Research Article Open Access

Effects of Artificial Light Parameters on Activity Patterns in Pekin Ducks: A Preliminary Study

Authors

Gabrielle M. House
Department of Poultry Science, Texas A&M University AgriLife Extension, College Station, TX 77843, USA
|
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Gregory S. Archer
iD 0000-0002-9371-797X
Department of Poultry Science, Texas A&M University AgriLife Extension, College Station, TX 77843, USA
Published on: June 06, 2026
DOI 10.66920/ijps.2026.99.105
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Abstract

Background and Objective: Artificial lighting is a critical environmental factor influencing poultry behavior, welfare and productivity. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of key artificial lighting parameters, including photoperiod, spectral composition and light intensity, on activity patterns in Pekin ducks using accelerometer-based monitoring.

Materials and Methods: Three independent experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of different lighting parameters on duck activity. In each experiment, 32 ducks per treatment were fitted with accelerometer data loggers using body harnesses and activity was recorded at 10 sec intervals over 48 consecutive hours. Experiment 1 compared two photoperiods, 16L:8D and 20L:4D. Experiment 2 evaluated white LED lighting with and without ultraviolet supplementation. Experiment 3 assessed four light intensity regimens, 20 lux, 20 gallilux, decreasing from 20 to 5 lux and decreasing from 20 to 5 gallilux. Data were analyzed using generalized linear models, with statistical significance set at p<0.05 and mean separation performed using Fisher’s least significant difference test.

Results: In Experiment 1, the 20L:4D photoperiod significantly increased activity during the photophase compared with 16L:8D, while no significant differences were observed in total or scotophase activity. In Experiments 2 and 3, no significant differences were detected in average total, photophase, or scotophase activity among treatments, although temporal variations were observed at specific time points.

Conclusion: Pekin duck activity is influenced by photoperiod duration, whereas ultraviolet light supplementation and variations in light intensity, expressed in lux or gallilux, do not significantly affect overall activity patterns under the conditions tested.

Keywords:

Accelerometer, activity, artificial lighting, light intensity, Pekin duck, photoperiod ultraviolet light, poultry welfare

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Copyright (c) 2026 Gabrielle M. House, Gregory S. Archer

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

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House, G., & Archer, G. (2026). Effects of Artificial Light Parameters on Activity Patterns in Pekin Ducks: A Preliminary Study. International Journal of Poultry Science, 25, 99–105. https://doi.org/10.66920/ijps.2026.99.105
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