Pig House Research Articles

Prediction Model of Carbon Dioxide Concentration in Pig House Based on Deep Learning

The air environment (e.g., high concentration of carbon dioxide) in a pig house will affect the health conditions and growth performance of the pigs, and the quality of pork as well. In order to reduce the cumulative concentration of carbon dioxide in the pig house, the prediction model was established by the deep learning method to predict the changes of the carbon dioxide cumulative concentration in a pig house. This model will also be used for the real-time monitoring and adjustment of the concentration of carbon dioxide of the pig house. The experiment was designed to collect environmental parameters (e.g., temperature, humidity, wind speed, and carbon dioxide concentration) data in the pig house for several months. The ensemble empirical mode decomposition–gated recurrent unit (EEMD–GRU) prediction model was established in the prediction of carbon dioxide concentration in the pig house. The results show that compared with the other models, the prediction accuracy of the EEMD–GRU model is the highest, and the root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), and r-squared (R2) of carbon dioxide concentration in autumn and winter are 123.2 ppm, 88.3 ppm, 3.2%, and 0.99, respectively. The RMSE, MAE, MAPE, and R2 for carbon dioxide concentration are 129.1 ppm, 93.2 ppm, 5.9%, and 0.76 in spring and summer. The prediction model proposed in this paper can effectively predict the concentration of carbon dioxide in the pig house and provide effective help for the precise control of the pig house environment.

A urease inhibitor reduces ammonia emission in fattening pigs reared on slatted floor in summer conditions

Intensive pig farming is a main contributor to ammonia (NH 3 ) emissions. Urease inhibitors block the conversion of the excreted urea into ammonium and may reduce effectively these emissions at the housing level. This study evaluated the effect of applying a urease inhibitor in a naturally ventilated and fully slatted pig house. Emissions were compared using two approaches: in-time evaluation and case-control approach. Two identical rooms in size and management were used in this experiment. Seventy growing pigs of 70 kg weight were placed in each room. One room was treated with the urease inhibitor EBN (based on phosphorodiamidate) during 12 days (treatment phase) at a rate of 0.17 mL m −2 day −1 . The study also included a pre-treatment phase of 2 days and a post-treatment phase of 15 days. Temperature and concentrations of NH 3 and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) were recorded every 2 min, and then aggregated on an hourly basis. Natural ventilation rate was calculated using the CO 2 balance method. The case-control approach showed more reliable results since only two days were available for the in-time approach. On average, emissions were reduced by 29% over the treatment phase. After each application, the maximum abatement potential was found between 4 and 14 h after application of the inhibitor. This study was conducted under specific farm and climate conditions. More studies are needed to confirm the abatement potential in a wider range of situations. • A urease inhibitor was tested in a naturally ventilated pig farm in summer conditions. • In-time evaluation and case-control approach were used to assess the mitigation potential. • Urease inhibitor reduced ammonia emission by 29%. • Response time of ammonia abatement after application was quantified.

Impact of slurry removal frequency on CH4 emission and subsequent biogas production; a one-year case study

Anaerobic digestion of animal slurry to produce biogas is the dominated treatment approach and a storage period is normally applied prior to digestion. Pre-storage, however, contributes to CH4 emissions and results in loss of biogas potential. Manure management was found to be an efficient approach to reduce not only the on-site CH4 emission but may also have extended influence on CH4 emission/losses for storage and subsequent biogas process, while the connection remains unclear. The objective of this study was therefore to evaluate the impact of slurry management (e.g. removal frequency) on CH4 emission (both on-site and storage process prior to biogas) and biogas yield. An experimental pig house for growing-finishing pigs (30–110 kg) and the relevant CH4 emission was monitored for one year. In addition, the specific CH4 activity (SMA) test was conducted and used as an alternative indicator to reflect the impact. Results showed that the manure management affected both on-site and subsequent methane emission; with increased manure removal frequencies, the methane emission became less dependent on variation of temperatures and the specific methanogenesis activity was significantly lower. The highest SMA (100 mL CH4 gVS-1), for instance, was observed from the slurries with limited emptied times, which was 10 times of that from the slurries being emptied three times a week. These findings could enlighten the development of environmentally friendly strategies for animal slurry management and biogas production.

