Incubation lighting schedules and their interaction with matched or mismatched post hatch lighting schedules: Effects on broiler bone development and leg health at slaughter age

Abstract

The incidence of leg pathologies in broiler chickens with a developmental origin may be decreased by stimulating embryonic bone development through lighting schedules during incubation, but this may depend on post hatch lighting conditions. Aim was to investigate how lighting schedules during incubation and their interactions with matched or mismatched lighting schedules post hatch affected bone development and leg health at slaughter age. In a 3×2 factorial designed experiment, eggs were incubated under continuous cool white LED light (Inc_24L), 16h of light, 8h of darkness (Inc_16L:8D), or continuous darkness (Inc_24D) from set till hatch. After hatch, broilers were housed under continuous light (PH_24L, to match Inc_24L and Inc_24D) or 16h of light, 8h of darkness (PH_16L:8D, to match Inc_16L:8D). Gait scores were determined on D21, D28, and D34. After slaughter on D35, legs were scored for varus-valgus deformities, rotated tibia, tibial dyschondroplasia, bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO), epiphyseolysis, and epiphyseal plate abnormalities from 1=absent to 4=severe. Femur and tibia dimensions and mineral density were determined. Inc_24L led to more epiphyseal plate abnormalities than Inc_16L:8D or Inc_24D. Inc_24D led to more BCO than Inc_16L:8D. Gait scores on D21, D28, and D34, and bone dimensions did not differ between treatments. Inc_24L led to higher femur mineral density than Inc_24D with Inc_16L:8D intermediate. Providing a chicken with a matched post hatch lighting schedule did not affect most measurements of bone development and health. It can be concluded that a circadian incubation lighting schedule may improve leg health in broilers.

Keywords: Bone development; Incubation; Leg health; Lighting schedule.