The Donker dairy farm in the Netherlands installed LED lighting to replace their high pressure sodium lights. This increased light levels which studies have shown leads to cows producing more milk. The LED lights use 70-90% less energy than the sodium lights and have a 5-year warranty with no maintenance. After switching to LEDs, the farm saw a 5% increase in milk production which is anticipated to increase to 15% due to the improved lighting and the addition of cow waterbeds.

1. How LED lighting makes happy cows
And even happier dairy farmers

2. Happy Cows Dialight
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3. Happy Cows Dialight
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This is the Donker dairy farm in the
Netherlands – a state-of-the-art family
owned business.
It's home to 170 cows producing over 1.3
million litres of milk annually.
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4. Happy Cows Dialight
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Have you spotted the bovine waterbeds?
That’s not the only innovation.
The Donkers had a good reason for looking at
a new lighting solution to replace their high
pressure sodium lights.
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5. Happy Cows Dialight
In 2003 a report found that
cows produce more milk if the
barn lighting is improved to a
certain level …
16 hours daily at 150-200 lux
followed by 8 hours darkness.
But adding more light could be
expensive with electricity
costs rising.
And high pressure sodium
fittings need frequent
maintenance.
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6. Happy Cows Dialight
The solution
Instead of high pressure sodium high bays drawing 480W, the
Donkers installed Dialight's 150W LED high bays.
Each carries a 5-year continuous performance warranty, so
there’s no more maintenance expense and hassle.
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7. Happy Cows Dialight
The result
No more yellowish glow.
Instead the light is more like
daylight (217 lux shown here)
And there's no light spill to the
surrounding neighbourhood (a
sensitive issue in Holland).
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8. Happy Cows Dialight
Even better
Unlike high pressure sodium lights which take several minutes
to come on, LEDs have instant-on ability. That means you can
turn them off and on as needed.
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9. Happy Cows Dialight
Even better
Unlike high pressure sodium lights which take several minutes
to come on, LEDs have instant-on ability. That means you can
turn them off and on as needed.
And more … they can be dimmed from 150W to just 30W to
supplement natural light.
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10. Happy Cows Dialight
•Visibility is now better
•Energy costs and CO2
emissions are down by as
much as 90% when using
dimming, 70% at other
times
•Barn workers can now see
colours properly to identify
animals by their ear tags
and spot injuries or other
animal welfare issues
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11. Happy Cows Dialight
•Smaller and cooler running
than HPS fittings, the LEDs
collect less dust and dirt
•They emit no UV, so attract
fewer insects
•Milk production went up
almost immediately by 5%
•With the combination of
the waterbeds and the
lighting, it's anticipated to
go up by as much as 15%
•The farm has drastically cut
operational expenses,
improved production and
created happy, healthy,
productive dairy cows.
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12. Happy Cows Dialight
Installation snapshot
•1,900 sqm facility
•24 x 400W HPS replaced by 24 x 150W LED high bays
•70% energy saved on full power
•90% energy saved by dimming
•No light spill
•Reduced CO2 emissions
•5-year warranty = no maintenance
•Improved light quality
•Increased productivity
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13. For more information about LED lighting Dialight
•www.dialight.com
•info@dialight.com
•TCO calculator – try our calculator to find out what you could
save by installing LED lighting.
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