Experiment and numerical simulation on the fine particle migration behaviors for the collection efficiency enhancement of a wire-plate electrostatic precipitator in pig house

In this paper, an integrated numerical model is presented and validated to investigate the particle charging and migration behaviors in a wire-plate electrostatic precipitator (ESP) for the collection efficiency (η) enhancement of the ESP in the piggery. Calculations of the RNG k-ε model, corona model, and particle tracking model are coupled in our model by utilizing MATLAB and COMSOL Multiphysics. This model is used to investigate the influence of various factors, such as the particle diameter (dp), flow velocity (u), and applied voltage (V), on the performance of ESP. Simultaneously, a visual experimental platform for PM2.5 migration is established for verification. The calculated results show that the predicted values of potential distribution, u distribution, and η are in good agreement with the previously reported experimental data. Moreover, the calculated results indicate that two elliptical shapes are produced by a relatively high electric potential and space charge density in the surrounding of the discharge corona wires. Furthermore, η first decreases with the increase of dp, remains unchanged in the range of 0.1–1.0 μm, and then increases until became constant in the range of 1.0–10 μm, revealing the interaction between diffusion charging, electric field charge, and fluid drag. In addition, the experimental and calculation results indicate that the η of PM2.5 increases with the decrease of u and increase of V. Notably, η of 2.0 μm is 100% at u = 1 m/s, V = 50 kV. Therefore, both the migration behavior solution method and the rules of η dependence on PM2.5 provide a scientific parameter control method for improving the air quality in pig house.

The Effects of Pen Size and Design, Bedding, Rooting Material and Ambient Factors on Pen and Pig Cleanliness and Air Quality in Fattening Pig Houses.

Simple SummaryInappropriate eliminating on a resting area has a negative effect on the environment, the cleanliness of pigs and pens, and can impair farm productivity. There are several factors that can affect pig eliminative behaviour. The primary aim of this survey was to investigate which factors related to the physical environment have the strongest effects on pig and pen cleanliness and ammonia concentration. Secondly, we wanted to assess the relationship between ambient temperature, air velocity and cleanliness of the pen and the pigs and ammonia concentration. Data were collected from 87 pig farms (n = 5769 pigs; n = 643 pens). The larger the eliminative area and resting area, the cleaner were the pigs. The eliminating area could have open partitions and be placed in the back of the pen. The resting area with a large amount of litter on the floor and use of straw as rooting material increased the cleanliness of this area. A more optimal pen design, such as that described in the present study, can reduce the workload for the farmers (cleaning), improve air quality, and lower the environmental footprint.There are several environmental and ambient factors that can affect pig eliminative behaviour. The aim of this survey was to investigate factors related to the physical and ambient environment that have the strongest effects on pig and pen cleanliness and ammonia concentration. Data were collected from 87 pig farms and analysed using mixed (ammonia concentration) or generalized linear (pen and pig cleanliness) model in SAS. The pen was cleaner when pen partitions were open compared to closed (p = 0.010) and increased with increasing amount of litter (p = 0.002), using straw (p = 0.002) as rooting material. Pig cleanliness was higher when pen partitions in the eliminative area were open compared to closed (p = 0.007) and increased with increasing space per pig in the resting area (p < 0.001), with decreasing temperature (p < 0.001), and lowering of air velocity (p = 0.003). Other factors that increased cleanliness was using straw as rooting material (p = 0.028) and increasing amount of litter in the resting area (p = 0.002). Ammonia concentration was reduced with increasing floor space in the eliminative area (p < 0.001) and increasing amount of litter (p = 0.006). Our results pinpoint physical and ambient conditions affecting pen and pig cleanliness and air quality.

