Lighting is Key in Poultry Health
Birds' overall health and well-being, as well as their productivity, are directly influenced by the amount of light that they receive. In growing broiler chickens, it has a significant impact on activity levels, growth and development, and the functioning of the physiological systems.
The incidence of numerous eye disorders, including avian glaucoma and avian macrophthalmos, can be influenced by changes in the light that are present in a bird's natural environment. According to Hammed A. Olanrewaju, an animal scientist at the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Poultry Unit in Mississippi State, Mississippi, birds that are subjected to continuous light can develop other serious health issues, including leg disorders and stress, which can ultimately lead to death at an earlier age.
According to Olanrewaju, "the poultry industry has made progress in improving genetics and nutrition in birds, along with changes in environmental management." "The poultry industry has made progress in improving genetics and nutrition in birds," However, additional research is required to determine the impacts of lighting on the vision, general health, and well-being of broilers that have been reared to market weight.
Managing light in an appropriate manner lowers the risk of developing a wide variety of preventable metabolic, skeletal, and skin disorders. Additionally, it can prevent aggressive behaviour between different bird species. As a result, modifying "photoperiods" (the length of time that elapses between light and dark cycles) and the amount of light that is present can be utilised as a tool to improve chicken production and boost animal comfort.
Olanrewaju and his colleagues investigated the effects that varying photoperiods and light intensities had on the eyes as well as the general health of broiler chickens that had been allowed to mature to large sizes. The chicks were divided into three groups at random and then subjected to one of the following three photoperiod treatments: long/continuous cycle (23 hours of light followed by 1 hour of dark within a 24-hour interval);
regular/intermittent cycle (two hours of light followed by two hours of dark, repeated in succession throughout a 24-hour period); and short/non-intermittent cycle (8 hours of light followed by 16 hours of dark).
When compared to chickens reared under long/continuous and regular/intermittent photoperiods, chickens subjected to a short/non-intermittent photoperiod had the lowest body weight, body weight gain, feed intake, carcas weight, and fillet and tender weights. This was the case regardless of whether the photoperiod was regular or intermittent.
The birds were also subjected to incandescent lighting, which is the norm in commercial broiler housing in the United States, in a controlled setting at varied light intensities of 10 lx, 5.0 lx, or 0.5 lx. This was done in order to determine the effects of the lighting on the birds.The unit for measuring light is called lux (lx).
Footpad sores, lameness, and even paralysis have been been linked to inadequate light management. According to the findings of this investigation, the condition of the footpads was negatively affected by a photoperiod that was either very short or not intermittent. In addition, researchers were able to demonstrate that a low-light environment decreased the amount of energy that was consumed as well as the costs associated with production. This was accomplished by lowering the birds' levels of hyperactivity and pecking damage.
"The slightly faster growth rate and small improvement in feed conversion efficiency of birds reared under the regular-intermittent photoperiod has the added advantage of reducing annual feed costs," adds Olanrewaju. "The regular-intermittent photoperiod also has the added benefit of making the birds more resistant to pathogens." It is recommended that regular-intermittent photoperiods be used in conjunction with lighting programmes that provide 5 lx in order to achieve maximum welfare and output.
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