PRODUCTIVE AND PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSE OF BROILER CHICKENS EXPOSED TO DIFFERENT COLORED LIGHT-EMITTING DIODE AND REARED UNDER DIFFERENT STOCKING DENSITIES

Abstract

This study intended to evaluate the effects of different light colors and stocking densities on productive and physiological performance of broiler chickens. A total number of 648 seven-day-old mixed sex broiler chicks (Ross-308), were randomly distributed and housed into 6 treatments in three replicates for each density 10, 12 and 14 birds/m 2. Treatments were exposed to incandescent light (ICL, 60 Watt) as a control, while the others were distributed according to LED colors into Red light (RL), Blue light (BL), Green light (GL), White light (WL), and Mixed light (ML) produced by a light-emitting diode (LED) with light intensity 5 watt /m 2 at 5.73 lux. Interestingly, results indicate that birds reared under LED-BL and stocked at 10 bird /m 2 exhibited significantly (p ≤0.05) higher productive performance than groups exposed to other light colors and densities. However, the highest livability and European production efficiency factor (EPEF) observed for birds exposed to LED-BL and reared under 10 birds / m 2 compared with other groups. Also, birds exposed to LED-BL and kept under 10 birds / m 2 exhibited less fear and stress response as judged by low corticosterone hormone level and increases of melatonin concentration. In addition, lymphoid organ weights and immunity titer response significantly (p ≤ 0.05) improved, when bird's exposed to LED-BL and kept under 10 birds/ m 2 compared with other experimental groups. In conclusion, this study revealed that applying LED-BL with 10 birds /m 2 in broiler house is preferable to other colors and densities because it keeps the birds calmer and showed a significant positive effects on productive and physiological performance compared with other light colors and densities.