The Effects of Feed Color on Broiler Performance between Day 1 and 21

SIMPLE SUMMARY: It is well established that birds, including chickens, can see in a broad range of the color spectrum, and some colors can be stimulatory. The objective of this research was to determine whether coloring feed could stimulate broiler (meat-type) chickens to consume more and, thus, grow at a greater rate. In two trials, feed was colored red, green, blue, yellow, orange, and purple. The most effective colors for increasing broiler performance were blue and purple. Other colors had little influence. Based on the results of this study, coloring feed to increase how much a broiler eats seems mostly ineffective. There may, however, be some value to further research exploring blue and purple coloring of broiler feeds. ABSTRACT: Two trials were conducted to determine feed color effects on broiler performance. A completely randomized design was used. Trial 1 included four treatments: control (complete broiler starter diet), red, green, and blue; and Trial 2 included four treatments: control, orange, yellow, and purple. Each trial had 4 treatments with 4 replicates (60 birds/treatment) fed to 240 male Cobb 500 broilers during a 21 d grow out. Data were analyzed using the GLM procedure. In Trial 1, there were no treatment effects on average body weight, body weight gain, and feed consumption (p > 0.05). Adjusted feed conversion for control (1.23) was less than red (1.27; p = 0.001) and green (1.26; p = 0.009), with blue (1.25; p = 0.056) tending to be different during the experimental period. In Trial 2, there were no treatment effects on average body weight, feed consumption, and adjusted feed conversion during this study (p > 0.05). Body weight gain between d 1 to 14 for purple (490.78 g/bird) was more than orange (467 g/bird; p = 0.013) and yellow (461 g/bird; p= 0.004), with control (474 g/bird; p = 0.052) tending to be different. Results indicate that these feed colors had some, albeit limited, influence on broiler performance parameters.