Male and female meat chickens were reared for 28 d in blue, green, red, or white light at 30 lx and the effects on tissue growth and bird behavior recorded. Birds reared in red or white light were more active, as expressed by greater walking activity in the white light treatment and by greater floor-pecking, wing-stretching, and aggression in the red light treatment. In these two treatments, gut contents and skin and bone weights were reduced. After 28 d, the preference of the birds for blue, red, or green lights was determined, as well as residual effects of rearing color on bird growth. In the first few hours of the test, the birds chose to remain in their rearing color, except that the birds reared in red light quickly showed a preference for blue light. After 1 wk, birds in all treatments showed a preference for blue light, except that the birds reared in blue light showed some preference for a novel color, green. It was concluded that blue or green light is preferable to red or white light for broilers because it keeps the birds calmer and is chosen by the birds themselves.

Two experiments were conducted to investigate whether manipulating the wavelength and intensity of light could be used to increase activity and reduce locomotion disorders in meat chickens. The first experiment examined the effects of wavelength and intensity of light on bird activity. Male (n = 60) and female (n = 48) chicks were reared from Day 1 to 35 in red or blue light at three intensities. Walking, standing, drinking, aggression, and wing stretching increased with intensity in red but not blue light. In the second experiment, the effects of stimulating bird activity with bright red light in the early or late part of the rearing period on locomotion and leg disorders were examined. Male (n = 24) and female (n = 24) chicks were reared from Day 7 in either dim blue light to Day 55 (Treatment All Blue), or bright red light to Day 22, followed by dim blue light to Day 55 (Treatment Early Red), or dim blue light to Day 22, bright red light to Day 38, and dim blue light to Day 55 (Treatment Late Red). Bright red light considerably increased walking, feeding and stretching, particularly when applied early in the growth period. There were residual effects on activity after the birds had returned to dim blue light. Red light increased growth when provided at the beginning of the rearing period, but decreased it when provided later. Bone strength was reduced in treatment Late Red, which appeared to be related to the lower body weights of birds in this treatment. Bone length, weight, and torsion were not affected by treatment, but the tibia plateau angle was reduced by Early Red light in female birds. In Treatment All Blue, there was a high incidence of gait abnormalities, which was reduced by Early and Late Red light. It is concluded that rearing meat chickens in bright red light increases activity, which reduces locomotion disorders in the late rearing period. It is preferable to provide the stimulatory light early in the rearing period.

This study aimed to determine the effect of the use of black cumin and antibiotics on carcass<br />weight and abdominal fat of broilers during summer seasons. The material in this study were used 100 individuals unsex one-day old broiler strain CP 707, and the ration of broiler were added black cumin powder (BCP). The ration consisted of yellow corn, rice brand, soybean meal,palm oil, fish meal, calsium and top mix. The diet was protein energy with 22.91% protein and 2,994 kcal/kg for starter and 20,01% protein and 3.054kcal/kg for finisher. Experiment was conducted as a completely randomized design with 5 treatments (control, antibiotic without BCP, 2% BCP, 4%BCP and 6% BCP). Carcas weight and abdominal fat was measured on at 28 day of age. The resulted data was analysed by analysis of variance (ANOVA) with F test to know the effect of treatment, and when there were significant continous to Duncan multiple range test. The results showed that addition of black cumin (Nigella sativa) and antibiotics as a feed additive in ration cannot increase carcass weight and peesentase abdominal fat of broilers during summer seasons. level of black cumin 2-6% in the feed has the same ability to antibiotics against carcass weight and percentage of abdominal fat of broilers.<br />Key words: Broiler, antibiotic, carcass weigth, abdominal fat

No abstract

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui respon fisiologi darah dan organ limfoid ayam broiler akibat pemberian jintan hitam selama musim kemarau. Materi yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah 100 ekor DOC ayam broiler unsex strain CP 707, serta ransum broiler fase starter dan finisher yang ditambahkan tepung jintan hitam. Penelitian menggunakan rancangan acak lengkap dengan 5 perlakuan dan 4 ulangan, dan tiap ulangan terdiri atas 5 ekor ayam. Perlakuan yang diterapkan adalah T0 (Ransum basal); T1 (Ransum basal dan antibiotik dan multivitamin); T2 (Ransum yang ditambahkan jintan hitam 20 g/kg ransum); T3 (Ransum yang ditambahkan jintan hitam 40 gram/kg ransum); T4 (Ransum yang ditambahkan jintan hitam 60 g/kg ransum). Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa pemberian tepung jintan hitam (Nigella sativa) dalam pakan sebagai feed additive tidak dapat meningkatkan ketahanan tubuh pada ayam broiler, tetapi dapat meningkatkan persentase berat organ limpa pada level jintan hitam 60 g/kg ransum dimana dapat mengurangi dampak infeksi penyakit yang masuk ke dalam darah.