See the light when milking

TEAGASC researchers have found the solution to power-hungry lights in milking parlours which still leave the milker working in murky conditions.

They have found that moving from double T8 fittings to half the number of T5 fittings would reduce power consumption on lighting by 40%, while still providing the recommended 500 lux of brightness.

Work at Moorepark showed that lighting accounts for 7% of total electrical energy used on Irish dairy farms. Moisture-resistant double fluorescents and high-bay metal halide lamps are the two most common types of lighting used on Irish dairy farms.