Agricultural Lighting Insights

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In the 20 years I’ve been involved in agricultural lighting, I have consulted on more than 1,500 indoor arenas and possibly four times as many stall barns. I’ve completed designs for veterinary and breeding facilities; coliseums and stall barns. In all these varied projects, the issues were the same: the client was concerned about safety, reliability, economy, and effectiveness.

Orion AG fixtures are the safest on the market. They are cool burning with the ballasts and lamps sealed in a self-extinguishing poly-carbonate shell with no exposed wiring. The fixtures are free of rusting parts, important in the ammonia rich environment common in AG buildings. The lens on the stall fixture is made of high impact, shatterproof material. All parts of the fixture are replaceable. Orion fixtures are affordable and economical to operate. If you’re wondering if you can afford to buy our fixtures, I tell my customers, “You can’t afford not to buy them. This is one thing you are going to put in your horse barn that is guaranteed to make you money!” The fixtures will pay for themselves within 6 to 12 months and continue to generate income for your farm for years to come. Orion fixtures are not a retail grade throwaway. They start instantly in winter, -20 degrees, and provide you and your animals daylight quality light during those long dreary winter months.

Horse owners who breed and/or show have special needs. They need to manage heat cycles and control hair growth. Because we use full spectrum daylight lamps in our fixtures, a single OW Stall Light will provide enough light to cycle a mare and control hair growth. Orion fixtures are effective.

Ron Tracy
Equine Lighting Specialist

Excerpts from

“THE PERFECT STALL”

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“As a veterinarian, I consider poor stall lighting to be one of my biggest headaches.”

“If your horse is sick or suffers an injury, good lighting is essential for accurate assessment of his condition…, You need good light to check whether your horses’ gums are a normal pink, and to see whether the “whites” of his eyes are truly white or have a sickly tinge… You likely won’t spot a problem until it’s obvious your horse is in trouble.”

“In case you didn’t know… incandescent light bulbs are a common cause of barn fires. Old wiring and cheap sockets meant for 60 watt bulbs get hot when you try to improve lighting by using 100 watt bulbs. And, the bulbs themselves are hot, fragile, and prone to breakage and shorting when used in barn conditions with wide temperature and moisture fluctuations.”

“I chose light fixtures from Orion West Lighting for The Perfect Stall. The company’s tough commercial grade fixtures are fully encased in a durable, rustproof, gasket-sealed fiberglass housing that keeps bulbs confined and isolated from dust, vapor, bugs, and debris.”

“The unit’s fluorescent bulbs are long-lived and less fragile than most incandescent bulbs…”

“The OW model fixture, about half the size and shape of a layer cake, uses 36 watts to produce light equivalent to 200 incandescent watts without glare or shadows, and with nearly full-spectrum light for true-to-life colors. The light produced, when hung 10 feet high over the center of a 12 foot by 12 foot stall is sufficient for breeding-season manipulation and winter coat suppression.”

– Dr. Karen Hayes

  • Significantly less energy for significantly more light.
  • Improved visibility and color perception, for accurate observation of your horses’ condition, and easier veterinary exams and treatment.
  • A single OW36-model produces sufficient intensity to induce early estrous cycling and help prevent winter coating.
  • Safer, cool, fully contained, watertight and sealed.