The Distribution Characteristics of Aerosol Bacteria in Different Types of Pig Houses

Simple SummaryMicrobial aerosols from pig houses can be released into the environment, posing a serious threat to biosafety and public health. At present, there are few studies on the structural characteristics of aerosol bacteria in piggeries at different growth stages. It is important to understand the characteristics of aerosol bacteria in pig houses to solve the problems of air pollution and disease control in pig houses at different growth stages. In this study, bacterial aerosol concentrations and bacterial communities were compared in pig houses at different growth stages in Hebei Province, China. It was found that bacterial concentrations, community richness, and diversity in the air increased with the age of pigs. There are many pathogenic bacteria in the microbial aerosols of piggery. Our study highlights the importance of more comprehensive research and analysis of microbial aerosols in pig houses. Precautions for air pollution should be instituted in pig houses, including wearing masks, rigorous disinfection, and hygiene procedures.With the development of modern pig raising technology, the increasing density of animals in pig houses leads to the accumulation of microbial aerosols in pig houses. It is an important prerequisite to grasp the characteristics of bacteria in aerosols in different pig houses to solve the problems of air pollution and disease prevention and control in different pig houses. This work investigated the effects of growth stages on bacterial aerosol concentrations and bacterial communities in pig houses. Three traditional types of closed pig houses were studied: farrowing (FAR) houses, weaning (WEA) houses, and fattening (FAT) houses. The Andersen six-stage sampler and high-volume air sampler were used to assess the concentrations and size distribution of airborne bacteria, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to identify the bacterial communities. We found that the airborne bacterial concentration, community richness, and diversity index increased with pig age. We found that Acinetobacter, Erysipelothrix, Streptococcus, Moraxella, and Aerococcus in the microbial aerosols of pig houses have the potential risk of causing disease. These differences lead us to believe that disinfection strategies for pig houses should involve a situational focus on environmental aerosol composition on a case-by-case basis.

An effective temperature derived from a mechanistic thermophysiological model for sows reared in hot climates

Increased metabolic heat production caused by breeding for higher productivity puts sows at a high risk of suffering from heat stress. To reasonably predict the actual thermal status of sows becomes essential for efficiently mitigating heat stress. However, the existing thermal indices for pigs neither have been verified by experimental data of sows nor consider the effect of the dynamic heat balance within sow's body. This study proposed an effective temperature for sows (ETS) in hot climates based on an existing 2-node mechanistic thermophysiological model. The ETS was verified to be able to reflect the thermal status of sows with desired level of confidence by using physiological parameters measured sow experiments. The relative humidity and airspeeds impact ETS and effective temperature (ET), which was predicted by other four ET models, at different levels. The impact of ambient temperature on ET could be well reflected by both ETS and the four ET models. In addition, the ETSs predicted under dynamic conditions with/without considering heat storage were comparable in temperate climate. However, the thermal status of sows in hot climate was predicted more precisely by ETS obtained from dynamic conditions considering heat accumulation in the body of the sow. Considering heat storage in dynamic simulations, ETS derived based on metabolic heat production predicted the thermal status of sows better than ETS derived based on total heat loss. • An effective temperature for sows (ETS) reared in hot climates derived. • Influences of relative humidity and airspeed on ETS investigated. • Impact of dynamic heat accumulation within sow's body on ETS revealed. • Dynamic ETS can better serve for the control of climatic conditions in pig houses.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from pig slurry by acidification with organic and inorganic acids.

Methane (CH4) emission from pig slurry is a large contributor to the climate footprint of livestock production. Acidification of excreta from livestock animals with sulfuric acid, reduce CH4 emission and is practiced at many Danish farms. Possible interaction effects with other acidic agents or management practices (e.g. frequent slurry removal and residual slurry acidification) have not been fully investigated. Here we assessed the effect of pig slurry acidification with a range of organic and inorganic acids with respect to their CH4 inhibitor potential in several batch experiments (BS). After careful selection of promising CH4 inhibitors, three continuous headspace experiments (CHS) were carried out to simulate management of manure in pig houses. In BS experiments, more than <99% CH4 reduction was observed with HNO3 treatment to pH 5.5. Treatments with HNO3, H2SO4, and H3PO4 reduced CH4 production more than acetic acid and other organic acids when acidified to the same initial pH of 5.5. Synergistic effects were not observed when mixing inorganic and organic acids as otherwise proposed in the literature, which was attributed to the high amount of acetic acid in the slurry to start with. In the CHS experiments, HNO3 treatment reduced CH4 more than H2SO4, but increased nitrous oxide (N2O) emission, particularly when the acidification target pH was above 6, suggesting considerable denitrification activity. Due to increased N2O emission from HNO3 treatments, HNO3 reduced total CO2-eq by 67%, whereas H2SO4 reduced CO2-eq by 91.5% compared to untreated slurry. In experiments with daily slurry addition, weekly slurry removal, and residual acidification, HNO3 and H2SO4 treatments reduced CO2-eq by 27% and 48%, respectively (not significant). More cycles of residual acidification are recommended in future research. The study provides solid evidence that HNO3 treatment is not suitable for reducing CO2-eq and H2SO4 should be the preferred acidic agent for slurry acidification.

