October 2015 Vol. 3 No.9

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Tabeekh TF
Shawkat TF

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Original Research Article

Effect of Light Color and Stocking Density on some Behavioral Traits of Broilers and Layers

Mudhar A. S. Abu Tabeekh^1* and Tariq F. Shawkat²

¹Basra Veterinary Hospital, Basra, Iraq
²Department Animal Resources, College of Agriculture, University of Basra

*Corresponding Author’s E-mail: mudhar_64@yahoo.com

Accepted October 13, 2015

Abstract

This study was designated to investigate the effect of light color and stocking density on some behavioral traits of broilers and layers. A total of 675 Ross 308 one-day-old broiler chicks were used in this study with an average of 135 birds in each of five treatments were exposed to white light as a control, red light, blue light, green light, and Blue – Green mixed light by a light-emitting diode system applied for 24 hours daily in separated rooms with light intensity 5 watt/m². The birds were randomly housed into 9 wooden sealed pens of 1m2 in three replicates for each density 12, 15 and 18 birds/m2. In the second treatment, 180 Isa Brown layers were divided into 5 treatments with an average of 36 birds for each of five color light rooms (16 hours light- 8 hours dark) in three replicates for each density 5 and 7 birds/m² in the room. The results indicate that light color and stocking density influenced broiler and layers and significant differences were reported in the present study. It was concluded that broilers raised under red and white light were more active than those raised under blue and green light.

Keywords: Behavior, broilers, color light, layers, stocking density.