Livestock Housing Research Articles

The Possibility of Contamination of Water-Soil Environment as a Result of the Use of Pig Slurry

AbstractPig slurry is a heterogeneous mixture of faeces, urine, undigested remains of feed items and water used for flushing of animal excrement and to maintain the proper hygiene of livestock housing. It is formed on farms which use the non-bedding system of pig breeding i.e. animals are kept on the partially or fully slatted floors. According to the Polish law pig slurry is defined as a liquid natural fertilizer intended for agricultural use. The storage and application of pig slurry on arable land affect the surroundings and may create a number of serious risks related to, among others, the pollution of water-soil environment with biogenic elements, heavy metals, pathogens and pharmaceuticals. The article presents the reasons for the occurrence of excessive amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, copper, zinc and antibiotics in pig slurry. The possibility of microbial and pharmaceutical contamination of water, soil and plants as well as their pollution with biogens and heavy metals as a result of improper storage and excessive spreading of pig slurry have been characterized. Moreover, methods of preventing the above-mentioned threats with reference to Polish and EU legal acts have been discussed.

Distribution and physicochemical properties of particulate matter in swine confinement barns

Air pollutants accumulated in confined livestock barns could impact the health of animals and staff. Particulate matter (PM) and ammonia (NH3) concentrations are typically high in enclosed livestock houses with weak ventilation. The objective of this study was to investigate the distribution of PM in different size fractions and the levels of NH3 in a high-rise nursery (HN) barn and a high-rise fattening (HF) barn on a swine farm and to analyse the physicochemical properties of fine PM (PM2.5, PM with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 μm). The concentrations of total suspended particles (TSP, PM with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 100 μm), inhalable PM (PM10, PM with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 10 μm), PM2.5 and NH3 were monitored continuously for 6 d in each barn. The results showed that the concentrations of PM and NH3 varied with position, they were significantly higher inside the barns than outside (P < 0.01) and significantly higher in the forepart than at the rear of the two barns (P < 0.05). In the HF barn, the values of the two parameters were 0.777 ± 0.2 mg m−3 and 26.7 ± 7 mg m−3, respectively, significantly higher than the values observed in the HN barn at all monitored sites (P < 0.05). The PM concentrations increased markedly during feeding time in the two barns. Chemical characteristics analysis revealed that the main sources of PM2.5 in the two barns may have consisted of blowing dust, feed, mineral particles and smoke. In conclusion, the air quality at the forepart was worse than that at the rear of the barns. Activities such as feeding could increase the PM concentrations. The components of PM2.5 in the two barns were probably blowing dust, feed, mineral particles and smoke from outside.

PENDAMPINGAN PEMULIHAN KONDISI PETERNAKAN AYAM RAS PETELUR PASCA GEMPA DI KABUPATEN LOMBOK UTARA

An earthquake that occurred from the end of July to the end of August 2018 in the province of NTB has detroyed not only residential buildings, offices, schools, religious buildings, but also livestock houses, especially the houses and cages. Almost all districts in the NTB province was affected by the earthquake and the worst affected districts were North Lombok and East Lombok. The Norty Lombok Regency is currently experiencing total paralysis both in the fields of education, government and economics and tourism. One business that requires rapid handling in the field of animal husbandry is for egg production. There are 26 poultry farmers who are members of the "Telur Jaya" breeders group supplying eggs for the community and visitors in North Lombok district. Because of the earthquake, this group was unable to produce eggs to meet the needs of the people of in North Lombok district due to destroyed housing conditions, many chickens died, and chickens which were survive received improper management and attention. The initial step taken was to recover laying hens housing and managemnt. Cage capacity for 26 breeders ranges from 250 to 2200 birds were repaired using cage materials that can still be used and new materials to replace damaged materials. Mentoring activities continue to be carried out so that poultry farmers can run their businesses so they can supply egg needs in North Lombok Regency.