Fusion of acoustic and deep features for pig cough sound recognition

The recognition of pig cough sound is a prerequisite for early warning of respiratory diseases in pig houses, which is essential for detecting animal welfare and predicting productivity. With respect to pig cough recognition, it is a highly crucial step to create representative pig sound characteristics. To this end, this paper proposed a feature fusion method by combining acoustic and deep features from audio segments. First, a set of acoustic features from different domains were extracted from sound signals, and recursive feature elimination based on random forest (RF-RFE) was adopted to conduct feature selection. Second, time-frequency representations (TFRs) involving constant-Q transform (CQT) and short-time Fourier transform (STFT) were employed to extract visual features from a fine-tuned convolutional neural network (CNN) model. Finally, the ensemble of the two kinds of features was fed into support vector machine (SVM) by early fusion to identify pig cough sounds. This work investigated the performance of the proposed acoustic and deep features fusion, which achieved 97.35% accuracy for pig cough recognition. The results provide further evidence for the effectiveness of combining acoustic and deep spectrum features as a robust feature representation for pig cough recognition.

The role of diversity and circularity to enhance the resilience of organic pig producers in Europe

This paper investigates how pig housing relates to diversity and circularity of farms and how this influences the capacity of European organic pig producers to cope with economic, legislation, labour and climate-related shocks. It identifies resilience strategies of pig producers in Europe by analysing resilience capacity and attributes to different shocks, namely input and output price shocks, disease outbreaks, climate change, legislation change and labour fluctuations. Based on narratives of 18 pig producers, this paper finds three resilience strategies: an efficiency-based strategy, a nutrient substitution strategy and a farm diversification strategy. Non-resiliency is mostly found among the producers with an all-year outdoor production system following the nutrient substitution strategy related to low feed self-sufficiency. The producers follow an efficiency-based strategy when they cannot accumulate reserves sufficient to cope with shocks. Non-resilience among the farm diversification strategy is related to direct marketing that is labour intensive requires the ability to pay decent wages. To increase the resilience of pig producers in Europe, policies should recognise that these different strategies exist and tailor policies differently for different types of producers.

Clinoptilolite (E567), a natural zeolite, inclusion in heavy-pig diets: Effect on the productive performance and gaseous emissions during fattening and manure storage

Intensive pig rearing systems produce several air pollutant emissions, mainly associated with housing and slurry storage. Dietary strategies based on the use of feed additives can effectively mitigate such impacts. This work has been aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of dietary zeolites in mitigating ammonia (NH3), carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from piggery and slurry storage on finishing pig farms. An experimental trial, in which three groups of approximately 500 pigs each were reared, has been carried out on a commercial pig farm. The three groups were fed the same diet, with the addition of 0 g/kg (Z0, control), 10 g/kg (Z1), and 20 g/kg (Z2) of micronized clinoptilolite (E567), respectively. The emissions from housing facilities and the live and slaughtering animal performances, were assessed. In addition, manure samples were collected during the rearing period to evaluate, at a laboratory scale, the NH3, CO2, CH4, and N2O emission potential during the subsequent slurry storage phase prior to land application. The results have shown that the addition of dietary zeolite can be considered a valid strategy to reduce gaseous emissions from pig houses without affecting animal performances or the system’s overall productivity. Treatment Z2 gave the best results and resulted in a 25% and 36% reduction of NH3 and CO2 equivalent emission fluxes, respectively, compared to those recorded for the control. The laboratory- scale experiment revealed no significant effect of dietary clinoptilolite inclusion on NH3 or the greenhouse gas emission potential during slurry storage.

