Effect Of LED Color On Productive Performance Of "Meihuang" Broiler And Breeders

Domestic birds are very sensitive to light because of their chracteristics of eyes. Thus people provided artificial lighting to promote poultry growth for more benefits in the production. Incandescent was accepted as the lighting source in the process of birds rearing all over the world. However, the disadvantage of low-efficiency made it be replaced inevitably. As a kind of energy-saving material, light emitting diode (LED) is a central issue among alternatives. Moreover, LED could satisfy the needs of poulty in production due to the controllability of light factors.Based on the reports about the effects of light colors, intensities and photoperiods on broilers, laying hens and broiler breeders, and considering the current situation of poulty caltivation, this research was conducted to study the light colors on productive performances of "Meihuang" broilers and broiler breeders.The main research contents and results were:Compared the effects of yellow and white LED light which were more acceptable to human eyes with incandescent on growth performance of broilers. No statistical significant difference on body weight was found among the three lighting treatments, while broilers in yellow LED light showed better performance. The body weight of broilers in yellow light was greater than that with white light, the mortality of both two LED groups were lower than incandescent. The yellow LED light significantly slowed the growth of testes and combs for male broilers, meanwhile showed a signigicantly higher a*in breast meat for female broilers than incandescent.As to the effects of red, yellow, blue, green, white LED lights and incandescent on procuctive performance of broiler breeders, results showed different light colors had different effects on laying rate separately. In23-29weeks of age, there was significant influence of light colors on the laying rate of broiler breeders. The average laying rate in blue light was lower than that in red, white light and incandescent, while the laying rate in blue light was significantly higher than white light in42and45week respectively. Red light delayed the age of first egg and it showed a better laying rate during the whole laying periods. The egg weight in white light was lower than that in green light, the thickness of egg in white light was lower than yellow, green and blue LED light, the Haugh unit of white light was greater than incandescent. The fertility and hatchability of white LED light was better than others.