Heterostructure Cu2O/(001)TiO2 Effected on Photocatalytic Degradation of Ammonia of Livestock Houses

In this paper, a heterogeneous composite catalyst Cu2O/(001)TiO2 was prepared by the impregnation-reduction method. The crystal form, highly active facet content, morphology, optical properties, and the photogenerated electron-hole recombination rate of the as-prepared catalysts were investigated. The performance of Cu2O/(001)TiO2 was appraised by photocatalytic degradation of ammonia under sunlight and was compared with lone P25, Cu2O, and (001)TiO2 at the same reaction conditions. The results showed that 80% of the ammonia concentration (120 ± 3 ppm) was removed by Cu2O/(001)TiO2, which was a higher degradation rate than that of pure P25 (12%), Cu2O (12%), and (001)TiO2 (15%) during 120 min of reaction time. The reason may be due to the compound’s (Cu2O/(001)TiO2) highly active (001) facets content that increased by 8.2% and the band gap width decreasing by 1.02 eV. It was also found that the air flow impacts the photocatalytic degradation of ammonia. Therefore, learning how to maintain the degradation effect of Cu2O/(001)TiO2 with ammonia will be important in future practical applications.

A Design of Integrated Purification Device for Livestock and Poultry Based on Safe Air and Drinking Water

The breathing safety and drinking safety of livestock and poultry are important factors affecting their health. At present, there is a general situation of high harmful gas concentration and unclean drinking water in livestock and poultry farms in China. There is no automatic control device for integrated treatment of air and drinking water in livestock and poultry houses. we designed an integrated device with automatic control in the aim of cleaning and recycling indoor air of livestock and poultry house, disinfecting indoor air and drinking water and adding microecological preparations in drinking water in the livestock house. The device has better practical significance in production.

Removal of reduced sulfur compounds from diluted gas streams by iron(III)EDTA in a trickling filter with in situ iron re‐oxidation

AbstractBACKGROUNDThe relatively low solubility of reduced sulfur compounds can limit their removal in trickling filters treating large volumes of air at low residence times. This could be overcome by addition of an oxidizing agent. In this study, the oxidative absorption of reduced sulfur compounds – hydrogen sulfide (H2S), methanethiol (CH3SH) and dimethyl sulfide (CH3S2CH3) – in a high‐porosity trickling filter with added iron chelated by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) was examined. The process was observed online by proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR‐MS).RESULTSRemoval efficiencies of H2S remained in the range 80–99% for all combinations of operating parameters tested. The removal efficiency of CH3SH was found to be limited compared to this, with removal efficiencies ranging from 10% to 74% and a strong dependence on gas flow rate and residence time was observed; CH3S2CH3 was found to be inactive. The FeEDTA solutions were prepared from ferrous chloride (FeCl2) as solutions of this compound were more stable than solutions prepared from ferric salts. Oxygen present in the gas stream allowed oxidation of Fe2+EDTA to Fe3+EDTA in situ, making regeneration prior to experimental runs unnecessary. To maintain high removal efficiencies during start‐up, pH should be kept above 7.CONCLUSIONChelated iron catalysts could be effectively applied for H2S removal in a one‐step trickling filter process treating low‐concentration (&lt;3.5 ppm) and diluted waste gas streams, which are characteristic for environmental waste treatment facilities and livestock houses. However, removal of other reduced sulfur compounds important for deodorization was found to be limited. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry

A Design of Local Airflow System for Livestock House Based on Solar-Induced Ventilation Wall

Ventilation can improve the indoor air environment of pheasantry. At present, the longitudinal ventilation mode of fan-pad airflow system is mainly used in livestock and poultry production. However, due to the high density of feeding, clean air tends to pass through the middle aisle, which leads to poor ventilation in pheasantry. It cannot effectively reduce the high temperature in cages,and high concentrations of harmful gas and dust affects the quality of livestock and poultry production. Taking caged broiler as an example, this paper designs a new type of ventilation system, which combines Solar-Induced Ventilation Wall with local air supply pipeline to form a system of fan- Solar-Induced Ventilation Wall - air supply pipeline. It adjusts and purifies the local environment of cage. This design includes many operation modes, such as auxiliary ventilation especially designed for using in summer or winter, which achieves the goal of ventilation all year round. The design can effectively solve the problem of poor ventilation in pheasantry, thereby realizing suitable air supply, energy saving and environmental protection by using solar energy. It is a good application in the production of livestock and poultry.

