EFFECT OF LIGHT PROGRAMME AND STOCKING DENSITY ON PERFORMANCE OF TURKEY Meleagris gallopavo

Abstract

A study was conducted to find out the optimum lighting programme and SD during different seasons for the turkeys as a meat bird. In the first experiment day old turkey poults were procured from Central Avian newlineResearch Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, and distributed randomly on the basis of uniform body weight in to the three newlinetreatments,T-1:The birds were subjected to conventional lighting programme (16L: 8D),T-2:The birds were newlinesubjected to continuous lighting programme (24L: 0D),T-3:The birds were subjected to intermittent lighting newlineprogramme (16L:3D:2L:3D). It was found that the average weekly body weights were numerically higher for the newlinebirds reared in continuous light. The FCR during the phase of 1-8 week and the overall FCR was significantly newlinebetter (plt0.05) in continuous lighting programme than conventional and intermittent lighting programmes. No newlinesignificant difference was observed among the treatments for the biochemical and haematological attributes. Total newlineimmunoglobulins and mercaptoethanol sensitive (IgM) antibody titer (log2) values in response to SRBC were newlinefound to be significantly higher (plt0.05) in continuous lighting programme than intermittent lighting programme. newlineFurther, mercaptoethanol resistant (IgG) antibody titer, cell mediated immune response and the spleen weight as % newlineof live weight did not differ significantly among the treatment groups. Percent dressing yield of the birds reared in newlinecontinuous and intermittent lighting programme was found to be significantly higher (plt0.05) than that of the birds newlinereared in conventional lighting programmes. No significant difference was found among the treatment groups for newlineother carcass traits and individual cut-up parts and development of gastrointestinal tract. The birds reared under newlinecontinuous lighting programme displayed significantly lesser behaviors than the birds reared under other lighting newlineprogrammes and were less active. Average femur (plt0.01) and tibia (plt0.05) weights were significantly higher in newlinecontinuous lighting