title: The use of intermittent lighting in broiler raising. 1. Effect on broiler performance and efficiency of nitrogen retention.
abstract: The purpose of the present experiments was to compare the effects of the intermittent lighting schedule (IL) consisting of repeated cycles of 1 h light (L):3 h darkness (D) with a nearly continuous lighting schedule 23L:1D (CL) on the performance of floor-reared male and female broiler chickens. In addition, N balance trials were performed on caged broilers in order to assess their efficiency of dietary N retention. Changing from CL to IL at Day 7 was followed by a temporary reduction in feed intake and BW gain. However, IL males exhibited compensatory growth during the finisher period in such a way that at Day 41 (market age), a similar BW as that of their CL counterparts was attained. In contrast, IL females did not completely attain a BW equal to that of CL females by 41 d of age. Imposing IL reduced feed intake and improved feed conversion. Abdominal fat pad contents of broilers reared under IL were significantly smaller than those of CL broilers. From the N balance trials, it can be inferred that broilers reared under IL have an improved efficiency of dietary N retention, especially during the period of increased growth velocity. Imposing IL at Day 7 is associated with a temporary reduction in BW gain, followed by complete growth compensation of males by Day 41. Female broilers did not restore BW by this age. As a consequence of the altered growth trajectory, the manifestation of the fat growth wave is shifted to an older age together with an enhanced efficiency of N retention.
authors.affiliation: Leuven Poultry Research Group, University of Leuven, Heverlee, Belgium.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Buyse
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Kühn
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Decuypere
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D017440:Photoperiod; D012737:Sex Factors; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D009584:Nitrogen