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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:
Evaluation of Experimental Swine Waste Storage Covers for Odor Control
Posted in: Environment by admin on January 1, 1997 | No Comments
The objective of the research was to evaluate the use of organic and inorganic floating covers to reduce odor emissions from swine waste storage units. Twenty-one 600 litre tanks containing approximately 8% total solids where examined with five potental treatments: no cover, wheat straw (12 in. thick), a 2 cm thick layer of soybean oil, 30 cm straw and oil mat (by placing straw in 4 layers with 1.3 gal of oil between each layer and a Permalon cover.
Odor Control at a Large-Scale Swine Production Facility
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A large-scale swine production facility has been investigated to find solutions to many odor complaints done by nearby neighbors. This facility houses 50 000 animals and manure is stored in 3 football-field size lagoons. Within a half-mile radius of this setting, live neighbors that have been reporting nuisance from the odor emission of the facility and also alleged farm odor-related health problems which included nose and throat irritation, nausea, vomiting, headaches, sleep problems and breathing difficulties. Odor measurements were taken to identify the production activities that generated most odors and gestation and nursery buildings and field-sprinkling operations were pointed out. Steps were taken to lower the odor-related releases and the following techniques were selected: centrifugal separation and drying of solid waste and soil injection of liquid waste on farm land, and erecting windbreaks by planting multiple rows of trees. The implementation of such methods and maintenance of controls help reduce the odorous emissions. The number of complaints significantly deceased following these management steps.
This investigation and the steps that followed are an interesting example of the type of intervention that could be done to find solutions to odor problems adapted to a particular facility using a system approach. The size of this facility dictated such intervention as the odor problems were probably important and due to the scale of the facility a team of specialists could investigate.
Reduction of Ammonia and Odor Emissions from a Piggery with Biofilters
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This work is very interesting because the follow up has bee done on biofilter that have been operating in Germany for many years. The efficiency in odour reduction is very interesting.
Etude de la dispersion atmospherique de composes volatils odorants: solutions proposees (Atmospheric dispersion of odorus volatil compounds: proposed solutions)
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A software developed to study the odours dispersion is presented. This tool is developed based on Hogstrom theory of odours dispersion of puff emissions applied to Gaussian models. Concentration peaks are taken into account. ODODIS (Odours Dispersion Software) propose nine options within the Gaussian domain to explore different solutions for atmospheric dispersion problems for odorous as well as odourless gases using different input such as g/s, ppb and UO (unit odour). Testing for data collection and validation of the software has been done with a normal scale odour source (chimney giving off given concentrations of acetone, a gas easily measured) to control the emission and meteorological data acquisition station. Sampling collections were done at different locations few meters to the source and a data base could be developed. Simulation were done with the software to verify the ability of the nine solutions to evaluate correctly the concentrations at the sampling points. Two of the nine solutions proposed give interesting results that demonstrated that such application of gaussian models can be satisfactory in estimating dispersion patterns rapidly.
This research is interesting because data collection was done and a data base could be done to validate the proposed models. The use of a gas as source simplify the data collection because the gas concentration evaluation is more easy and rapid than odour quantification. Further work done directly with odour would substantiate this project.
Ground and Surface Water Concerns During Land Application of Manure
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Different factors have an effect on the possibility of impact on ground and surface water. Some of those factors are: the proximity of a water body, where in the landscape the manure is spread and the management of the application such as the rate, the technique used and the time of application. To minimize the potential impact of manure application on the environment, the method used to spread manure has to be appropriate and the application rate has to be known. In sensitive land areas next to water bodies and where direct channels or conduits connect to water bodies, more attention has to be given to manure spreading in order to avoid water contamination. For soils that have a high P concentration (obtained from a soil tests), manure application is not recommended particularly when a surface water body is close by.
This article gives a good review of the situation and the nutrient movement in the soil after spreading. High application rate are a real threat to the environment.
Water quality and effects on blood and tissue
Posted in: Prairie Swine Centre by admin on | No Comments
Few well-controlled studies have investigated the impact of poor quality water on pig performance; fewer still have been conducted on commercial farms. While published research suggests pigs are capable of handling relatively high concentrations of sulphates and other mineral contaminants without apparent effect, field workers suggest that under farm conditions, the situation is different. Two experiments were conducted to determine how pigs react to poor quality water under commercial farm conditions. The animal performance results are presented in another paper in this Annual Report. However, blood and tissue samples were also collected and analysed to determine if the high sulphate and iron were affecting the pig in ways not revealed in performance studies. Similar to the performance data, the assay of blood and various organs failed to show any consisten changes due to water quality which could be associated with ill health or which could lead to production problems. These data confirm the ability of the pig to tolerate quite high levels of sulphate and iron in their drinking water without apparent problems at least within the time frame of this study. The modest changes in certain serum and tissue mineral levels, while not problematic, raise the question regarding the long term effects of exposure to high mineral levels in the drinking water.
An immunological approach to the evaluation of welfare in Holstein Frisian cattle.
Posted in: Welfare by admin on | No Comments
Measuring aggressiveness in growing pigs in a resident – intruder situation.
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