Testing the efficacy of a new LED bulb to be used by the egg-laying industry

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

With the upcoming ban on inefficient light sources such as incandescent bulbs, there is a sense of urgency within the poultry industry to switch to efficient systems. Despite the multiple alternatives currently available on the market, a well defined and studied system specifically addressing the requirements of egg-laying birds is lacking. Thies Electrical Distributing Co., a small Ontario based electrical company, is exploring strategies to design and manufacture an alternative lighting system based on LED technology to be used specifically by the poultry industry. Although they have the capacity to manufacture and distribute a product, they lack the expertise in poultry science and do not have the adequate facility to test and validate their prototypes. Recently, I have shown that light from the red spectrum is critical to stimulate the reproductive axis and maintain high levels of egg production and I have estimated that light bulbs to be used in egg-laying barns should deliver at least 60% in the red spectrum. In addition, such a bulb should be manufactured to withstand harsh barn environment including fluctuations in power (voltage), and should be dimmable. Based on my results, Thies Electrical Distributing Co. have designed a series of prototypes to be validated. This proposal aims at first testing the theoretical efficiency and resiliency of this new LED bulb in an environment that mimics industrial setting and, compare its use versus other existing light sources. Once a solid collaboration has been established with the industrial partner and the product has been validated, large scale experiments and field trials will be performed to further refine this bulb for practical use by the poultry industry. In the short term, this research project will benefit Thies Electrical Distributing Co. by helping them design a suitable product. In the long term it will help the Canadian poultry industry by providing an energy efficient lighting system that promotes productivity, and will enhance Canada's environmental position by reducing agricultural foot-print.