title: Effect of light-emitting diode vs. fluorescent lighting on laying hens in aviary hen houses: Part 1 - Operational characteristics of lights and production traits of hens.
abstract: Light-emitting diode (LED) lights are becoming more affordable for agricultural applications. Despite many lab-scale studies concerning impact of LED on poultry, little research has been documented under field production conditions, especially for laying hens. This 15-month field study was carried out to evaluate the effects of LED vs. fluorescent (FL) lights on laying hens (Dekalb white breed) using 4 (2 pairs) aviary hen houses each at a nominal capacity of 50,000 hens. The evaluation was done regarding operational characteristics of the lights and hen production traits. The results show that spatial distribution of the LED light was less uniform than that of the FL light. Light intensity of the LED light decreased by 27% after 3,360 h use but remained quite steady from 3,360 to 5,760 h use. Eleven out of 762 (1.44%) LED lamps (new at onset of the study) in the 2 houses failed during the 15-month experiment period. The neck area of the LED lamp was hottest, presumably the primary reason for the lamp failure as cracks were noticed in the neck region of all failed LED lamps. No differences were observed in egg weight, hen-day egg production, feed use, and mortality rate between LED and FL regimens. However, hens under the FL had higher eggs per hen housed and better feed conversion than those under the LED during 20 to 70 wk production (P < 0.05). Hens under the LED tended to have less feather uniformity and insulation than those under the FL (P < 0.05). Moreover, hens under the LED showed a larger median avoidance distance than those under the FL at 36 wk age (P < 0.05), indicating that hens under the LED were more alert; but no difference at 60 wk age. More comparative research to quantify behavioral and production responses of different breeds of hens to LED vs. FL lighting seems warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011 College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Long
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ning
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011 hxin@iastate.edu.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xin
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006799:Housing, Animal; D008029:Lighting; D009043:Motor Activity; D012098:Reproduction; D013696:Temperature
keywords: LED; Laying hen; fluorescent light; production performance; welfare