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

随着对白炽灯等低效光源的禁令即将出台，家禽行业内部有一种转向高效系统的紧迫感。尽管目前市场上有多种替代品可供选择，但缺乏一个明确定义和研究的系统，专门解决蛋禽的需求。总部位于安大略省的一家小型电气公司泰斯电气分配公司正在探索策略，以设计和制造一种基于LED技术的替代照明系统，专门用于家禽行业。尽管他们有能力制造和销售产品，但他们缺乏家禽科学方面的专业知识，也没有足够的设施来测试和验证其原型。最近，我证明了来自红色光谱的光对于刺激生殖轴和维持高水平的产蛋量至关重要，我估计用于产蛋库的灯泡应该至少提供60%的红色光谱。此外，这种灯泡的制造应该能够承受恶劣的谷仓环境，包括电源(电压)的波动，并且应该是可调光的。根据我的研究结果，泰斯电气分销公司已经设计了一系列待验证的样机。该建议旨在首先测试这种新型LED灯泡在模拟工业环境的环境中的理论效率和弹性，并将其使用与其他现有光源进行比较。一旦与行业合作伙伴建立了坚实的合作关系，产品得到验证，将进行大规模实验和田间试验，以进一步提炼这种灯泡，供家禽业实际使用。短期内，这个研究项目将帮助泰斯电气分销公司设计出合适的产品，从而使他们受益。从长远来看，它将通过提供节能照明系统来提高生产率，从而帮助加拿大家禽业，并将通过减少农业足迹来提高加拿大的环境地位。

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.