2002 Annual Report
Research
Particulate Matter (PM10), Hydrogen Sulfide, Ammonia, and Odor Emissions
from Minnesota Pig Farrowing Facilities
Larry Jacobson, Professor
David Schmidt, Assistant Extension Engineer
Rebecca Morrison, Animal Scientist, West Central Research and Outreach
Center
Verlyn Johnson, Information Technology Professional
Funding Source
Minnesota Pork Producers Association
Objective
The objective of the research project is to determine dust (PM10), ammonia,
hydrogen sulfide, and odor emissions from deep-bedded and conventional
pig farrowing facilities in Minnesota.
Project Description
A deep-bedded “Swedish-style” farrowing facility will be built
at the West Central Research and Outreach Center (WCROC) at Morris, Minn.,
in 2003. This unit will have several farrowing rooms (eight sows per room)
consisting of a large solid-floor pen (about 30’ x 30’) that
will be heavily bedded. At the start of a production cycle, solid partitions
that form cubicles (about 6’ x 8’) will be placed along the
outside walls for use by sows and their piglets on a free choice basis
(threshold will be placed at the bottom of cubicle’s doors to keep
piglets inside for the first week or two). After roughly two weeks, the
cubicle partitions will be removed and the sow and piglets will be allowed
to commingle. Sows will be fed at an elevated floor section at one end
of the room and water will be provided at the other end of the pen. A
conventional crated farrowing facility is located adjacent to this new
unit and will be sampled for comparison purposes. Dust (PM10), H2S, NH3,
and odor measurements will be made twice during a farrowing period and
over 4 different production cycles so that data will span both cold and
warm weather conditions. Temperature, humidity (both ambient and room)
along with hydrogen sulfide will be measured continuously during the four
farrowing or production periods in each of the mechanically ventilated
buildings. Calibrating and monitoring fan operations will be done for
each of these facilities to determine air exchange rates. The concentration
of contaminants and ventilation rates will be used to determine emissions.
Results
The project was originally scheduled to start in winter 2002-2003 but has been delayed due to setbacks in the construction of the deep-bedded farrowing facilities at the WCROC. Data collection will start in late 2003 or early 2004.