Abstract:

This study was performed to explore the effect of the monochromatic lights supplement on pigeons’ performance and provide the scientific basis for the illuminating system of the pigeon breeding industry.Monochromatic lights supplement experiment was conducted in the four same lofts with close number of pigeons (510-522 pairs•loft^-1) with blue light (480 nm)，green light (540 nm)，red light (660 nm) and white light (400-760 nm)， respectively，the white light group used as control group.Each group was divided into three subgroups according to the light intensity.The production data of adult pigeons and the weights of 0，7，14，21 days of squabs were recorded.The results showed that：1) Under the red light，pigeons’ had the highest laying rate and fertility rate，lowest broken egg rate.2) Under the light intensity of 1-10 lx，the birth weights of squabs had no significant difference(P>0.05)，but at the age of 21 days，the weights of blue light group were significantly higher than red and white light groups(P<0.05)；Under the light intensity of 10-20 lx，the birth weight and the weight of 21 days of four groups had no significant difference (P>0.05)；Under the light intensity above 20 lx，the birth weights of squabs had no significant difference (P>0.05),but at the age of 21 days，the weights of red，blue and green light groups were significant higher than white light group(P<0.05).These results indicated that using natural light during the day and taking monochromatic light supplement measures in the morning and evening could improve production efficiency effectively；Compared with the white light group，the pigeons of the red light per hundred could lay 28.68 more eggs and hatch 11.76 more squabs；In terms of specialized production，under the 1-10 lx illumination intensity，the blue light could promote squabs’ weight gain.