The frequency at which it can no longer be perceived is called the flicker fusion frequency. The higher the frequency, the less visible flickering is. Besides the rapid change in light output, the frequency of this change is also important. Improving life through brightness! Conclusionįlicker stands for the rapid change in light output of a lamp. With success! The majority of our products are 100% flicker-free. Thanks to our more than 45 years of experience, combined with our highly trained staff and extensive knowledge, we have been able to perform in-depth research into flicker-free lighting. HATO Lighting = 100% flicker-free lighting The effects of flicker on parent stock are comparable to those on layers. Stress caused by flicker will also negatively impact on feed intake and egg production. Both cannibalism and piling will eventually lead to increased mortality. Agitation can trigger pecking and possibly lead to cannibalism. Stress will have a great impact on the agitation levels of hens. Since stress can lead to a decrease in feed intake and a higher metabolic energy usage, it will eventually increase feed conversion rates as well.įlicker can be a major source of stress for layers. It also negatively impacts on growth in general. Since not all chickens respond similarly to stress, a decrease in uniform growth will occur. Piling leads to wet litter, which causes footpad lesions and breast blisters, with increased mortality as a result. This can lead to agitation and consequently induce piling. This stress has different consequences for each type of chicken, which eventually lead to decreasing animal welfare and performances.įlicker can be a major source of stress for broilers. This continuous possible threat increases the birds’ stress levels. It is presumed that a flickering lamp gives chickens the impression that a predator bird is hovering above them this is naturally perceived as a potential threat. They had to be continuously on their guard. Chickens originally lived in the jungle, where they were prey animals. The cause of this goes back to the origins of poultry. The percent flicker of these products is 0.0% and the flicker index is 0.0! The effects of flicker on chickensĬhickens are very sensitive to light. That’s why the majority of our lighting solutions are 100% flicker-free. However, when there is literally no flicker at all, there is no discussion about the correct value needed. There is no generally accepted norm for either of these. The amount of flicker that doesn’t affect poultry? The correct flicker fusion frequency? When human beings perceive light as flicker-free, it may be perceived as far from flicker-free by chickens. The flicker fusion frequency differs for human beings and poultry. The flicker fusion frequency is the threshold frequency in Hertz (the amount of flicker per second) above which flicker can no longer be perceived. This gives a much better presentation of variations over the entire period and is more difficult to manipulate.Īnother interesting tool/unit is the flicker fusion frequency. The flicker index looks at both the area above the average light output and the area below the average light output. Percent flicker, the easiest one to calculate, just shows the percentage difference between the minimum and maximum value of light output. In general, there are two ways to quantify flicker. When it is high enough, even a flicker ratio of 100% may not be visible for human beings or poultry.įigure 1: Flicker-free vs flicker lighting Percent flicker, flicker index and flicker fusion frequency When the frequency is increased, a (larger) change between minimum and maximum will be less visible. Hertz stands for the number of fluctuations in a second. 1) at which the light output varies is also important. No difference means no flicker, as you can see in figure 1. The bigger the difference, the higher the flicker. This difference is also called the peak-to-peak amplitude (fig.1). It varies between a minimum and maximum value of light output. In short, photometric flicker, further referred to here as ‘flicker’, is the (rapid) change of the light output of a lamp. Light flicker: an often-discussed, but relatively unclear topic.