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Influence of Continuous Light on Leghorns
Influence of Continuous Light on Leghorns R.
PENQUITE AND R.
B.
THOMPSON
Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station, Stillwater (Presented at Annual Meeting, August 17-19, 1932)
[201]
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Emory University Libraries on April 19, 2015
ROBLEMS in poultry husbandry deal- much water at night as during the day. In ing with artificial light in houses have the fall of 1928 four groups of pullets were commanded the attention of poultrymen for subjected to all-night lights at the Ohio many years, but it is only recently that the Station at Wooster, with apparently similar use of continuous light throughout the night beneficial results. Later Kennard and Chamhas been reported. berlin (1931) found that their studies on Jull (1930) states that artificial lights all-night lights seemed to indicate that the have been kept burning in laying houses use of continuous light was a most effective all night long during the winter months in way to realize fully the value of artificial certain oil field sections of Oklahoma and light for winter layers and that the supposed Texas where gas is readily available but ill effects from unrestricted light did not gives no information as to the advantages materialize. The pullets and hens subjected or disadvantages of this practice. It has to continuous light laid a greater number of been a practice for the last twenty years in winter eggs than those without light or with oil field sections in Oklahoma to keep na- morning light at 4 A.M. with no ill effect tural gas jets burning day and night in order upon fertility and hatchability. In their exto consume the surplus gas from oil wells. In periments continuous light proved especialthese sections where poultry houses were ly valuable for bringing slow maturing, late located near gas jets the birds were noted hatched, or inferior pullets into production. to make use of the artificial light at night EXPERIMENTAL but no specific information can be obtained as to the results secured. Beginning November 1, 1929, at the OkKennard (1929) reports that in the fall lahoma Experiment Station, 28 S.C. White of 1925 J. E. Morris of southeastern Ohio Leghorn yearling hens and 48 pullets were desired to use natural gas for lighting the exposed to continuous light. The lights were poultry house. The difficulty was in auto- turned on before dark in the evening and matically turning the light on and off. He turned off after daylight in the morning. solved this problem by leaving the lights on The first year 35 percent of the pullets all night. When the lights were turned on and 47 percent of the hens were culled in November 1, the egg production increased September, 1930, owing to low egg producfrom 10 to 12 percent to 40 or SO percent tion. For the second year the remaining hens and this rate was maintained during the and pullets were kept and 58 pullets added winter months. It was observed also that in October, 1930. Sixteen percent of the twonot more than IS to 20 percent of the birds year-old hens, 5 percent of the three-yearwere off the roosts at any one time during old hens, and 43 percent of the pullets were the night, and that they drank about half as culled in July, 1931. The third year the re-
P
202
POULTRY
maining hens were kept and 20 pullets added September, 1931. Nine of the original 38 hens and pullets started on November 1, 1929, have lived through two years and nine months of continuous light laying sufficient eggs to justify remaining in the pens. The controls consisted of 19 pullets the
SCIENCE
With the exception of the continuous light all birds were culled and managed alike. METHOD OF FEEDING
All birds were fed the standard Oklahoma A. & M. ration which consisted of a laying mash composed of 200 lbs. of wheat bran,
s e e moDTJCTias OF SGe.ERODUCTIQB OF mss BBSS jun> Affl> rWHETS u m i s EXPOSED EXPOSED TO I' couriiiuoos IIGHT.
i
I
I
I
I I
\ A
\
I
-WITHOUT
nam.
60.
/
X
FIG. 1.—Production of hens and pullets with and without continuous light.
first year, 47 pullets the second year and SO pullets the third year. The first year 26 percent of the control pullets were culled in September, 1930, the second year 36 percent of the pullets were culled in July, 1931, and the third year 36 percent were culled in June, 1932, because of low egg production.
100 lbs. of wheat shorts, 100 lbs. of yellow corn meal, 100 lbs. of pulverized barley, SO lbs. of alfalfa leaf meal, 75 lbs. of meat scraps, 40 lbs. of cottonseed meal, 15 lbs. of dried buttermilk, 12 lbs. of bone meal, 6 lbs. of limestone and 6 lbs. of salt. The mash was available to the birds at
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Emory University Libraries on April 19, 2015
_COSTWH0TO T.TgffT
i?3o-l»i
1933.
