The Effect of Lighting Regimens on Broiler Growth : 1. On Performance Production

The study aimed was to evaluate the effect of blue and mnocrhomatic light emitting diodes (LED) on the growth performance of broilers reared in open houses. Two thousand and seven hundred unsexed broilers were divided into three treatments, while LED as control (C), the intermitten blue LED (IBL), and continuous blue LED (LED). Each treatment replicated three times (n=300). Data absolute and relative growth rate, feed intake, feed convertion ratio (FCR), and mortality were recorded weekly (7, 14, 21, 28 days). All data were analyzed by related measured ANOVAs. Result shown that there were highly significant interaction between lighting regimens and age of the broiler for all of the data (P<0.01) except for mortality. The lowest absolute growth rate was on C7 and the highest was on C28. Relative growth rate, feed intake, and FCR were C7 and the highest result was on C28. Blue monochromatic LED may be used for supplemental lighting of broilers in open houses and is recommended if the birds are marketed up to four weeks of age. Keywords: lighting regimens, age, performance production