine+humic substances resulted in increases in body weight gain (p<0.05). Dietary treatments did not significantly affect daily feed intake, daily metabolizable energy intake, egg production, egg weight, feed efficiency, mortality, egg shape index, egg breaking strength, egg shell thickness, egg albumen index, egg yolk index, egg Haugh unit and the percentages of egg shell, albumen and yolk. Supplementation of humic substances reduced egg yolk cholesterol as mg per g yolk and mg per yolk (p<0.05). Blood serum parameters were not affected by the supplementation of carnitine, humic substances or carnitine+humic substances. The results in this study demonstrated that humic substances supplementation reduced egg cholesterol without adverse effects on performance, egg traits and blood parameters of laying hens. It was concluded that the usage of L-carnitine alone or in combination with humic substances in diets had no beneficial effects in laying hens.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.16 no.7
• /
• pp.1015-1019
• /
• 2003

A 50 day feeding trial was conducted with White Leghorn (WL) laying hens, 42 weeks old, to determine if feeding of varying levels of aflatoxin (AF), ochratoxin A (OA) or their combinations has any effect on their performance and egg quality parameters. Feeding of $T_4$, $T_7$, $T_8$, $T_9$ and $T_10$ caused significant reduction in feed intake of hens. Hen day egg productions were significantly reduced at all the levels of toxins except 0.5 ppm of AF. Maximum reduction in egg production was noticed at 2 and 4 ppm of AF and OA, respectively. Average body weight and egg weight were not affected by toxin feeding. The feed efficiency in terms of net feed efficiency and feed consumed per dozen egg produced was significantly reduced at higher levels of both the toxins and their combinations. Feed consumption for production of 1 kg egg mass remained uninfluenced due to aflatoxin feeding whereas significant increase in the value of the same was noticed at 4 ppm level of OA and combination of 1 and 2 ppm of AF and 2 and 4 ppm of OA ($T_9$ and $T_10$), respectively. Various levels of OA (1-4 ppm) and all the combination of two toxins ($T_8$, $T_9$ and $T_10$) significantly altered the shape index of eggs in laying hens. The shell thickness was significantly reduced by higher level of AF (2 ppm), OA (2 and 4 ppm) and their combination. Albumen index, Haugh Unit and yolk index remained unchanged due to incorporation of toxins in the diet. It is concluded that AF, OA either singly or in combination at higher levels could depress the performance in terms of egg production and feed efficiency significantly. The egg quality parameters i.e. shape index and shell thickness were also significantly affected.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.545-551
• /
• 2005

A feeding trial was conducted to determine whether dietary vitamin C (200 mg/kg) and vitamin E (250 mg/kg) prevent any drops in egg shell quality under heat stress in broiler breeder hens. One hundred and sixty molted Ross broiler breeders were housed randomly in an individual cage at 83 weeks of age. Four dietary treatments with forty hens and four replications per treatment were control (no additional vitamins), vitamin C-, or vitamin E-supplemented and combined supplementation of the two vitamins. After a tenday-adaptation period at 25$^{\circ}C$, the ambient temperature was kept at 32$^{\circ}C$ for a three-week-testing period. Egg production dropped dramatically over week but it did not show a significant change among treatments (p<0.05). However, egg quality parameters such as egg weight, specific gravity, shell thickness, SWUSA, puncture force and shell breaking strength from the birds fed the diet with the combined vitamins C and E were significantly improved over those of the control group during the heat stress period (p<0.05). The hens fed the vitamin C diet improved tibia breaking strength (37.16 kg), statistically higher than the birds fed the control and the vitamin E diets (p<0.05). The hens fed the control diet showed higher serum corticosterone levels, a mean of 5.97 ng/ml, than those of the other treatments (p<0.05). The heat stress resulted in elevated heterophils and decreased lymphocytes in serum, increasing the H/L ratios for all the treatments. However, the increases in H/L ratios were alleviated by feeding the diets containing vitamin C alone or together with vitamin E, although there were no significant differences in the ratio between the two groups (p<0.05). In conclusion, vitamins C (200 mg/kg) and/or E (250 mg/kg) supplemented to the diets for broiler breeder hens could prevent drops in egg shell quality and tibia bone strength under highly stressful environmental temperatures.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.9 no.6
• /
• pp.727-735
• /
• 1996

