Effect of light restriction on productive results and behavior of broiler chickens.

ABSTRACT: The study aimed to evaluate the effect of light restriction (18L:6D vs. 14L:10D), genotype (A vs. B), and sex on performance, behavior, and meat quality, and the occurrence of wooden breast (WB) and white striping (WS) in broiler chickens. To this purpose 704 one-day-old chickens of 2 genotypes, half males and half females, were reared from hatching until slaughtering at 45 d of age in 32 collective pens (22 chickens per pen). Light restriction reduced growth rate and final live weight (LW), but improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) (P < 0.01) and reduced inactive behaviors of chickens (P < 0.001). Light restriction also reduced WS occurrence in breasts (89.5 to 64.6%; P < 0.001) and reduced meat shear force (2.64 to 2.20 kg/g; P < 0.05) and ether extract content (2.29 to 1.87%; P < 0.05).

SUBMITTER: Gratta F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10568561 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature