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Effects of Incubation Light on Behaviour, Growth Performance, Blood Parameters, and Digestive Enzymes in Post-Hatch
Peng Yin1, Siqi Wei1, Qin Tong1,2,3
1Department of Agricultural Structure and Environmental Engineering, College of Water Resources and Civil Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China.
Insights
Incubation light affects chick development. White light during incubation improved growth and adaptability in post-hatch chicks, while blue light reduced thymus weight. Digestive enzyme activity was also impacted.
Area of Science:
- Avian Science
- Animal Physiology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Prenatal light exposure can influence post-hatch development in poultry.
- Understanding the impact of different light wavelengths during incubation is crucial for optimizing chick health and performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of white, blue, green, and dark incubation light on post-hatch chick growth, organ development, immune response, stress hormones, digestive enzymes, and behavior.
- To determine the optimal light conditions during incubation for enhancing chick performance and adaptability.
Main Methods:
- Sixty chicks per light treatment (white, blue, green, dark) were used across three batches.
- Growth performance, organ weights, immune indicators (IgA, IgY, IgM, H/L ratio), plasma corticosterone, digestive enzyme activities (jejunum amylase, ileum lipase), and feed/water access were assessed from 1-42 days post-hatch.
Main Results:
- White light incubation resulted in a significant growth advantage (p < 0.05).
- Blue light incubation led to reduced thymus weight (p < 0.05).
- Incubation light significantly affected jejunum amylase and ileum lipase activities (p < 0.01) and influenced plasma corticosterone levels, suggesting improved stress coping.
Conclusions:
- Incubation light, particularly white light, can positively impact post-hatch chick growth and environmental adaptability.
- Specific light wavelengths during incubation influence organ development and digestive enzyme activity, highlighting the importance of prenatal light manipulation.
Abstract:
Manipulation of light during incubation may have an effect on post-hatch chicks through the role of prenatal stage. The effects of providing different wavelengths of light (white, blue, and green lights, dark as control) during incubation on the growth performance, organ development, immune response, stress related hormones, digestive enzymes and behaviour of post-hatch chicks were investigated for 1-42 days. A total of 60 chicks per light treatment in three batches were used in this study. The results showed that the percentage of chicks accessing to feed and water resources appeared not to be affected by incubation light. Chicks hatched under white light were found to have a growth advantage (p < 0.05). The weight of organs (except thymus), IgA, IgY, IgM and heterophil to lymphocyte (H/L) ratio for post-hatch chicks were not affected by incubation light (p > 0.05). Thymus weight was reduced in chicks incubated under blue light compared to dark incubation (p < 0.05). The jejunum amylase and ileum lipase activities were significantly affected by the light treatments (p < 0.01). All light incubation chicks had stable plasma corticosterone levels and may have better ability to cope with environmental changes. Hence, white light photoperiod incubation may have potential to improve post-hatch chicks' growth performance and environmental adaptability.
