Heat Lamps Needs of Baby Pigs

Posted in: Energy by admin on January 1, 1997 | No Comments

A Differentiated Approach to Calculate Ammonia Emissions from Animal Husbandry

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In the model, 3 different housing systems are considered: a system on slurry, a system on slurry plus solid manure and deep litter system. The precision of the model is influenced by the exactitude of the hypothesis made concerning excretions, management parameters and ammonia emission rates. The total error is estimated to be of a maximum of 20% (+ or-). This type of application could be valuable as educational aid for farm advisors.

N2O, CH4 and NH3 Emissions from Composting of Swine Waste

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The experiment was done in a 52 L batch reactor. The emissions rates measured varied for ammonia from 400 to 970 g NH3-N/m3, for methane from 0,6 to 385 g CH4/m3 and for nitrous oxide from 1,9 to 71,9 g N2O-N/m3. No information is given on the C/N ratio of the mix used for composting (mature compost, saw dust and manure). No statistical analysis is presented to explain the emissions variations and the aeration treatments.

Ammonia Emissions in Farrowing-Weaning Houses with Frequent Slurry Removal System

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Testing between only two buildings make the comparison difficult as the differences could come from other factors than manure handling systems and not statistical analysis is done to allow this verification. The ventilation rates in the two buildings are different which make the comparison also difficult. Ventilation rate and air velocity (closely related) are important factors in ammonia emission rates.

Animal Production and the Environment

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Important changes occurred in the swine production in the last 40 years. Importation of feedstuffs from regions where pigs are not produced is now common. The manure produced is spread on the surrounding lands of the swine building which can lead to excessive amounts of phosphorus, copper and zinc accumulated in the soil. Intensive swine buildings can produce odors, ammonia and dusts that exceed acceptable levels. As a result, in some countries and states, new legislation try to control the animal manure use, the expansion or the localization of swine production units. The environmental consequences of the intensive swine production are presented along with nutritional means to help control the situation. Special attention is put on the Dutch experience and forthcoming legislation. Environmental constraints for the pig production that may come in the future are also discussed.

The MINAS legislation on minerals accounting system is presented. with the standards. Farms with more than 2,5 LU/ha have to submit a minerals account based on the input (supply of animals, feed, fertilizers, manure from other farms) and output (slaughter animals, milk, animal manure, crops). When certain limits for the phosphorus and nitrogen are exceeded, the farmers have to pay levies.

Effets de la tremie-abreuvoir sur le volume d'entreposage des lisiers

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Experiments were done to evaluate the effect of wet/dry feeder on the total manure volume produced by pigs. The results showed that for dry feeder and drinkers, the manure produce equals 7.34 L/pig per day and when the pigs are fed using dry/wet feeders, the volume of manure produced is 2,97 L/pig per day. When considering cleaning and extra water needed for manure removal when the wet/dry feeders are used, this lead to total manure volumes of 8,07 L/pig per day for dry feeder and drinker compared to 4,14 L/pig per day for wet/dry feeders. The reduction equals 48% and the results agree with the literature. This conclusion could lead to a change in the standard for the evaluation of the volume required for swine manure storage.

Means to reduce water wastage have to be considered as the excess manure produced has to be stored and subsequently spread. The extra water coming from spillage contribute only in more dilution of the nutrients in the manure.

A slurry Injection System for an ' Off-the Shelf" Cultivator

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PAMI developed a cultivator-based high-volume injection system which:
-maximizes the fertilizer value of liquid swine manure;
-reduces odor during application process;
-reduces the potential of nitrate pollution due to over-application;
-provides will distributed nutrients for efficient crop use;
– can handle slurry trash such as straw, hair, and other foreign material;
– can operate in fields with very heavy surfaces and long stubble.
The key element of the system is a hydraulically powered rotary cutting/distribution system designed specially for the distribution manifold. This manifold is fed by a 500 gal / min (2,202 L / min) umbilical or tanker delivery system and is mounted on a Flexi-Coil 820 chisel of 16 openers placed at 12 inch (300 mm) row spacing. The manifold has been tested in laboratory to assure the uniformity of the application and the whole machine was successfully field tested on 210 acres (85 ha) in 10 inch (250 mm) high barly stubble. The A

Manipulation of Diets to Minimize the Contribution of Private Pigs to Environmental Pollution

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A complete review of the diets manipulation in order to minimize the impacts of swine production on the pollution is done. For copper and zinc, the concentrations in the diet should aim the minimum requirement levels so their excretion in the pig manure should not be a concern. A wide variation in P and N retention efficiency can be observed between farms and can comes from different sources: feed wastage, the availability of N and P, the minimum amounts of N and P required by the animals and the differences between the pigs’ requirements and the levels of P and N available in the diets. To improve the efficiency of P two main measures can be taken: to improve and better assess P availability and to feed the animal closer to its requirements. Reductions in the available P allowances will result in less P excreted by the pigs in their manure and also lower feed costs. 10% less P intake leads to a reduction of at least 15% of P in the manure. To improve the efficiency of N utilization two main measures can also be taken: improve the amino acid (AA) balance in the diet (as almost half of the N excretion could be attributed to a poor AA balance in the diet) and to feed lysine closely to the pigs requirements and to assess the availability of lysine in feedstuffs. A reduction of 10% of the crude proteins level results in a reduction of N of at least 15%. Management practices can considerably improve the mineral balance on farm animals such as phase and split-sex feeding, minimizing feed wastage and a good health status. However more precision in feed evaluation, feed formulation manufacturing and delivery to the animal is also needed to improve situation.

The situation of the measures available to lower the impact of the pigs diets on the environment is well presented and documented. Phytase and lysine are tools to improve the situation but management measures are also the key to the reduction of the pollution from an unbalance nutrient cycle.

Comparaison of Hydrogen Sulfide and Odor Emissions from Animal Manure Storages

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Air samples were taken from approximately 60 differents livestock manure storage units (pigs, dairy, beef and poultry) for hydrogen sulfide (H2S) concentrations and odor dilution thresholds or odor level. Odor thresholds determination were realized with an olfactomer and H2S concentrations were measured using either colormetric indicator tubes (concentration between 20 to 120 ppm) or a Jerome TM meter (concentrations lower than 20 ppm). Over 80 measurements were taken during the initial phases of the 2-year projects (fall 1996); the odor threshold values varied from 17 to 1200 odor units and the H2S concentrations ranged from 6 ppb (parts / billion) to 118 ppm (parts / million). No correlation was obtained between odor threshold and H2S concentration.

H2S as ammonia concentrations (presented in other publications) cannot be considered as indicators of odor tresholds or odor levels.

Controlling Manure Odor Emission Using Covers

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See: Malodour Abatement by Different Covering Materials. 1997. D.S. Bundy, X. Li, J. Zhu and S.J. Hoff