203
all times in three open hoppers of the reel type, supplying 30 feet of feeding space. The grain consisted of whole oats fed in the morning about 10 o'clock and a mixture of wheat and corn fed in the afternoon about 4 o'clock. Enough grain was fed in the afternoon to send the birds to roost with full crops and leave a small amount on the floor and in the trough. The oats made up about one-third of the total grain ration. All grain was fed in troughs along the front of the house and in the straw litter. Green feed
in diameter, hung in the center of the house 54 inches from the front and 6 feet from the floor. The mash hopper was located directly under the light and stood 24 inches from the floor. The water containers were on a platform 24 inches high in the southwest corner of the compartment. All compartments were identical in every respect. During the third year (1931-1932) both hens and pullets were housed in two compartments of this same house. Each compartment had a yard in front and rear 15
VOL.
XII,
TABLE 1. Mean body weight of hens and pullets at beginning of each year, for entire year, and at the end of each year Year
Beginning of year
Mean coeff. of variation
Entire year
Mean coeff. of variation
End of year
Mean coeff. of variation
12.96 .78 17.47
3.4S+.38 3.63+.37 3.48+.43
16.63 15.43 18.50
10.24 7.71 6.11
3.67+.28 2.94+.20 3.45+.31
11.17 10.13 13.04
Continuous light 1929-1930 1930-1931 1931-1932
3.33+.33 3.33+.33 3.28+.37
14.86 14.40 16.95
3.51+.31 3.45+.02 3.35+.39
Controls without light 1929-1930 1930-1931 1931-1932
3.01+.33 2.93+.22 3.18+.24
16.61 11.26 11.32
in season consisting of swiss chard, sudan grass, alfalfa leaves, and carrots was fed daily throughout the year. The birds also received water, oyster shell, and grit. The same feeding schedule was used for both pens. The birds on continuous light and without light were fed at the same time each day and the same amount of feed as near as could be determined without weighing. TYPE OF HOUSE AND LOCATION OF LIGHT
For the first two years (1929-1930 and 1930-1931) of the experiment the hens and pullets were housed in three 14 by 14 compartments of a long continuous straw-loft open-front laying house. The height of the ceiling was 7 feet in front and 6 feet in the rear. The light was supplied by a 60-watt Mazda lamp with a painted shade 10 inches
3.31+.23 3.11+.16 3.28+.13
by 90 feet that was plowed and sowed to crops in season. BODY WEIGHT
Table 1 shows the mean body weight of the hens and pullets at the beginning of each year, the mean body weight for the entire year, and the mean body weight at the end of each year with their probable errors and coefficients of variation. Although the gain in weight for each year is apparently not significant, it shows that the birds did not lose weight when exposed to continuous light. Each year the birds weighed more at the end of the experiment than at the beginning. One factor which might offer a possible explanation is that the birds soon became accustomed to the light and sleep at most any time, day or night, when they are not hungry. It was noticed that the hens went on the
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Emory University Libraries on April 19, 2015
No. 3
MAY,
204
POULTRY
EGG PRODUCTION
Figure 1 shows the percentage of production month by month for the hens and pullets and controls for the three years of con-
in July. It is apparent that the decreases in production cannot be explained by extremes in weather conditions as in nearly every case the controls increased in production when the hens on continuous light decreased. There was no increase in annual egg production, as the continuous light birds averaged 120 eggs per bird each of the three years. The first year the production was 129 eggs per bird from November to August inclusive, 120 eggs for the second year for the same period, and 121 eggs the third year from November to July inclusive. There is also a more uniform egg production throughout the year. The birds without lights aver-
TABLE 2. Hatchability of eggs from hens and pullets -with and without light Treatment Continuous light Without light
Total eggs set 1338 300
Percent infertile 12.40 2.66
Percent dead in shell and weak
Percent healthy chicks
24.06 30.34
63.54 67.00
All percentage figures are based on total eggs set.
