TY - JOUR
T1 - Green light during incubation
T2 - Effects on hatching characteristics in brown and white laying hens
AU - Manet, Maëva
AU - Kliphuis, Saskia
AU - van den Brand, Henry
AU - Nordquist, Rebecca
AU - Goerlich, Vivian
AU - Rodenburg, Bas
N1 - Funding Information:
This project received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 812777. The sponsor had no involvement in study design, in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data, in the writing of the report, nor in the decision to submit the article for publication. This document reflects only the authors’ view and the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains. The authors are grateful to Marcel Heetkamp, Henk Gunnink and Ilona van den Anker for technical assistance during the experiment. The authors are also grateful to Hans Vernooij for his guidance in parts of the statistics. We thank students for their help during the hatching and health checks (in alphabetical order): Serge Alindekon, Dewi Bouman, Inge van der Burg, Dylan Geerman, Marjolein Jongerius, Elsemieke van der Laan, Britta Mescher, Elise Reuvers, Rosa Schimmel, Dronika Soedhoe, Isabelle Spierings, Jary Weerheijm and Claudia van der Zijden.
Funding Information:
This project received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 812777 . The sponsor had no involvement in study design, in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data, in the writing of the report, nor in the decision to submit the article for publication. This document reflects only the authors’ view and the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023
PY - 2023/8
Y1 - 2023/8
N2 - Providing light during incubation is being investigated as a method to improve welfare in later life in poultry. This incubation method would more closely approximate chicken natural environment compared to the current incubation in darkness. Previous studies showed promising results of light during incubation on broiler welfare, but little is known about effects of light during incubation on laying hens. Especially, information about its effects on hatching characteristics (hatch time, hatchability, chick quality, body weight and embryonic age of death) is scarce and requires investigation in both white and brown egg layers. In the current study, Dekalb White (DW) and ISA Brown (ISA) eggs were incubated in complete darkness (dark) or in a light:dark cycle of 12L:12D throughout incubation (light), resulting in four treatment groups: DW-dark, DW-light, ISA-dark, and ISA-light. In the light treatments, green LEDs of 520 nm wavelength were used, at an intensity of 400 lux. First, light transmission through the eggshell was measured through 27 eggs. Then, an analysis of the effects of light during incubation on hatching characteristics was performed on 711 chicks in two consecutive experimental rounds. Light transmission was higher through white eggshells than through brown eggshells (N = 27, p < 0.001). Light during incubation had no effects on hatching characteristics (N = 711, p ≥ 0.1). Despite the difference of light transmission through eggshell between hybrids, there was no interaction between incubation treatment and hybrid on hatching characteristics (N = 471, p ≥ 0.06). Hatch time was longer and navel quality was better in DW than in ISA, while body weight and embryonic age of death were lower in DW than in ISA (all p < 0.001). Males and females had similar chick quality scores except for the beak quality, which was better for males (N = 486, p = 0.003). To conclude, green light during incubation did not negatively affect hatching characteristics in either DW nor ISA laying hen hybrids. Future research should therefore focus on its potential benefits for laying hen welfare.
AB - Providing light during incubation is being investigated as a method to improve welfare in later life in poultry. This incubation method would more closely approximate chicken natural environment compared to the current incubation in darkness. Previous studies showed promising results of light during incubation on broiler welfare, but little is known about effects of light during incubation on laying hens. Especially, information about its effects on hatching characteristics (hatch time, hatchability, chick quality, body weight and embryonic age of death) is scarce and requires investigation in both white and brown egg layers. In the current study, Dekalb White (DW) and ISA Brown (ISA) eggs were incubated in complete darkness (dark) or in a light:dark cycle of 12L:12D throughout incubation (light), resulting in four treatment groups: DW-dark, DW-light, ISA-dark, and ISA-light. In the light treatments, green LEDs of 520 nm wavelength were used, at an intensity of 400 lux. First, light transmission through the eggshell was measured through 27 eggs. Then, an analysis of the effects of light during incubation on hatching characteristics was performed on 711 chicks in two consecutive experimental rounds. Light transmission was higher through white eggshells than through brown eggshells (N = 27, p < 0.001). Light during incubation had no effects on hatching characteristics (N = 711, p ≥ 0.1). Despite the difference of light transmission through eggshell between hybrids, there was no interaction between incubation treatment and hybrid on hatching characteristics (N = 471, p ≥ 0.06). Hatch time was longer and navel quality was better in DW than in ISA, while body weight and embryonic age of death were lower in DW than in ISA (all p < 0.001). Males and females had similar chick quality scores except for the beak quality, which was better for males (N = 486, p = 0.003). To conclude, green light during incubation did not negatively affect hatching characteristics in either DW nor ISA laying hen hybrids. Future research should therefore focus on its potential benefits for laying hen welfare.
KW - Chick quality
KW - Chicken
KW - Hatching performance
KW - Hybrid
KW - Light exposure
KW - Prenatal
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85162097404&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.livsci.2023.105270
DO - 10.1016/j.livsci.2023.105270
M3 - Article
SN - 1871-1413
VL - 274
SP - 1
EP - 8
JO - Livestock Science
JF - Livestock Science
M1 - 105270
ER -