Abstract
Simple SummaryPig production leads to high levels of ammonia emissions, which in turn causes environmental pollution. This paper, therefore, looks at the possibilities for reducing ammonia emissions. Reducing ammonia precursors in diets and acidifying the urine and manure pH by acidifying diets make it possible to reduce the ammonia emissions from pig production facilities. The present study tested the impact of decreased crude protein or acidifying diets on urine and manure composition and ammonia emissions from growing and finishing pig houses. We found that decreasing dietary crude protein levels reduced the ammonia emissions from the floor as well as from the pig houses, whereas acidifying diets failed to reduce ammonia emissions from the floor and the pig houses. Reducing dietary crude protein is, therefore, a positive solution to reduce ammonia emissions from pig houses.This study aimed to investigate the impact of decreased crude protein (CP) levels (by 2% units) or acidifying diets (by adding 10 g benzoic acid/kg diet in combination with replacing a part of CaCO3 by about 10 g Ca-formate/kg diet) on urine, feces and manure composition and ammonia emissions from growing and finishing pig houses. Yorkshire x F1(Landrace x Yorkshire) pigs (n = 576) with an initial body weight of 24.9 ± 3.4 kg were randomly allocated to four treatments of (i) a control diet with normal protein content and no acidifying components added; (ii) a diet with 2% units CP reduction; (iii) a diet with an acidifying effect on the manure; (iv) or a diet consisting of a combination of diet (ii) and (iii). Pigs were housed in four mechanically ventilated and temperature-controlled rooms. Results showed that decreasing the dietary CP levels by 2% units reduced the ammonia emission from the floor by 46% (p = 0.06) and from the pig house by 31% (p = 0.08). Decreased CP diets reduced the total N in feces and in manure and NH4-N in the manure, as well as the ammonia concentration at 1 cm and 10 cm above the manure surface (p < 0.05). However, acidifying diets failed to reduce ammonia emissions from the floor and the pig house (p > 0.05). Reducing dietary crude protein is, therefore, a solution to reducing ammonia emissions from pig houses.
Highlights
Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.Ammonia is an important pollutant gas that accelerates fine particulate formation in the atmosphere and plays a crucial role in the acidification and eutrophication of ecosystems [1]
A total of 576 Yorkshire x F1 (Landrace x Yorkshire) pigs with an initial body weight of 24.9 ± 3.4 kg at 63.3 ± 3.0 days old were randomly allocated into four treatments of (i) a control diet (CON) with normal protein content and no acidifying components added; (ii) a diet with a 2% reduced protein content (RDP); (iii) a diet with an acidifying effect (AD) on the manure; (iv) and a diet consisting of a combination (CD) of diet (ii) and (iii)
This study demonstrated that decreasing the dietary crude protein level by 2% units reduced ammonia emission from the floor and from the pig house by 46% and 31%, respectively
Summary
Ammonia is an important pollutant gas that accelerates fine particulate formation in the atmosphere and plays a crucial role in the acidification and eutrophication of ecosystems [1]. Ammonia is a well-known toxic gas that can irritate the respiratory tract at concentrations exceeding 15 ppm [2]. Livestock waste accounts for 39% of global. In Europe, approximately 80% of NH3 production originates from livestock facilities [4]. Pig production is globally responsible for about 15% of NH3 emissions published maps and institutional affil-
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