ENVIRONMENTAL MEASUREMENTS IN PRODUCTION SWINE FACILITIES

Abstract

This article compares temperature, ammonia, and hydrogen sulfide measurements in two swine productionstructures. One building used a pit ventilation system and the other did not. Continuous temperature and gas levelmeasurements were made in the two buildings during two winters. These continuous measurements allowed extensivecomparisons of temperature and ventilation effects upon gas levels. Ammonia and hydrogen sulfide levels were significantlyhigher in the building without pit ventilation. Fan operation data taken during the second winter revealed significantlygreater ventilation fan operation in the building without pit ventilation. This increased ventilation appeared due, in part, toa narrower dead band for the thermostatic controls of the ventilating fans, the absence of pit fans, and less heat loss from thebuilding. Temperature and gas measurements were also made inside the pit ventilated building and at one pit exhaust fanduring one summer period. These measurements spanned one power outage, permitting measurement of gas and temperaturelevels during a 2h outage.