Environmental enrichment influences on broiler performance and meat quality: Effect of light source and providing perches

WOS: 000399338500001The aim of the experiment was to examine the effect of perches on performance, tibia bone parameters, fear level and meat quality of broilers under either fluorescent or monochromatic white light-emitting diodes (LED) lighting. A total of 700 one-day old mixed sexes broiler chickens (ROSS 308) were randomly assigned to one of 4 treatments: 1) Fluorescent (FL) lighting was provided without perches, 2) FL lighting was provided with perches, 3) LED (white) lighting was provided without perches and 4) LED lighting was provided with perches. Galvanised steel perches were constructed of 200 cm in length and 20 mm width and placed at 15 cm height. Perch space for each bird was 25 cm. Although body weight did not differ among treatment groups at 7 d, perching reduced body weight under LED lighting at 14 d. Lower body weight of broilers with perches was associated with impaired feed conversion at 21 d. At 42 d, while perch treatment did not significantly affect body weight, LED lighting resulted in 44 g (P=0.088) heavier body weight with improved feed conversion and increased tibia breaking strength compared to FL lighting. Tonic immobility (TI) duration, gait score, breast meat pH and lightness were similar among treatment groups. Perching increased yellowness and redness of breast meat. These results suggest that providing broilers with perches have no effect on body weight and feed consumption and conversion at 42 d. Monochromatic LED light resulted in improved feed conversion and tibia breaking strength at slaughter age without interacting with perch treatment. Therefore, light source appears to be the most important environmental factor