A meta-analysis of environmental factor effects on ammonia emissions from dairy cattle houses

Livestock housing is one of the main sources of ammonia (NH3) emissions from agriculture. Different management and environmental factors are known to affect NH3 emissions from housing systems. The aim of this study was to quantitatively define the effect of temperature, wind speed, relative humidity, and ventilation rate on NH3 release rates from dairy cattle housing by conducting a meta-analysis of published scientific results. A literature survey was performed to review studies published before January 2018 that have identified statistical relationships between NH3 emissions and environmental factors such as air temperature, wind speed, relative humidity, or ventilation rate in dairy cattle housing. Experimental values were related using a mixed model analysis in order to analyse the effect of environmental factors on NH3 emissions. For this exercise, a total of 19 peer-reviewed papers were considered and 27 different relations between air temperature and NH3 emissions were used for the analysis. A significant effect of air temperature inside the barn and ventilation rate on NH3 emissions was observed. Results showed that NH3 emissions increased linearly with increasing air temperature (oC) inside the barn by 1.47 g [NH3] cow−1 d−1 when temperature increased by one degree. For ventilation rate, an increase of 100 m3 h−1 cow−1 led to an increase in NH3 emissions of 0.007 g [NH3] cow−1 d−1. The equations obtained in this work might help to provide information on NH3 barn-related emissions behaviour under these environmental conditions, bearing in mind that other source of emissions such as diet composition and animal performance might be also affected by climate changes.

Efficiency of the transfer of cows for tieless maintenance and their feeding under intensive technology of milk production

The paper presents the results of research in the working conditions of an agricultural enterprise that studies the efficiency of double, triple and triple partly milking of cows in connection with their transfer from a fixed content to a tieless box and the addition of some green mass into the contents of the feed mix. The purpose of our research was to determine the efficiency of different ratios of green and conserved feeds in the ration of dairy cows during summer period; to study the effect of the frequency of milking on the milk productivity of the Black-and-White breed cows in the conditions of cows’ transfer to the tieless maintenance at the intensive technology of milk production. The investigation was carried out in the conditions of the agro-firm № 10 of the state enterprise “Illich Agro-Donbas”, Mariupol district, Donetsk region. The dairy cows of the Ukrainian Black-and-White breed were used in our experiment that was conducted in accordance with the generally accepted methods of the research on cattle feeding. Before the beginning of the research the cows were kept on a leash all- year- round. The experiment was carried out and during the experiment the technology of maintenance and milking of the cows in the control group remained unchanged, the cows-analogues of the second group were transferred to the new, reconstructed livestock house for the tieless maintenance, for the first hundred days of lactation the cows were milked three times a day and they were milked twice a day till the end of the lactation. The cows of the third group were under tieless conditions of maintenance and they were milked three times a day throughout the lactation period. The feeding conditions for the cows were the same, that is, the animals were fed with the balanced feed mixtures at the silage-concentrate type of feeding. The partial replacement of the brought up (mown) green feeds of the field forage production in the ration of dairy cows in stalls and under unleashed pen maintenance by high quality silage met the physiological requirement of the cows in dry matter and at the same time it increased the concentration of energy in 1 kg of the ration. The following results were obtained. When keeping the cows tied and tieless at the partial replacement of the brought up (mown) green feeds of the field forage production in the ration of lactating cows by the high quality silage better provides their physiological requirements in dry matter and at the same time it increases the energy concentration in 1 kg of the ration. The use of partly both three-time milking (for the first hundred days of lactation) and three-time milking (during the whole period of lactation) increased the milk productivity of the cows by 7.0 and 11.4%, with the simultaneous decrease in the feed costs per a unit of produce by 7.2 and 11.8%, respectively. The lactation activity of the cows that were milked twice a day was more fluent and uniform and the intensity of milk yield was significantly higher as compared with the cows of groups 2 and 3 by 29.4% and 26.5%, respectively. The economic efficiency of milk production was higher in group 2 and 3, the profit in the above groups exceeded the profit of group 1 by 4.7% and 5.4%, respectively.

Heat Requirements of Two Layer Strains Placed on Different Dates

ABSTRACT This study was conducted to calculate the heat requirements of Hy-line W-36 and Hy-line W-98 layer chicks placed on different dates, and to select one of these strains based on heat requirements and egg prices. An environmentally-controlled, mechanically-ventilated, and fan and pad-cooled house with a capacity of 94,500 chicks was designed. Based on the identification of September as the month with the highest egg prices, placement dates were selected (16th of March, 1st of April, 16th of April, 23rd of April and 1st of May) to coincide with economic egg weight in that month. The heat requirements for a rearing period of 35days of both evaluated strains starting on the above-mentioned dates were calculated using heat and moisture balance method commonly used for livestock and poultry houses. Those placement dates corresponded to economic egg weight dates (with 50-52 g eggs) of 15th of August, 1st of September, 16th of September, 23rd of September and 1st of October. Total heat requirements during the 35-day rearing periods of chicks placed on the identified dates were respectively calculated as 640, 601, 413, 401 and 369 kW/h for Hy-line W-36 and respectively as 778, 732, 551, 539 and 497 kW/h for Hy-line W-98 chicks. September had the highest egg prices for both strains (4.73 and 5.06 US cents/egg). The lowest heat requirement was observed when chicks were placed on the23rd of April. Hy-line W-36 chicks presented higher total heat requirement than Hy-line W-98 chicks. Therefore, 23rd of April as the most economic placement date and Hy-line W-36 as the most cost-effective layer strain.

