A new energy efficient lighting system for poultry farms
uses bulbs with a light spectrum specially adjusted for chicken retinas. The
makers say it reduces animal pecking and crowding; making for more relaxed and
happy chickens. Many livestock farmers still use incandescent lamps in
their barns, but these are designed for human eyes. Optimal light conditions
are especially hard to achieve in poultry farming; too much light will cause
stress to the birds, whereas if it's too dark in certain areas they are more
likely to lay eggs on the floor instead of nest boxes, making them harder to
collect.
According to John Matcham from Greengage Lighting Ltd.,
the chicken's superior eyesight isn't taken into account by traditional
lighting that is better suited for human sight. "We're only seeing
about 40 percent or so of what the chicken actually sees. They see much, much
more detail," Matcham told Reuters, adding: "It's not just about how
bright the light is; it's about light saturation, image saturation."
Edinburgh-based
Greengage Lighting Ltd spent
several years developing its AgriLamp Induction System - known by the acronym
ALIS - which uses up to 60 percent less energy than other common forms of
agricultural lighting. The induction technology in each LED fixture means it is
simply clipped onto the power cable in order to turn on. The patented system is
shatterproof and water resistant, with the bulbs lasting at least 60,000 hours,
according to the company. Crucially, ALIS delivers an even spread of light
to minimize 'hotspots' and shadows.
"Today for humans in an office we have to have
between 5 and 7 hundred lux [units of illumination] of light on a desk and it
must be a minimum of 200 hertz. What we've done here is have a system that's
operating on a system of 50,000 hertz; so there's lots and lots of frequency,
no risk of any flickering effect. And we've got a saturation right across the
spectrum of light that enables a bird to see more detail," added Matcham.
The ALIS lamp has a light spectrum that is much closer to
that of sunlight which, Matcham said, makes it ideal for mimicking the natural
influence that daylight has on a hen's ability to produce an egg.
"We need about 14 hours a day to keep the birds
thinking it's spring and summer so they keep producing eggs for us," he
said. "So the right type of light has to do a multitude of tasks; it has
to keep the birds calm, it has to stimulate all of the different glands inside
of the body that work to produce the hormones that says 'I'm going to lay an
egg'; and then we get a nice egg."
This made it a perfect option for Woodcock
Farm in Derbyshire, which has been using the
ALIS system for two years in its hen barns.
"I can definitely say that the chickens are moving
around a lot more even; the way they perch and sleep at night, and when they
move around in litter areas. And also for my staff, we're walking the birds
every day, checking them for stock and floor eggs etc. So it's a lot easier for
them because they see an even light and they see in a better light as well. So
I seem to have a better, happy staff as well as happy chickens," said farm
owner Andrew Watson. "By manipulating and moving the light - giving
them the intensity and the detail of information - they don't need to struggle
for it. So there's less stress. And the types of things we start to see and
benefits are in some cases reduced quantities of water, which is often an
indicator if the birds are stressed if they're drinking an excessive amount of
water," added Matcham.
ALIS has been tested by the UK's national measurement
institute, the National
Physical Laboratory (NPL), with its performance subsequently verified by an EU
Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) pilot program. Greengage Lighting Ltd.
says this shows that ALIS gives a high luminosity for low power consumption
through a safe current.
AgriLamp says its bulbs are significantly more energy
efficient than all other traditional bulbs and energy saving bulbs such as CFLs
(compact fluorescent lamp) and halogen bulbs. While the LED lamps cost slightly
more to buy, AgriLamp says the savings over time vastly outweigh the initial
cost. At Woodcock Farm, however, it was the effect it had on the happiness
of the brood that was most enlightening.
"The difference between outside and inside is a lot
more balanced. So even inside when they're in the scratching areas; they're
very happy, they're scratching, natural behavior from there and they enjoy it.
Their eyesight is far better than ours and so they must be clearly enjoying it
because they can see better," said farmer Andrew Watson. "And if
the chickens are happy, I'm happy - it wins for everybody."
Source: Reuters.com
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