Scientists could revolutionise the poultry industry after discovering that game birds breed best under certain colours of light.
Japanese Quail living under green and yellow lights were found with higher body weights than those grown in white or blue lights at the same intensity, according to new research.
The same coloured light also improved the reproductive possibilities of the bird over a 35 week period.
The research, led by Dr Suneeta Yadav at the Banaras Hindu University in India, could have a profound impact on breeding in the poultry industry.
Dr Yadav said: “We monitored these quail over 35 weeks and found that birds grown in red or green light ended up with higher body weights than those grown in white or blue light at the same intensity and day lengths.
“I am keen to discover why Japanese quail displayed such interesting responses to these wavelengths. ”
Dr Yadav presented his working at the annual meeting of the Society for Experimental Biology (SEB) in Brighton yesterday (Weds).
He added: “We need to carry out molecular analyses of their eye photoreceptors and also figure out what happens to their reproductive hormones in more detail.”
“I have big plans to apply these findings to different fields such as poultry production at the industrial level, cancer and endocrine research, and many others.”
