Feasibility of artificial light regimes to increase the vitamin D content in indoor-laid eggs
Poultry Science, pez234, https://doi.org/10.3382/ps/pez234
Julia Kühn, Corinna Wassermann, Stephan Ebschke, Alexandra Schutkowski, Katrin Thamm, Monika Wensch-Dorendorf, Eberhard von Borell, Gabriele I Stangl
- Free range eggs have 4X as much vitamin D
- Conventional: 34 IU. Pastured avg: 136 - 204 IU
Items in both categories Veterinary and UV are listed here:
- Pigs were given ultraviolet light or vitamin D daily – Aug 2024
- UVB not help chickens much (no surprise – shined on feathers, not legs) – March 2023
- More UVB results in more Vitamin D (chimps in zoos in this case) – Oct 2022
- Chicken bones, eggs, and activated vitamin D in eggs increased with 2 hours of daily UVB – Dec 2019
- Vitamin D in eggs increased 4X after UV lighting near legs was added – April 2019
- Insects create Vitamin D from light (similar to most animals) – July 2018
- Ultraviolet B needed for indoor cows to have enough vitamin D in milk – June 2015
- UVB on legs of chickens resulted in 70 IU vitamin D per egg yoke – July 2013
- Even cows need more than 90 minutes in the sun each day – Feb 2012
- Health and Light - Ott 1973
- Reptiles ate as well with all UV sources – Jan 2011
- Some fish can see in UV – Feb 2010
Download the PDF from Sci-Hub via VitaminDWiki
Vitamin D insufficiency is prevalent worldwide. Recently, we showed that exposure of laying hens to sunlight or artificial ultraviolet B (UVB) light is an efficient strategy to increase the vitamin D content in eggs. In the current study, using 2 different chicken genotypes and stocking densities, we addressed the question of whether different UVB-emitting regimes work under real indoor housing conditions in a floor system or in furnished cages. Here, we found a 3.7-fold increase in the egg vitamin D content in Lohmann Selected Leghorn hens and a 4.2-fold increase in Lohmann Brown hens after UVB exposure for 6 h/d. The data further reveal that UVB exposure under high stocking density is equally effective compared to that at low stocking density. The different light regimes were not associated with changes in the behavior of these animals. To conclude, artificial UVB-emitting light regimes are a practical strategy to increase the vitamin D content in indoor-laid eggs.
PDF "Cages were equipped with one 120 cm long UVB lamp (intensity of 49 μW/cm2 at a distance of 20 cm) that was switched on for 6 h/d”
Press Release
“After only three weeks of UV light exposure for six hours per day, the vitamin D content of the eggs increased three to four-fold.”