The effects of four factors-two dietary protein levels (12 and 16%), feeding methods(ad libitum and restricted), strains (A and B), and age of hens-on egg quality and laying performance were examined. Use of the 12% dietary protein level resulted in significantly lower (p < 0.05) hen-day egg production, higher feed intake to about 85% of the ad libitum intake decreased mean hen-day production. Significant feeding method-by-age interactions ($F{\times}A$) were obtained for all parameters. Restricted feeding had favorable effects on shell strength and Haugh unit values after 28 and 16 weeks of egg production, respectively. There was significant difference in shell strength between the two strain. Examination of the three-factor interaction among protein levels, feeding method and strain ($P{\times}F{\times}S$) disclosed that the favorable effect of the A strain on shell strength was significant only with the 16% protein-restricted fed group. The other treatment group did show a trend for greater shell strength of the A strain. Mean values for all the parameters examined changed significantly (p < 0.01) with the age of hens. Feed intake per dozen eggs tended to increase, with some fluctuation, as the hens aged. There was a linear decrease in Haugh unit scores and shell strength. The effect of restricted feeding on either shell strength or Haugh unit scores were favorable for the aged chickens.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
• /
• v.42 no.4
• /
• pp.299-305
• /
• 2015

The production performance and egg quality traits among five strains of Korean native chickens (KNC) were evaluated in conventional cages. A total of 240 KNC were housed in a controlled environment. Each strain had 12 replicates with 4 chickens per cage. Feed intake, body weights, egg production and egg quality were measured at 24, 28 and 32 of weeks. Egg quality parameters were analyzed using 150 eggs. Results indicated significant (P<0.05) difference in average body weights, egg production and egg weight among five strains of KNC. In contrast, KNC strains effect was non-significant (P>0.05) for feed efficiency. The difference among those KNC strains on egg shell color, egg shell strength and egg shell density were not different (P>0.05) at the age of week 24 while it was significant (P<0.05) at the age of week 28 and 32. There was no effect (P>0.05) on egg length and egg shape index from five strains of KNC. The significant difference (P<0.05) was observed in egg width with KNC strains during early ages (week 24 and 28) and it was not significant (P>0.05) at the age of 32 weeks. Regarding internal quality parameters, albumen height and Haugh unit were significantly (P<0.05) affected with KNC strains while the effect on yolk color was not significant (P>0.05). Based on the egg weight and the production performance, GS-10 KNC strain was superior when compared with the other strains.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.20 no.6
• /
• pp.948-953
• /
• 2007

The relative performance and immune response was evaluated in White Leghorn layers fed liquid DL-methionine hydroxyl analogue-free acid (MHA-FA) relative to dry DL-methionine (DLM) in maize-soybean-sunflower based diets. Three graded levels of methionine (Met) from DLM or MHA-FA were added to the basal diet containing 0.27% Met on an equimolar basis to achieve 0.30, 0.36 and 0.42% Met in the diet. Each diet was fed ad libitum to 25 replicates of one bird (individual feeding) each, from 24 to 40 weeks of age. A regime of 16 h light was provided and all the layers were kept under uniform management throughout the experimental period. None of the parameters studied were influenced by the interaction between source and level of Met in diets. Similarly, the majority of parameters, except for daily feed consumption and immune response (influenced by level) and egg specific gravity and shell thickness (influenced by source), were not affected by either source or level of Met in the diets. Feed consumption was significantly lower in the birds fed a diet containing 0.42% Met compared to those fed lower levels of Met. The cutaneous basophilic hypersensitivity response to PHA-P and antibody titre (32 and 40 wk) to inoculation of sheep red blood cells increased significantly by increasing the concentration of Met in the diet from 0.30 to 0.36%. Thus, the Met requirement for immune competence was higher than for optimum production. The source of Met significantly influenced the egg specific gravity and shell thickness. The specific gravity and shell thickness of eggs increased significantly when MHA-FA was used as the source of Met in the diet compared to DLM. From the study it is concluded that Met requirement for immune competence (360 mg/b/d) is higher than for optimum production (300 mg/b/d). MHA-FA was comparable with DLM as a source of Met for production performance and immunity, when the bioavailability of MHA-FA was considered as 88% of DLM. Further, MHA-FA improved egg shell quality compared to DLM.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.197-208
• /
• 1991