Emission of Greenhouse Gases and Odorants from Pig Slurry - Effect on the Environment and Methods of its Reduction

Abstract Pig slurry is classified as a natural liquid fertilizer, which is a heterogeneous mixture of urine, faeces, remnants of feed and technological water, used to remove excrement and maintain the hygiene of livestock housing. The storage and distribution of pig slurry on farmland affect the environment as they are associated with, among others, the emission of various types of gaseous pollutants, mainly CH4, CO2, N2O, NH3, H2S, and other odorants. Methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) are greenhouse gases (GHGs) which contribute to climate change by increasing the greenhouse effect. Ammonia (NH3) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) are malodorous gases responsible for the occurrence of odour nuisance which, due to their toxicity, may endanger the health and lives of humans and animals. NH3 also influences the increase of atmosphere and soil acidification. The article presents the environmental impact of greenhouse gases and odorous compounds emitted from pig slurry. Key gaseous atmospheric pollutants such as NH3, H2S, CH4, CO2 and N2O have been characterized. Furthermore, methods to reduce the emission of odours and GHGs from pig slurry during its storage and agricultural usage have been discussed.

Leveraging smallholder livestock production to reduce anemia: A qualitative study of three agroecological zones in Ghana

Livestock production and Animal-Source Foods (ASFs) like meat, milk, and eggs are excellent sources of essential micronutrients, including iron and zinc. There is evidence that encouraging increased access to and consumption of these ASFs may either positively or negatively impact anemia, or have no nutritional effects. Drawing upon first-hand experiences in Ghana, this study sought to: (1) identify the main motivations for raising livestock in Ghana; (2) describe the major barriers to consuming ASFs, especially among women of reproductive age (WRA); and (3) explore the feasibility of different livestock-centered interventions to reduce anemia. Key informant interviews and focus group discussions were held with relevant stakeholders at different geographical scales - the national, regional, district, and community levels. The results suggest that livestock enable savings, allow resource-poor households to accumulate assets, and help finance planned and unplanned expenditures (e.g., school fees and illness). Due to these multiple and often pressing uses, direct consumption of home-reared ASFs is not a major priority, especially for poor households. Even when ASFs are consumed, intra-household allocation does not favor women and adolescent girls, demographic groups with particularly high micronutrient requirements. The study participants discussed possible interventions to address these challenges, including (1) increasing livestock ownership through in-kind credit; (2) encouraging nutrition-related behavior change; (3) improving livestock housing; and (4) hatchery management. The paper discusses these interventions based upon potential acceptance, feasibility, cost effectiveness, and sustainability in the Ghanaian context.

Design-oriented modelling on cooling performance of the earth-air heat exchanger for livestock housing

Access to inexpensive cooling sources is a precondition for developing cost-effective methods to mitigate heat stress among farm animal under hot climate conditions. The earth-air heat exchanger (EAHE) is a promising energy-effective technique that can be used to reduce the cooling load of a livestock building in hot days. Several studies have been carried out to assess the feasibility of EAHE for tempering air in livestock buildings. However, no mathematical model serving for EAHE design for livestock buildings has been developed, in which the EAHE system is often operated continuously to keep animals comfortable and productive. This work firstly deduced a regression model for predicting the air temperature difference between an EAHE tube inlet and outlet (ΔTi-o) using response surface methodology (RSM) based on the data obtained from validated steady-state numerical simulations. Four key design and operation factors (tube diameter, tube length, air velocity, and the temperature difference between inlet air and the undisturbed soil) were incorporated into the model. Based on the regression model, a mathematical model for predicting the cooling capacity (CC) of an EAHE tube was obtained. Parametric analysis was conducted to reveal the effects of the four factors on both the ΔTi-o and the CC. The models on cooling performance allow the designers to optimize the EAHE configuration for cooling livestock buildings.

