Responses of domestic poultry to various light sources

Abstract

More energy efficient and longer lasting lamps are being used to replace incandescent lighting in poultry houses. This paper reviews the responses of domestic fowl, turkeys and geese to various sources of illumination. It concludes that there is no evidence that fluorescent or high pressure sodium lighting, irrespective of intensity or spectral distribution, has any consistent detrimental effect on growth, food utilization, reproductive performance, mortality, behaviour or live bird quality in either domestic fowl or turkeys, nor in the egg production of geese. There are limited data to suggest that the use of fluorescent lighting may be beneficial in the reduction of leg problems in meat chickens. Notwithstanding that poultry may perceive low frequency fluorescent light as discontinuous (at least in Europe), it does not appear to compromise the welfare of poultry, and has been shown in one study with laying fowl to be preferred to incandescent lighting.

Keywords:

• light sources
• fluorescent
• sodium vapour
• incandescent
• ultraviolet
• broilers
• laying hens
• turkeys
• geese
• performance
• behaviour