Effect of supplementation of day light with artificial light at different intensities and sex ratio on productive and reproductive performance of Domyati ducks
Abstract: A 4 x 2 factorial experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of four supplementary light intensity levels in combination with two sex ratios on the productive and reproductive performance of Domyati ducks. Eighteen weeks old 552 Domyati ducks (456 duck hens and 96 drakes) were randomly distributed into 8 groups; four of which had a sex ratio of 6: 1 while the other four groups had a six ratio of 4:1 (duck hens: drake) of three replicates each, housed separately in floor pens and exposed to a daily photoperiod of 17 hours up to the end of the experiment at 60 weeks of age. To maintain this daily 17-hour photoperiod throughout the experimental period from 20 to 60 weeks of age, the length of natural day light was supplemented with artificial light, providing light Intensity levels of 15 (serves as a control), 10, 45 or 90 lux at birds' head level of the four experimental groups within each sex ratio respectively.
The criteria of response were laying performance (age at sexual maturity , total eggs number, laying rate %, egg weight, egg mass, feed consumption and feed conversion), eggs fer1ility and hatchability percentages, some egg quality traits(egg weight , shell thickness and egg shape index), some morphological measurements on reproductive organs (testicular ovarian and oviduct weights and oviduct length), and concentrations of some blood constituents (total protein, albumin and globulin, and gonadotropnic hormones LH and FSH).
Significant differences were observed in total eggs number, laying rate of egg mass, feed intake and feed conversion, but were not observed in age and sexual maturity or egg weight, due to the effects of supplementary light intensify level of ratio, in favor of the 10-lux supplementary light intensity and 6:1 sex ration
Eggs fertility and hatchability were significantly improved by exposing ducks with 6:1 sex ratio to the 10-lux supplementary light intensity, and no further improvement was achieved upon subjecting the ducks to 45 or 90 lux
With the exception of a higher oviduct weight achieved with the 6: 1 sex ratio neither supplementary light intensity level nor sex ratio affected significantly the testicular and ovarian weight or the oviduct length .
Egg quality was not significantly influenced by either supplementary light intensity level or sex ratio, except that a higher eggshell weight was achieved by the exposure of ducks to supplementary light intensity levels of 10, 45 or 90 lux.
Significant differences were detected only in levels of blood plasma total protein, and globulin; in males at 40 weeks of age and in females at 60 weeks of age due to the effect of supplementary light intensity level.
Significant supplementary light intensity level by sex ratio interactions were found only for total eggs number, laying rate% , egg mass and feed conversion, whereas their effects were not interrelated for the other criteria.
It could be concluded that the use of 10-lux artificial light in supplementing the natural day light length; to achieve a daily 17-hour photoperiod, in combination with a sex ratio of 6: 1 (duck hens: drake) for breeder Domyati ducks, is economic and adequate to attain a satisfactory productive and reproductive performance.
Keywords: Domyati ducks, supplementary light intensity, sex ratio, laying performance, fertility and hatchability, egg quality, blood constituents.
Publication year 2006
Pages 1913-1931
Availability location معهد بحوث الانتاج الحيوانى-شارع نادى الصيد- الدقى- الجيزة
Availability number
Organization Name
City المنصورة
serial title Journal Agricultural Science Mansoura University
ISSN 1110-0346
Author(s) from ARC
External authors (outside ARC)
    فوزى صديق عبد الفتاح اسماعيل جامعة المنصورة
    تاج الدين حسن تاج الدين جامعة المنصورة
    ميرفت عطية على جامعة المنصورة
Agris Categories Animal physiology - NutritionAnimal physiology - Reproduction
AGROVOC
TERMS		 Blood composition. Egg hatchability. Fertility. Laying performance. Reproductive performance. Sex ratio.
Proposed Agrovoc egg quality;supplementary light inte;Domyati ducks;
Publication Type Journal
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