Lighting

Farm lighting and productivity: what's the connection?

Farm lighting is more than just lights on the ceiling. It can control animal biorhythms, influence milk yields, accelerate weight gain, shape livestock behavior, and maintain a microclimate in the room that positively affects animal health and productivity.

In cowsheds, the right light regime stimulates milk production to increase milk yield. In pigsties, it affects piglet growth, appetite and overall well-being. In poultry houses, the light spectrum affects egg production, broiler growth rate and the state of the immune system.

VADA offers a variety of lamps, floodlights, luminaires and accessories for any type of farm.

Benefits of LED lighting on the farm

Light-emitting diode (LED) lighting is gradually replacing traditional incandescent and fluorescent analogues. The reasons for this are clear:

• They are economical, as they consume 60-90% less electricity;
• durable with a service life of 30,000 to 50,000 hours;
• the brightness and spectrum of light can be adjusted to suit different types of animals and any period of their development;
• emit less heat, which is very important in summer and when animals are densely packed.

Why is lighting so important in livestock and poultry farming? Because it affects the biological rhythms of animals and poultry (sleep-wakefulness, appetite, sexual maturation), productivity levels (milk yield, weight gain, egg production), immunity and stress resistance, and animal behaviour (less aggressive and better adapted to the environment).

Large farms use specialised industrial lighting fixtures that are resistant to moisture, dust, temperature fluctuations and mechanical damage.

Industrial lighting on farms should not only be economical, but also safe for animals and resistant to difficult operating conditions.

Lighting for livestock - how to choose the right one

The lighting standards for cowsheds, pig farms and other livestock complexes vary slightly. For example, the lighting standard for a cattle farm should be in the range of 150-200 lux, and in milking parlours - up to 300 lux. On pig farms, it is recommended to provide 80-100 lux, and in farrowing sow rooms - 100-150 lux. In broiler houses, the illumination should be maintained at 20-30 lux, while 10-15 lux is sufficient for laying hens.

Since the length of daylight hours affects the biorhythms of animals, there are also some nuances to consider. Cows are recommended to have 16-18 hours of light and 6-8 hours of darkness - this regime stimulates milk yield by 6-10%. For pigs, daylight hours should last 14-16 hours, especially for farrowing sows and fattening piglets. Otherwise, appetite deteriorates and growth slows down. At poultry farms, it is important to provide broilers with 23-24 hours of light in the first week of life, gradually reducing it to 18-20 hours. For layers, it is 14-16 hours with a gradual increase from the 8th week of life.

When choosing lighting, give preference to LED lamps with adjustable brightness and spectrum, avoid flickering as it negatively affects the nervous system of animals, provide uniform lighting without shadow zones, and use dust and moisture-proof lamps.

How to choose the right lighting for poultry farming

The lighting in the poultry house should be as uniform as possible, as any changes in brightness can cause stress in the birds.

Before you buy lamps, you need to figure out which spectrums to choose for which type of bird. VADA experts recommend combining soft white light with an emphasis on the green-blue spectrum for broilers. For laying hens, warm white light with an admixture of red is suitable. And for young birds, at the beginning of their life, you need to provide more green and blue lighting, and gradually move to warm white.

A well-chosen spectrum helps to stimulate the growth and egg production of poultry, improving their well-being.

Dimming of light

Dimming is a gradual change in light brightness that allows you to simulate natural dawns and dusk:

• In the morning, the brightness increases gradually over 30-60 minutes;
• In the evening, the light fades out just as smoothly.

Dimming has a favourable effect on the poultry, they feel calm, eat well and sleep well.

Where to buy lighting for farms in Ukraine?

Do you need LED lamps, floodlights and accessories? Contact the VADA online store - here you can buy everything for lighting cattle farms, cowsheds, poultry houses, pig farms at an affordable price, with a quality guarantee and fast delivery throughout Ukraine.

We will help you choose the most suitable lighting option for your farm. You can buy LED lights for cowsheds, pig farms and poultry houses in our catalogue - we will select the best option for any farm.