Measuring aggressiveness in growing pigs in a resident – intruder situation.

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Dust concentrations and particle size distribution in an enclosed swine nursery.

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Dust levels in a mechanically ventilated swine nursery were measured for 13 sampling days over a 6-week period during warm weather conditions. Mean daily room air temperature and relative humidity ranged from 25 to 34A

Methodical Aspects Relating the Results of Multigas Monitoting and Multipoint sampling

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Each specific equipment for multipoint sampling and gas monitoring should be verified and tested to evaluate the effects of the sampling tubes, the pump and the differences in concentration levels from different sampling sites. More research is needed to better understand the effects of the gas analyzers surroundings and to develop standard procedure for the tests that could be adopted by research groups.

Reducing Ammonia Emission from Pig Houses by Adding or Producing Organic Acids in Pig Slurry

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Acidification or the slurry at pH values of 4.5, reduce in a significant way the emissions of harmful gas. However disadvantages are associated with the use of abrasive mineral acid while considering handling and nutrient balance. A new method using lactic acid (50% concentrated) present some advantages for the reduction of emissions and also for the handling of the acid and the acidified slurry. For acidification of slurry to a pH values of 4 to 5 demands the addition of lactic acid (50% concentrated) of about 5% by volume. Such reduction of pH value leads to a reduction of 90% ammonia and methane emissions. Nitrous oxide emissions come only from non-acidified slurry that encrusted and the emissions in such conditions come only after the ammonia emissions has decreased significantly. The effect on the reduction of the emissions are seen also at the application time and no negative effects of the acidified slurry have been detected on the soil or plants; the results obtained even show higher yields. The specific costs associated with manure acidification are comparable to those of biofilters and bioscrubbers, however the reduction of emission potential is 3 to 5 times higher.

The experiment was conducted during three finishing periods (25 to 115 kg liveweight). The annual costs are compared on the basis of a 1840 pigs house. More equipment (discharging system, pH-meter, mixing facility, electricity costs, etc.) and labor are needed to realize the acidification process. The long term effect of acidified manure fertilization are not discussed and no information is given on what happen to manure pH during storage. The total annual extra cost for the organic acids are $20.00 CAN/pig place-year. When using microbiological activity to produce the organic acids, the total annual costs for milled wheat are $29.82 CAN and $15.04 CAN for heated potato starch.

Swine Manure Management Methods

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Manure can be a value added resource when properly managed. This report takes a look at some of the methods available and explains the basic science behind them.
Manure produced by livestock operations contains the feed nutrients that animals were not able to use. Prairie livestock operatonis generally use manure as a source of nutrients for crop production, and should be considered a manageable, valuable fertilizer resource. Storage of the manure for some length of time is usually necessary. The stored manure is sometimes treated either before or during storage. The reasons for treatment include: odour control, energy recovery, reduction of manure volume, reduction of nutrient content, and enhance the decomposition of manure. Presently on the Prairies, very little manure would be considered treated. Most is simply stored until such time as it can be applied to croplnad or pasture as fertilizer.

The Ecobarn Litter System for Growing/Finishing Pigs

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No statistical analysis could be done on the results so the differences obtained may not be significant. No dust measurements were done when the sawdust was used. Emissions analysis would have been interesting as deep litter are supposed to produce ammonia and nitrous oxide particularly when the composting conditions are not optimal. The pigs performed well in this system however the labor requirement is very high.

Microbial Interaction During the Anaerobic Treatment of Swine Manure Slury in a Sequencing Batch Reactor.

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The psychrophilic anaerobic treatment is realized at temperatures ranging between 5 to 25 C. The model developed help understand and predict the methane production and also the evolution of the components in the manure as the treatment is done. A better understanding of the reactions occurring during the digestion particularly for the dynamic between acid and methane formers and the micro-organism response to different operating strategies.

Manure Characteristics

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This document includes basic informations on manure produced by different animal types. The availability of manure nutrients to the plant is also discussed. Manure characteristics such as volume produced and volume including bedding, moisture content, biological oxygen demand and nutrient content are presented according to animal types.

An Insect-based Dector of Bovine Manure Odors

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Separation Distances for Swine Odor Control in Relation to Manure Nutrient Balances

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Odor control from swine facilities can be achieved by providing an adequate buffer zone or separation distance from neighbors. Such separation distance could be insured if appropriate nutrient balance is done considering the facility size, the type of animal and manure and the wastewater management system. The paper presents examples which include phosphorus and nitrogen nutrient balance consideration and the resulting minimum separation distances that would have to be insured.

This approach consider the nutrient balance in agricultural systems where the manure is used as fertilizer on the land surrounding the swine facilities considering that all the land needed is surrounding the facilities.