Impact of Dietary Organic Mineral Supplementation on Reproductive Performance, Egg Quality Characteristics, Lipid Oxidation, Ovarian Follicular Development, and Immune Response in Laying Hens Under High Ambient Temperature.

The objectives of this study were to investigate the impact of dietary organic mineral mixture (manganese, zinc, and copper) supplementation on reproductive performance, egg quality characteristics, and immune response in laying hens under high ambient temperature. Hens were randomly divided into three treatments: (1) control (basal diet without organic mineral mixture (Mn, Zn, and Cu) supplementation); (2) basal diet + 0.5 g/kg of organic mineral mixture; and (3) basal diet + 1 g/kg of organic mineral mixture from 30 to 38 weeks of age.

Endothelin receptor B2 (EDNRB2) is responsible for the tyrosinase-independent recessive white (mo(w) ) and mottled (mo) plumage phenotypes in the chicken.

A mutation that confers white plumage with black eyes was identified in the Minohiki breed of Japanese native chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus). The white plumage, with a few partially pigmented feathers, was not associated with the tyrosinase gene, and displayed an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance against the pigmented phenotype. All F1 offspring derived from crosses with mottled chickens (mo/mo), which show characteristic pigmented feathers with white tips, had plumage with a mottled-like pattern.