&lt;b&gt;Assessments on the impact of human-tiger conflict and community-based conservation in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, India&lt;/b&gt;

Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BTR) is one of the famous tiger reserves in India, situated in Uamria District of Madhya Pradesh. Data on human-tiger conflict were collected from the forest record during the period from 2001 to 2011 and a questionnaire survey was conducted to know the level of human-tiger conflict. A total of 27 human casualties were recorded, of which 40.75% were lethal (death) and 59.25% were injuries. A total of 1,603 livestock killing were recorded by tiger, of which consisting of 76.54% (1227) cattle (cow/ox), 22.52% (361) buffaloes and 0.93% (15) goats. Illegal entry into the core and buffer area for collection of minor forest produce, daily needs, and livestock grazing were observed to be the major reasons behind the existing conflict. Poor livestock shelter was also found responsible for mauling of cattle by tigers. The forest department had provided adequate compensation for the losses, but most of the respondents were unsatisfied due to assorted reasons. Poaching and retaliation killing of tiger is also a serious issue in and around BTR. A total of four tiger poaching and one revenge killing case was recorded. Conflicts create a negative impact on people, even then majority of the respondents (83.89%) felt the necessity for tiger conservation. Wildlife habitat improvement, restocking of prey base by translocation of herbivores, fencing of protected areas, controlled grazing and rangeland management, adequate compensation, eco-development, promoting the use of toilets in surrounding villages for safety, proper housing of livestock, and community-based conservation are some options for control and management of human-tiger conflict.

A Study on the Electric Fire Safety System Technology for Livestock House using RLCR Algorithm

A Study on the Electric Fire Safety System Technology for Livestock House using RLCR Algorithm

Role of Flies in the Maintenance of Antimicrobial Resistance in Farm Environments.

Flies play an important role as vectors in the transmission of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria (ARB) and are hypothesized to transfer ARB between internal and external livestock housing areas. The aim of this study was to understand the role that flies may play in the maintenance of ARB in the farm environment. We first evaluated the fate of ingested antimicrobial-resistant Escherichia coli harboring a plasmid containing antimicrobial-resistance genes (ARGs) throughout the housefly (Musca domestica) life cycle, from adult to the subsequent F1 generation. Antimicrobial-resistant E. coli was isolated from different life cycle stages and ARG carriage quantified. The ingested E. coli persisted throughout the fly life cycle, and ARG carriage was maintained at a constant level in the housefly microbiota. To clarify the transmission of ARB from flies to livestock, 30-day-old chickens were inoculated with maggots containing antimicrobial-resistant E. coli. Based on the quantification of bacteria isolated from cecal samples, antimicrobial-resistant E. coli persisted in these chickens for at least 16 days. These results suggest that flies act as a reservoir of ARB throughout their life cycle and may therefore be involved in the maintenance and circulation of ARB in the farm environment.

Climate control in broiler houses: A thermal model for the calculation of the energy use and indoor environmental conditions

The use of energy in the livestock sector will rise in the years to come due to the increasing demand for animal proteins from a word population that will reach 9.15 billion people before 2050. Livestock houses for intensive animal farming are characterized by high energy consumption due to climate control that is needed to guarantee animals’ welfare and to maximize their production. Currently, there are neither international standards calculation models nor commercial tools for the estimation of this energy consumption. To fill this gap, this paper presents a simulation model (based on a customization of the hourly model of ISO 13790) for the estimation of the energy consumption due to climate control of broiler houses. This model provides the energy consumption for heating, cooling and ventilation and the main indoor environmental parameters for the evaluation of the animals’ welfare. The model was validated comparing its outputs with a dataset obtained through a monitoring campaign carried out in a broiler house during a production cycle. This research has several practical application: it can increase the knowledge about energy consumption in the livestock sector and the model can be also a useful tool for agricultural engineers and farmers.

