The effects of color and intensity of light on behavior and leg disorders in broiler chickens.

Two experiments were conducted to investigate whether manipulating the wavelength and intensity of light could be used to increase activity and reduce locomotion disorders in meat chickens. The first experiment examined the effects of wavelength and intensity of light on bird activity. Male (n = 60) and female (n = 48) chicks were reared from Day 1 to 35 in red or blue light at three intensities. Walking, standing, drinking, aggression, and wing stretching increased with intensity in red but not blue light. In the second experiment, the effects of stimulating bird activity with bright red light in the early or late part of the rearing period on locomotion and leg disorders were examined. Male (n = 24) and female (n = 24) chicks were reared from Day 7 in either dim blue light to Day 55 (Treatment All Blue), or bright red light to Day 22, followed by dim blue light to Day 55 (Treatment Early Red), or dim blue light to Day 22, bright red light to Day 38, and dim blue light to Day 55 (Treatment Late Red). Bright red light considerably increased walking, feeding and stretching, particularly when applied early in the growth period. There were residual effects on activity after the birds had returned to dim blue light. Red light increased growth when provided at the beginning of the rearing period, but decreased it when provided later. Bone strength was reduced in treatment Late Red, which appeared to be related to the lower body weights of birds in this treatment. Bone length, weight, and torsion were not affected by treatment, but the tibia plateau angle was reduced by Early Red light in female birds. In Treatment All Blue, there was a high incidence of gait abnormalities, which was reduced by Early and Late Red light. It is concluded that rearing meat chickens in bright red light increases activity, which reduces locomotion disorders in the late rearing period. It is preferable to provide the stimulatory light early in the rearing period.

[1]  P. A. Kondra.  The Effect of Colored Light on Growth and Feed Efficiency of Chicks and Poults , 1961 .

[2]  C. Phillips,et al.  The effects of color of lighting on the behavior and production of meat chickens. , 1997, Poultry science.

[3]  D. Denbow,et al.  Effect of light sources and light intensity on growth performance and behaviour of female turkeys. , 1989, British poultry science.

[4]  E. L. Arnold,et al.  Physiological development of cockerels as influenced by selected wavelengths of environmental light. , 1972, Poultry science.

[5]  Michael C. Appleby,et al.  Poultry Production Systems: Behaviour, Management and Welfare , 1992 .

[6]  The Eye and Vision , 1965 .

[7]  P. Cherry,et al.  The effect of light on broiler growth , 1962 .

[8]  J. Moore,et al.  Effect of wave length of light on growth and reproduction in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica). , 1969, Poultry science.

[9]  R. C. Newberry,et al.  Effect of alternating lights and strain on behavior and leg disorders of roaster chickens. , 1985, Poultry science.

[10]  A. Leighton,et al.  Effects of photoperiod and filtered light on growth, reproduction, and mating behavior of turkeys. 1. Growth performance of two lines of males and females. , 1988, Poultry science.

[11]  Mack O. North,et al.  Commercial chicken production manual , 1972 .

[12]  G. W. Snedecor.  Statistical Methods , 1964 .

[13]  M. Lilburn.  Skeletal growth of commercial poultry species. , 1994, Poultry science.

[14]  R C Newberry,et al.  Influence of light intensity on behavior and performance of broiler chickens. , 1988, Poultry science.

[15]  C. Phillips,et al.  The effect of supplementary light on the production and behaviour of dairy cows , 1989 .

[16]  F. Robinson,et al.  Effects of increasing photoperiod length on performance and health of broiler chickens. , 1991, British poultry science.

[17]  L E Lanyon,et al.  Functional strain in bone tissue as an objective, and controlling stimulus for adaptive bone remodelling. , 1987, Journal of biomechanics.

[18]  I. Duncan,et al.  The influence of strain and environmental factors upon feather pecking and cannibalism in fowls. , 1972, British poultry science.

[19]  C. J. Wabeck,et al.  Influence of Radiant Energy from Fluorescent Light Sources on Growth, Mortality, and Feed Conversion of Broilers, , 1974 .

[20]  J M D Olmsted,et al.  Special Senses , 1907, The Indian medical gazette.

[21]  P. Harrison,et al.  Effect of colored fluorescent light on growth, cannibalism, and subsequent egg production of single comb white Leghorn pullets. , 1968, Poultry science.

[22]  J. Horne,et al.  Gender- and age-related differences in sleep determined by home-recorded sleep logs and actimetry from 400 adults. , 1995, Sleep.

[23]  A. Leighton,et al.  Effects of light environment and population density on growth performance of male turkeys. , 1984, Poultry science.

[24]  H. H. Spechter,et al.  The effects of light illuminance and wavelength on the growth of broiler chickens , 1982, The Journal of Agricultural Science.

[25]  C. Phillips,et al.  Equating the perceived intensity of coloured lights to hens. , 1997, British poultry science.

[26]  W. D. Weaver,et al.  Photoperiodism as a factor in feeding rhythms of broiler chickens. , 1968, Poultry science.

[27]  J. J. Vos,et al.  Artificial lighting in poultry houses: Are photometric units appropriate for describing illumination intensities? , 1992 .

[28]  G. M. S. Bowlby,et al.  Some Preliminary Investigations into the Effects of Light on Broilers , 1957 .

[29]  D. Broom,et al.  Limb bone strength and movement in laying hens from different housing systems , 1990, Veterinary Record.

[30]  N. Zimmermann.  Broiler performance when reared under various light sources. , 1988, Poultry science.

[31]  P. Simons,et al.  Twisted legs in broilers. , 1978, British poultry science.

[32]  M. Sunde,et al.  Bone Breakage as Affected by Type Housing or an Exercise Machine for Layers , 1974 .

[33]  C. Whitehead,et al.  Avian tibial dyschondroplasia as a cause of bone deformity. , 1992, Avian pathology : journal of the W.V.P.A.

[34]  J. Benoit.  THE ROLE OF THE EYE AND OF THE HYPOTHALAMUS IN THE PHOTOSTIMULATION OF GONADS IN THE DUCK , 1964, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.