EFFECT OF DIFFERENT LIGHTING PROGRAMS ON BODY CONDITION AND BEHAVIOR OF BROILERS

Four (in some cases five) broiler flocks for every of the five lightin g programs (LP) with artificial light (A: 24 hours light = 24 l, 0 hou rs dark = 0 d, B: 16 l, 8 d; C; 14 l, 4 d, 2 l, 4 d) and;with 1 daylig ht (D: 16 l, 8 d; E: 16 l, 8 d with twilight) were investigated at the age of 3-5 (KB), 28-30 (U1) and 38-40 (U2) days and during catching a ction. The birds kept in the LP C showed a significantly better feathe ring than the birds in the other LPs. and the birds in the LP B a bett er than the birds kept in A, D and E. All the parameters describing lo comotion showed a decreasing mobility during fattening. In tile LP A l ocomotion was significantly more disturbed than in the other LPs. Test s to investigate the nervousness of the necks never induced panic reac tions. The birds of LP A reacted always less active than the other bir ds exept in the flash light test. No problems occurred during catching actions in all the flocks. Fattening performances and the results fro m the slaughter houses for the birds kept in 24 hours light (LP A) wer e not better than for the birds kept in the other LPs.