Improving poultry parent flock management technology through lighting system modification at the poultry farm AO Vasilevskaya ptitsefabrika

Abstract

The research findings on optimizing the lighting system for maintaining Ross-308 poultry parent flock at the Bekovskaya site of the poultry farm AO Vasilevskaya ptitsefabrika are discussed. The main issue was the high percentage of floor eggs (6.3%) which negatively affected the quality of hatching eggs and hatching increasing production costs and reducing profitability. The authors analyzed poultry housing technology including microclimate parameters, feeding systems, and lighting regimes. It was found that standard lighting (LED fixtures at a 90° angle) created pronounced shaded areas along feeding lines which encouraged egg-laying outside nests and worsened sanitary indices. During the experiment, the angle of the lighting fixtures in the nesting area was adjusted to 45° ensuring uniform light distribution at intensity of 20-30 lux and completely eliminating shaded zones. The findings showed a consistent reduction in the proportion of floor eggs to 2.3% over 8 weeks of observation approaching the industry standard (1.5%) and confirming the method effectiveness. This improvement led to a 4-5% increase in hatchability and significant growth in production efficiency. Notably, the lighting system modernization required only minor technical adjustments without capital investments demonstrating high practical value of the study. The research clearly highlights the critical importance of optimizing lighting regimes in modern commercial poultry farming. The obtained findings may be successfully scaled to other enterprises in the industry. The key success factors included eliminating shaded areas and creating optimal lighting conditions in nesting devices stimulating natural laying behavior and enhancing productivity.