Pulsed alternating wavelength system lighting does not negatively impact production or welfare but reduces dopamine activity and may improve bone growth in grow-out Pekin ducks

The production and welfare of Pekin ducks can be affected by the lighting type they are housed under. There is no standard lighting system in industry and little data evaluating effects of different light systems on duck production and welfare. Pulsed Alternating Wavelength System (PAWS) is a novel...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: S. Tonissen, B.J. Emmert, J.M. Schober, E.M. Oluwagbenga, D.M. Karcher, G.S. Fraley
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-03-01
Series:Poultry Science
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032579125000902
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1823864516412178432
author S. Tonissen
B.J. Emmert
J.M. Schober
E.M. Oluwagbenga
D.M. Karcher
G.S. Fraley
author_facet S. Tonissen
B.J. Emmert
J.M. Schober
E.M. Oluwagbenga
D.M. Karcher
G.S. Fraley
author_sort S. Tonissen
collection DOAJ
description The production and welfare of Pekin ducks can be affected by the lighting type they are housed under. There is no standard lighting system in industry and little data evaluating effects of different light systems on duck production and welfare. Pulsed Alternating Wavelength System (PAWS) is a novel LED technology that delivers multiple wavelengths of light in pulsating patterns. This study aimed to determine the effects of PAWS on brain serotonin turnover and skeletal quality in ducks. Ducks housed under PAWS were hypothesized to have lower brain serotonin turnover and equal bone quality compared to those housed under control lights (fluorescent with digital ballasts, 4500K, ∼40 lux). Ducks were placed in floor pens under PAWS or control lighting (1200 ducks/pen, n = 4 pens/treatment) at day of hatch until processing at 30 days of age (DOA). Body weights and feed intake were monitored weekly. Brains, femurs, tibiae, and humeri were collected on days 7, 14, 21 and 29 (n = 6 ducks/age/lighting type). Brain serotonin and metabolites were measured. Bone length, width, breaking strength, and ash were determined. Serotonin data were analyzed using 2-way ANOVA for age and lighting treatment with a post-hoc Fisher's LSD test. Bone data were analyzed with independent t-tests between treatments within each age. Ducks housed under PAWS were heavier by 29 DOA than controls (P < 0.001) with no differences in feed conversion. Brain analyses revealed no differences in serotonin turnover between lighting types. Early interstitial growth of PAWS femur and tibia was increased (P < 0.05), and PAWS femurs had increased bone mineral content at 29 DOA (P = 0.001). At 29 DOA, the PAWS humeri were wider than controls (P = 0.025) and had increased geometrical bone mechanical properties (P < 0.003), but no differences in breaking stress were evident. Results suggest that PAWS may have benefits for production traits and skeletal quality, however, a complete understanding of the welfare effects need further study.
format Article
id doaj-art-c7b3262ca51d4bcbbe7b12b4dda2c65c
institution Kabale University
issn 0032-5791
language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Poultry Science
spelling doaj-art-c7b3262ca51d4bcbbe7b12b4dda2c65c2025-02-09T04:59:34ZengElsevierPoultry Science0032-57912025-03-011043104853Pulsed alternating wavelength system lighting does not negatively impact production or welfare but reduces dopamine activity and may improve bone growth in grow-out Pekin ducksS. Tonissen0B.J. Emmert1J.M. Schober2E.M. Oluwagbenga3D.M. Karcher4G.S. Fraley5Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USADepartment of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USADepartment of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USADepartment of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USADepartment of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USACorresponding author.; Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USAThe production and welfare of Pekin ducks can be affected by the lighting type they are housed under. There is no standard lighting system in industry and little data evaluating effects of different light systems on duck production and welfare. Pulsed Alternating Wavelength System (PAWS) is a novel LED technology