tinuous light. The peak of production was in November and December, whereas the peak of production for the controls was in March and April. The first year the hens and pullets increased in December to 57 percent then gradually decreased to 22 percent in August. The controls for this year started at S percent gradually increased to 78 percent in April, then decreased to 30 percent in August. The second year production started at S3 percent in November, decreased to 28 percent in January, increased to 41 percent in May, decreased to 32 percent in June, increased slightly in July, and then gradually declined. The production for the controls was also irregular, a fact which cannot be accounted for. The third year the production in November was 46 percent, decreasing to 17 percent in December, increasing to 42 percent in February, decreasing in March, then increasing to 45 percent in May and June and falling off
aged 140 eggs the first year, 132 eggs the second year, and 92 eggs the third year. The third year the average is from November to June inclusive. Apparently the advantage of continuous light is the increased number of hatching or market eggs in November, December, and January, and not an increase in annual production. The production for the hens was slightly less than for the pullets. FERTILITY AND HATCHABILITY
Table 2 gives the percentage of infertile eggs, embryos dead in the shell at eighteen days of incubation, weak chicks at hatching time, and healthy chicks hatched for the three-year study. Although there is a slight difference in favor of the birds without lights it is apparently not significant. The difference in fertility could easily be accounted for in the males used, as different males were used in each of the pens. The continuous
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Emory University Libraries on April 19, 2015
roost about dusk in the evening and usually about one-third were feeding from 9 o'clock until daylight. Those birds that were not eating apparently slept with little discomfort. During the late spring and early summer months very few of the birds get off the roosts during the night. The continuous light makes it possible within certain limits for the hen to regulate her diet as she chooses. In this way she may be able to withstand the continuous light without loss in body weight.
SCIENCE
205
light did not materially decrease the percent of healthy chicks hatched below that of the other Leghorns on the farm. The mortality of the continuous light birds was 24 percent the first year, 23 percent the second year and 14 percent the third year. The mortality of the controls was 5 percent the first year, 34 percent the second year, and 24 percent the third year.
decrease the percentage of healthy chicks hatched. The hens with lights laid more eggs in November, December, and January than the controls, the peak of production coming in November and December, whereas the peak of production for the controls was March and April. Apparently continuous light did not have a deleterious effect upon the birds used in this experiment.
SUMMARY The continuous lights did not increase or decrease to a significant degree the total number of eggs laid. In all lighted pens the birds weighed more at the end of the experiment than at the beginning. The continuous light did not materially
Jull, M. A., 1930. Poultry Husbandry, McGrawHill Book Co., First Edition, 1-390. Kennard, D. C , 1929. All-night lights for winter layers. Ohio Agr. Exp. Sta. Bimo. Bui. 141:19S198. Kennard, D. C , and V. D. Chamberlin, 1931. Allnight light for layers. Ohio Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui. 476:1-22.
1933.
VOL.
XII,
MORTALITY
•
REFERENCES
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Emory University Libraries on April 19, 2015
No. 3
MAY,
PENQUITE AND R.
B.
THOMPSON
Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station, Stillwater (Presented at Annual Meeting, August 17-19, 1932)
[201]
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Emory University Libraries on April 19, 2015
ROBLEMS in poultry husbandry deal- much water at night as during the day. In ing with artificial light in houses have the fall of 1928 four groups of pullets were commanded the attention of poultrymen for subjected to all-night lights at the Ohio many years, but it is only recently that the Station at Wooster, with apparently similar use of continuous light throughout the night beneficial results. Later Kennard and Chamhas been reported. berlin (1931) found that their studies on Jull (1930) states that artificial lights all-night lights seemed to indicate that the have been kept burning in laying houses use of continuous light was a most effective all night long during the winter months in way to realize fully the value of artificial certain oil field sections of Oklahoma and light for winter layers and that the supposed Texas where gas is readily available but ill effects from unrestricted light did not gives no information as to the advantages materialize. The pullets and hens subjected or disadvantages of this practice. It has to continuous light laid a greater number of been a practice for the last twenty years in winter eggs than those without light or with oil field sections in Oklahoma to keep na- morning light at 4 A.M. with no ill effect tural gas jets burning day and night in order upon fertility and hatchability. In their exto consume the surplus gas from oil wells. In periments continuous light proved especialthese sections where poultry houses were ly valuable for bringing slow maturing, late located near gas jets the birds were noted hatched, or inferior pullets into production. to make use of the artificial light at night EXPERIMENTAL but no specific information can be obtained as to the results secured. Beginning November 1, 1929, at the OkKennard (1929) reports that in the fall lahoma Experiment Station, 28 S.C. White of 1925 J. E. Morris of southeastern Ohio Leghorn yearling hens and 48 pullets were desired to use natural gas for lighting the exposed to continuous light. The lights were poultry house. The difficulty was in auto- turned on before dark in the evening and matically turning the light on and off. He turned off after daylight in the morning. solved this problem by leaving the lights on The first year 35 percent of the pullets all night. When the lights were turned on and 47 percent of the hens were culled in November 1, the egg production increased September, 1930, owing to low egg producfrom 10 to 12 percent to 40 or SO percent tion. For the second year the remaining hens and this rate was maintained during the and pullets were kept and 58 pullets added winter months. It was observed also that in October, 1930. Sixteen percent of the twonot more than IS to 20 percent of the birds year-old hens, 5 percent of the three-yearwere off the roosts at any one time during old hens, and 43 percent of the pullets were the night, and that they drank about half as culled in July, 1931. The third year the re-
P
202
POULTRY
maining hens were kept and 20 pullets added September, 1931. Nine of the original 38 hens and pullets started on November 1, 1929, have lived through two years and nine months of continuous light laying sufficient eggs to justify remaining in the pens. The controls consisted of 19 pullets the
SCIENCE
With the exception of the continuous light all birds were culled and managed alike. METHOD OF FEEDING
All birds were fed the standard Oklahoma A. & M. ration which consisted of a laying mash composed of 200 lbs. of wheat bran,
s e e moDTJCTias OF SGe.ERODUCTIQB OF mss BBSS jun> Affl> rWHETS u m i s EXPOSED EXPOSED TO I' couriiiuoos IIGHT.