This study was conducted to estimated the genetic and phenotypic correlations between economic traits and certain other traits in Korean Native Ogol fowl The data analysis were the record of 450 pullets bred from 150 dams and 20 sires of Korean Native Ogol fowl at Chungnam National University from June 18, 1987 to April 6, 1989. The results obtained are summarized as follows ： 1 The genetic correlation coefficients of the economic traits and body shape components were as follows ： between body weight and shank length, breast width. breast girth, tibia length were 0.210~0.788, 0.231~0.826, 0.610~0.995 and 0.096~0.503 between age at first egg and shank length, breast width, breast girth, tibia length were 0.555~0.626, 0.149~0.270, 0.370~0.445 and 0.014-0.124. between number of egg production and shank length, breast girth, tibia length were -0.446~-0.167, -0.162~-0.320, 0.076~0.336 and 0.203~0.312 ： between egg weight and shank length, breast width, breast girth, tibia length were 0.132~0.498, 0.236~0.410, 0.148~0.775 and -0.019~0.593, respectively. 2. The genetic correlation coefficients of the economic traits and egg components were as follows ： between body weight and albumen weight, yolk weight, shell weight were 0.083~0.591, 0 110~0.541 and 0.336~0.782 between age at the first egg and albumen weight, yolk weight, shell weight were 0.476-0.692, 0.265~0.631 and 0.420~0.519 between number of egg Production and albumen weight, yolk weight, shell weight were -0.578~-0.240, -0.255~-0.060, -0.477~-0.313. between egg weight and albumen weight, yolk weight, shell weight were 0.825~0.939, 0.382~0.564, 0.374~0.337, respectively. 3. The genetic correlation coefficients of the economic traits and egg qualifies were as follows ： between body weight and egg shape index, shell thickness, albumen height, Haugh units were 0.215~0.367, 0.248~0.650, 0.161~0.624, 0.157~0.449. between number of egg production and egg shape index, shell thickness, albumen height, Haugh units were -0.384~-0.207, -0.557~-0.306, -0.555~-0.198, -0.582~-0.074 between egg weight and egg shape index, shell thickness, albumen height, Haugh units were 0.276~0.697, 0.290~0.627, 0.238~0.538, -0.207-0.020, respectively. 4. The genetic correlation coefficients of egg compositions and egg qualities were as follows ： between albumen weight and egg shape index, shell thickness, albumen height and Haugh units were 0.110~0.584, -0.380~-0.002, 0.239~0.887 and -0.195~0.279 ： between yolk weight and egg shape index, shell thickness, albumen height and Haugh units were -0.204~0.160, 0.294~0.133, -0.049~0.133 and -0.196~-0 136 ： between shell weight and egg shape index, shell thickness, albumen height and Haugh units were 0.127~0.503, 0.127~0.476, 0.140~0.273 and -0.172~0.233, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.10-20
• /
• 1991

This study was conducted to estimate heritabilities and genetic correlations on egg compositions and egg qualities in Korean Native Ogol fowl. The data were gathered from a total of 58,320 eggs in 450 pullets produced from 150 dams and 20 sires of Korean Native Ogol fowl raised at Chungnam National University from June 18, 1987 to April 6, 1989. The results obtained are summarized as follows : 1. The heritability estimates of egg compositions based on the variance of sires, dams and combined components were 0.620 - 0.723, 0206 - 0.300 and 0.413 - 0.511 for albumen weight: 0.439 - 0.737, 0.484 - 0.544 and 0.492 - 0.615 for yolk weight: 0.172 - 0.187, 0.412 - 0.642 and 0.309 - 0.503 for shell weight, respectively. 2. The heritability estimates of egg qualities based on the variance of sires, dams and combined components were 0.202 - 0279, 0.557 - 0.819 and 0.428 - 0.508 for shell thickness : 0.202 - 0.394, 0.119 - 0.678 and 0.256 - 0.440 for albumen height : 0.108 - 0.443, 0237 - 0.698 and 0244 - 0.399 for Haught units, respectively. 3. The genetic and phenotypic correlations of egg compositions were as follows; The coefficients between albumen weight and yolk weight were 0.089 - 0.564 and 0.084 - 0.235; between albumen weight and shell weight were 0.396 - 0.925 and 0225 - 0.544; between yolk weight and shell weight were 0.220 - 0.357 and 0.098 - 0.358, respectively. 4. The genetic and phenotypic correlations of egg qualities as follows; between shell thickness and albumen height were 0.082 - 0.356 and - 0.163 - 0.060; between shell thickness and Haught units were - 0.076 - 0.167 and - 0.185 - 0.010; between albumen height and Haught units were 0.338 - 0.604 and 0.154 - 0285, respectively. 5. The genetic correlations of egg compositions and egg qualities were as follows: between albumen weight and shell thickness, albumen height. Haught units were - 0.380 - - 0.002, 0239 - 0.387, and - 0279 - - 0.127; between yolk weight and shell thickness, albumen height, Haught units were - 0.294 - - 0.133, - 0.049 - 0.133 and - 0.196 - - 0.136; between shell weight and shell thickness, albumen height, Haught units were 0.127 - 0.476, 0.140 - 0273 and 0.038 - 0223, respectively.