Poultry lighting is becoming increasingly important. Optimal lighting can significantly improve the welfare and performance of the birds.
Key aspects of good lighting in the poultry farm
Light spectrum
A wide light spectrum is closer to natural light. This improves the vision, welfare, and performance of the hens.
Light flicker
Birds can perceive light flicker as a possible threat. Stress is a consequence of this. Therefore, flicker-free lighting is very important.
Light distribution and intensity
It is very important to provide the right amount and distribution of light in the farm. The best way to achieve this is to establish a customised lighting plan that fits the needs of the house and the animals.
100-0% dimming
To simulate sunrise and sunset, it is important that a lamp is dimmed evenly from 100 to 0%. Natural conditions increase the welfare of the animals.
CRI (colour rendering index)
The closer the CRI is to 100, the more it resembles natural sunlight. As hens have relatively good colour vision, a CRI of at least 80 is recommended. In this way a good vision of the birds is maintained.
CCT (correlated colour temperature)
The higher the colour temperature, the bluer the light (cooler white). The lower the colour temperature, the redder the light (warm white). It is very important to provide the correct colour to optimise the animals’ vision (the optimal light colour depends on the type of bird).
Photoperiod
Each type of bird requires a different photoperiod. The photoperiod depends on the type of bird, the breed, the type of housing and other factors.
Many factors must be considered before implementing lighting in the poultry house. Apart from the productivity of the hens and animal welfare, we attach great importance to the quality of a lighting installation and saving energy costs. Therefore, choosing LED bulbs has many advantages.
Benefits of LED lighting
Higher energy efficiency
The higher the energy efficiency, the less energy is needed to generate the desired amount of light. The energy efficiency of LED bulbs is much higher (46%) than fluorescent bulbs because LEDs produce light differently.
Longer lifetime
The lifetime of a bulb is usually expressed as the estimated average lifetime hours. The average lifetime of LED bulbs is 50,000 hours (+/- 6 years), while conventional bulbs have an average lifetime of 15,000 hours (+/- 2 years).
Optimal lighting climate
An optimal lighting climate includes different aspects of light that meet the needs of birds. The LED light spectrum simulates natural daylight better than fluorescent bulbs, it is flicker-free and reduces bird stress, the light temperature can be adjusted, etc.
Increased fire safety
The fire safety of the lighting installation depends on many factors. One of them is the voltage of the lamps and cables used. The risk of fire on a farm is lower when using 48VDC LED lighting compared to conventional lighting.
Ganal collaborates with Hato Lighting, a trusted partner in lighting. This way we can offer our customers the best lighting solution.