i
I
I
I
I I
\ A
\
I
-WITHOUT
nam.
60.
/
X
FIG. 1.—Production of hens and pullets with and without continuous light.
first year, 47 pullets the second year and SO pullets the third year. The first year 26 percent of the control pullets were culled in September, 1930, the second year 36 percent of the pullets were culled in July, 1931, and the third year 36 percent were culled in June, 1932, because of low egg production.
100 lbs. of wheat shorts, 100 lbs. of yellow corn meal, 100 lbs. of pulverized barley, SO lbs. of alfalfa leaf meal, 75 lbs. of meat scraps, 40 lbs. of cottonseed meal, 15 lbs. of dried buttermilk, 12 lbs. of bone meal, 6 lbs. of limestone and 6 lbs. of salt. The mash was available to the birds at
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Emory University Libraries on April 19, 2015
_COSTWH0TO T.TgffT
i?3o-l»i
1933.
203
all times in three open hoppers of the reel type, supplying 30 feet of feeding space. The grain consisted of whole oats fed in the morning about 10 o'clock and a mixture of wheat and corn fed in the afternoon about 4 o'clock. Enough grain was fed in the afternoon to send the birds to roost with full crops and leave a small amount on the floor and in the trough. The oats made up about one-third of the total grain ration. All grain was fed in troughs along the front of the house and in the straw litter. Green feed
in diameter, hung in the center of the house 54 inches from the front and 6 feet from the floor. The mash hopper was located directly under the light and stood 24 inches from the floor. The water containers were on a platform 24 inches high in the southwest corner of the compartment. All compartments were identical in every respect. During the third year (1931-1932) both hens and pullets were housed in two compartments of this same house. Each compartment had a yard in front and rear 15
VOL.
XII,
TABLE 1. Mean body weight of hens and pullets at beginning of each year, for entire year, and at the end of each year Year
Beginning of year
Mean coeff. of variation
Entire year
Mean coeff. of variation
End of year
Mean coeff. of variation
12.96 .78 17.47
3.4S+.38 3.63+.37 3.48+.43
16.63 15.43 18.50
10.24 7.71 6.11
3.67+.28 2.94+.20 3.45+.31
11.17 10.13 13.04
Continuous light 1929-1930 1930-1931 1931-1932
3.33+.33 3.33+.33 3.28+.37
14.86 14.40 16.95
3.51+.31 3.45+.02 3.35+.39
Controls without light 1929-1930 1930-1931 1931-1932
3.01+.33 2.93+.22 3.18+.24
16.61 11.26 11.32
in season consisting of swiss chard, sudan grass, alfalfa leaves, and carrots was fed daily throughout the year. The birds also received water, oyster shell, and grit. The same feeding schedule was used for both pens. The birds on continuous light and without light were fed at the same time each day and the same amount of feed as near as could be determined without weighing. TYPE OF HOUSE AND LOCATION OF LIGHT
For the first two years (1929-1930 and 1930-1931) of the experiment the hens and pullets were housed in three 14 by 14 compartments of a long continuous straw-loft open-front laying house. The height of the ceiling was 7 feet in front and 6 feet in the rear. The light was supplied by a 60-watt Mazda lamp with a painted shade 10 inches
3.31+.23 3.11+.16 3.28+.13
by 90 feet that was plowed and sowed to crops in season. BODY WEIGHT
Table 1 shows the mean body weight of the hens and pullets at the beginning of each year, the mean body weight for the entire year, and the mean body weight at the end of each year with their probable errors and coefficients of variation. Although the gain in weight for each year is apparently not significant, it shows that the birds did not lose weight when exposed to continuous light. Each year the birds weighed more at the end of the experiment than at the beginning. One factor which might offer a possible explanation is that the birds soon became accustomed to the light and sleep at most any time, day or night, when they are not hungry. It was noticed that the hens went on the
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Emory University Libraries on April 19, 2015
No. 3
MAY,
204
POULTRY
EGG PRODUCTION
Figure 1 shows the percentage of production month by month for the hens and pullets and controls for the three years of con-
