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Industry Partners
Prairie Swine Centre is an affiliate of the University of Saskatchewan
Prairie Swine Centre is grateful for the assistance of the George Morris Centre in developing the economics portion of Pork Insight.
Financial support for the Enterprise Model Project and Pork Insight has been provided by:
The Nitrogen Flow and Ammonia Emissions in a Pig Facility and its Share in the N-Load to the Agroecosystem
Posted in: Environment by admin on January 1, 1993 | No Comments
In the nitrogen balance all nitrogen sources have to be considered and included to have a better appreciation of the animal concentration and impact in an area. The nitrogen flow in a pig facility was investigated using the input/output relation in different stages: – feed consumption and liveweight produce; – slurry sampling (in the manure pit inside the building); – slurry storage; – slurry separation; – aeration of the liquid slurry phase; – long term storage of the treated slurry in a lagoon.
Nitrogen and the Industrial Processing of Pig Manure
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The standards for effluents discharge are very strict in the Netherlands. The treatment processes have to be very efficient to reduce the quantity of chemical present in the manure (for the BOD from 30 000mg/l to 20 mg/l, Ntotal from 9000 mg/l to 10, Ptotal from 2000 mg/l to 1 and Cl- from 2000 mg/l to 200) and also control the emissions of gaseous material to the atmosphere. Those standards results in high investments in adequate technology for the treatment. Investment cost for granulated fertilizer plant with an annual capacity of 500 000m3 is about 50 millions ECU with gross operational costs of about 25 ECU/m3 (17.95 CAN$) which correspond to about 10 ECU/pig (7.18 CAN$) (considering that one pig produce 0,4m3 of slurry (11% DM). (1 ECU = 0.7177 CAN$ (01/18/98).
Control of Gaseous Emissions from Livestock Buildings and Manure Stores
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Odour is becoming a subject if increasing public concern. The study examined the origin, number and quantity of trace gases that are emitted from buildings and manure storage, as well presented alternative solutions to prevent or reduce odour emitted from livestock operations. The focus was to examine measures in reducing gas emissions in particular, ammonia. The author presented five alternatives to aid in the reduction of odour: 1) the effect of feeding 2) understanding the properties of excreta 3) season and corresponding ventilation rates 4) manure removal rates and 5) alternative feed and pit additives. By listening to others ideas, improved management practices and increased technology can contribute to reducing odour emissions.
Positioning air inlet and air outlet to reduce dust exposure in pig buildings.
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A standard ventilation system was modified to reduce dust levels in a room with weaned piglets. It was based on the assumptions that it is important to minimize exposure of stockmen to dust in livestock confinement buildings and that airborne particles are largely re-entrained sedimented particles agitated by animal activity. The air inlet was located near nose height of stockmen, the air outlet was located neat the re-entrainment area, underneath the slats. Ventilation rates were established using rate-of-decay tracer gas measurements. In a direct comparison with an identical room the average inhalable dust levels measured continuously over 24 hour periods at 1.6 m on the feed walk were 40% reduced. The average inhalable dust levels at 1.0 m above the laying area was 50% lower in the room with the modified ventilation compared to the standard room. Sedimentation rates measured at different heights decreased with increased height. Sedimentation rates were proportional to airborne dust concentrations and varied between 500 and 2700 mg/m2 per day. Animal performance showed no significant differences. The results are important because it shows that without additional costs the dust exposure of stockmen can be reduced with 40%.
Factors Affecting Ammonium Concentration in Slurry from Fattening Pigs
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Improvement in the productivity of a farm seems to be a good way in reducing ammonium content in the slurry and consequently the ammonia emissions.
La mecanisation des porcheries et ses effets sur l'environnement.
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1F = 0,245 CAN$ (20/19/1998). The cost associated to the biological process of aeration are 7.35 CAN$ per marketed pig or 18.38 CAN$ per cubic meter of slurry.
Good general management of the swine production is a start to lower environmental impacts. A reduction of the nitrogen content in the feed also is a mean to lower the nitrogen excretion. Following the variable pig’s requirements will reduce the nitrogen excretion by at least 20%. Less nitrogen, less odours, less noises and the buildings integration to the landscape are ways to improve acceptance of the swine production.
Utilizing Ammonia Concentration as an Odor Threshold Indicator for Swine Facilities
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The ammonia concentration and odor threshold levels were measured in the ambient air of four stages of the production unit and those measures were compared. Air samples were taken in different rooms of the building over a period of 11 months for odor threshold evaluation and the ammonia concentration were measured concurrently. The results of the comparison showed that the ammonia concentration is not a good indicator of the odor threshold when considering all production stages. However, correlation were obtained between ammonia concentration and odor threshold for the gestation and grower rooms within a given age group. Correlation could not be obtained for the farrowing and nursery rooms.
As mentioned in many publications, ammonia concentration cannot be used as an indicator of odor concentration. Even if the authors mentioned that ammonia could be correlated for gestation and grower groups, the pigs’ age has to be considered and other testing would have to be done for different production management types (feed, manure handling inside, feed and water equipment).
Effects of Building Design, Climate Control, Housing System, Animal Behavior and Manure Management at Farm Levels on N-losses to the Air
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The nitrogen flow is well explained in this publication. The following opportunities to control ammonia emissions are presented: -limit release from manure by keeping manure solids covered, limiting air velocity over manure liquids and by decreasing the stored manure temperature; -limit the potential for manure accumulation on the room surfaces; -ammonia ventilation control in the room is realized by proper ventilation (control the interior conditions but doesn’t limit the emissions to the atmosphere); -scrubbing can lower or control the emissions to the atmosphere from the air coming out of the livestock building.
Ammonia Volatilisation During Storage of Cattle and Pig Slurry: Effect of Surface Cover
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Experiments were done during a long period (Dec 1989-June 1991) in four different stages in time. The storage tanks were relatively small however the results obtained being roofing and floating covers the behavior of this two surface covers for reduction in emissions should not be affected much for a bigger surface.
Hog Lagoon Odour Control – A Treatment Using Floating Straw
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PAMI conducted tests using straw covering systems on four lagoons. Observations were made on covers applied by a commercial contractors as well. Studies were done to determine:
-performance of various straw types and quantities;
-performance of artificial flotation devises for straw support;
-performance of shredder/blow devise for straw application;
– problems during lagoon pump-out;
-cost of straw covering systems for lagoons.
Results concluded that the most effective and economic cover was A