A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF WHITE AND BLUE-GREEN LED LIGHT WAVELENGTHS ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE, FEED EFFICIENCY, AND BEHAVIOURAL TRAITS IN COBB BROILER CHICKENS

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of white and blue-green LED lighting on growth performance, carcass traits, and some behavioral traits of Cobb broilers. The study utilized 248 chicks, which were randomly divided into two experimental groups. Each treatment was divided into four replicates. The first group was exposed to white lighting, while the second group was exposed to blue-green lighting. The experiment lasted for 35 days, and feed and water were provided ad libitum, with uniform rearing conditions between the two groups to ensure the accuracy of the results. Birds raised under blue-green lighting showed significantly improved in growth performance compared to those exposed to white lighting. Significant differences in body weights started at the 7th day of age and persisted to 35 days of age, with the blue-green lighting group achieving a final body weight of 2530.1 g, compared to 2169.4 g in the white lighting group (p < 0.001). The Feed conversion ratio was significantly improved (p = 0.002) by the blue-green lighting. Carcass characteristics results also showed positive results under blue-green lighting, with a significant improvement in carcass weight, dressing percentage, thigh weight, and breast weight. Behaviorally, blue-green lighting increased wing stretching, wing flapping, and immobility, while it decreased aggressive behaviors, including Pecking, Cocks fight, and Chase (p < 0.001). These results indicate that blue-green lighting positively affects growth, feed efficiency, carcass traits, and welfare behaviors in Cobb broiler chickens.