The effects of lighting programs 23L:1E (23L); increasing (INC); 16L: 8E (16L) and natural light (NAT) on performance, carcass yield and immune response of Cobb-500 male broiler were evaluated. Chicks were raised from one to 45-day-old and the treatments were defined according to the lighting programs. The experiment was designed in four treatments with six repetitions of 35 birds each. Broilers of the INC lighting program showed heavier weights (P<0.05). Feed consumption was higher in broilers of the INC treatment when compared to the 23L and NAT (P<0.05), and similar to the 16L (P>0.05). The viability of the NAT treatment broilers was higher than the broilers of the 23L (P<0.05) and similar to the other treatments. Feed conversion and carcass yield were not influence by the treatments (P>0.05). The 23L treatment broilers showed higher breast yield when compared to the other treatments (P<0.05). Differences were not observed among the treatments regarding antibodies levels against Newcastle disease (P>0.05).
broiler chickens; lighting programs; performance; slaughter yield; antibodies levels