Characteristics of PM2.5 and Its Correlation with Feed, Manure and NH3 in a Pig-Fattening House.

Fine particulate matter (PM), including PM2.5 in pig houses, has received increasing attention due to the potential health risks associated with PM. At present, most studies have analyzed PM2.5 in Chinese pig houses utilizing natural ventilation. These results, however, are strongly affected by the internal structure and regional environment, thus limiting their applicability to non-mechanically ventilated pig houses. This experiment was carried out in an environmentally controlled pig house. The animal feeding operation and manure management in the house were typical for Southwest China. To reduce the influence of various environmental factors on PM2.5, the temperature and humidity in the house were maintained in a relatively stable state by using an environmental control system. The concentration of PM2.5 in the pig house was monitored, while the biological contents and chemical composition of PM2.5 were analyzed, and feed, manure, and dust particles were scanned using an electron microscope. Moreover, bacterial and fungal contents and some water-soluble ions in PM2.5 were identified. The results showed that the concentration of PM2.5 in the pig house was strongly affected by pig activity, and a phenomenon of forming secondary particles in the pig house was found, although the transformation intensity was low. The concentration of PM2.5 had negative correlations of 0.27 and 0.18 with ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, respectively. Interestingly, a stronger correlation was observed between ammonia and hydrogen sulfide and ammonia and carbon dioxide concentrations (the concentration of ammonia had stronger positive correlations with hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide concentrations at +0.44 and +0.59, respectively). The main potential sources of PM2.5 production were feed and manure. We speculate that manure could contribute to the broken, rough, and angular particles that formed the pig house PM2.5 that easily adhered to other components.

Continuous Measurement of Ammonia at an Intensive Pig Farm in Wuhan, China

Measurements with high time resolution are necessary to capture variation patterns and to facilitate the estimation of uncertainty in ammonia inventories. Continuous real-time monitoring of ammonia was carried out in a naturally ventilated nursery pig house during two periods in winter and summer, respectively. A higher ventilation rate of about 73,799 ± 39,655 m3/h was obtained during the summer period in comparison with 1646 ± 604 m3/h in the winter. Correspondingly, ammonia level observed in summer (0.25 ± 0.10 mg/m3) was lower than that in winter (1.28 ± 0.74 mg/m3). Spatial variation of ammonia concentration was observed during the winter monitoring period. The mean ammonia emission factor was about 0.3221 ± 0.2921 g d−1 pig−1 in summer and 0.1039 ± 0.0550 g d−1 pig−1 in winter, ranging from 0.0094 to 1.9422 g d−1 pig−1 and 0.0046 to 0.2899 g d−1 pig−1, respectively. Significant correlation was found between ammonia emission and indoor temperature and relative humidity during the winter period. For the summer measurement, effects of ventilation rate and ammonia concentration on ammonia emission were significant. Prominent diurnal pattern existed for both ammonia concentration and emission, with higher emission rates during daytime. The results confirmed the existence of considerable uncertainty associated with the ammonia emission factor, acquired by snapshot measurements.

Development of three-dimensional visualisation technology of aerodynamic environment in fattening pig house using CFD and VR technology

