IMPACT OF ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE, BLOOD PARAMETERS AND SOME BEHAVIORAL STATUS OF BROILER CHICKENS

Abstract

: This experiment was carried out to study the effect of ultraviolet light on growth performance, carcass, body organs, body measurements, bone characteristics, blood parameters and behavioral status of broiler chickens. A total of 225 one-day-old broiler chicks divided randomly into five treatments (3 pens per treatment with 15 birds per pen). Three light types; (LED, UVA or UVB) were followed, each group was exposed to 24 h light/day. The UVA and UVB traits each turn on for 5 h/day “UVA5 & UVB5” and 10 h/day “UVA10 & UVB10”. Treatments distribution was as follows: Treatment 1; Light-emitting diode (LED), Treatment 2; Ultraviolet light A5 (UVA5), Treatment 3; Ultraviolet light A10 (UVA10), Treatment 4; Ultraviolet light B5 (UVB5) and Treatment 5; Ultraviolet light B10 (UVB10). According to the findings, compared to the other groups, utilizing UVB5 lamps had a favorable impact on marketing body weight compared to other groups. Regarding cumulative feed consumption, it was shown that the UVB5 and LED groups each consumed more feed when compared to the other groups, and this difference was highly significant. In comparison to other traits, birds exposed to UVB10 had highest dressed carcass values and lowest relative levels of abdominal fat. The LED and UVB10 groups significantly increased in shank length and those exposed to UVA wavelength for 5 hours had higher value of keel bone length compared to other groups. Chickens exposed to UVA5 had a higher value of tibia Seedor Index. Besides, there was increase in plasma calcium level in broiler that exposed to UVA wavelength for 5 hours. Birds exposed to UVB lamps revealed better footpad status compared to other groups. In conclusion, the obtained results reported beneficial impacts when using UVB light for 5 hour per day in most studied measurements.