The present experiment was carried out to compare performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality among three major meat-type duck strains in Korea. Two commercial duck (CD) strains, produced from parent stocks (PS) (Cherry Valley and Grimaud), and F1 strains, self-produced by farmers, were used in an 8-week feeding experiment. Both feed conversion ratio and production index were significantly higher in Cherry Valley strain compared with the other two at the ends of 6 and 8 weeks (p<0.05). However, no differences were found in carcass characteristics and meat quality, with the exception of abdominal fat weight where Grimaud were higher than the others. Overall, the results of the current study show that Cherry Valley CD strain had higher performance among three strains tested.

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of different raising days (30, 36, 42) on physico-chemical meat quality properties of chicken breasts and legs stard with 1 day old. In chemical compositions, moisture and protein contents (%) were decreased whereas fat contents (%) were increased as the raising days. In mineral contents, there was not significantly different in calcium contents. However, there was a decrease of potassium contents (p<0.05) as raising periods increased. Nucleotide-related compounds were 121.0 mg/100 g at 30 day, 130.4 at 36 day and 131.2 at 42 day, respectively. However, they were not significantly different during the raising periods (p<0.05). The similar tendency was observed in leg parts. L* values were decreased especially for chicken raised for 42 days. b* values were gradually increased as the raising periods increased. Cooking loss (%) was decreased whereas Warner-Bratzler shear forces (WBS) were increased as the raising periods increased.

Two experiments were conducted to determine whether water extracts from Artemisia capillaries (A. capillaries) and Camellia sinensis (C. sinensis) could be used as alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters in broiler feed. The experiment 1 was verified their chemical composition, extracts yields, total phenolic compounds concentration, antioxidant activity, antimicrobial activity, and chicken splenocytes proliferation through in vitro test. The extract yields of A. capillaries and C. sinensis were 26.5 and 16.8%, respectively. Total phenolic compounds concentrations of them expressed as gallic acid equivalent were 15.28 and 26.74 mg/mL, respectively. Electron donating abilities of them expressed as SC showing 50% DPPH radical scavenging were 0.30 and 0.06 mg, respectively. Bacterial inhibitory rates of them against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella Typhimurium were ranged from 42.1 to 52.3% and from 21.6 to 33.7%, respectively. And, these extracts increased proliferation of chicken splenocytes. Especially, A. capillaris was more excellent than Echinacea and Concanavalin A known as T-cell stimulator. The experiment 2 was investigated their effects on growth performance, relative organ weight, cecal microflora, blood biochemical parameters, and splenic cytokines mRNA expression in broiler chicks. Four hundred eighty 1-day-old male broiler chicks (Ross 308) were divided in to 4 treatment groups with 4 replicates of 30 birds in each group: NC (control, no antibiotics), PC (avilamycin, 10 ppm; salinomycin, 60 ppm), AC (A. capillaries, 100 ppm), and CS (C. sinensis, 100 ppm); treatments were administered through water supplementation. Final body weight was significantly higher in all treated groups than in NC (p<0.05). Cecal Salmonella numbers were significantly or somewhat decreased in all treated groups than in NC (p <0.05). The relative weights and lengths of the small intestine were more significantly decreased in the PC and AC groups than in the other groups. Cecal Salmonella numbers were significantly or somewhat decreased in all treated groups than in the NC group (p<0.05). The contents of total cholesterol, aspatate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase in blood serum were more significantly decreased in all treated groups than in NC (p<0.05). In conclusion, these results suggested the possibility that these extracts could serve as alternatives for antibiotic growth promoters.

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation of yellow loess on performance and blood component profile in broiler chickens. A total of three hundred sixty, 1 day old broiler chicks (Ross) were randomly divided into 3 groups with 4 replicates of 30 birds each. The experiment feeds were; control (basal diet), 0～10 days (basal diet with yellow loess T1 4%, T2 2%), 11～21 days (basal diet with yellow loess T1 2%, T2 1%), 22～35 days (basal diet with yellow loess T1 1%, T2 1%). The body weight and weight gain of the broilers fed T2 diet was significant higher than the T1 and control treatment (P<0.05). Feed intake was significantly higher than the control during overall period (P<0.05). Total cholesterol in all yellow loess supplemented treatments were significantly higher than the control treatment (P<0.05), and the triglyceride of broiler fed the diet containing T1 was significantly higher than the control and T2 treatment (P<0.05). No significant differences were observed on the total white blood cell (WBC), neutrophil (NE), monocyte (MO) and eosinophil (EO) in all yellow loess supplemented treatments compared to the control. Lymphocyte of T2 treatment was significantly higher than T1 and control treatment (P<0.05). No significant difference was observed on fecal ammonia gas emission, but broiler fed yellow loess was lower than the control treatment. Aa a result, dietary supplementation of yellow loess was improve to weight gain and feed intake of broiler.

The purpose of this survey was to collect basic data on breeding systems of animal welfare-approved laying hen farms in Korea. Questionnaires were mailed to 64 animal welfare-approved farms, and 20 questionnaires (31.3%) were returned. The housing systems were fabric coverlet (4 farms, representing 20%), naturally farmed (Yamagisi, 7 farms, 35%), and steel panelframed housing (9 farms, 45%). The 20 farms had stocking densities of 2∼3 birds/m 2 (2 farms; 10%), 4∼5 birds/m 2 (10 farms; 50%), and 6∼7 birds/m 2 (8 farms; 40%). Breeding methods were floor-housed (14 farms; 70%), free-range (3 farms; 15%), and floor plus free-range (3 farms; 15%). Stocking density was 4∼6 birds/m 2 at most of the farms with fabric coverlet and naturally farmed housing and 6∼7 birds/m 2 at seven farms (of 9 farms) with a steel panel-framed housing. The daily feed intake of 11 farms (55%) was between 120 and 130 g, which included 3 farms (15%) with fabric coverlet, 3 farms (15%) with naturally farmed housing, and 5 farms (25%) with steel panel-framed housing. The age of peak production was 24∼28 weeks overall 20 farms. Over 80% of production on fabric coverlet, naturally farmed, and steel panel-framed house farms was on 3, 4 and 6 farms, respectively. Respiratory disease on the 20 farms represented 55% of total disease incidence, and of each housing type represented 75% (fabric coverlet), 70% (naturally farmed) and 33% (steel panel-framed). E. coli disease was only found in the steel panel-framed housing. Most of the animal welfare-approved eggs were sold at large markets or a real sale markets. Egg price was 200∼250 won per egg. These results indicate the current situation of animal welfare-approved farms and could be caused that windowless poultry house was applied to animal welfare approved farms. (Key words: animal welfare-approved, fabric coverlet, naturally farmed, steel panel-framed, housing type, laying hen) †