In this study, a virtual reality (VR) simulator to visualise the aerodynamic environment of a fattening pig house was developed as educational materials for farmers and consultants. The aerodynamic environments inside a fattening pig house were firstly analysed according to various environmental conditions using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Using the validated CFD model (Kim et al., 2019), the aerodynamic environment inside the fattening pig house was analysed with 54 cases of environmental conditions in winter and 60 cases of environmental conditions in summer. And then, the VR simulator was developed by visualising the CFD-computed data of aerodynamic environments in virtual space. The three-dimensional fattening pig house models were designed following the CFD-computed cases, and the three-dimensional pig model was developed with real shape and texture. The virtual space was organized by arranging the three-dimensional image models of the fattening pig house and fattening pig. A C language-based code was also used to extract the CFD-computed results for developing visualisation of the aerodynamic environment inside the fattening pig house. Visualisation was realized using contour plot, two-dimensional vector flow, and smoke effect in the virtual space. In the case of the contour plot, a scalar of air temperature, relative humidity, and gas concentration were expressed using color on the active plane. A two-dimensional vector flow represented two-dimensional flows on the active plane. From streamline data, the smoke effect was developed to describe the airflow from the air inlet. In this study, a tablet-shaped user interface (UI) was created so that the user can directly select the desired cases. Through a performance test, the optimal number of frames was determined. Finally, the VR simulator was developed to effectively describe the aerodynamic environments inside the fattening pig house.

Apparatus for ammonia removal in livestock farms based on copper hexacyanoferrate granules

Ammonia generated by livestock is a source of strong odour and pollution. In livestock management, ammonia negatively impacts not only animal health, but also productivity. A large-capacity and high-selectivity ammonia adsorbent that can be regenerated with water or dilute acids has been previously developed. In this study, ammonia adsorption and adsorbent regeneration apparatuses using this adsorbent are constructed and tested for ammonia removal in a pig house. The ammonia adsorption apparatus adsorbed approximately 0.36 mol of ammonia per hour, and the adsorbent regeneration apparatus desorbed approximately 75% of ammonia adsorbed to the saturated adsorbent over four days. These systems allowed ammonia concentration and temperature to be controlled in closed pigpens, and their effectiveness was verified by rearing 20 pigs in a 21.6 m 2 pigpen. In winter, the ammonia concentration in the experimental area was suppressed to 10 ppmv or less, even with low ventilation, and was 4–7 °C warmer than the open control area. As a result, the average daily weight gain of the pigs increased by approximately 9% and 7% compared to those of pigs in the closed and open control areas, respectively. In summer, the ammonia concentration was 45–70% lower than that of the closed control area. The feed conversion ratio of pigs in the research area was approximately 6% and 9% lower than those of pigs in the closed and open control areas, respectively. • New system regenerate 75% of the adsorbent in four days. • Ammonia concentration of low-ventilation pigpens decreased to ≤10 ppmv in winter. • Ammonia concentration reduced by 45–70% relative to a closed area in summer. • Average daily gain of pigs increased by 9% compared to the control in winter.

Sustainable development of environment and energy aspects of methane fermentation on family farms in Poland

The goal of these study was to present results of investigation concerning possibilities of utilization of harmful wastes in countryside area to produce ecological energy. Biogas production can be important from the point of view of environment protection especially in case of overproduction of animal wastes. Production and utilization of energy from agriculture residues gives a great chance for diversification and grows of income for family farms. Besides energetic and environment gains, we can obtain very valuable fertilizer, which is easy absorbed by plants in field crop production. The experimental study was conducted to investigate the effect of mixing process on the parameters of methane fermentation process. Temperature inside fermentation chamber, pH of fermented material, redox potential and carbon to nitrogen ratio (C:N) were investigated. Utilize wastes from pig and poultry houses were used for the study. Digestion in a chamber was provided at constant temperature of 37 °C. After adding fresh substrate to the digester, the temperature of the raw material decreased by 1,0-1.5 °C depending on the location in the tank. Also, it was observed that biogas production decreased. The mixing process had a positive effect on the homogeneity of the material throughout the digester volume. The best results for biogas production were obtained when the pH value was 7.0. Research results obtained from tested biogas installation show, that from two bio reactors at total capacity of 410 m3 we can get electrical energy at cost of 34,52 € MWh-1 and thermal energy at cost of 62,54 €×MWh-1. While the cost of producing electricity in a professional power plant based on lignite was 76.23 €MWh-1. The energy produced was used for the operational activities of the farm.

