Ames, Iowa — Anyone who’s ever entertained a cat with a laser pointer will understand the premise behind the latest research at Iowa State University involving lasers and young chickens.
ISU animal science professor Liz Bobeck found a way to motivate chickens to move around using specially-designed lasers. They project a red dot onto the floor of the pens to stimulate the birds’ predatory instincts, encouraging them to be more active.
That’s especially important because as the chickens approach market weight, they often become more sedentary, but the lasers keep them hopping.
An initial concern was that if the birds exercised more, they’d lose weight, but Bobeck says they’re finding the opposite, that the broilers saw improved weight gain and bone density.
Laser pointers always carry warnings about how dangerous it can be to gaze into the high-intensity light, but Bobeck says none of the test chickens have wound up visually impaired.
ISU is working with a livestock lighting company to eventually take this concept to market.
