Optimizing lighting for precision broiler breeder feeding. Grégory Bédécarrats Department of Animal Biosciences University of Guelph

Transcription

1 Optimizing lighting for precision broiler breeder feeding Grégory Bédécarrats Department of Animal Biosciences University of Guelph

2 Team and Project Objectives Dr. Bedecarrats, University of Guelph: Experiment 1: assess the impact of daylight and supplemental light spectrum during the pullet stage and entry in lay (data presented) Experiment 2: Select the best combination from 1) and follow throughout an entire production cycle (ongoing) Dr. Zuidhof, University of Alberta: Test the selected lighting conditions with the precision feeding stations (ongoing)

3 Why Spectrum Lighting?

4 Three main organs with photoreceptors 2)Pineal gland: On top of brain, produces melatonin pinopsin : hybrid between rhodopsin and green opsin 1) Eye (retina): UV, blue, green, red opsins To brain via optic nerve 3) Hypothalamus: deep brain tissue Red opsins but also UV, blue and green, as well as vertebrate ancient opsin!

5 The reproductive axis GnIH HYPO PIT LH & FSH GnRH Steroids & peptides GON GnIH / GnRH

6 Reproduction in poultry: a balancing act between stimulatory and inhibitory inputs. (Bédécarrats GY. Poult Sci Apr;94(4):810) - - P - - MEL GnIH GnRH-I Pituitary

7 The Idea Effect of Light Wavelength on Reproduction Retinal versus extra-retinal photoreceptors Baxter et al. (2014). Poultry Science 93:

8 The Smoky Joe chickens Strain of White Leghorn with a recessive homozygous mutation causing retinal degeneration Perfect experimental model

9 Testicular weight (% of body weight) Blind birds mature faster Perttula and Bédécarrats (2012). Canadian Journal of Animal Science 92 : Blind Sighted Males photostimulated at 17 weeks of ages 14 weeks old (non-photostimulated) Males left non-photostimulated Blind Sighted weeks old (non-photostimulated) Males photostimulated at 12 weeks of age Age (weeks) Blind Sighted

10 Experimental Set Up 3 optically isolated sections with LED strip lights Intensities adjusted to 10 lux at hens level Smoky Joe hens (blind and sighted) randomly allocated At 15 weeks, LEDs lights on 8 h photoperiod At 20 weeks, Photostimulation with a 14 h photoperiod

11 Estradiol (ng/ml) Estradiol (ng/ml) Sexual maturation Group / Status All Reds Blind Reds Sighted Reds All Whites Blind Whites Sighted Whites All Green Blind Greens Sighted Greens Age at first egg (d) ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± Blind and sighted combined (p<0.05) Age (weeks) Blind (closed circles) sighted (open circles) Age (weeks)

12 % Production Egg production over 43 weeks Age (weeks) RED GREEN WHITE Group Cumulative egg number Red ± 0.2 A White ± 0.2 A Green ± 0.3 B

13 Inhibitory effect of green via the retina?

14 Producers Pulled me Out of my Sand Box! Designing an LED spectrum bulb for Layers

15 Thies Electrical Distributing Inc. Initial contact with Eric Thies led to the design of a first prototype 60% red, 20% green, 20% blue Fully dimmable Withstand barn environment Easy barn retrofit

16 Validated on Commercial Layers:

17 Dykstra's Poultry Farm (Thornton, ON) New barn with colony housing (45,000 hens); 6 rows, 3 tiers Equipped with the AgriLux PLR (60 % red LED) Lohmann LSL-Lite Lohmann s management guidelines Dawn to Dusk lighting program

18 50 Wks (350 d) Flock Average: 336 eggs

19 First prototype Dust caking between the fins of the heat-sink Dust and water infiltration inside the bulbs Needed to go back to the drawing board for construction!

20 Second prototype: corrosion and water infiltration through the socket Signs of rust

21 AgriLux TM New design Sealed 1 piece cast aluminum housing Silicone sealed screwed polycarbonate lens Custom molded socket piece CSA certification and IP66 rating obtained Available commercially (

22 Where are the bulbs now? 6 farms in Ontario 2 farms in Saskatchewan 2 farms in Alberta Various size, strains, production systems On average, 2% increased production Several reported lower feeding costs Some reported calmer birds Return On Investment (when data provided) ranges from 6 months to 1.5 years Depends on what light source was used before Depends on production levels prior to retrofit

23 Broiler Breeders are not Layers

24 Rationale: Provide supplemental light for broiler breeder pullets to access feed from a Precision Feeding (PF) station 24 hours a day without impacting sexual maturation. Determine the best light combination (main daytime light and supplemental lights) to maximize and sustain egg production in adults.

