A new LED poultry barn lamp has been developed that has high expectations of increasing production and profitability of layer and breeder operators. Impetus for the project was based on research showing improved health, welfare, and reproductive activity of hens exposed to certain wavelengths of light on the electromagnetic spectrum. Knowing this, and applying a keen understanding of the relationship between poultry biology and behaviour, led Once Innovations (ONCE) to invent a lamp with enhanced blue and red spectral output compared to incandescent, CFL, HPS, and standard LED lamps.

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Zdenko Grajcar, ONCE Chief Technology Officer, said: "This is an exciting time for the poultry industry. Understanding the biological effects of retinal and hypothalamic exposure to light intensity, colour and schedule on domestic fowl has led us to the point where we can reduce stress on birds while increasing production and lowering energy costs. ONCE takes as much pride in consulting on light schedules and testing methodologies for producers as it does in providing the best source of artificial lighting for a variety of poultry applications."

According to Michael Ostaffe, ONCE President, "This remarkable new lamp is designed to mimic sunset and sunrise by shifting its color spectrum to all red at low output levels. This feature allows growers to easily meet UEP guidelines for humane housing by dimming gradually to off. In addition, the dimming to on or off and the shift to the red spectrum allows up to an hour of extra melatonin production per day, potentially leading to better overall egg quality."

The AgriShift® PLE LED Lamp for layers and breeders is ETL Listed to UL and CSA safety standards, and was designed to tough IP66 standards to withstand the environmental conditions of a breeder or layer barn. It uses approximately 12 watts of energy to provide approximately 700 lumens adjusted to domestic fowl spectral sensitivity and is available in an E26/27 screw-in base, a hard-wire connection, and conduit connection.

AgriShift PLE Dim-to-Red Lamps for layers and breeders are currently installed in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada. Information on poultry lamps for layers, breeders, broilers, and turkeys, plus other poultry news can be found at onceinnovations.com or at Once Innovations on Facebook.

Once Innovations (ONCE) is a privately held LED technology development company that makes part of its IP portfolio accessible to companies under licensing agreements while manufacturing highly differentiated LED lighting products – including the AgriShift line of lamps for specific poultry applications. The ONCE technology research, marketing, and product development campus is located in Plymouth, Minnesota, US.