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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Gainesville, Florida » Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology » Mosquito and Fly Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #74291
Title: EFFECTS ON WHITE LEGHORN HENS OF CONSTANT EXPOSURE TO ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT FROM INSECT TRAPS

Author
item Hogsette, Jerome - Jerry
item WILSON, HENRY - POULTRY SCIENCES, U OF F
item SEMPLE-ROWLAND, SUSAN - DEPT OF NEUROSCIENCE, UF

Submitted to: Journal Of Poultry Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/31/1997
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Ultraviolet light traps have been available for fly control in poultry houses for many years. Until the advent of closed housing, however, the use of light traps for fly control was non existant. But because hens are kept at a maximum level of egg production with artificial lighting programs, producers are reluctant to test light traps for fear that additional light may adversely affect the laying cycle. To determine if light from fly traps affects the egg laying cycle in hens, scientists at the Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology conducted tests in small poultry houses in which caged-laying hens were exposed to UV light from insect traps 24 hours a day. Egg production, fertility of inseminated birds, and hatchability of the resulting fertile eggs were un-affected by the exposure to UV light. If studies under commercial conditions have similar results, light traps could be used by poultry producers for fly control in laying houses.

Technical Abstract: Fly traps using ultraviolet light as an attractant may provide a significant degree of fly control in poultry houses. However, these cannot be tested near laying hens because of concern that the additional light may interfere with the laying cycle. To determine whether this was a valid concern, hens were exposed to UV light from insect traps 24 hours per day during a complete laying cycle. There were no adverse effects on egg production, fertility of inseminated hen, or the fertility of the resulting eggs.