Live Performance and Carcass Yields of Broilers in Different Intermittent Lighting Schedules

Authors: Kaan M. İŞCAN, Şeref İNAL, Süleyman DERE, M. Ali AZMAN, Talip ÜNSALDI

Abstract: The purpose of the present study was to measure performance and carcass yield from broilers maintained on different photoschedules and to compare electricity savings. Day-old 430 broiler chicks from an Avian X Peterson strain cross were used as research materials. There were four lighting treatment (LT) groups. All groups were kept under 23L:1D from to 7 days. Four pens were randomly assigned to each of four light treatment groups: 1) 1L:1D, 2) 1L:2D, 3) 1L:3D, and 4) 23L:1D from 8 to 48 days. It was found that there were statistically significant differences for body weights (BW) between different lighting treatment groups at 42 days (P.05), there were no differences with respect to BW between LT groups at49 days. Feed efficiency values of groups 1, 2, 3, and 4 were estimated at 2.003, 1.972, 1.987, and 2.080, respectively. there were no statistically significant differences among treatments for mortality rates at 49 days of age. But mortality rates of third and fourth groups were numerically bigger than those of the first and second groups. Mortality rates of third and fourth groups were estimated greater than standard mortality rate values. The incidence of leg problems was ifluenced by lightining treatments. There wer significant differences with respect to the weights of different parts of the carcasses (P<.01) and no differences for the percentages of carcass parts except in breast percentage between LT groups (P<.05). The carcass weights of first and second groups were found to be heavier than those of other groups (P<.05). The amounts of electricty used by research groups 1, 2, 3, and 4 during the 49-day raering period were determined to be 16.3, 12.2, 10.2, and 27.5 kW/h respectively. It has been concluded that continuous lighting treatment in broiler rearing has had no benefit in broiler performance.

Keywords: broiler, lighting, carcass, body weight, performance