Light and Animals

Below are some research excerpts on how fluorescent light effects animals. Cool white fluorescent light can have an effect on research results.

As unusual as these excerpts sound, scientists do acknowledge similar biological traits in animals as found in humans.

Poult Sci 1987 Feb;66(2):215-7

Lighting of end of lay broiler breeders: fluorescent versus incandescent. Ingram DR, Biron TR, Wilson HR, Mather FB. An 18-week experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of changing from incandescent to fluorescent lighting on egg production, egg weight, fertility, and hatchability of end of lay broiler breeders housed in an open-sided house. Forty-eight-week-old Cobb feather-sexed broiler breeders were housed, 30 females and 3 males per pen, in a total of 28 pens. Incandescent lights had been used previously, so pens were randomly assigned to either fluorescent or incandescent lights giving 20 lx of light at bird level. Lights used were 60 W incandescent and 22 W fluorescent cool-white circular. Body weight and egg production were measured weekly, and fertility, hatchability, and egg weight were determined monthly from 48 to 65 weeks of age. No significant treatment effects were observed on body weight, fertility, hatchability, or egg weight. A significant reduction in egg production was observed with fluorescent lighting from Weeks 58 to 65. The reduced egg production indicated it was detrimental to change from incandescent to cool-white fluorescent lighting. PMID: 3588487

Poult Sci 1984 May;63(5):920-6

The effect of high and low intensity cool-white fluorescent lighting on the reproductive performance of turkey breeder hens. Siopes TD. Large White turkey breeder hens were exposed to incandescent or cool-white (CW) fluorescent light of either high or low light intensity as the sole light source. Light treatments were quantified in both photometric and radiometric units for the entire visible spectrum as well as the 600 to 700 nm range of the visible spectrum. Photostimulation with these light sources occurred at 32 weeks of age and the subsequent effects on body weight, feed intake, and reproductive performance were observed over a 20-week egg laying period. Body weights and feed intakes were similar among the treatments. There were no significant differences in early season egg production (0 to 10 weeks) or fertility, hatchability, egg weight, and egg specific gravity due to light intensity or light source over the 20-week test period. However, CW fluorescent light delayed the onset of egg production from that of hens exposed to incandescent light (20.7 vs. 19.3 days, respectively) and significantly depressed late season (10 to 20 weeks) egg production from that observed in hens on incandescent light (23.9 vs. 31.9 eggs per hen, respectively). As a result, total egg production was significantly lower in the CW fluorescent (67.9 eggs/hen) than the incandescent treatment (75.2 eggs/hen). No significant differences in total eggs per hen occurred between the low and high light intensity treatments.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) PMID: 6728803

Ott, John N, Health and Light, New York: Pocket Book edition by Simon and Schuster, 1977, p. 98.

John Ott, PhD, dramatizes the importance of full spectrum light. 2000 mice were observed under four different types of light. In an otherwise identical, controlled environment, the C3H strain of mice developed spontaneous tumors. Ê

Mice died at      ÊÊLight Type Mice Were Under

7.5 monthsÊ      ÊÊ  Pink fluorescents

8.2 monthsÊ      ÊÊ  Standard cool white fluorescents

15.6 months  ÊÊ      Full Spectrum Fluorescents

16.1 months  ÊÊ      Natural sunlight Ê

 

For other pertinent topics, see left navigation bar and view topics below:

The Joy of Seeing Colors!
Color for Professionals
Does Light Go Beyond Vision?
Our Bulbs and Glare
Our Bulbs and UV Radiation
Photosensitivity
Children and Light
Seniors and Light
Light and Animals

Home

© 1999-2024 CRS Light