Effect of light intensity level during prelay light restriction on subsequent reproductive performance of turkey breeder hens.

Two trials were conducted to determine whether light intensity levels during the prelay (light restriction) and the lay (egg production) periods influenced subsequent photoinduced reproductive performance of turkey breeder hens. The light intensity levels were 22 and 270 lx and each was provided during the prelay and lay periods in a factorial arrangement. Each of the period light intensity levels were applied to half of the hens from each prelay treatment group. Data were collected for BW, rate of reproductive development, egg production, fertility, hatchability, egg weight, and poult weight. There were no interactions between the prelay and lay period treatments, nor a consistent prelay light intensity effect on rate of initiation of lay or duration of time to achieve 50% production. In addition, prelay and lay light intensity levels had no consistent effects on rate of lay, percentage of fertility and hatchability, egg weight, and poult weight. It was concluded that there was no advantage to the use of high-intensity light during short-day light restriction of the prelay period on subsequent reproductive performance.