Swine Finishing Barn Research Articles

Seasonal atmospheric characteristics in a swine finishing barn equipped with a continuous pit recirculation system using aerobically treated manure.

This study was conducted to determine the seasonal characteristics of odorous material emissions from a swine finishing barn equipped with a continuous pit recirculation system (CPRS) using aerobically treated manure. The CPRS consists of an aerobic manure treatment process and a pit recirculation system, where the solid fraction is separated and composted. The aerated liquid fraction (290.0%±21.0% per day of total stored pig slurry) is continuously recirculated to the top of the slurry in the pit. Four confinement pig barns in three piggery farms were used: two were equipped with CPRS, and the other two operated a slurry pit under the slatted floor across all seasons. The indoor, exhaust, and outside odor intensities were significantly lower in the CPRS group than in the control group (p<0.001). In the CPRS group, the odor intensity outside was significantly lower in the fall than in the other seasons (p = 0.015). In the indoor atmosphere, the temperature and CO2, NH3, and H2S contents of the CPRS group were significantly lower than those of the control group (p<0.05). In the CPRS group, indoor temperature did not significantly change in the spring, summer, and fall seasons and was significantly lower in the winter (p = 0.002). NH3, H2S, methyl mercaptan, dimethyl disulfide, trimethylamine, phenol, indole, and skatole levels were significantly lower in the CPRS group than in the control group (p<0.05). There were significant seasonal differences on the odorous material in both the control and CPRS groups (p<0.05), but the pattern was not clear across seasons. The CPRS can reduce the indoor temperature in the summer to a level similar to that in the spring and fall seasons. The CPRS with aerated liquid manure is expected to reduce and maintain malodorous emissions within acceptable limits in swine facilities.

Effect of aerobically treated manure on odorous material emissions from a swine finishing barn equipped with a continuous pit recirculation system.

ObjectiveThis study was conducted to determine reduction of various odorous materials from a swine farm equipped with a continuous pit recirculation system (CPRS) with aerobically treated liquid manure.MethodsThe CPRS is used in swine farms in South Korea, primarily to improve air quality in pig houses. In this study, CPRS consists of a manure aerobic treatment system and a fit recirculation system; the solid fraction is separated and composted, whereas the aerobically treated liquid fraction (290.0%±21.0% per day of total stored swine slurry) is continuously returned to the pit. Four confinement pig barns in three piggery farms were used; two were equipped with CPRS and the other two operated a slurry pit under the slatted floor.ResultsAll chemical contents of slurry pit manure in the control were greater than those of slurry pit manure in the CRPS treatment (p<0.05). Electrical conductivity and pH contents did not differ among treatments. The biological oxygen demand of the slurry pit treatment was greater than that of the other treatments (p<0.05). Total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and ammonia nitrogen contents of the slurry pit treatment were greater than those of other treatments (p<0.05). Odor intensity of the CPRS treatment was lower than that of the control at indoor, exhaust, and outside sampling points (p<0.05). The temperature and carbon dioxide of the CPRS treatment in the pig barn was significantly lower than those of control (p<0.05). All measured odorous material contents of the CPRS group were significantly lower than those of the control group (p<0.05).ConclusionThe CPRS application in pig farms is considered a good option as it continuously reduces the organic load of animal manure and lowers the average odorant concentration below the threshold of detecting odorous materials.

Effects of Treated Manure Conditions on Ammonia and Hydrogen Sulfide Emissions from a Swine Finishing Barn Equipped with Semicontinuous Pit Recharge System in Summer

