Abstract
Lighting is crucial for the development of broilers as it affects their growth performance, oxidative stress, and overall health. This study investigates the impact of full-spectrum light, infrared light, and LED white light exposure on the growth performance, oxidative stress markers, and cecal microbiota of medium-growth yellow-feathered broilers. A total of 216 medium-growth yellow-feathered chicks (Yuhuang No. 5), five days old, were randomly divided into three groups: 72 chicks in each group, with three replicates of 24 chicks. The birds were raised under different lighting conditions, including LED infrared light (II), full-spectrum therapy light (FB), and LED white light (CG) until day 87. This experiment comprised the early growth phase and measured critical hormones such as Melatonin (Mel), Growth Hormone (GH), and Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone (GHRH), as well as Malondialdehyde (MDA), Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), and Catalase (CAT). Additionally, this study examined the differences in microbiota diversity and composition. The results demonstrated that LED infrared and full-spectrum light exposure significantly (p < 0.05) increased broiler body weight. Particularly, full-spectrum light was effective in comb redness and reducing final comb length and oxidative stress. Furthermore, full-spectrum light improved microbial prosperity and diversity compared with the other lighting conditions. Overall, the findings suggest that full-spectrum lighting is more beneficial for broiler growth, reducing oxidative stress, and promoting gut health compared with LED infrared lighting. These insights can be applied to optimizing broiler farming practices, thereby improving productivity and animal welfare.