Respiratory symptoms and bronchial reactivity among pig and dairy farmers

Posted in: Environment by admin on January 1, 1994 | No Comments

Cyclone design for axial-flow fan exhaust systems.

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The utilization of new cyclone design methodology has resulted in the development of a 1D-2D cyclone design with a 2D-2D inlet, a 1D-3D outlet, an enlarged dust outlet of D/2, and a larger outlet tube diameter of D/1.6. This design has exceeded preliminary goals of a maximum 623 Pa pressure drop and minimum 80% collection efficiency as a fine dust and fine dust/trash collector. This design may facilitate the need for an improved air abatement device for the first-stage lint cleaner.

Engrais organiques et amendements : vers la maitrise de l'epandage.

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The CEMAGREF is implicated with the machinery industry to help them evaluate and improve the spreading systems they put on the market in order to improve the accuracy of the application for the application rate and transversal and longitudinal uniformity. However no specific information is given on the steps and measures taken for this evaluation.

Reduction of Ammonia, Compared with Odour Concentration on Pig and Poultry Farms

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Experiments were done on a pig farm and included about 4850 piglets 24-86 days old and on a broiler chicken farm including about 16000 animals. The possibilities of reducing ammonia and odours by using “deodorase” additives in the feed and in slurry were investigated. Ammonia, hydrogen sulfide as well as other micro-climatic elements have been measured and olfactometric measurements have been done to determine the odour concentration obtained with the use of the additive (165g/t in prestarter feed, 65g/t for the grower and 15g/m3 slurry) compared to a control group. The results showed that for the pigs, the ammonia reduction was about 59% (significant at P<0.001) and the odour reduction was 22% but with no significant difference with the control group. It was found that there were differences in the reduction of ammonia and olfactometric values obtained between the pig and poultry farms (where for poultry the ammonia was reduced by 28% and the odour by 19.7%). No information was given on the economical part of the additive use. The performance regarding odour cannot be considered in this experiment because no significant difference with the use of the additive (the difference of 22% could come from other experimental procedures and not necessarily from the additive). Even if the experiment was done with a large number of pigs, the experiment was not repeated.

A LAND-LIMITED AND ENERGY-SAVING TREATMENT SYSTEM FOR DILUTE SWINE WASTEWATER

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Phase and split-sex feeding of growing-finishing pigs

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Feed costs are the single most important cost factor in commercial pork production; in growing-finishing pigs feed cost may be as much as 70% of total production cost. An important means to reduce feed cost is to more closely meet the nutrient requirements of the growing-finishing pig at the various stages of production. This can be achieved by feeding the barrows and gilts separately (split-sex feeding) and by reducing the levels of expensive nutrients in the diet as pigs grow heavier (phase-feeding). A study was conducted to evaluate a systematic approach to developing a 3-phase and split-sex feeding program for PSCI pigs using a total of three diets.
Phase and split-sex feeding can be complicated by the challenge of providing numerous diets to a single barn or room. This problem was partly overcome in the current trial by using only three diets and strategically selective them for each sex based on body weight. In this trial, substantial improvements in gross margin were demonstrated through the combined effect of phase and split-sex feeding with minor effects on animal performance and carcass value.

The welfare problems of laying hens in battery cages.

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Numerical simulation of particle transport in slot-inlet ventilated airspaces.

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Numerical simulation of particle transport in slot-inlet ventilated air spaces was conducted to determine the influence of exhaust placement, inlet placement, obstruction, and number of inlets on particle transport. Air flow was simulated using the 2-equation k-epsilon turbulence model and particle transport was calculated using the equation of motion of the particle. Results showed that the vertical position of the exhaust outlet on the sidewall did not significantly influence particle transport. Vertical position of the inlet significantly influenced particle transport; however, results did not show any considerable difference in particle concentration with inlet placement. Obstruction also significantly influenced particle transport: mean particle concentration at animal height was lower for all flow cases with no obstruction than for all flow cases with an obstruction. Results also showed that using a slot inlet on both sidewalls was more effective in removing or exhausting particles than using a slot inlet on 1 sidewall only.

Controles de materiels d'epandage des lisiers et fumiers.

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Testing of spreading equipment has been done by farmers to verify the transversal uniformity (considering the width of the surface spread). The spreading tank with a splash plate tested showed an important variation with smaller application rate in the center of the surface spread and higher rates toward the edges with a variation factor for 25 to 50%. Better results (variation factor of 10 to 35%) were obtained when the manure was spread with a boom fitted behind the spreader.

Minimizing Emissions of Pig Husbandry Using Low Cost Biofilter and Bioactive Deep Litter

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Two different techniques, straw bale odour filter and deep litter of sawdust or straw were verified to evaluate their ability to minimize odour and slurry production. Two fattening periods of 21 and 19 weeks were done with 2 lots of 15 pigs to test first a 50 cm deep sawdust litter and then a 80 cm deep unchopped barley straw litter and both cycles were compared to the performances of 2 lots of 16 pigs housed on partly-slatted floor (control group). The air coming from the control section was filtered with a biofilter house made out of straw bales. The straw bale biofilter was effective in decreasing the pig smell by 50% and the deep litter were effective in controlling odour and reducing the slurry production.

The experiment done on a small scale give interesting results for the biofilter. Not enough information is given to judge on the odour reduction obtained with the deep litters. The use of a large scale biofilter is not address so it is difficult to evaluate of its capacities in reducing odour from whole swine building.