Shed lights

[Headless chicken]

How are others lighting their sheds?
Just had a quote through for proper 200lux lights. Dad disagrees with it being worth it as this isn’t our bottle neck. I tend to agree but want decent level of lighting.
Ignoring milk production increases has anyone seem a fertility improvement from better lights?
if normal batten lights how often are you putting them?

 

[Bald Rick]

How are others lighting their sheds?
Just had a quote through for proper 200lux lights. Dad disagrees with it being worth it as this isn’t our bottle neck. I tend to agree but want decent level of lighting.
Ignoring milk production increases has anyone seem a fertility improvement from better lights?
if normal batten lights how often are you putting them?

TBH you are hard pushed to beat High Pressure Sodium for giving a very even light across a wide distance but they are power hungry.

I would save money and go for "High Barn" LEDs suspended off two anchor chains (but note that over time the chains will rust) or use straps in lieu of chain.
Note that LEDs will not give you 200 lux at cow eye unless you go bananas with the number as they are essentially spot lights (& if you don't believe me, take a light meter and walk slowly away from underneath one and see how quickly the light level drops off)

 

[Grassman247]

TBH you are hard pushed to beat High Pressure Sodium for giving a very even light across a wide distance but they are power hungry.

I would save money and go for "High Barn" LEDs suspended off two anchor chains (but note that over time the chains will rust) or use straps in lieu of chain.
Note that LEDs will not give you 200 lux at cow eye unless you go bananas with the number as they are essentially spot lights (& if you don't believe me, take a light meter and walk slowly away from underneath one and see how quickly the light level drops off)

200 lux is a complete waster of time and energy. just fitting a new shed and the cows have come from a wooden shed with 2 poxy lightbulbs in to a shed with strip lights in. made no difference at all. Not to mention how much it costs per day to achieve it. My advice would be to fit strip lights every bay but have them staggered front to back and that will be plenty its what we have in our other sheds and its fine

 

[Headless chicken]

200 lux is a complete waster of time and energy. just fitting a new shed and the cows have come from a wooden shed with 2 poxy lightbulbs in to a shed with strip lights in. made no difference at all. Not to mention how much it costs per day to achieve it. My advice would be to fit strip lights every bay but have them staggered front to back and that will be plenty its what we have in our other sheds and its fine

so is that every purlin staggered? Or every other? Every 20ft?
I put some in last year with one above the bed one in passage and intended to put one over other bed and then one in feed passage.
The difference in light was certainly pleasant on a sh!t day but maybe that’s too many?

 

[Grassman247]

every 20 ft bay, so if theres 2 passages 1 over the front passage and 1 over the back one

 

[Bald Rick]

200 lux is a complete waster of time and energy. just fitting a new shed and the cows have come from a wooden shed with 2 poxy lightbulbs in to a shed with strip lights in. made no difference at all. Not to mention how much it costs per day to achieve it. My advice would be to fit strip lights every bay but have them staggered front to back and that will be plenty its what we have in our other sheds and its fine

Depends if you believe the research or not TBH although I note that having 200 lux for a minimum of 16 hours a day is an RSCPA "standard" if you want their accreditation

https://science.rspca.org.uk/documents/1494935/9042554/RSPCA+welfare+standards+for+dairy+cattle+%28PDF+7.76MB%29.pdf/41638530-20de-c6cc-5e9c-7b73f9c8f4b7?t=1557731468543

You can get away with a lot less lights using High Barn LEDs than strip LEDs for the same light output but neither will give you 200 lux if that's what you want

 

[Grassman247]

Depends if you believe the research or not TBH although I note that having 200 lux for a minimum of 16 hours a day is an RSCPA "standard" if you want their accreditation

You can get away with a lot less lights using High Barn LEDs than strip LEDs for the same light output but neither will give you 200 lux if that's what you want

as someone who manages without silage additive or slurry bugs no i dont believe any of it because usually its funded by the people selling it! a better foot crush would be money well spent than 200 lux lighting

 

[Bald Rick]

as someone who manages without silage additive or slurry bugs no i dont believe any of it because usually its funded by the people selling it! a better foot crush would be money well spent than 200 lux lighting

I don't disagree that money is often better spent elsewhere

Although slurry bugs do work - especially if you have underfloor slurry lagoons ......

 

[vantage]

Alright if you’re pushing the boundaries like @In the pit neighbour!

 

[Wesley]

Went from fluorescent tubes in our old shed to high bay LED’s where the cows are now. Can’t really pass judgement on fertility or yield as so much else has changed but its certainly a much better light to work in.

 

[Cows 'n grass]

In 200 X 55 sheds with 20' bays we have one 5' LED batton per bay but they alternate from front to back

We only milk very stale cows out of sheds but ours create a very nice working environment.

They're not truly front and back but probably half way between the ridge and eaves.

 

[DairyNerd]

How are others lighting their sheds?
Just had a quote through for proper 200lux lights. Dad disagrees with it being worth it as this isn’t our bottle neck. I tend to agree but want decent level of lighting.
Ignoring milk production increases has anyone seem a fertility improvement from better lights?
if normal batten lights how often are you putting them?

You have lights in your cubicle shed.....

 

[farmerste]

when we put our new shed up 4 years ago was quoted £14500 for a fancy 200lux system with control panel, couldnt justify spending that so ended up putting in high bay leds and making our own controls using timers, total cost £1200. Sheds plenty bright enough when they are on

 

[Wesley]

You have lights in your cubicle shed.....

Not at the moment he doesn’t

 

[Headless chicken]

You have lights in your cubicle shed.....

It’s a real pain when you don’t charge your head torch if you don’t have them

 

[Beef farmer]

A roof, and now lights. Whats next.

These are the cheapest led strip lights the internet has to offer

Always seems plenty bright enough

 

[Mart.benfro]

Alright if you’re pushing the boundaries like @In the pit neighbour!

Pretty sure those lights can be seen from space

 

[Grassman247]

A roof, and now lights. Whats next.

These are the cheapest led strip lights the internet has to offer

Always seems plenty bright enoughView attachment 1119604

timber Perlins that’s cost you at least 5 litres a cow

 

[In the pit]

Pretty sure those lights can be seen from space

There was a huge price tag on them as well £££££

 

[Beef farmer]

timber Perlins that’s cost you at least 5 litres a cow

Combine that with self feed, it saves having a big tank