AN EVALUATION OF THE THERMAL AND LUMINOUS ENVIRONMENT OF LAYING HEN AVIARIES EQUIPPED WITH LIGHT-EMITTING DIODE AND COMPACT FLUORESCENT LAMPS AND THEIR EFFECTS ON PRODUCTION AND EGG QUALITY

Abstract

The thermal and luminous conditions in aviaries affect the production and quality of eggs. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the thermal and luminous environment of commercial laying hen aviaries equipped with compact fluorescent (CF) and light-emitting diode (LED) lamps and their influence on egg production and quality. The study was carried out in two commercial laying hen facilities with similar construction features and management. The first facility was illuminated with CF lamps and the second with LED lamps. The thermal environment was assessed via air temperature, air relative humidity, and enthalpy. The evaluated lamps provided a similar thermal environment in both facilities. The aviary equipped with LED lamps showed higher illuminance than the one equipped with a CF lamp. Production performance was evaluated through feed intake (FI), feed conversion (FC), mortality (M), and laying percentage (LP). Specific gravity (SG) was used to evaluate eggshell quality. The variables related to production performance and eggshell quality of laying hens raised in aviaries equipped with LED lamps were statistically equal (F-test, p > 0.05) to those raised in aviaries equipped with CF lamps. These results indicate that the replacement of CF lamps with LED lamps does not adversely affect the yield and quality of eggs.