Dust suppression in swine feed using soybean oil.

Posted in: Environment by admin on January 1, 1995 | No Comments

Dust generation from pig feed (maize/soybean meal diet) treated with soybean oil was investigated using a cement mixer in a plywood box. Airborne total dust concentrations in the box were measured gravimetrically using a vacuum pump and filters while 12-kg feed samples were constantly mixed. Treatment factors were soybean oil concentration (0, 1 and 3%), maize bulk density (normal, 730 and low, 600 kg/m3), time of oil addition (before or after grinding the maize), and storage time (0, 7 and 14 days). The feed was a mixture of soybean meal, base mix and adjusted amounts of ground maize and soybean oil. Total dust generation from feeds made with normal-bulk density maize was 29.1, 3.39 and 0.99 mg/m3, respectively, for 0, 1 and 3% soybean oil added after grinding. Adding soybean oil after grinding suppressed dust generation more than adding the oil before grinding at every oil level (P<0.001). More dust was generated by feeds made from low-bulk density maize at every oil level. Storage time or treatment X storage time interactions were not observed.

Environmental Farm Plan – Our green agenda and Atlantic Environmental Farm Plan Workbook

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The Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) was developed by the Atlantic Farmers Council (AFC) to help farmers become more aware of their farm environmental situation and take action to work toward a more sustainable agriculture. On a voluntary basis, 2 steps are followed by each farmer, the first one is to assess the environmental situation of their farm using the Atlantic EFP Workbook and the second one is the implementation of an action plan that is designed considering the particular situation of each farm. This approach is done on a voluntary basis and the AFC hopes that within 5 years, 75% of the primary agricultural sector will have completed an EFP and 95% within 10 years. Education, leadership/stewardship and incentives are also effective tools to b included in the achievement of environmental sustainability in agriculture.

This program is very interesting however it needs a lot of commitment from the farmers and incentives must support their approach.

Biological and Chemical Contamination of the Air in a Growing-Finishing Pig Building Using Deep-Litter Systems

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The measurements and analysis of the ambient conditions in a building that on deep-litter show important risks to the human health. The highest concentration of total and Gram-negative bacteria were found during the winter period and those concentrations were 27 and 4 times (respectively) higher than the limits recommended in waste treatment and composting facilities. The highest concentration have been measured after the litter is being stir (weekly necessary maintenance procedure for the deep-litter). Exposition to the high level of those contaminants by the farmer or stock person can result in respiratory problems.

A Review of the Literature on the Nature and Control of Odors from Pork Production Facilities

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This review on odour covers many aspects. The chapters subject are presented as follow: Odor and Odor Perception, Psychological Impact of Swine Odors, Odor Detection and Quantification, Legal Mechanisms for Odor Regulation, Relation Between Local Climatology and Odor Transport, Sources of Odor Associated with Pig Production, Techniques of Odor Reduction and Their Applicability, Chemical and Biological Additives to Achieve Odor Reduction, Effect of Feeding/Diet on Odors from Swine Manure, Air Treatment Processes, Integrating Site Selection, Facility Design and Odor Control Technologies, Separation Distances and Land Areas: A Manure Nutrient Balances Approach, The Real Odor Control Questions, and Research Opportunities Having Potential to Reduce Odor Complaints.

Noise Propagation in the Agricultural Environment.

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As noise become an increasingly important environmental factor, methods that would help better understand noise propagation would be valuable tools. Many factors that are interrelated affect noise propagation such as distance, air absorption, meteorological conditions, ground cover. On those factors, ground cover could be controlled by farmers. However more work is needed in order to understand the effect of for example ground surface coverage, roughness, barrier insertion on the turbulence on noise propagation over agricultural land.

Effect of airborne dust on health and performance of growing pigs.

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The effect of high concentrations of airborne dust on the health and performance of growing pigs (55.82 kg) was determined by introducing mechanically ground fecal dust into the air space of the pigs in the first trial and feed dust in the second trial. Mean respirable dust levels during the light hours in the rooms injected with feed and fecal dust were 111 and 56 particles/ml, respectively, while the mean level in the control rooms was 25 and 27 particles/ml, respectively. Lungs from 115 animals were collected during slaughter. No relationship was found between dust concentration and lung score or between dust concentration and average daily gain. For the fecal and the feed dust trials, 38% and 23% of the pigs had pneumonic involvement in over 10% of the lung. The average daily gain was not significantly different between treatments (mean 0.78 kg/d) and it was not affected significantly by the percentage of pneumonic involvement. A large amount of energy was required to reduce feed to the respirable range relative to that required for fecal dust suggesting that most of the respirable dust is of fecal origin.

Guide to Agricultural Land Use.

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This guide treat most agricultural practices of Ontario farms and their link to rural land use. Some of those operations can potentially cause conflicting situations with non-farming land use and other can have detrimental consequences on the environment. Guidelines are thus presented to lower the impact of agricultural practices as a potential source of nuisance and pollution. Differents aspects of livestock production are presented such as: the use of livestock manure and other organic residues, manure management, protection of water quality, noise and dead animal disposal.

Estimating Nutrient Content of Animal Slurries Using Electrical Conductivity

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Measurements of the electric conductivity can be used to provide information on ammonium and potassium content of the manure. The meters are simple, robust, easy to use, not very expensive and operate on battery. The accuracy of the results is satisfactory when using manure that has been diluted 10 times with water. However, on-farm quick testing device have to be investigated further.

Odor Control Additives: Protocol for Evaluation

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A review of on odour and the nature of additives is done and the protocol used in the Animal and Poultry Waste Management Center of NCSU is presented. This protocol is to be done in laboratory and use the cotton cloth for odour capture.
As discussed the cotton cloth technique for odour capture is not reliable for odour evaluation.

Noise in agriculture

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Noises problems associated with agriculture come mainly from bird scarers, the traffic to the field and the transport operations. Even most of the activies are in the daytime, complaints about night time noise are as frequents. Different crops and field surfaces are studied for their capacities in inhibiting sound propagation.