EFFECT OF INTERMITTENT ACTIVITY ON BROILER PRODUCTION PARAMETERS

The use of intermittent lighting in broiler production has been shown to result in spurts of activity that appear to reduce lameness. Becaus e intermittent lighting is difficult to achieve in curtain-sided house s, the objective of this study was to determine whether simple equipme nt used to increase activity in broilers would improve production vari ables. At 1 d of age, 840 male broiler chicks were placed in 24 floor pens. The four treatments (six replicates of 35 chicks each) were as f ollows: 1) Control-standard feeders, 2) Ramps and Toys-birds had to cl imb a slight incline ramp to reach feeder and had a hanging mobile, 3) Ramps only, and 4) Toys only-standard feeders. Two trials were conduc ted. Weekly group weights and feed consumption were recorded. Mortalit y was recorded daily. At 6 wk of age, birds were bled, euthanatized, w eighed, and scored for ascites and tibial dyschondroplasia (TD), and r elative heart, liver, and spleen weights were obtained. Blood samples were analyzed for blood gases, hemoglobin, red blood cell count, and c linical chemistries were performed. In Trial 1, during Weeks 2, 3, and 4, treatments with ramps had significantly heavier average bird weigh t and significantly lower feed:gain ratios. Ln Trial 2, treatments wit h ramps had no difference in average BW; however, these groups consume d less feed, resulting in significantly lower feed:gain ratios. Cumula tive mortality was decreased by ramp treatment in Trial 2. Toys decrea sed the incidence and severity of TD in Trial 2. In general, organ wei ghts, blood gases, hematologies, and clinical chemistries were not aff ected by treatments. However, birds in treatments with ramps had signi ficantly lower serum calcium and smaller hearts in Trial 1, and signif icantly lower serum cholesterol and smaller hearts in Trial 2.