Определение рационального количества теплоутилизаторов для коровника на 400 голов

Introduction . Matters of selection and use of units for exhausted air heat utilization in the barn room are considered. The work objective is rationale for choosing the number of heat recovery devices that provide the greatest economic benefit when operating in the room for 400 animals. Materials and Methods . Determination of the number of energy-saving equipment units is due to several factors. The key one is the ever varying amount of air exchange in the barn depending on the outer air parameters. At this, the operating conditions in the southern regions of the country are taken into account. Mathematical models describing dependence of the technical-and-economic indices on the number and operating period of the disposal plants are proposed. The correlationregression analysis of the dependences obtained is made. The technical-and-economic assessment of the use of heat exchangers is carried out on its basis. Contour plots of the objective functions of the electric power consumption and operating costs are presented depending on the operating period and the capacity of energy-saving plants. A comparison method is used to identify the most efficient performance of the heat exchanger with the varying value of air exchange. Research Results. The desired number of heat exchangers, which provide the required air exchange in the livestock house, is determined. New mathematical models are developed for calculating the efficiency of utilization facilities taking into account the capacity and operating period. Dependences of the change in running costs on the performance efficiency of the utilizers are established. The number and type of the heat recovery units is determined. When these utilizers are in use, the greatest net present value is achieved. Discussion and Conclusions . The results obtained can be used to develop energy-saving systems under stock-rearing. The proposed mathematical models for calculating operational costs allow for a pre-feasibility study on the use of plate heat exchanger in livestock buildings.

Applicability of Ammonia Sensors for Controlling Environmental Parameters in Accommodations for Lamb Fattening

Electrochemical ammonia sensors were used to analyse the existing relationship between the ammonia concentration and ambient levels of both temperature and relative humidity in commercial lamb fattening housing equipped with mechanical ventilation and straw-bedded pens. In the first stage of the experiment, sensors were placed over straw beds covered in lamb urine and analysed under laboratory conditions in order to determine ammonia emission evolution over time; three control temperatures (25, 35, and 50°C) were used. A HOBO H8 temperature and relative humidity logger and a Dräger NH3LC-6809680 electrochemical ammonia sensor placed in a Dräger Polytron 7000 gas detector were utilized as sensors. A positive correlation was established between both ammonia emission time and emitted amount with temperature. Additionally, tests were performed in a commercial lamb housing to determine ammonia concentration variation with respect to height from the ground; three ammonia sensors placed at 50, 90, and 135 cm above the ground were used simultaneously. The ammonia concentration significantly decreased as height increased. A 90 cm height was selected, and three ammonia probes were placed in three different pens inside the livestock housing, along with temperature and relative humidity sensors; four different housing ventilation rates were then tested under real conditions over a time period of 4 months. An adjustment polynomial equation between the housing ambient temperature and the ammonia concentration was obtained with R2 = 0.632. In conclusion, a relationship can be established between temperature and ammonia concentration in commercial lamb housing under certain handling conditions, which in turn allows for estimating the ammonia concentration adequately based on the ambient internal temperature.

CONDITIONS FOR SAFETY OPERATION AND MANEUVERABILITY OF LOW-TONNAGE ROADTRAIN AT CRITICAL RATES OF MOTION

The paper deals with the control device for a uniaxial trailer, which makes it possible to increase the maneuverability and reliability of the movement of a low-tonnage roadtrain by using flexible coupling in the hitch mechanism. This makes it possible to use roadtrain at emergency situations, in narrow urban streets, in greenhouses, livestock houses, and warehouses. This mechanism is simplicity, reliability and high maintainability, which allow to operate it when transporting non-bump-resistant cargo of different purpose. An application for an invention was filed with the proposed mechanism. The maximum forces in the cable, the drawbar hook and the controlled elements of the coupling were calculated in case of emergency braking with the maximum loading of the trailer in difficult road conditions. Critical turn radii were determined at different speeds and tire-to-surface friction coefficients. A mathematical simulation of the movement of the roadtrain was performed. The device was installed and tested on the basis of the road laboratory KP-514MP based on the car Gazel 2705 with trailer IAPZ-739. Full-scale tests were carried out in various urban and field conditions with different loading of the trailer and shifts of the cargo mass center. The cable installation in the hitch significantly changes the geometry of the movement when reversing and emergency braking. Also the jack-knifing of the roadtrain is obviated, while without a cable, there is almost always a threat of suchjack-knifing, which is highly undesirable in the transport of non-bumpresistant cargoes. This significantly affects the active safety of the low- tonnage roadtrain, determines its braking efficiency and transverse stability of the links during the movement. A mathematical model that had been tested experimentally was described, which makes it possible to estimate the critical turn radii during maneuvering, the conditions for emergency braking and the possibility of reversing motion. Two types of cables can be used in the flexible hitch-coupling: one is with a diameter of 9 mm and has the metallic core, another is LX-0, it consists of 46 wires with the organic core. Also other types of cables can be applicated if they withstand load of 4.5-5.0 t.