THE USE OF LED LIGHT DURING INCUBATION ON HATCHING AND POSTHATCH PERFORMANCE FOR DISTINCT CHICKEN LINES

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of LED lights of different colors during incubation of chicken eggs on the hatch performance, chick quality, posthatch growth and slaughter yields for various chicken lines. Two replicate trials were performed using two commercial broiler lines, one commercial egg laying line and a 1978 random bred broiler line. All eggs were incubated in one of the following lighting regimes; red, blue, or white LED for 12 h per day and a dark control. Chicks began hatching earlier in incubators with red light and achieved 50 and 75% hatch sooner than white or dark. Chicks hatched under red light gained more weight in the first 6 h in the barn compared to the dark treatment. No differences were reported for overall growth and slaughter performance. Light stimulation during incubation influenced early growth but these effects did not persist until market age.