Effects of light and feeding space on leg abnormalities in broilers.

The influence of two management factors on the incidence and severity of leg abnormalities was studied in three experiments utilizing a total of 7200 male broiler chickens. Birds provided intermittent illumination (IL) had significantly fewer and less severe leg abnormalities than birds under continuous illumination. Broilers given 2.94 cm of feeding space per bird had more but less severe leg defects than birds given 1.47 cm of feeding space. Bird activity was greater under IL and is deemed to be at least partially responsible for the stronger legs recorded among broilers under this management practice.