in July. It is apparent that the decreases in production cannot be explained by extremes in weather conditions as in nearly every case the controls increased in production when the hens on continuous light decreased. There was no increase in annual egg production, as the continuous light birds averaged 120 eggs per bird each of the three years. The first year the production was 129 eggs per bird from November to August inclusive, 120 eggs for the second year for the same period, and 121 eggs the third year from November to July inclusive. There is also a more uniform egg production throughout the year. The birds without lights aver-
TABLE 2. Hatchability of eggs from hens and pullets -with and without light Treatment Continuous light Without light
Total eggs set 1338 300
Percent infertile 12.40 2.66
Percent dead in shell and weak
Percent healthy chicks
24.06 30.34
63.54 67.00
All percentage figures are based on total eggs set.
tinuous light. The peak of production was in November and December, whereas the peak of production for the controls was in March and April. The first year the hens and pullets increased in December to 57 percent then gradually decreased to 22 percent in August. The controls for this year started at S percent gradually increased to 78 percent in April, then decreased to 30 percent in August. The second year production started at S3 percent in November, decreased to 28 percent in January, increased to 41 percent in May, decreased to 32 percent in June, increased slightly in July, and then gradually declined. The production for the controls was also irregular, a fact which cannot be accounted for. The third year the production in November was 46 percent, decreasing to 17 percent in December, increasing to 42 percent in February, decreasing in March, then increasing to 45 percent in May and June and falling off
aged 140 eggs the first year, 132 eggs the second year, and 92 eggs the third year. The third year the average is from November to June inclusive. Apparently the advantage of continuous light is the increased number of hatching or market eggs in November, December, and January, and not an increase in annual production. The production for the hens was slightly less than for the pullets. FERTILITY AND HATCHABILITY
Table 2 gives the percentage of infertile eggs, embryos dead in the shell at eighteen days of incubation, weak chicks at hatching time, and healthy chicks hatched for the three-year study. Although there is a slight difference in favor of the birds without lights it is apparently not significant. The difference in fertility could easily be accounted for in the males used, as different males were used in each of the pens. The continuous
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Emory University Libraries on April 19, 2015
roost about dusk in the evening and usually about one-third were feeding from 9 o'clock until daylight. Those birds that were not eating apparently slept with little discomfort. During the late spring and early summer months very few of the birds get off the roosts during the night. The continuous light makes it possible within certain limits for the hen to regulate her diet as she chooses. In this way she may be able to withstand the continuous light without loss in body weight.
SCIENCE
205
light did not materially decrease the percent of healthy chicks hatched below that of the other Leghorns on the farm. The mortality of the continuous light birds was 24 percent the first year, 23 percent the second year and 14 percent the third year. The mortality of the controls was 5 percent the first year, 34 percent the second year, and 24 percent the third year.
decrease the percentage of healthy chicks hatched. The hens with lights laid more eggs in November, December, and January than the controls, the peak of production coming in November and December, whereas the peak of production for the controls was March and April. Apparently continuous light did not have a deleterious effect upon the birds used in this experiment.
SUMMARY The continuous lights did not increase or decrease to a significant degree the total number of eggs laid. In all lighted pens the birds weighed more at the end of the experiment than at the beginning. The continuous light did not materially
Jull, M. A., 1930. Poultry Husbandry, McGrawHill Book Co., First Edition, 1-390. Kennard, D. C , 1929. All-night lights for winter layers. Ohio Agr. Exp. Sta. Bimo. Bui. 141:19S198. Kennard, D. C , and V. D. Chamberlin, 1931. Allnight light for layers. Ohio Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui. 476:1-22.
1933.
VOL.
XII,
MORTALITY
•
REFERENCES
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Emory University Libraries on April 19, 2015
No. 3
MAY,