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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:
Evaluation of Meteorological Techniques for Measurements of Ammonia Loss from Pig Slurry
Posted in: Environment by admin on January 1, 1995 | No Comments
As ammonia emissions occur shortly after spreading, the response of the equipment used to measure those emissions have also to be rapid and accurate. The new analyssing technique seems to present those two characteristics.
Pig Slurry Treatment to Manage Nitrogen
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Continuous aerobic treatment can be a mean to stabilize the nitrogen compounds in the manure or create condition for denitrification and removal of N under the form of di-nitrogen gas (N2). Aeration treatment of 3 days of less results in stabilization of the nitrogen by bounding up in the organic form. Nitrification will occur after 3 days or more and most of all the ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3, NH4) is than converted to nitrite/nitrate (NO2/NO3). With low aeration rates or with period where the aeration is stopped, denitrification will occur and up to 70% of the original N in the manure can be lost through N2 and N2O gas emissions. When the aeration is done at high temperature (50-60 C, thermophilic treatment), nitrogen losses can be done under the form of ammonia as nitrification is inhibited.
Aeration can be a mean to stabilize the nitrogen compounds (lower the possible ammonia emissions)to slower release organic forms. For longer aeration, denitrification can remove N and help in the situation where N is in excess. However, some manure nutrients other than N can than be the limiting factor.
Selling the Public Large Hog Farms – A Success Story
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A 1200 sow farrow to finish swine production unit has been welcomed in a community that had been rejecting other projects with controversy. This publication presents practical application of public involvement process following principles of renowned rural sociologist, Dr. Desmond Connor. A successful case study using is presented with the step by step public process that has been develop and is applicable to environmentally sensitive projects.
The steps presented are adapted from a more elaborated process developed by Dr. Desmond Connor. The project is presented to the public openly to the public in order to develop a trusting relationship. This case study presented is for a new production facility that is going to be operated directly by the owner (family type farm). Question arises to know if that process would be as efficient with corporate farming and with citizen groups that had time to mobilize.
Managing pig space: Feeder position and orientation
Posted in: Prairie Swine Centre by admin on | No Comments
Movement is a major and defining aspect of animal life. Animals are distinct from plants in that they move about within their environment, and this ability gives them a quality that we often refer to as behaviour. If an animal is hungry, it is motivated to move and search for food. The requirement animals have for space is that which is needed to accommodate this movement.
Space requirements are usually defined in terms of quantity. Often these requirements are given as units of area per animal, or in relation to body weight. Space can also differ in terms of quality. Quality may involve the shape of the space provided, or the location of resources within that space. High quality space accommodates the behaviour of the animals in relatively small amounts of area. Poor quality space only accommodates the behaviour of animals in large amounts of space are provided.
This report relates to a series of experiments we have conducted in which space has been modified by the position and orientation of feeders within a standard pen. Both the behaviour and the productivity of the animals have been studied. The goals of the research include both an evaluation of currently available pen and feeder configurations, as well as developing a model which predicts behaviour in novel conditions. The long-term goal is to address practical barn design problems using computer modelling rather than trial and error.
This series of experiments identifies the fact that feeders should be positioned such that pigs enter from the sleeping area, rather than from the back of the pen.
Beak trimming of poultry: its implications for welfare.
Posted in: Welfare by admin on | No Comments
An Evaluation of Heating and Ventilation Control Strategies for Livestock Buildings
Posted in: Energy by admin on | No Comments
Composting Dead Poultry and Livestock.
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Dead carcasses disposal has become more complicated in Iowa as many rendering service plants have closed (from 26 in 1983 to 15 in 1994). Burial has been used also however this method is difficult in the winter and it can be potentially hazardous to shallow ground water. As changes occurred in the rules of on-farm solid waste disposal by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, disposing of dead stock can be made on farm using the composting process. No special sanitary disposal permit is needed if certain requirements are met and they are: – the composting is done with only the carcasses originating from the operation on this premises; – carcasses be placed in the composting material within 24 h. of the death and composting material has to cover the carcass to lower the risks of access to domestic and wild animals; – composting done in order to prevent leaching to surface or ground water, to control flies, rodents and other vermin; – compost is removed only when all the material has been well decomposed; – stabilized compost has to be applied to crop lands at agronomic rates within 12 months after the compost process is ended;- composter construction should be done with material that is resistant to weather and rot and capable to support normal composting operations; – an impervious weight-bearing surface has to be used for composting and this areas has to be located outside wetlands or 100-year flood plain, 100 ft from private wells, 200 feet from public wells, 50 ft from property lines, 500 ft from neighboring residences, 100 ft from flowing or intermittent streams, lakes or pond. The composting process is presented with the parameters that have to be controlled. Composting facilities for poultry and swine are presented with their characteristics. (references are made to C. Fulhage work).
For farrow-to-finish facilities, it is suggested to separate the small carcasses from the large ones as the small ones will degrade more rapidly resulting in mature compost more rapidly.