Air quality in and around barns can negatively impact animal and worker welfare. This webinar will discuss ways to overcome these challenges. This presentation originally broadcast on April 21, 2023.
If you have difficulties please see our webinar troubleshooting page. If you need to download a copy of a segment, submit a request. The embedded videos can be viewed full screen by clicking on the icon in the lower right corner.
Indoor Air Quality in Southeastern US Broiler Production – Needs and Mitigation Opportunities
Mahmoud Sharara, North Carolina State University (24 minutes)
Presentation Slides
Low-Cost Livestock Barn Exhaust Air Treatment for Odor and Ammonia
Sanjay Shah, North Carolina State University (22 minutes)
Presentation Slides
Mitigation Options for Air Quality Impacts Associated with Dairy Production: A Northeast U.S. Perspective
Jason Oliver, Cornell University (23 minutes)
Presentation Slides
Questions from the Audience
All presenters (8 minutes)
Other Questions
-
- Would a montmorillonite clay which absorbs a high amount of water, work to lower the moisture available to reduce ammonia production?
- Mahmoud Sharara: That is correct; clay minerals absorb moisture and therefore reduce ammonia. However, the amount of clay mineral addition needed to meet NH3 goals could be large unless the minerals are acid-treated (acidifed).
- Would a montmorillonite clay which absorbs a high amount of water, work to lower the moisture available to reduce ammonia production?
-
- When ammonia N is retained in litter in the broiler house, does ammonia loss during subsequent storage and or application increase?
- Mahoud Sharara: High ammonia-N in litter could increase N losses in subsequent stages unless conservation practices are used, such as covered storage (w/ limited air movement), short storage duration, additives use, and prompt soil incorporation.
- When ammonia N is retained in litter in the broiler house, does ammonia loss during subsequent storage and or application increase?
-
- Has any summary data been developed on cost per unit of pollutant removed or recovered (e.g. $/ton NH3)?
- Sanjay Shah: To my knowledge you can calculate $/ton for acidifiers and there may be some older European data on exhaust air treatment.
- Has any summary data been developed on cost per unit of pollutant removed or recovered (e.g. $/ton NH3)?
-
- Is a designed windbreak on the north side of poultry facilities a good way to diffuse both particulates and ammonia gases to reduce odor? This is an area where the prevailing wind direction is SSW. A side benefit might be to reduce energy costs in the winter, also reducing greenhouse gases.
- Sanjay Shah: I would think a windbreak wall would work. As soon as you slow the air down and increase dust deposition you also confine sorbed gases and microbes. Note that odor perception would be highest under low wind (inversion) conditions and this is when the windbreak would be most effective.
- Is a designed windbreak on the north side of poultry facilities a good way to diffuse both particulates and ammonia gases to reduce odor? This is an area where the prevailing wind direction is SSW. A side benefit might be to reduce energy costs in the winter, also reducing greenhouse gases.
-
- What is the correlation (if any) between the movement of Ammonia, H2S (or other gasses) from animal operations and the movement of human microbiological pathogens on fugitive dust particles to nearby and adjacent lands?
- Sanjay Shah: Not sure if there is correlation but microbes can be transported on dust. Can’t recall if this has led to human disease outbreaks but high pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks on several Iowa poultry farms in 2014/2015 were associated with dust transport.
- What is the correlation (if any) between the movement of Ammonia, H2S (or other gasses) from animal operations and the movement of human microbiological pathogens on fugitive dust particles to nearby and adjacent lands?
-
- Has bentonite clay been used as an additive to chicken litter?
- Sanjay Shah: Can’t recall conclusively. But applying a very fine material in a chicken house with a spinner spreader will not be easy as it will not spread very wide and will also create a dust cloud. Doesn’t bentonite also contain trace amounts of asbestos?
- Has bentonite clay been used as an additive to chicken litter?
More Information
-
- About the Speakers
- The USDA studied several types of shrubs and trees for their survivability in close proximity of poultry farms. Please go to: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/plantmaterials/mdpmcpo10402.pdf
Continuing Education Units
Certified Crop Advisers (CCA, CPAg, or CPSS)
View the archive and take the quiz (not available yet). Visit the CCA continuing education page for additional CEU opportunities.
American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists (ARPAS)
View the archive and report your attendance to ARPAS via their website. Visit the ARPAS continuing education page for additional CEU opportunities.