Livestock grow lights: Technological innovations and the adoption of smart livestock farming practices drive the growth in demand for livestock grow lights

A grow light is the artificial light provided to the livestock for their growth and development. It is used to modify the physiological & biological responses of an animal with respect to feeding habits, reproduction, and milk production.

Livestock grow light technology is a known technology; it has wide usage in livestock farms. The use of smart technology in livestock farms is expected to witness robust growth and adoption during the forecast period, owing to the increase in the demand & consumption of livestock-based products and the rising focus on livestock growth and welfare, together with the emphasis on livestock productivity. Furthermore, technological innovations such as the introduction of LED technology and the adoption of smart livestock farming practices are expected to impact the market positively during the forecast period.

 

The livestock grow lights market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.4% from 2018, to reach a value of USD 8.64 billion by 2023. Among the various types of grow lights used in the livestock industry, the light-emitting diode (LED) segment is projected to witness the fastest growth during the forecast period. The market growth of LED is due to advantages such as significant energy savings and longer durability. LEDs are more energy-efficient, consuming about one-fifth of the power utilized by incandescent bulbs. Furthermore, they can be used for up to 10 years at 16 hours per day before being replaced. LEDs provide directional light, and it is this factor that gives them an advantage over the other livestock grow lights. LED grow lights provide a wide range of the spectrum, from blue to red, which can be customized to the desired spectrum as per the spectral sensitivity of the livestock. Because of these advantages offered by LEDs, livestock farm owners are switching towards LED technology. Some of the other advantages of this technology include high energy efficiency, minimal maintenance, fully dimmable features, availability of multicolor, high-speed response, and longer lifespan.

 

The poultry segment is projected to be the largest and fastest-growing segment, in terms of livestock production. Broilers and layers are domesticated to produce eggs and meat for commercial consumption. Poultry birds are more sensitive toward the light; a low level of illumination makes them uncomfortable. Furthermore, a chick’s feathers are highly reflective in lights; this helps the mother chicken to evaluate the health of its chicks and enables it to take extra care to protect them by observing the reflection. The growth of this market segment is also attributable to the globally rising consumption of chicken. Additionally, the increasing focus on the responsive growth of poultry population caters to the rising demand from the end consumers, and, in turn, the food industry.

The market for livestock grow lights is largely concentrated in Asia Pacific, followed by North America, in terms of value. The large market share in this region is attributed to the presence of large livestock population (FAO 2016) and its growth. Furthermore, the rising number of livestock farms and the growing size of existing farms are also expected to contribute to the large market share of the Asia Pacific region. Europe is projected to be the fastest-growing region for the livestock grow lights market, in terms of value. This is owing to the faster adoption of smart technologies in livestock farms to increase farm profits.

Furthermore,  growth in the North American region is driven by the growth in the livestock population in the US and Mexico. The market in this region is driven by the rapid adoption of technological innovations and LED lighting in the livestock sector in the US. Investments are made to increase the production capacity, which fuels the expansion of livestock farms, further boosting the market growth.