Mogroside V exerts anti-inflammatory effects on fine particulate matter-induced inflammation in porcine alveolar macrophages

Mogroside V is the main bioactive component of Siraitia grosvenorii (Swingle), and has a potential anti-inflammatory function. However, the effect of mogroside V on fine particulate matter (PM2.5)-induced inflammation has not been reported. In the present study, the biological effect of mogroside V on inflammation was investigated in PM2.5- treated porcine alveolar macrophages (3D4/21). The results showed that mogroside V significantly inhibited PM2.5-induced nitric oxide (NO) production and rescued the arginase activity inhibited by PM2.5. In the presence of mogroside V, the upregulation of IL-18, TNF-α and COX-2 by PM2.5 in 3D4/21 cells was inhibited. Mogroside V attenuated PM2.5-induced phosphorylation of NF-κB p65 and the expression of NLRP3. Mogroside V reduced intracellular ROS levels induced by PM2.5. In the transcriptomic analysis, inflammation-related genes in 3D4/21 cells were not significantly affected after treatment with mogroside V. These results indicated that mogroside V can alleviate the inflammatory response of porcine alveolar macrophages induced by PM2.5 from pig house and that mogroside V may play the role through the antioxidant function of eliminating ROS. Mogroside V has a clear anti-inflammatory function in the presence of inflammation.

Effect of Diet Composition on Excreta Composition and Ammonia Emissions from Growing-Finishing Pigs.

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.

Energy impact of climate control in pig farming: Dynamic simulation and experimental validation

Pig farming is one of the most energy consuming activities of the livestock sector. A considerable amount of energy, in fact, is needed to maintain the adequate indoor climate conditions in mechanically ventilated pig houses. This energy consumption is remarkably increasing due to the boost of pork demand -+45% between 2010 and 2050- enhanced by socio-demographical changes. Consequently, the improvement of the energy performance of this building type is becoming more and more a primary target in the path toward an energy-smart food production. Energy simulation models are essential to achieve such ambitious target by enhancing the analysis of energy consumption patterns and the evaluation of potential energy-efficient measures. A well-established and shared energy framework for this specific aim is not present in literature as well as simulation models for the efficient-energy design of pig houses, outlining an important gap that hinders the transition toward an energy-smart agriculture. In this work, a new dynamic energy simulation model is developed for the estimation of the energy consumption for climate control of mechanically ventilated growing-finishing pig houses. This model contributes to the current body of knowledge by providing stakeholders with an innovative and effective simulation model for energy analyses, especially at the design stage. In addition, this work faces an innovative and challenging energy modelling activity that can contribute to the development of an energy-smart food production by proposing a structured energy simulation framework for livestock houses. Furthermore, this model contributes to bridge the gap between energy and agricultural engineering simulation models by modelling in detail the pig-environment interactions and their effects on the energy consumption of the livestock house. The reliability of the model was performed through an experimental validation against real monitored data in compliance with international protocols. The developed model could represent an effective decision support tool for stakeholders, especially in the design stages of pig houses by favouring the adoption of new technologies in this sector. Through this model, in fact, the impact of new energy-efficient solutions on the energy performance of pig houses can be evaluated in standardized conditions, considering the specific features, such as building layout, geographical location, and farming features.

Factors affecting enduring participation in a pig farming program in Southern Papua, Indonesia.

In mid-2016, the local government of Papua, Indonesia, launched a subsidised program to improve pig farming in the area, with 250 participants. This study aimed to investigate factors associated with enduring participation in pig farming among the program participants. Two years after the commencement of the program, one hundred of the 250 participants were recruited into the study and divided into two groups: participants who continued to engage in pig farming ("remain") and those who had quit pig farming ("quit"). Data were collected from interviews, including personal data and events on the farms between April 2017 and March 2018. Multiple correspondence analysis, followed by a two-step cluster analysis and multivariate regression, was used to explore factors associated with the durability of pig farmings. Results indicated that associated factors included feed and water security, the use of concrete material for the pig house floor, the avoidance of swill feeding, reduced pig mortality, and continued pig husbandry training. This study highlights that a good feeding regimen and effective control of pig diseases should be priority pig husbandry techniques to be extended through training and assistance to improve traditional pig farming in Papua.