Gaseous emissions from animal production systems affect the local and regional air quality. Proven farm-scale mitigation technologies are needed to lower these emissions and to provide management practices that are feasible and sustainable. In this research, we evaluate the performance of a unique approach that simultaneously mitigates emissions and improves air quality inside a barn equipped with a manure pit recharge system. Specifically, we tested the effects of summertime feeding rations (used by farmers to cope with animal heat stress) and manure management. To date, the pit recharge system has been proven to be effective in mitigating both ammonia (NH3; approximately 53%) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S; approximately 84%) emissions during mild climate conditions. However, its performance during the hot season with a high crude protein diet and high nitrogen loading into the pit manure recharge system is unknown. Therefore, we compared the emissions and indoor air quality of the rooms (240 pigs, ~80 kg each) equipped with a conventional slurry and pit recharge system. The main findings highlight the importance and impact of seasonal variation and diet and manure management practices. We observed 31% greater NH3 emissions from the pit recharge system (33.7 ± 1.4 g·head−1·day−1) compared with a conventional slurry system (25.9 ± 2.4 g·head−1·day−1). Additionally, the NH3 concentration inside the barn was higher (by 24%) in the pit recharge system compared with the control. On the other hand, H2S emissions were 55% lower in the pit recharge system (628 ± 47 mg·head−1·day−1) compared with a conventional slurry pit (1400 ± 132 mg·head−1·day−1). Additionally, the H2S concentration inside the barn was lower (by 54%) in the pit recharge system compared with the control. The characteristics of the pit recharge liquid (i.e., aerobically treated manure), such as the total nitrogen (TN) and ammonium N (NH4-N) contents, contributed to the higher NH3 emissions from the pit recharge system in summer. However, their influence on H2S emissions had a relatively low impact, i.e., emissions were still reduced, similarly as they were in mild climate conditions. Overall, it is necessary to consider a seasonal diet and manure management practices when evaluating emissions and indoor air quality. Further research on minimizing the seasonal nitrogen loading and optimizing pit recharge manure characteristics is warranted.

Evaluation of Semi-Continuous Pit Manure Recharge System Performance on Mitigation of Ammonia and Hydrogen Sulfide Emissions from a Swine Finishing Barn

In this research, for the first time, we present the evaluation of a semi-continuous pit manure recharge system on the mitigation of ammonia (NH3) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) emissions from a swine finisher barn. The pit recharge system is practiced on many swine farms in the Republic of Korea, primarily for improving air quality in the barn. It consists of an integrated waste management system where the fraction of stored manure is pumped out (10× of the daily production of manure, 3× a day); solids are separated and composted, while the aerobically treated liquid fraction is then returned to the pit. We compared emissions from two 240-pig rooms, one equipped with a pit recharge system, and the other operating a conventional slurry pit under the slatted floor. Mean reduction of NH3 and H2S emissions were 49 ± 6% and 82 ± 7%, respectively, over 14 days of measurements. The removal efficiency of H2S was higher than NH3, likely because the pH of aerobically treated liquid manure remained slightly above 8. More work is warranted to assess the N balance in this system and the emissions of odor and greenhouse gasses (GHGs). It is also expected that it will be possible to control the NH3 and H2S removal rates by controlling the nitrification level of the liquid manure in the aerobic treatment system.

Tempering ventilation air in a swine finishing barn with a low-cost earth-to-water heat exchanger

An earth-to-water heat exchanger (EWHE) can reduce livestock heat stress and also save electricity and water. A 4-kW EWHE system comprising 154 m of a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe (35 mm ID) buried in 3.2 m of soil was evaluated for its ability to provide cooling to 60 pigs in a finishing barn in Raleigh, NC. A low-cost tube-and-fin heat exchanger was used to exchange energy between water (38 l/min) and air (0.58 to 1.22 m3/s). After 8 h of cooling, at 1.22 m3/s, the temperature change (ΔT), energy produced (qh), and coefficient of performance (COP) were as high as 3 °C, 4.3 kW, and 8.2, respectively. After 12 h of continuous operation for air tempering during winter, |ΔT|, |qh|, and COP were 2.2 °C, 3.4 kW, and 6.7, respectively. While the EWHE pens were slightly warmer than the Control pens cooled with stir fans and sprinklers on very hot days, pig performance in the EWHE pens was unaffected. The EWHE reduced the electricity use by &amp;gt;50% and eliminated the sprinkling water use. Burying plastic pipes in slinky coils instead of using double pass rigid PVC pipes could improve system performance as would wetting the soil around the pipes. In addition to being sustainable, the EWHE could be cost-effective for zone-cooling of high-value pigs as well as greenhouse cooling in many parts of the world.

Mitigation of Multiple Air Emissions from Swine Buildings Using Corn Cob Biofilters

