What color can pigs not see?
In the Pig's Eye
It can be difficult to imagine how taking into account your hog's vision might enhance the quality of your meat in general. However, new research highlights how crucial it is to bear in mind the eyes of your pigs. For instance, although pigs only have two cones in each eye, humans have three. With just one cone per eye, animals can only see in black and white. Pigs fit in the centre as you can see. They are not colorblind, but they have trouble seeing certain color wavelengths, according to this. While hogs have trouble seeing colors in the green and red spectrum, they can distinguish the color blue.
Pigs are drawn to and travel toward brilliantly lighted locations rather than gloomy ones, despite the fact that they are unable to see red and green light. It has been shown that you can control a hog's motions just using light. For instance, loading pigs into a truck is substantially faster when a light is shown in front of them rather than in their eyes. In a similar vein, pigs are encouraged to eat and their rate of growth is increased by flashing a bright light over feeders.
The Glow of Red Swine Lights from Dim LED
Lighting producers, including ONCE Innovations Inc., have developed an LED light with dim to red capabilities using this understanding of swine vision.
Hog farmers may simulate a sunrise and sunset by using LED lights that are dim to red, which helps the animals go to sleep and get up without making them anxious. The result is meatier produce since this characteristic keeps the animals calm and contented. The lights do not totally go off as they dim; instead, they fade to a red glow that the pigs mistake for darkness. As the animals snooze, this enables the animal caretakers to wander around the premises.
Don't Make Your Pork the Center of Attention.
The length of time that the pigs are exposed to light is just as crucial as the kind of illumination employed in a hog barn. Your pigs' health will suffer if the lights in your hog barns are left on all the time. The appetite and pace of increase in your pigs may benefit from longer light periods, according to studies, but they shouldn't be exposed to intense light for a continuous 24 hours. According to the Pork Network, an increase in suckling has been seen, which makes piglets benefit from prolonged light periods (between 15 and 18 hours). Additionally, producers and finishers have indicated an increase in food consumption as a result of extended daylight hours. Hog handlers may generate the finest illumination in their premises using LED dim to red swine lights for the greatest outcomes.