that delivers multiple wavelengths of light in pulsating patterns. This study aimed to determine the effects of PAWS on brain serotonin turnover and skeletal quality in ducks. Ducks housed under PAWS were hypothesized to have lower brain serotonin turnover and equal bone quality compared to those housed under control lights (fluorescent with digital ballasts, 4500K, ∼40 lux). Ducks were placed in floor pens under PAWS or control lighting (1200 ducks/pen, n = 4 pens/treatment) at day of hatch until processing at 30 days of age (DOA). Body weights and feed intake were monitored weekly. Brains, femurs, tibiae, and humeri were collected on days 7, 14, 21 and 29 (n = 6 ducks/age/lighting type). Brain serotonin and metabolites were measured. Bone length, width, breaking strength, and ash were determined. Serotonin data were analyzed using 2-way ANOVA for age and lighting treatment with a post-hoc Fisher's LSD test. Bone data were analyzed with independent t-tests between treatments within each age. Ducks housed under PAWS were heavier by 29 DOA than controls (P < 0.001) with no differences in feed conversion. Brain analyses revealed no differences in serotonin turnover between lighting types. Early interstitial growth of PAWS femur and tibia was increased (P < 0.05), and PAWS femurs had increased bone mineral content at 29 DOA (P = 0.001). At 29 DOA, the PAWS humeri were wider than controls (P = 0.025) and had increased geometrical bone mechanical properties (P < 0.003), but no differences in breaking stress were evident. Results suggest that PAWS may have benefits for production traits and skeletal quality, however, a complete understanding of the welfare effects need further study.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032579125000902SkeletalSerotoninLightBrainDuck
spellingShingle S. Tonissen
B.J. Emmert
J.M. Schober
E.M. Oluwagbenga
D.M. Karcher
G.S. Fraley
Pulsed alternating wavelength system lighting does not negatively impact production or welfare but reduces dopamine activity and may improve bone growth in grow-out Pekin ducks
Poultry Science
Skeletal
Serotonin
Light
Brain
Duck
title Pulsed alternating wavelength system lighting does not negatively impact production or welfare but reduces dopamine activity and may improve bone growth in grow-out Pekin ducks
title_full Pulsed alternating wavelength system lighting does not negatively impact production or welfare but reduces dopamine activity and may improve bone growth in grow-out Pekin ducks
title_fullStr Pulsed alternating wavelength system lighting does not negatively impact production or welfare but reduces dopamine activity and may improve bone growth in grow-out Pekin ducks
title_full_unstemmed Pulsed alternating wavelength system lighting does not negatively impact production or welfare but reduces dopamine activity and may improve bone growth in grow-out Pekin ducks
title_short Pulsed alternating wavelength system lighting does not negatively impact production or welfare but reduces dopamine activity and may improve bone growth in grow-out Pekin ducks
title_sort pulsed alternating wavelength system lighting does not negatively impact production or welfare but reduces dopamine activity and may improve bone growth in grow out pekin ducks
topic Skeletal
Serotonin
Light
Brain
Duck
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032579125000902
work_keys_str_mv AT stonissen pulsedalternatingwavelengthsystemlightingdoesnotnegativelyimpactproductionorwelfarebutreducesdopamineactivityandmayimprovebonegrowthingrowoutpekinducks
AT bjemmert pulsedalternatingwavelengthsystemlightingdoesnotnegativelyimpactproductionorwelfarebutreducesdopamineactivityandmayimprovebonegrowthingrowoutpekinducks
AT jmschober pulsedalternatingwavelengthsystemlightingdoesnotnegativelyimpactproductionorwelfarebutreducesdopamineactivityandmayimprovebonegrowthingrowoutpekinducks
AT emoluwagbenga pulsedalternatingwavelengthsystemlightingdoesnotnegativelyimpactproductionorwelfarebutreducesdopamineactivityandmayimprovebonegrowthingrowoutpekinducks
AT dmkarcher pulsedalternatingwavelengthsystemlightingdoesnotnegativelyimpactproductionorwelfarebutreducesdopamineactivityandmayimprovebonegrowthingrowoutpekinducks
AT gsfraley pulsedalternatingwavelengthsystemlightingdoesnotnegativelyimpactproductionorwelfarebutreducesdopamineactivityandmayimprovebonegrowthingrowoutpekinducks