The Effect of Light Duration on Turkey Poult Performance and Adrenal Function

Abstract

Day-old tom poults were exposed to one of the following light treatments: 1) continuous incandescent light (24LL), 2) 23L:1D incandescent light, 3) 12L:12D incandescent light, or 4) natural day lengths only. Mortality was recorded daily. At Weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8, after poult placement, body weights and feed consumption were measured. At each of these times, 10 poults were sacrificed from each treatment group for evaluation of plasma corticosterone. Day lengths utilized in this study had no consistent effect on poult-performance parameters except from 0 to 2 weeks of age. During this time, poults in the 24LL and 23L:1D treatments consumed less feed but were similar in body weight to poults in the other treatments. Adrenal function was also not consistently affected by day length. However, in all treatment groups plasma corticosterone was lowest during the first 2 weeks posthatching, when compared to hormone levels at 4, 6, and 8 weeks. The lower corticosterone that occurred during the first 2 weeks posthatching may be involved in early poult mortality.

Physiological parameter values for physiologically based pharmacokinetic models in food‐producing animals. Part II: Chicken and turkey

“…Adrenal glands have not been considered in any of the currently available PBPK models for chickens. In turkeys, adrenal glands constitute 0.019% of body weight based on two studies (Davis & Siopes, 1985 ; Hobbs & Moreng, 1976 ) as shown in Table 4 . Davis and Siopes ( 1985 ) conducted a study to determine the effect of light duration on turkey poult performance and adrenal function, in which the adrenal weight values were measured in 97 turkeys.…”

“…In turkeys, adrenal glands constitute 0.019% of body weight based on two studies (Davis & Siopes, 1985 ; Hobbs & Moreng, 1976 ) as shown in Table 4 . Davis and Siopes ( 1985 ) conducted a study to determine the effect of light duration on turkey poult performance and adrenal function, in which the adrenal weight values were measured in 97 turkeys. The reported values ranged from 6.7 to 16.8 mg/100 g body weight for turkeys from one to eight weeks old under naturally occurring light duration.…”

Research Note: The Absence of Sex and Age Effects on the Corticosterone Response of Turkey Poults to Adrenocorticotropic Hormone and Temperature Stressors

“…Plasma samples were stored at -20 C and later assayed for CS by radioimmunoassay according to the methods of Satterlee et al (1980) and validated for turkey plasma (Davis and Siopes, 1985a). The intraassay coefficient of variation was 5.5%.…”

“…Prior to hatching, CS levels increased in turkey embryos but declined through 6 h posthatching and remained low to 15 days of age (Wentworth and Hussein, 1985). Davis and Siopes (1985a) have shown that CS levels in torn poults remained low from hatch to 2 wk of age, but a 3 to 6-fold increase in circulating CS occurred between 4 and 8 wk of age. Davis and Siopes (1985b) examined the CS response of torn poults, from hatch to 21 days of age, after treatment with 10 IU/kg adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) or cold water immersion.…”

The Behavioral Preferences and Performance of Female Broilers under Unevenly Distributed Yellow LED Lights with Various Intensities

“…However, poultry in modern commercial facilities are reared in dim lighting of less than 5 lx to inhibit the activities of the birds and increase feed efficiency (Prescott et al, 2003) despite the U.K. Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC, 1992) recommendations of at least 20 lx. Under lighting of low intensity, numerous adverse effects may occur, e.g., increased adrenal weight, increased visual and leg problems, and decreased activity and livability (Siopes et al, 1984, Davis andSiopes, 1985). Thus, the light intensity distribution in broiler production facilities must be carefully managed with consideration of the preferences of broilers.…”