<abstract> <b><sc>Abstract.</sc></b> Biofiltration is a proven method to reduce odor and gas emissions from swine buildings and manure storage units. Biofilter media selection and moisture content fluctuations significantly influence biofilter performance. The purpose of this study was to test corn cobs as an alternative biofilter media because wood chips may become less available in the future due to the spread of emerald ash borer disease. In addition, a naturally occurring adsorbent (diatomaceous shale) was tested as an additive to manage biofilter media moisture content. Five 1 m x 1 m x 1 m biofilter cells were built to treat pit fan exhaust air from a swine finishing barn. A semi-continuous sampling system was used to measure the biofilters‘ inlet and outlet gas concentrations. Results showed that all of the biofilters were effective, reducing H₂S emissions on average by 7.3% to 50.1% and reducing NH₃ emissions on average by 9.8% to 86.3%. The corn cobs were less dense and more porous than the wood chips and had lower pressure drop per unit depth. Adding 15% diatomaceous shale to the corn cobs helped manage media moisture and improved H₂S and NH₃ reduction efficiencies. However, after 16 months of media aging, high levels of N₂O generation were observed during two sampling days. The estimated media cost with 15% diatomaceous shale was $0.52 per m³ h^-1 ($0.89 per cfm) of air treated. The corn cobs cost (100% corn cob biofilter) was $0.03 per m³ h^-1 ($0.05 per cfm) of air treated.

Odor and Odorous Chemical Emissions from Animal Buildings: Part 3. Chemical Emissions

This study was an add-on study to the National Air Emission Monitoring Study (NAEMS). The objective of this study was to measure odor emissions and corresponding concentrations and emissions of target odorous gases. Odor and odorous gas measurements at four NAEMS sites (dairy barns in Wisconsin-WI5B and Indiana-IN5B, swine finisher barn in Indiana-IN3B and swine gestation/farrowing barns in Iowa-IA4B) were conducted during four-13 weeks periods over ~1 year. Odorous gas samples were collected every two weeks using sorbent tubes and analyzed by the automated one-step thermal desorption-GC-MS-Olfactometry. In this paper, we summarize measured concentrations and emissions of 15 odorous gases from four sites. The average volatile fatty acids (VFAs) concentrations ranged between1.1 and 121 µg m -3 . The average phenolics and indolics concentrations varied from 0.03 to 42 µg m -3 . The total volatile organic compound VOC emission rates for 15 compounds for four sites ranged between 8.89 and 546 mg/hr-m 2 . Only acetic acid (p<0.05) and propanoic acid (p<0.1) had a seasonal significant difference for IA4B. For IN3B, 4-ethyl phenol and indole and most of VFAs (except hexanoic and heptanoic acid) have the seasonal significant differences. At the WI5B dairy site, there were five VFAs (acetic, propanoic, 2-methyl propanoic, butyric and 3-methylbuanoic acid) and one phenolics ( 4-methyl phenol) showing a seasonal significant difference. Only three compounds (2methoxyphenol, 1-(2-aminophenyl)-ethanone and indole) had a seasonal significant difference for IN5B. Between dairy sites (WI5B vs. IN5B), acetic, propanoic, 2-methyl propanoic, butyric, and 3-methyl butanoic acids were significantly different. Most of odorants were significantly different except heptanoic acid, 1-(2-aminophenyl)-ethanone and 3-methyl indole, between the two swine sites (IA4B vs. IN3B). Between the two different species (Dairy vs. Swine), five odorants including acetic and heptanoic acid, phenol, 4-ethylphenol, 1-(2-aminophenyl) ethanone were not significantly different, whereas the other 10 compounds measured were.

Partial Biofiltration of Exhaust Air from a Hybrid Ventilated Deep-Pit Swine Finisher Barn

A strategy for providing partial biofiltration of a critical minimum amount of ventilation air (CMVR) from a hybrid ventilated swine finishing facility was developed and tested. The CMVR, defined as the minimum treated exhaust air that suppressed nighttime curtain opening movement, was set at 81 m3 h-1 pig-1 with the intention of providing enough fan ventilation to suppress inlet curtain movement during stable atmospheres, providing biofiltering for a high percentage of exhaust air. Two side-by-side 300-head hybrid ventilated deep-pit swine finishing rooms were used for this research, one room as the control (CTL) with the other treatment (TRT). The TRT room was fitted with a wood-chip based biofilter for scrubbing the CMVR. In terms of total room emissions, the TRT room had an average odor emission 37% less than the CTL room. Ammonia emission was 58% lower for the TRT room as compared to the CTL room. The results presented indicate that a strategy of partial biofiltration can result in significant reductions in odor and ammonia emissions when applied to hybrid ventilated swine finishing barns.

