Lighting for poultry with light-emitting diodes (LEDs)

Introduction
Despite being relatively new, light-emitting diode (LED) lighting has already shown a lot of promise in agricultural applications. This fact sheet offers details about LED lights, including how to choose them and what to look for when buying them for a farm. Various lighting systems installed in the same barn are used as a cost comparison example.

Since it accounts for a significant portion of the monthly energy consumption, lighting is a crucial component in the majority of poultry operations (Figure 1). Historically, incandescent or fluorescent lamps were used to illuminate barns to the necessary level. Farmers are seeking for more energy-efficient lighting equipment, such as light-emitting diodes, to lower monthly lighting expenses (LEDs). Both the farmer and society benefit from adopting LED technology that uses less energy and boosts overall productivity. Using particular spectrum illumination as a way to enhance bird performance while reducing light energy consumption may also have production benefits. Because LEDs consume less energy, switching to them may enhance income all around.
 

What makes LEDs different？
Solid-state lighting refers to the kind of illumination that comes from a solid-state semiconductor chip or diode, such as LEDs (usually made from silicone). Since LEDs don't produce light from a filament (as incandescent lights do) or an excited gas in a vacuum tube (like compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) do), they may have some highly unique characteristics that set them apart from other lighting technologies.

Compared to previous types of illumination, LEDs can tolerate more abuse. Since LEDs don't have a filament, they can survive more rough handling and vibration, but dropping them is still quite dangerous to the life of the bulb.

Instant illumination is provided via LEDs. In contrast to fluorescent and compact fluorescent lighting, LED lighting doesn't need to warm up. Without any warm-up time, LEDs turn on at maximum brightness. LEDs continue to provide rapid on/off illumination even when the temperature dips.

LEDs don't give out heat. LEDs conduct heat rather than emitting heat as conventional light bulbs do. Therefore, they must be produced with a heat sink (these are the fins that are seen on some LEDs). The fins enhance the surface area and help to dissipate heat away from the diodes and out the bulb's exterior. These heat sinks may have big fins, tiny dimples, smooth surfaces, or even fans, all of which enable the extra heat to be dissipated. A sample heat sink is shown in Figure 3.

LED lighting prefers the cold. LEDs are cold-tolerant and ideal for outdoor use in colder climates, unlike other lighting technologies. The light output from the bulbs may rise by 20% when the temperature lowers from 24°C to -59°C due to an increase in the luminous effectiveness of the bulbs.

Benwei chicken coop led light tube: