ABSTRACT. Preference (PR) of broilers (Cobb) for four different Light Colors (LC); red [RD], white [WT], green [GN] and blue [BL]; 5 W at 20 lux were tested on group level at 3-5 wks of age (AG)

This experiment examined the effect of four colours of artificial light (ALC) on performance, behaviour, water/feed intake (WFI) and welfare of broilers. Day old broiler chicks (Cobb) were assigned into six brooders for either red (RD:650-750nm), white (WT:325-750nm), green (GR:530-545nm) or blue (BL:450-470nm) ALCs from 1-35d (20lux,9hrs/day at growing stage). Complete Randomize Design was adopted with 6 replicates. Water and Feed provided ad libitum. Daily WFI; weekly weight gain (WG) and behaviour recorded. Common behaviours (21) were evaluated by scan sampling method. Welfare indicators; foot pad dermatitis, breast blisters and hock burning damage scores were determined. Lameness was assessed by gait score and latency to lie (LTL) tests. Six birds/ treatment were evaluated for carcass parameters. Significantly (p<0.05) highest WG (365.33±12.07g/bd/ week) was recorded in RD compared to other treatments at 21d. Also Significantly highest WI (102.07±49.01 g/bd/day) at 21d and FI(226.48±27.47) at 28d were recorded by RD treated birds. ALC had no effect on final body weight (BW), feed conversion ratio (FCR), water feed ratio (W:F ratio), welfare indices, mortality rate, carcass parameters, gait score and LTL. Overall, the dominant behaviour was lying that showed 64.15% of the total time budget. Wing flapping (26%) and eating (6.98%) received 2 nd ,3 rd places, respectively. ALC significantly (p<0.05) affected sleeping behaviour (SL) where RD treated birds performed the highest (0.53%±0.29) and GR treated birds showed lowest (0.31%±0.19) SL. Birds were more active under RD, WT and GR compared with BL in the night as lowest eating and walking performed by BL treated birds. Highest dust bathing shown by the birds under GR during morning at the 4 th week (0.02%±0.02).Though ALC had no effect on eating, ALC*night time interaction demonstrated increased (p<0.05) eating in RD and WT at night. These data indicate that rearing ALC affected bird behaviour than growth. Providing RD colour light up to 21d had beneficial effects on weight gain.

Cost of quail feed formulations can be reduced substantially by using cheap cereal by-products such as rice bran (RB) at higher levels. The objective of this study was to determine the maximum inclusion levels of dietary RB with or without exogenous phytase, for laying Japanese quail. In a completely randomized design with a 3 x 2 factorial arrangement, 108 quails in 36 cages received six experimental diets ad libitum from 8 to 15 week. Experimental factors were three dietary RB inclusion levels (20, 30 and 40%) and two phytase levels (0 and 1000 FTU/kg). The level of dietary RB, phytase supplementation and their interaction had no significant effects on live weight or feed intake. The total egg production of the quail fed 40% RB was significantly lower than that of quail fed 20 and 30% RB. Egg laying rate of the quail fed 40% RB was significantly lower than those of the quail fed 20 or 30% RB from 6 th week onwards. By eighth week, 30% RB resulted in significantly lower egg laying rate compared to the quail fed 20% RB. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) of the quail fed 40% RB was significantly higher than those of 20 or 30 % RB fed. Adverse effects of phytate in 30 or 40% RB on egg number, egg mass and FCR were not mitigated by the supplemental phytase. It is concluded that inclusion of more than 20% RB in the diets of laying Japanese quail reduces the production performances.

The red light (RD) marks high preference (PR), weight gain and welfare of broilers. A study was conducted to determine the PR for high (HI; 320 lux), medium (MI; 20 lux), dim (DI; 5 lux) intensities of RD and to investigate whether such PRs are influenced by age (AG), temporal variation (TV) and behaviour. The PR-chambers consisting of three identical compartments were provided with ad libitum feed, water and illumination from 5W incandescent bulbs (20 lux, 20 L:4D). A randomized complete block design was used with six replicates. Five birds were initially confined to the centre of each experimental unit (24 hrs.) and then allowed to move freely. Their presence under respective light intensity (LI) was recorded with behaviour adopting scan sampling. Data were analyzed using ANOVA procedure (α=0.05). The PR was significantly affected by AG, TV and behaviour, i.e. walking [Wk] and lying [Ly]. At the week 2 (wk 2) the highest (87%) and the lowest (3%) PRs were marked for HI and DI, respectively, in the night (NT). Young birds (14 d) preferred HI to DI, and the opposite was recorded with AG advancement. Irrespective of the AG, the highest PR was recorded for DI in the morning (MN) and HI in the NT. The reason could be that low intensities are associated with the cooling effect. The LI*TV*AG significantly affected on Ly and Wk. The highest Wk (87.29 % ± 0.05) was observed in the NT under HI at wk 2 and the highest Ly (39.95 % ± 0.08) was performed in the evening in DI at wk4. At the wk 2, all activities occurred mostly in HI; whereas at wk 5, Ly and sleeping (Sl) were dominant in DI. It is concluded that PR for different intensities of RD varies with AG advancement, temporal variation of the day, and certain behaviours (mainly Wk and Ly) of broiler birds. Older birds were inactive and preferred to perform Ly and Sl under DI.

The objective of this study was to compare production and economic performances of broilers raised under naturally ventilated open house (OH) and tunnel ventilated-closed house (CH) conditions in Sri Lanka. The analysis used production and economic parameters of 130 OH (130 farms) and 88 CH (5 farms) production cycles. Open house farms were selected using proportionate random sampling technique while closed houses were purposively selected.The sum of the Percentages of mortalities and disable birds was significantly higher under OH system compared to that under CH system. The most vulnerable periods for the losses due to mortalities were the first week and from day 29-35 of the growing cycle. The mean length of the growing cycle under OH (38.4 days) was significantly higher than that of CH (34.6 days). OH operators reported a significantly lower number of growing cycles/year (4.4) with a longer clean-out period (44 days) compared to CH (6.9 cycles/year and 18 days, respectively). Production performance indicators such as mortality (3.3%), final live weight (1974 g), feed conversion ratio (1.56), performance efficiency factor (356) of broilers under CH were significantly better than those under OH system (4.5%, 1922 g, 1.94 and 254, respectively). Cost of feeds and day-oldchicks accounted for 74.7 and 23, and 66.6 and 24% of the total variable costs of OH and CH, respectively. Raising of broilers under CH conditions recorded significantly lower total cost (Rs 440), higher net profit (Rs 85.6 bird-1 and unit profitability (Rs 46.8 m-2 day-1) than under OH (Rs 453 and Rs 58.9, Rs 13.2 m-2 day-1, respectively). Production and economic performance indicators and resource utilization efficiencies (temporal and spatial) of broiler production were concluded to be significantly better under CH than OH system. Though production performance parameters of the broiler production, particularly under CH systems were comparable with those of countries having well-developed poultry industries; feed and day-old-chick costs were higher in Sri Lanka.