Optimizing poultry health and performance requires navigating a wide range of variables, including chick quality, nutrition, biosecurity and management of the poultry house environment. And lighting in the houses plays an important role, according to Brian Fairchild, PhD, professor and extension poultry specialist at the University of Georgia.
Incubation lighting has a limited impact on fear and stress responses in broilers, according to research presented by Angela Perretti, University of Arkansas poultry science graduate student, at the 2024 Poultry Science Association annual meeting.
Blue light reduces fear and stress in birds while also improving their vision yet it does not appear to significantly affect production parameters, according to researchers. But will farmers be interested in using blue light?
Research is uncovering new opportunities to optimize the brooding period for broilers. Brian Fairchild, PhD, University of Georgia, highlighted three key opportunities in a presentation at the 2024 PEAK conference, sponsored by Midwest Poultry Foundation.
Alternative lighting strategies that allow hens additional feeding opportunities during scotophase, or dark periods, can go a long way toward improving egg quality and bird welfare.
