A NEW roof product claims to allow more natural light in agricultural buildings.

Marley Eternit has created a new type of protected open ridge system which is fitted with a transparent soffit, allowing more light into a building while reducing the need for electric lighting or lower level skylights.

Adam Botterill, sales director, said: "Getting enough light into a building can be tricky as we know that heat stress can occur when low level roof lights are positioned over animals.

"By using a transparent strip made from polycarbonate resin over the ridge, we are able to channel light into the centre of the barn, high above the animals, preventing 'hotspots' and often over the feed passage where extra light is needed anyway."

The product has now been fitted on the first few farms in the UK with Steve Davey, from Higher West Town Farm, near Bideford, being one of the first.

He said: "One of the key requirements for the new shed was to leave some space in the middle where a conventional or robotic milking parlour could be established in the future and I felt that it would help to let as much light in as possible.

"After all, sunlight is free, so I should be able to reduce my reliance on LED lighting and further improve the indoor environment for my cows."