Development and evaluation of a temperature-humidity controller for livestock buildings

Posted in: Prairie Swine Centre by admin on January 1, 1999 | No Comments

Applying a protection treatment to TDK relative humidity (RH) sensors has been shown to extend the life expectancy and maintain accuracy in pig barn conditions. This study objected to implement the modified TDK RH sensor and the new optimized temperature and humidity control (THC) strategy developed at PSCI. The controller was evaluated in six identical grower/finisher pig rooms. Three rooms were provided with THC controllers using a 70% RH setpoint while the other rooms had conventional temperature-only controllers. The THC controller provided very good control of room temperature and RH. In conventionally controlled rooms over the first three weeks, the time period when RH was higher than 70% occurred 36% to 85% of the day. In THC rooms, the RH was controlled around the setpoint for 33% to 63% of the day. Pig performance was similar with both control strategies.

Prevalence of severe welfare problems in horses that arrive at slaughter plants.

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Welfare of food restricted male and female turkeys.

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Factors affecting the Release and Concentration of Dust in Pig Houses

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Effects of straw bedding and high fibre diets on the behaviour of floor fed group-housed sows.

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Gestating sows are restricted fed to limit excessive body fat but this results in a sustained level of hunger. Hungry sows remain active and aggression both during feeding and at other times of the day may increase. Hunger is also a cause of stereotypic or pen-directed oral behaviours. This study examined two management methods that could be used to reduce hunger related aggression and pen-directed oral behaviours. The sows were housed in groups of 7 on solid floored pens with ample room (3.7 m2/sow). Five groups were assigned to each of four treatment combinations, representing a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement. Sows were either bedded with straw or not. They were either fed a high fibre diet (including sugar beet pulp), or equivalent energy in a low fibre diet. Feed was dropped into the pen once a day in such a way that it was widely dispersed throughout the lying area. Sows bedded on straw spent more time standing during the 2 hours after feeding, and had higher levels of aggression compared to those without straw. However, the presence of straw reduced the incidence of pen-directed oral behaviour. Thus, straw was beneficial in terms of pen-directed behaviour, but resulted in greater aggression. High fibre diets did not affect aggression when compared to standard diets, but sows on high-fibre diets were less active several hours after feeding and less involved in pen-directed oral behaviour. Both straw and high-fibre diets appear to reduce pen-directed diets, probably through a decrease in hunger, but straw bedding increased the level of aggression in floor fed sows.

Effect of manure on ammonia emission from a fattening pig house with a partly slatted floor

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A Swine Integrator's Perspective on Nutrient Management Procedures

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The hog industry faces many important issues in today’s social-economic environment. Most pork producers work in a sustainable manner which includes environmental soundness, scoial acceptability and profitability. In recent years gains have been experienced in the reduction of nutrients per hog, however ecconomic forces have created concentrated areas of production which create new problems and opportunites in nutrient management.

Manure management plans incorporate the knowledge of nutrient content of soils, crop uptake of nutrients and crop removal plans to help prevent runoff or accumalation of nutrients within the soil. Existing nutrient management systems are adequate however require effective management, me cases may be not incorporated into older operations. Many of the solution to nutrient management, manure management and odour control have come from private industry as opposed to the private sector, and cost effective methods need to be developed in order to address these concerns. Advancement in nutrient management plans will aid in accelerating ongoing changes within the hog industry.

The Determination of Aereal Extent of Odour Plumes from Large Hog Facilities in Manitoba

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The study proposed to document, under various weather conditions (wind direction, velocity, temperature and humidity) and times of the year, at what distances odours from six existing larges hog operations are detectable. In addition, it was our intent to delineate the odour plume so as to provide useful information in locating future hog facilities; in providing scientific evidience to refute unsubstantiated odour complaints; and, to evaluate odour controlling effectiveness of various types of manure storages; wind screens (trees or wind break(s) or terrian features. Six (6) large facilities within the hog producing area of southern Manitoba were included in the study; two in relatively flat terrian with few or no trees; two in relatively flat terrian with considerable bush; and, two in relatively rolling terrian preferably one with few or no trees and one with considerable bush. Because olfactory senses are possibly still the best and most oftern used indicator of the relative strength of odours, we coose to use a two-person ‘odour-panel” to rate the relative strength of a particular odour on a scale of zero to ten. Public roads and municipal maps were useful in siting studies for lareg hog operations. Unfortunately, winds in Manitoba and for that matter most places can be experienced out of any direction; and, as a result odours from a large hog facility might be experienced at various strengths anywhere 360 degrees of the facility. With this in mind, however, these data combined with wind data for a particular location should be useful in explaining theprobability and frequency that neighbours might anticipate odours from a planned hog facility

Drainage Properties and Ammonia Emissions in Slatted Floor Systems for Animal Buildings

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Novel Technology for Hog Manure Odour Control/Remediation

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The project explores application of crystal engineering principles to establish the ability of organic clays and metal-organic coordination polymers to retain odour-causing molecules through sorption or adsorption as an odour control and remediation process. The sorption capability of each material was compared with activated charcoal. The study suggests the two materials could be incorporated into a design for a sensor to identify odour problems related to manure storage or transportation and that the adsorption capacity of the synthetic materials exceeds current industry standards.