More light at night reduces
daytime heat stress in broilers
Extended lighting periods help boost welfare and production of big broilers during high seasonal temperatures, a University of Georgia study showed.
“The birds are going to eat the same amount of feed per day, so if you extend the lighting period, they have more time to eat, spreading out the digestive process which also produces heat,” Brian Fairchild, PhD, poultry extension scientist, told Poultry Health Today.
“A couple more hours of power usage are not significant,” he added, pointing to today’s low-energy LED bulbs. “But leaving the lights on until midnight or 1 am does have a large impact on bird comfort and welfare.”
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