Lights in cattle sheds

davidroberts30

Member

Location

pembrokeshire

• Nov 14, 2021

• #1

Do cattle perform better with lights left on?
Got no light in sheds here at all so wondering if it worth putting a few LED floodlights up about the yard on a timer

Would certainly make me feel happier not trudging about in the dark

 

Northeastfarmer

Member

Location

Cleveland

• Nov 14, 2021

• #2

Cattle don’t need lights on to find the grub.

 

milkloss

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

East Sussex

• Nov 14, 2021

• #3

Only have lights for when there’s trouble. Don’t want them the rest of the time or you’ll never stop working.

 

Netherfield

Member

Location

West Yorkshire

• Nov 14, 2021

• #4

Kept lights on where a some that were due to calve were kept.

 

W

Werzle

Member

Location

Midlands

• Nov 14, 2021

• #5

Helps motivate bulling i would say and proven to increase milk production

 

davidroberts30

Member

Location

pembrokeshire

• Nov 14, 2021

• #6

Just beef steers here
They seem slow to me when I want to move them out to feed at night
Then a lot of bumping about when I let them back to the grub

 

H

hagar

Member

Location

Sunny Ayrshire!!!

• Nov 14, 2021

• #7

Always lights on through night when cattle in, plenty mates put lights off at 5.30pm and dont go near them til til 7-7.30 next morning.
Sorry but not my style, always check coos at bedtime and every 3-4 hours when calving.

 

Samcowman

Member

Mixed Farmer

Location

Cornwall

• Nov 14, 2021

• #8

Yes I believe they eat more with more daylight hours.
In our calf rearing shed always leave the lights on in the passageway off in the bedding area at night. When we started leaving them on it definitely upped intakes earlier in the morning.
Remember hearing the guy from Straight line beef?? Talking about it in their finishing sheds and it upping performance there.
I would do it anyway in your situation regardless of performance if you are having to work them in the dark for safety.

 

F

Fendt516profi

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

Yorkshire

• Nov 14, 2021

• #9

My uncle always said cows don't do till the nights start drawing out. Never left lights on for them though. You wouldn't sit in house in dark everynight eating your tea

 

shumungus

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

Ballyclare Northern Ireland

• Nov 14, 2021

• #10

The Chicken and Pig game would soon educate you about lighting patterns. Low wattage night lights here in all cattle and sheep sheds, many benefits, better performance less pushing in the morning, very chilled atmosphere and you can slip around the sheds at bedtime and spot problems easier for everything doesn't get up when you put the light on. Its a bit of a no brainer cows graze at first light in the summer time and that is 3.30am here. Always more cattle feeding at any one time during the night since we used night lights.

 

J

Jonp

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

Gwent

• Nov 14, 2021

• #11

When either the cattle or the sheep are in the shed I leave a single low wattage LCD light on....it's like moonlight. Can check animals by looking through an opening without disturbing them. They can see to drink and feed without trampling on something and seem to be calm and feel safe....I wouldn't like to be shut in a shed in the pitch black.

 

Whitepeak

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

Buxton, Derbyshire

• Nov 14, 2021

• #12

Dairy recommendations is 16hrs light (200lux), 8hrs dark (50lux) for milking cows whereas for dry cows and calves it's the opposite, 16hrs dark, 8hrs light. Think the dry cows and calves need more lying down/sleeping time hence more dark.
Would imagine growing/finishing cattle would be the same as milking cows, to maximise feed intakes and therefore growth.
I would have thought if you have light 24/7 it would have a negative effect due to not giving the animals an appropriate rest/sleep period.

 

Anymulewilldo

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

Cheshire

• Nov 15, 2021

• #13

Dairy next door have light on all the time. Very very low level at night. It gives the shy members of the herd full chance too drink and feed without the bully’s being there too hassle them. We’re talking 1 small bulb in a big cubicle shed. As someone above said, mimicking strong moonlight