25 Materials and methods A 2 X 4 X 2 factorial design: 2 Main LED day lights (PLR 60% Red & PGR 60% Green) 4 Supplemental monochromatic LED light treatments (Blue, Red, Green & Dark) 2 Supplemental light intensities: Low (1 to 5 lux) & High (10 to 50 lux). Feed Restriction program according to the breeder s management guideline Individual Body weight measured weekly Egg production monitored daily Blood samples taken for hormone assays

26 Methodology 60% Green LED light 2 Rooms (12 pens each); 10 birds/pen 480 Females Ross 708 Fed AL 0-2 woa 60% Red LED light 2 Rooms (12 pens each); 10 birds/pen 8L: 16D 2-20 woa Daily Feed Rest woa Sup. lights 24 Hrs 2 30 woa Sup. lights 24 Hrs 2 30 woa 14L:10D woa

27 Body weight (Kg) EFFECT OF DAY LIGHT SPECTRUM ON BODY WEIGHT 4,0 3,5 3,0 2,5 2,0 GREEN 1,5 1,0 0,5 * * * * * * * * * RED 0, Age (days)

28 Body weight (Kg) EFFECT OF SUPPLEMENTAL LIGHT SPECTRUM ON BODY WEIGHT 4,0 3,5 * * * * * * 3,0 2,5 2,0 1,5 1,0 0,5 * * * * * * * * Blue Dark Red Green 0, Age (days)

29 Hen-day egg production (%) EFFECT OF DAY LIGHT SPECTRUM ON EGG PRODUCTION * * Green Red Age (weeks/days)

30 Hen-day egg production (%) EFFECT OF SUPPLEMENTAL LIGHT SPECTRUM ON EGG PRODUCTION UNDER GREEN DAY LIGHT Red Low Red High Green High Green Low Dark Low Dark High Blue High Blue Low Age (weeks,days)

31 Hen-day egg production (%) EFFECT OF SUPPLEMENTAL LIGHT SPECTRUM ON EGG PRODUCTION UNDER RED DAY LIGHT Dark Low Dark High Blue High Blue Low Green High Green Low Red High Red Low Age (weeks, days)

32 Hen-day egg production (%) INTERACTION BETWEEN SUPPLEMENTAL red LIGHT AND DAY LIGHTS Age (weeks, days)

33 Summary Birds under 60% Green LED day light were significantly heavier than birds under 60% Red LED day light until 71 days of age. Birds under 60% Red LED day light had higher early egg production regardless of supplemental light treatments. Continuous supplemental Red LED light significantly delayed sexual maturation in an intensity dependent manner, resulting in significant increase in body weight under this treatment. In conclusion: Constant exposure to Red supplemental light triggers photorefractoriness and is thus not recommended for constant illumination of PF stations. 60% Red LED day light is the best option for rapid early stimulation of egg production

34 E2 Concentration (ng/ml) But then! 6,0 EFFECT OF MAIN-DAY LIGHT SPECTRUM ON ESTRADIOL LEVELS 5,5 5,0 4,5 4,0 3,5 3,0 2,5 2,0 1,5 1,0 0,5 0, Weeks of age

35 E2 Concentration (ng/ml) EFFECT OF SUPPLEMENTAL LIGHT SPECTRUM ON ESTRADIOL LEVELS Blue Dark Green Red 6,0 5,5 5,0 4,5 4,0 3,5 3,0 2,5 2,0 1,5 1,0 0,5 0, Weeks of age

36 Conclusions Unlike layers, the ovary in Broiler Breeders IS NOT fully responsive to stimulation from the pituitary gland until 25 woa Role of metabolic status and body weight? This disconnect within the reproductive axis most likely the source of reproductive failures. However, Red day-light appears to stimulate the hypothalamo-pituitary axis more efficiently than green (better early production) Exp. 2 has been revised to better capture the effect of light spectrum at a time when the ovary is responsive Precision feeding systems experiment adjusted to generate two metabolic curves (fast and slow growth) with various age at photostimulation to determine the source of this reproductive disconnect

37 Thank you Collaborator: Prof. Martin Zuidhof (University of Alberta) Students (past and present): Mikayla Baxter Brandi Sparling Adriana Rodriguez Charlene Hanlon Kayo Takeshima Andrew Heuthorst Financial support: Poultry Industry Council; Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada; Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs; Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency; Canadian Poultry Research Council. Alex (and Eric) Thies (Thies Electrical Distributing Inc.);Douglas (and Leo) Dykstra (Dykstra s Poultry Farm) and the Staff at Arkel Research Station