Multidimensional Gas Chromatography−Olfactometry for the Identification and Prioritization of Malodors from Confined Animal Feeding Operations

Odor profiling efforts were directed at applying to high-density livestock operations some of the lessons learned in resolving past, highly diverse, odor-focused investigations in the consumer product industry. Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) was used for field air sampling of odorous air near and downwind of a beef cattle feedyard and a swine finisher barn in Texas. Multidimensional gas chromatography-olfactometry (MDGC-O) was utilized in an attempt to define and prioritize the basic building blocks of odor character associated with these livestock operations. Although scores of potential odorant volatiles have been previously identified in high-density livestock operations, the odor profile results developed herein suggest that only a very few of these may constitute the preponderance of the odor complaints associated with these environments. This appeared to be especially true for the case of increasing distance from both cattle feedyard and swine barn facilities, with p-cresol consistently taking on the dominant odor impact role with ever increasing distance. In contrast, at- or near-site odor profiles were shown to be much more complex, with many of the well-known lower tier odorant compounds rising in relative significance. For the cattle feedyard at- or near-site odor profiles, trimethylamine was shown to represent a significantly greater individual odor impact relative to the more often cited livestock odorants such as hydrogen sulfide, the organic sulfides, and volatile fatty acids. This study demonstrates that SPME combined with a MDGC-O-mass spectrometry system can be used for the sampling, identification, and prioritization of odors associated with livestock.

An outbreak of salmonellosis in a swine finishing barn

This case report describes an outbreak of disease caused by Salmonella serovar Typhimurium, phage type 108, in a batch finishing barn in Ontario, Canada. The outbreak was treated with both water-soluble and injectable antibiotics. Normal cleaning and disinfecting protocols were modified to decontaminate the facilities. Two members of the producer’s family required medical treatment for salmonellosis.

MEASUREMENT OF PARTICULATE MATTER EMISSION RATES FROM MECHANICALLY VENTILATED SWINE BARNS

Methods for measuring emission rates of particulate matter (PM) from mechanically ventilated livestock buildingswere evaluated in the laboratory using a test chamber. Particulate matter concentrations were measured inside the chamberand at the exhaust duct. Concentrations at the exhaust duct were determined using high-volume traverse downstream of theexhaust fan, low-volume traverse downstream of the fan, and fixed sampling upstream and downstream of the fan. The high-volumetraverse was the reference method. Both traverse methods were conducted under isokinetic conditions; fixed sampling wasdone under both isokinetic and sub-isokinetic conditions. Both room sampling and exhaust sampling under sub-isokinetic conditionsseverely overestimated exhaust PM concentrations. The low-volume traverse and fixed sampling under isokinetic conditionsagreed well with the high-volume traverse (mean difference ranging from 7% to 14%). Methods involving room sampling,fixed sampling at exhaust, and high-volume traverse at exhaust were also compared in a swine finishing barn. Room samplingoverestimated concentrations at the exhaust by an average of 30%, and PM concentration from fixed sampling did not differsignificantly (p > 0.05) from that of the high-volume traverse method. It appears that fixed sampling under isokinetic conditionscan be used as an alternative to the high-volume PM traverse method to accurately measure PM concentrations at the exhaust,from which the PM emission rate can be determined.

Measuring emission rates of particulate matter from fan ventilated swine barns (2002)

Methods for measuring concentrations and emission rates of particulate matter (PM) from mechanically ventilated livestock buildings were evaluated in a laboratory facility and in a swine-finishing barn. Concentrations of PM were measured inside the room (room sampling) and at the exhaust duct (exhaust sampling). Concentrations at the exhaust duct were determined using high-volume traverse downstream of the exhaust fan, low-volume traverse downstream of the fan, and fixed sampling upstream and downstream of the fan. The traverse methods, which served as the reference, were conducted under isokinetic conditions; fixed sampling was done under both isokinetic and sub-isokinetic conditions. Compared to the traverse method, both room sampling and exhaust sampling under subisokinetic conditions overestimated PM concentrations. Fixed sampling under isokinetic conditions, on the other hand, did not differ significantly (P>0.05) from the high-volume traverse method. Thus, isokinetic fixed sampling can be an alternative to the more expensive and time-consuming high-volume PM traverse method to measure PM concentrations and emission rates at the exhaust.; Swine Day, Manhattan, KS, November 14, 2002

Modeling Natural Ventilation Induced by Combined Thermal Buoyancy and Wind

ABSTRACT Amodel of natural ventilation was developed combining wind and thermal buoyancy effects based on established theoretical work. The model, developed for steady state conditions, calculates the inside temperature and ventilation rate in a swine finishing barn based on outside temperature, wind speed and direction, opening sizes, building configuration, and other operating conditions. Calculated inside temperatures were compared with field meausurement for three days of data. The coefficient of determination between the measured and calculated inside temperature was 0.995 and the estimated standard error was 1.3 C.