Behavior of broilers subjected to different light spectra and illuminances

Abstract

<jats:p>ABSTRACT The ideal illuminance in poultry houses for broiler chickens may lead to improvement in housing efficiency and broiler welfare. In this context, the objective of this research was to evaluate the behavior and welfare of broiler chickens under effect of illuminance by light-emitting diode (LED) in white band (400-760 nm) and blue/green band (470-525 nm). The experiment was conducted from October to December 2017, in the municipality of Carpina, PE, Brazil, and had 384-oneday-old chicks (mixed batch), Cobb 500 strain. The adopted design was completely randomized, in a 4 x 2 factorial scheme, corresponding to four illuminances, 5 lx (I1), 20 lx (I2), 150 lx (I3) and 5-20 lx (5 lx in the 1st, 2nd and 6th weeks and 20 lx in the 3rd, 4th and 5th weeks - I4), and two light spectra using LED bars, RGB type, in white (400-760 nm) color (C1) and blue/green (470-525 nm) dichromatic color (C2), with three repetitions. A continuous lighting program was used, 18 h of light and 6 h of dark per day. Ingestive, posture, comfort and natural behaviors, aggressiveness and discomfort of the broiler were evaluated. Broiler behavioral variables were determined by the frequency of the events and their probability of occurrence by the Chi-square test. Broilers subjected to wavelengths in the blue/green range and illuminance of 20 lx and 5-20 lx showed more significant ingestive and comfort behaviors, which demonstrates better welfare under these housing conditions.</jats:p>

Welfare of broilers on farm

“…Dustbathing is suggested to be stimulated by sunlight (Duncan et al., 1998 ). Other environmental factors such as inappropriate lighting management (Lucena et al., 2020 ), along with other factors leading to decreased health status (Abeyesinghe et al., 2021 ) of the individual will display the major hazards for this behavioural trait. Ongoing scientific work addresses the optimisation of the light intensity and light colour, or which combination supports the behaviour of the animals (Blatchford et al., 2012 ; Huth and Archer, 2015 ).…”

“…More knowledge might be available for the appropriate light spectrum. Whereas broilers were found to show more comfort behaviours in blue and green light, more discomfort and aggression was found under white light conditions (Lucena et al., 2020 ) and more locomotion under red and yellow light (Sultana et al., 2013 ). The full daylight spectrum composition including UV might contribute to broiler welfare (de Jong and Gunnink, 2019 ) as it has also been shown for laying hens (Wichman et al., 2021 ).…”

“…After placement in the barn, constant light brings overstimulation and may prevent the chickens from achieving proper rest and sleep (Schwean‐Lardner et al., 2014), causing welfare problems such as stress, discomfort, fatigue and frustration. Different qualities of light should be adapted to the animal's needs, light intensity, provision of daylight, light spectrum, flicker frequency, as well as light period (Sultana et al., 2013; de Jong and Gunnink, 2019; Pan et al., 2019; Raccoursier et al., 2019; Lucena et al., 2020; Mohamed et al., 2020; Nielsen, 2020; Wichman et al., 2021; Linhoss et al., 2022). Exposure to noise during incubation has been shown to affect post‐hatch behaviour and welfare.…”

Poultry Farming and Lighting: A Review on the Importance of Lighting in Broiler Chicken Aviaries

“…Birds express themselves through their behavior, which is influenced by the characteristics of the breeding environment. Factors related to lighting such as illuminance, wavelength, and lighting programs directly affect the physiological development of the bird (Lucena et al, 2020).…”

Light color and the commercial broiler: effect on behavior, fear, and stress

“… Hesham et al (2018) demonstrated that broilers raised under red light displayed higher levels of aggression and feather pecking due to increased activity. Broilers exhibited less fear ( Mohamed et al, 2017 ) and aggressive behavior, were less active ( Khaliq et al, 2018 ) and displayed more comfort and nutritive behaviors when raised under short wavelengths, such as blue and green ( Lucena et al, 2020 ). The authors believed this effect was due to photons of longer wavelength being more effective at penetrating the hypothalamic photoreceptors than those of shorter wavelength, a characteristic that was demonstrated by Hartwigg and van Veen (1979) .…”