Recently, Dr. Aaron Stephan, Director of Research and Innovation had the opportunity to talk with WATT Poultry news regarding gradient lighting for broilers. Watch or read the interview below.
How is gradient lighting different from traditional broiler house lighting?
Traditionally, broiler house lighting has focused on providing uniform lighting, with the same lux or footcandles readings across the floor to ensure that every bird gets the same light conditions. This was thought to promote uniformity in flock weight. Gradient lighting, however, takes a different approach. It involves moving lights from the ceiling down to the feed lines. In this system, regions of high light intensity are placed near the feed pans, which then taper off into regions of lower light intensity between feed lines. Light intensity may be greater than 100 lux near the pans, and as low as one lux in the dimmer areas.
Where did the idea of gradient lighting come from?
The idea of gradient lighting came from two sources. First, it came from nature. Chickens' wild ancestor, the Red Junglefowl, evolved in an environment that had non-uniform lighting. In the jungle, sunlight is dappled, with regions of relatively high light intensity and other regions that are more shaded and have relatively low light intensity. The second source of inspiration is scientific research. Many studies have looked at chickens' preferences for high or low light intensities. We know that chickens prefer brighter light intensity when they are young, and they prefer lower light intensity as they grow older. A series of studies originating from the University of Arkansas by then-Professor Karen Christensen found that when given a choice in light intensities, chickens preferred to spend some percentage of their time in low light and other times in high light. Moreover, the chickens tended to position themselves to have direct access to either bright or dim lighting conditions.
What advantages are you seeing in terms of flock performance and welfare?
Gradient lighting has significant impacts on chicken behavior. For instance, chickens' overall movement is increased, and the uniformity in movement is also improved. Published benefits include increases in dust bathing, improvements in leg health, and reduced fear behaviors. On the performance side, published research as well as our own commercial trials have shown an average of 4 points in Feed Conversion. We've also found that the gradient lighting system has other advantages. For instance, it is lower cost to install and uses up to 80% less energy consumption.
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Watch the Interview
Curious how gradient lighting could help your barn or operation? Connect with us at once.info@signify.com, or use the 'chat now' feature popping up on the right side of your screen.