A study was conducted by M.J. Kim of the National Institute of Animal Science with others there and at Chonnam National University to investigate the effect of different monochromatic lights on growth performance and haematological response of growing broiler chickens. The paper is published in Poultry Science.

A total of 360 day-old broiler chicks were randomly divided into six lighting treatments, which were replicated six times with 10 chicks in each replicate. Six light treatments include incandescent bulbs (as a control) and light-emitting diode white light, blue light, red light, green light and yellow light (YL).

The birds were provided with similar nutritional specifications and environmental management facilities, except for the lights throughout the experimental period. Growth performance was evaluated in terms of bodyweight, bodyweight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio at weekly intervals.

At the end of five weeks, two birds from each replicate were randomly selected for blood collection to determine haematological response.

Bodyweight and feed intake were numerically higher with YL at five weeks of age. However, this did not result in improved feed conversion ratio in YL although numerical values were lower in YL at five weeks of age (P>0.05).

Red blood cells, blood platelet count and percentage haematocrit were numerically higher under YL, whereas white blood cell counts and percentage haemoglobin remained unaffected by light treatment.

Kim and co-authors concluded that monochromatic light is a potential light source that might provide a beneficial effect on growth performance but is inconclusive for haematological measures of broilers.

Reference

^{Kim M.J., R. Parvin, M.M.H. Mushtaq, J. Hwangbo, J.H. Kim, J.C. Na, D.W. Kim, H.K. Kang, C.D. Kim, K.O. Cho, C.B. Yang and H.C. Choi. 2013. Growth performance and hematological traits of broiler chickens reared under assorted monochromatic light sources. Poult. Sci. 92(6):1461-1466. doi: 10.3382/ps.2012-02945}

July 2013