Intermittent light and growth performance of male turkeys from 2 to 22 weeks of age

Growth performance of tom turkeys under intermittent lighting was examined. Light treatments were given from 2 to 22 weeks of age and consisted of a control group maintained on 23L:1D and three intermittent lighting regimens: IL:3D repeated 6 times daily, .25L:.75D repeated 24 times daily, and 3L:11D:3L:7D repeated daily. Body weight, feed consumption, feed conversion, mortality, and leg abnormalities were recorded. Body weights of control toms at 18 and 22 weeks of age were significantly smaller than those of each of the intermittent light treatment groups. Weight differences ranged from .7 to 1.3 kg. Body weights among the three intermittent light treatments were similar. Although feed conversions at all five measurement periods were numerically better in all of the intermittent light treatment groups than the control group, differences were not significantly different at and beyond 14 weeks of age. Likewise, no significant differences in mortality or leg disorders occurred among the light treatment groups during the study. The results of this study indicate that tom market turkeys can have a better growth performance, along with a savings in electricity used for lighting, when raised under intermittent lighting rather than under a single, continuous photoperiod of 23 hr/day.