The use of light-emitting diodes (LED) in commercial layer production

R Borille,IA Naas,VAR Castilho,AFB Royer,RG Garcia,MR Santana,FR Caldara,S Colet,ES Rosa,ICL Almeida Paz

doi:10.1590/s1516-635x2013000200009

Abstract

Artificial lighting is one of the most powerful management tools available to commercial layer producers. Artificial light allows anticipating or delaying the beginning of lay, improving egg production, and optimizing feed efficiency. This study aimed at comparing the performance of commercial layers submitted to lighting using different LED colors or conventional incandescent lamps. The study was carried out in a layer house divided in isolated environments in order to prevent any influenced from the neighboring treatments. In total, 360 Isa Brown layers, with an initial age of 56 weeks, were used. The following light sources were used: blue LED, yellow LED, green LED, red LED, white LED, and 40W incandescent light. Birds in all treatment were submitted to a 17-h continuous lighting program, and were fed a corn and soybean meal-based diet. A completely randomized experimental design with subplots was applied, with 24 treatments (six light sources and four periods) of three replicates. Egg production (%) was significantly different (p 0.05) by light source. It was concluded that the replacement of incandescent light bulbs by white and red LEDs does not cause any negative effect on the egg production of commercial layers.

Highlights

Lighting management is a very useful tool in egg production
Egg production and quality may be influenced by visible spectrum emitted by the light source, and some colors may be more stimulating than others (Nicholls et al, 1988)
Each light bulb type used for artificial lighting in poultry houses has a different visible spectrum, but Etches (1996) found that poultry respond to most spectra commonly provided, independently of lamp type

Summary

Introduction

Many of the physiological processes in poultry are influenced by light. Egg production and quality may be influenced by visible spectrum emitted by the light source, and some colors may be more stimulating than others (Nicholls et al, 1988). Spectral sensitivity curves of domestic poultry were determined by Prescott & Whates (1999), using behavioral tests, and by Wortel et al (1987), using an electro-physiological test. These researchers reported that poultry sensitivity is different from that of humans: poultry present broader sensitivity, perceiving ultraviolet A rays (UVA 320

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