The energy-efficient narrow-band emission of LED light sources makes lighting technology of great value in life science applications. In this article, KEN MARRIN describes how solid-state lighting can be used in poultry farming applications to reduce electricity bills and increase production.
Experts predict that by 2030, global demand for food will double. To meet this demand, food producers are adopting new technologies to increase production at lower costs while reducing environmental stress. Most of these production techniques focus on strengthening traditional inputs such as water, air, nutrients and space. However, light is a largely unexplored production input.
By using LED lighting, using the unique spectral needs of poultry, pigs, cows, fish or crustaceans, farmers can reduce stress and poultry mortality, regulate circadian rhythms, and dramatically increase yields of eggs, meat and other protein sources, while significantly Reduce energy use and other input costs.
Solid-state lighting (SSL) niche applications include agricultural-specific lighting, which can generate huge revenue potential. Major manufacturers such as Philips and Osram have developed spectrally-adjustable LED lights for the agricultural and horticultural industries, as well as small businesses such as once Innovations and NextGen Illumination, which produce LED lights for the poultry market.
Many livestock farmers still use 60W, 80W and 100W incandescent lamps in their barns. These lights are very suitable for the human environment, but incandescent lamps are not the same as sunlight. The best light for humans is not necessarily suitable for other animals. The spectrum of daylight is significantly different from the spectrum of incandescent lamps. Daylight is a combination of all colors.
Figure 1a shows the number of each color in daylight at noon. At this time of the day, blue and green are brighter than red. Figure 1b shows the number of colors in daylight at the end of the day. At this time, red is brighter than green and blue.
Comparison of incandescent lamps, fluorescent lamps, high pressure sodium lamps, LEDs
Modern barn lighting systems attempt to mimic the spectrum of the sun, trying to provide a continuous spectrum of all colors, with no gaps in between. The incandescent lamp (Fig. 2a) effectively simulates the sunlight at sunset, producing a continuous spectrum, with more red, less green, and only a little blue. However, this spectrum does not simulate the midday sun. Some manufacturers attempt to coat the bulb to change the spectrum, but this method does not produce a continuous spectrum. In addition, incandescent bulbs are also very inefficient, often burned out, and require a level of moisture protection. Of course, incandescent lamps will soon be banned from production.
Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) have good efficiency and produce white light, but their light output is designed for human vision. White light is achieved by creating and combining narrow bands of red, green and blue. Therefore, there is a large difference in the spectrum between the red, blue, and green peaks, and many of the red, blue, and green wavelengths that exist in sunlight are lost (Fig. 2b). Blu-ray is particularly weak, and most of the deeper red is lost. In general, compact fluorescent lamps do very badly mimic natural light, are difficult to clean (curled shape), contain a small amount of toxic mercury, require a moisture-proof outer casing, and do not tint well.
High-pressure sodium lamps (HPS) have excellent efficiency and high light output, with the strongest chromatogram in red and yellow, giving the bulb a unique orange or amber color. However, like energy-saving lamps, many chromatograms are missing, especially green and blue. In addition, high pressure sodium lamps are also difficult to dim, are slow to preheat, require ballast operation, have high upfront costs, and may contain sodium and/or mercury.
LEDs are the most efficient and environmentally friendly products in agricultural lighting solutions, producing white light by combining blue LEDs with red and green phosphors. The spectrum is close to continuous (Figure 3), blue is particularly strong, but there are plenty of green and red. Although not entirely daylight, from a human perspective, LED spectroscopy provides approximate daylight and no spectral gaps like other technologies. In addition, they have the longest life (up to 10 years, all-weather operation), are rugged, resistant to vibration and allow for color shift and color control. LEDs have high upfront costs, but these costs can be recovered through energy savings, minimizing total cost of ownership.
LED application in poultry breeding
The biggest advantage of LEDs is the ability to provide a customizable, tunable spectrum. The spectral sensitivity of animals is different from that of humans, as is the spectral requirement. By optimizing the spectrum, radiation and modulation in the barn, farmers can create a good lighting environment for livestock, allowing livestock to be happy and promote their growth while minimizing energy and feed expenditures.
Poultry is four-colored. Like humans, poultry has a peak sensitivity to green at 550 nm. But they are also highly sensitive to red, blue and ultraviolet (UV). But the most striking difference between humans and poultry may be the ability of poultry to visually sense ultraviolet light (peak at 385 nm).
Each color has a significant effect on the physiology of poultry. For example, the proliferation of skeletal muscle satellite cells can be enhanced by green light, increasing growth rate at an early stage. Blue light increases growth by increasing plasma androgen at a later age. Narrowband blue light reduces motion and also reduces self-killing rates. Green and blue light together promote the growth of muscle fibers. Overall, Blu-ray has been shown to increase feed conversion by 4%, reducing cost per pound by 3% and increasing overall live weight by 5%.
Red light can increase the growth rate of chickens at the beginning of the feeding period and increase the amount of exercise of the chickens, thus minimizing leg disease. Red light also reduces feed consumption per egg production, and the eggs produced do not differ in size, weight, eggshell thickness, egg yolk and albumin weight. Overall, the red light has been shown to increase peak production, with an increase in egg production per hen by 38 eggs and a 20% reduction in consumption.
Standards and subsidies
Although LEDs have many advantages, the initial investment costs are high. Part of the reason is that the lack of performance standards in the agricultural lighting industry makes it difficult for consumers who buy agricultural lighting LEDs to get energy-saving subsidies like incandescent and compact fluorescent lamps.
Fortunately, standards are being developed and key performance standards such as durability, performance, reliability and security will be set, and several companies have expressed interest in joining standards.
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