Relationship of high intensity step‐up lighting to bone ash and growth plate closure of the tarso‐metatarsus in Turkeys

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Abstract
1. The reduced lameness observed in turkeys reared in a high intensity step-up (HISU) lighting programme as compared to a low intensity step-down (LISD) lighting regimen cannot be explained by differences in the inorganic matrix of the bone, because the proportions of bone ash, bone ash calcium, and bone ash phosphorus did not differ between lighting programmes. 2. At 17 weeks of age, there was a significant difference in the proportion of closed growth plates in males reared on the HISU programme rather than on LISD lighting. 3. These results support the hypothesis that HISU lighting reduces lameness by promoting earlier growth plate closure of long bones.