How Ultraviolet Light Can Help Your Chickens:
Using low watt UV_C lighting in chicken coops can help your chickens stay healthier and prevent some bacteria, viruses, and rickets which cause leg swelling, soft beak and bones, lameness, slow growth and birds who do not want to move and stay resting or squatting due to a vitamin D3 deficiency. Pathogens in some meat and vegetables can be prevented with UV_C light and UV_C lights have been used to kill bacteria mites, and viruses. Studies show ultraviolet light and stainless steel surfaces can deactivate salmonella pathogens, listeria, and staphylococcus aureus, all common pathogens which are transferred during food preparations. Hospitals use UV lights to kill microbes and shorter wave length UV lights are used in many schools, on airplanes, and in food processing plants. See more about ultraviolet lights for chickens below.
Ultraviolet light deactivates pathogens, bacteria and viruses
Many food production companies should be (and most are) switching production methods to UV_C light and stainless steel surfaces to prepare meat and vegetables to prevent pathogens in certain foods.
Recent studies concluded:
"The sensitivity of the coronaviruses to far-UVC light suggests that it may be feasible and safe to use overhead far-UVC lamps in occupied indoor public places to markedly reduce the risk of person-to-person transmission of coronaviruses, as well as other viruses such as influenza" (Cathlab Digest, 2020).
"Supplementary UVA wavelengths improved feather condition in male broiler chickens.
UV wavelengths reduced fear responses (tonic immobility duration) in broilers.
UV wavelengths improved walking ability (Bristol gait Score) in broiler chickens.
UV wavelengths have potential to improve broiler chicken welfare" (House G.M., Sobotik E.B., Nelson J.R., Archer G.S., 2020).
UV light is not usually used in chicken breeding houses but has shown to prevent rickets
"UV is thus minimally involved in avian reproductive function. UVA and UVB have anti-rachitic properties which catalyse the synthesis of vitamin D3 from 7-dehydroxycholesterol in the skin of feet and legs, a function that prevents rickets,
Minimizes the incidence of tibial dyschondroplasia-(Tibial dyschondroplasia (TD) is a metabolic disease of young poultry that affects the growth of bone and cartilage and commonly occurs in broiler chickens raised for meat and other poultry which have been bred or genetically altered for fast growth rates)
Normalizes growth and bone ash in young birds suffering from Vitamin D3 deficiencies.
UV light has been shown to normalize "growth and bone ash in young birds fed diets deficient in vitamin D3; surprisingly, there is sufficient UVA in white fluorescent light to produce these benefits".
UVC from the sun is filtered out by the atmosphere's ozone layer, so does not occur in sunlight, but artificially produced"
UVC Light protects domestic fowl from aerogenic viral infections (viruses that are shed in urine, droppings and saliva)
"UVC has germicidal properties and has been shown to protect domestic fowl from aerogenic viral infections, however, vaccination has made this property superfluous to the modern poultry industry. Recently, the introduction of lamps that emit both visible light and UV has made the provision of UVA to poultry a practical proposition, and so it is opportune that the responses of poultry to UV radiation are reviewed and its relevance to modern poultry production assessed" (3). See more below.
Many food production companies should be (and most are) switching production methods to UV_C light and stainless steel surfaces to prepare meat and vegetables to prevent pathogens in certain foods.
Recent studies concluded:
"The sensitivity of the coronaviruses to far-UVC light suggests that it may be feasible and safe to use overhead far-UVC lamps in occupied indoor public places to markedly reduce the risk of person-to-person transmission of coronaviruses, as well as other viruses such as influenza" (Cathlab Digest, 2020).
"Supplementary UVA wavelengths improved feather condition in male broiler chickens.
UV wavelengths reduced fear responses (tonic immobility duration) in broilers.
UV wavelengths improved walking ability (Bristol gait Score) in broiler chickens.
UV wavelengths have potential to improve broiler chicken welfare" (House G.M., Sobotik E.B., Nelson J.R., Archer G.S., 2020).
UV light is not usually used in chicken breeding houses but has shown to prevent rickets
"UV is thus minimally involved in avian reproductive function. UVA and UVB have anti-rachitic properties which catalyse the synthesis of vitamin D3 from 7-dehydroxycholesterol in the skin of feet and legs, a function that prevents rickets,
Minimizes the incidence of tibial dyschondroplasia-(Tibial dyschondroplasia (TD) is a metabolic disease of young poultry that affects the growth of bone and cartilage and commonly occurs in broiler chickens raised for meat and other poultry which have been bred or genetically altered for fast growth rates)
Normalizes growth and bone ash in young birds suffering from Vitamin D3 deficiencies.
