Poultry Lighting Control With UV-A Feeding During Dark Periods
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern poultry farming faces challenges in maintaining bird health and wellbeing while ensuring growth targets, as extended light periods disrupt natural circadian rhythms and cause gastrointestinal issues and stress due to sudden feeding behavior during light-on cycles.
Innovation Solution
An illumination system using a visible light source to entrain a circadian rhythm with periods of light and dark, combined with an ultraviolet light source emitting UV-A light during dark periods to allow birds to see and feed, thereby maintaining their natural rhythm and reducing stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the period of light is extended to increase broiler growth pace, then growth efficiency is improved, but animal health and welfare deteriorate due to sleep deprivation and disrupted circadian rhythm
Solution Approach 1:
The illumination system segments the light spectrum into different wavelength ranges (visible light for circadian rhythm entrainment and UV-A light for enabling activity during dark periods) and applies them at different times, allowing simultaneous achievement of growth targets and welfare requirements through differentiated spectral components
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the spectral parameters of illumination by switching between visible light wavelengths (for circadian rhythm control) and UV-A wavelengths (380-420nm, for enabling bird activity without disrupting circadian rhythm), allowing the same lighting system to serve multiple functions at different operational phases
2Reliability
If a minimum period of dark is provided to safeguard bird health and melatonin cycle, then circadian rhythm health is improved, but feed intake decreases as birds do not eat or drink during dark periods
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the dark period into distinct functional phases: pure darkness for circadian rhythm maintenance and UV-A illumination periods for enabling feeding activity, allowing birds to maintain healthy circadian rhythms while still accessing feed during designated UV-A illumination windows within the dark period
Solution Approach 2:
The illumination system implements periodic switching between visible light, darkness, and UV-A light phases, creating a structured illumination schedule that periodically enables feeding during dark periods while maintaining overall circadian rhythm integrity through regulated dark exposure
3Productivity
If birds are allowed to feed voraciously at the start of light period to meet growth targets, then growth efficiency is improved, but gastrointestinal upset and disease increase due to sudden large amounts of feed
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary feeding during UV-A illuminated dark periods before the main light period begins, allowing birds to gradually acclimate to feed intake and prepare their gastrointestinal systems, thereby preventing sudden voracious feeding and associated health problems when light period starts
4Quantity of substance
If multiple light sources are used to enable feeding during dark periods without disrupting circadian rhythm, then feed intake is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The illumination system integrates multiple light sources (visible light and UV-A) into a single multi-functional system that can operate in different modes (visible light for circadian entrainment, UV-A for enabling dark period activity), achieving multiple objectives without requiring entirely separate lighting systems
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system enhances bird health and wellbeing by allowing birds to feed and drink during dark periods without disrupting their circadian rhythm, reducing stress and gastrointestinal issues, while maintaining growth schedules.
Implementation Method 1
an ultraviolet light source configured to emit ultraviolet light; control the ultraviolet light source to emit the ultraviolet light at an ultraviolet light intensity for at least one subperiod within the predetermined period of dark
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides an illumination system arranged to illuminate a space for rearing a flock of birds, wherein the illumination system comprises: a visible light source configured to emit visible light; an ultraviolet light source configured to emit ultraviolet light; a controller configured to: (i) entrain a circadian rhythm of the flock of birds by controlling the visible light source to emit the visible light for a predetermined period of light, and not to emit the visible light for a predetermined period of dark; (ii) control the ultraviolet light source to emit the ultraviolet light at an ultraviolet light intensity for at least one subperiod within the predetermined period of dark, wherein the ultraviolet light comprises a peak wavelength within the UV-A wavelength range.