Moo Cows !!!!

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Hi all,

I have a customer who is a dairy farmer. He has just put up a massive shed for his cows and now requires lighting.

He has done some investigating and it has been found that if you can prolong the illusion of daylight in the winter months, the cows will produce more milk.

My question is what type of lighting will give this effect?

Some have said metal halide and others sodium.

Also, he requires red coloured lighting for night time.

The shed is around 10000 sq ft.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 
They do a special Daylight Metal Halide bulb which is warmer than standard metal halide, they use it for plants, not sure about Cows :)

 
I may not be an electrician, but I can't for 1 second resist a cow question (even when people keep calling me out).

The good news is that it doesn't actually matter what kind of lighting you use the effect of greater milk yield (around 2.5litres/cow/day) has been found with fluorescent, metal halide and high pressure sodium lights.

It is VITAL that the cows gets somewhere between 6-8 hours of darkness. If the lights are on permanently there is no gain in milk yield. The change needs to be gradual.

There is no need for red lights at night, but they are used by some.

You are looking for 150 lux at cow level.

This paper is good http://www.wdmc.org/2001/wdmc2001p027-30.pdf

I can link more if you like

 
I think we need to buy a forum cow from the forum petty cash...

then do a real time.. live.. on-line.. scientific experiment,

check how much milk you do actually get....

Apache can be the official adjudicator IMHO!Blushing] :)

 
I may not be an electrician, but I can't for 1 second resist a cow question (even when people keep calling me out).The good news is that it doesn't actually matter what kind of lighting you use the effect of greater milk yield (around 2.5litres/cow/day) has been found with fluorescent, metal halide and high pressure sodium lights.

It is VITAL that the cows gets somewhere between 6-8 hours of darkness. If the lights are on permanently there is no gain in milk yield. The change needs to be gradual.

There is no need for red lights at night, but they are used by some.

You are looking for 150 lux at cow level.

This paper is good http://www.wdmc.org/2001/wdmc2001p027-30.pdf

I can link more if you like
Thanks,

The paper has made good reading. I've past on the information to the customer and got a quote for the lighting.

I'll keep you all informed

 
if it is any help... i have done loads of huge Chicken sheds, and they use dimmable flourecents. i think there are about 3 dawns and dusks in one day... so more laying!

 

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