A correct lighting is essential in poultry houses

There are a lot of poultry farmers who understand the significance of light in getting the most out of their birds. When the lighting conditions are optimal, all types of poultry, including chickens, turkeys, commercial growers, parent stock, and laying hens, will function more effectively.

LED is quickly becoming the only viable alternative for illumination that will be available in the near future. Because many manufacturers have already implemented LED systems, the present moment is an opportune time to learn about the advantages of this technology and to embrace what it has to offer.

When compared to more traditional lighting technologies, such as incandescent, fluorescent CFL, or halogen, it is common knowledge that LED lighting results in lower overall energy costs. Indeed, LEDs are so energy-efficient that the EU estimates that switching Europe to LED lighting will result in a reduction in annual carbon emissions of 15.2 million tonnes and a savings of the equivalent of Portugal's annual electricity consumption.

So, what are some more advantages that LED has to offer? The aspect of welfare is the one that is the most important. It has been shown that a well-designed lighting scheme can improve performance merely by reducing stress, and LED offers a great deal of versatility in terms of both the colour spectrum and its capacity to be dimmed, which makes it possible to create the best possible result.

It is helpful to return to the "first principles" of biology in order to get a better understanding of how lighting can influence the performance of chickens. The eyes of poultry are huge and highly sensitive, and their light perception is distinct from that of humans. For instance, in contrast to humans, birds are more vulnerable to the effects of ultraviolet light. Because of this, lighting that was designed for people may have unintended consequences when applied to chickens.

Poultry are able to detect light not just with their eyes, via the retina, but also with their skulls. The pineal gland, which is responsible for regulating daily behavioural cycles, and the hypothalamus, which is responsible for regulating metabolism and reproduction, are both directly stimulated by light that enters the brain through the skull. The hypothalamus and pineal gland are both affected, albeit indirectly, by the light that is seen through the eye. When there is a low degree of light intensity, light does not enter the skull. The light that is received by the retina is what drives the circadian cycle of the bird.

In what ways, then, does this influence the way a poultry lighting plan is conceived?

In the first place, due to the sensitivity of the eye, it is essential to select a source of illumination whose spectrum is as similar to that of natural sunshine as is humanly possible. In this regard, incandescent light performs fairly well, and its colour rendering at the warm end of the spectrum is very similar to that of daylight. On the other hand, fluorescent lighting has poor performance across the board in terms of the visible spectrum. LED lighting provides the most accurate representation of the Daylight profile, with consistent results across the colour spectrum.

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