UV light has been shown to normalize "growth and bone ash in young birds fed diets deficient in vitamin D3; surprisingly, there is sufficient UVA in white fluorescent light to produce these benefits".
UVC from the sun is filtered out by the atmosphere's ozone layer, so does not occur in sunlight, but artificially produced"
UVC Light protects domestic fowl from aerogenic viral infections (viruses that are shed in urine, droppings and saliva)
"UVC has germicidal properties and has been shown to protect domestic fowl from aerogenic viral infections, however, vaccination has made this property superfluous to the modern poultry industry. Recently, the introduction of lamps that emit both visible light and UV has made the provision of UVA to poultry a practical proposition, and so it is opportune that the responses of poultry to UV radiation are reviewed and its relevance to modern poultry production assessed" (3). See more below.
Scientific studies were conducted on hot dogs, bratwurst, shell eggs, chicken drumsticks, boneless skinless chicken breasts, boneless porkchops, tomatoes and jalepeno peppers
Testing for Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus which are commonly transferred from food preparation surfaces. In an article written by Christopher Sommers and published by the Journal of Food Safety states that the Drug Administration approved ultraviolet light technology as a method to decontaminate food services. The pathogens were not recovered from stainless steel. “The pathogens displayed similar sensitivities to UV-C on individual food products. Pathogen reductions ranged from approximately 0.5 log/g on raw meat and poultry to almost 4 log/g on tomatoes, while the pathogens were not recovered from stainless steel at a UV-C dose of 0.4 J/cm℗ø. Use of UV-C light should be given serious consideration as a technology for routine surface decontamination of food contact surfaces and appropriate food products” (Sommers, 2010). U.S.
Food and Drug Administration-approved intervention technology used to inactivate pathogenic bacteria in liquid foods and water, food contact surfaces, and food surfaces.This study shows that UV-C is an effective deterrent that deactivates food borne pathogens on food surfaces before packaging (hotdogs & sausages), egg shells before cracking them, liquid egg products and smooth skinned produce (1).
Note: UV (Ultraviolet light) and LED lights are not the same.
Testing for Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus which are commonly transferred from food preparation surfaces. In an article written by Christopher Sommers and published by the Journal of Food Safety states that the Drug Administration approved ultraviolet light technology as a method to decontaminate food services. The pathogens were not recovered from stainless steel. “The pathogens displayed similar sensitivities to UV-C on individual food products. Pathogen reductions ranged from approximately 0.5 log/g on raw meat and poultry to almost 4 log/g on tomatoes, while the pathogens were not recovered from stainless steel at a UV-C dose of 0.4 J/cm℗ø. Use of UV-C light should be given serious consideration as a technology for routine surface decontamination of food contact surfaces and appropriate food products” (Sommers, 2010). U.S.
Food and Drug Administration-approved intervention technology used to inactivate pathogenic bacteria in liquid foods and water, food contact surfaces, and food surfaces.This study shows that UV-C is an effective deterrent that deactivates food borne pathogens on food surfaces before packaging (hotdogs & sausages), egg shells before cracking them, liquid egg products and smooth skinned produce (1).
Note: UV (Ultraviolet light) and LED lights are not the same.
References:
- SOMMERS, C. H., MUSGROVE, M., & SITES, J. E. (2010). ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT (254 NM) INACTIVATION OF PATHOGENS ON FOODS AND STAINLESS STEEL SURFACES [electronic resource]. Journal of food safety, 30(2), 470-479. Retrieved from EBSCOhost
- Type of UV Light Called Far-UVC is safe to use around people and kills 99% of Airborne Coronaviruses: Study. (June 25, 2020) Cathlab Digest. https://www.cathlabdigest.com/content/type-uv-light-called-far-uvc-safe-use-around-people-and-kills-999-airborne-coronaviruses-study
- House G.M., Sobotik E.B., Nelson J.R., Archer G.S.
Effect of the addition of ultraviolet light on broiler growth, fear, and stress response
Journal of Applied Poultry Research, Volume 29, 2020 Retrieved on August 25, 2020 from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168159118301321