Odour emission from

livestock housing

Assoc Prof. PhD. BUI XUAN ANbuixuanan08@gmail.com

Mobil 0913744166

Overview

1. Background odour emission

2. Odour research program in NL

3. Possibilities for odour reduction

4. Current and future research

air pollution

Air pollution is defined as the presence in the outdoor atmosphere of one or more contaminants (pollutants) in quantities and duration that can injure human, plant, or animal life or property (materials) or which unreasonably interferes with the enjoyment of life or the conduct of business.

Sources of odour on livestock farms

Manure Livestock building Outside yards and feedlots Storage Manure treatment Manure application

Animals Feed Storage dead animals

Odorous compounds

Sulphides Volatile fatty acids Phenols Indoles Ammonia and

volatile amines

(CH3)2 – CH – CH2 – COOH

N

3-C

H3

– C

8H

6N

CH3 – S – S – CH3

Processes and factors

Environmental factors

Feed AnimalUrine

FaecesManure

Processes and factors

•Feed and water intake

•Feed composition

•Protein concentration

•Amino acid composition

•Non Starch Polysaccharides

•Fermentation

•Species

•Health

•Fermentation

•Behaviour

•Kind of manure

•Slurry

•Liquid and solid manure

•Storage time

•Microbial activity

•Emitting area

•pH

•Storage method

Emitting area

pH

Feed AnimalUrine

FaecesManure

Processes and factors

Environmental factors

Feed AnimalUrine

FaecesManure

Temperature Ventilation rate Air speed

Use of straw Dust

Odour research program in NL

• Since 1990’s introduction of new housing systems designed for low ammonia emission (Green Lable systems)

• What about their odour emission?

Selected housing systems in the odour research programme

• Pig production

• Poultry production

Both:

Conventional and new housing systems with low ammonia emission

Pig housing systems

Dry sows, farrowing sows, weaners and

fatteners (conventional and low NH3 emission)

Low emission by:– reducing emitting surface of slurry and pens– cooling surface layer slurry– air scrubbing– group housing sows with straw

Selected pig housing systems

Animal category

Design Description

Fattening pigs Conventional partially slatted floor Low emission restricted emitting surface below slats Low emission cooled surface of stored slurry below slats Low emission flushing system below slats, operated twice

daily Low emission air scrubber, acid liquid, animals

conventionally housed

Dry sows Conventional individually housed sows Low emission group housing with feeding station

Farrowing sows

Conventional individually housed sows on fully slatted floor

Conventional slatted floor Weaned piglets Low emission restricted emitting surface

slurry

2,5 kg NH3 / y

Haye Hendriks

Conventional system

Metal or plastic slatted floor

Slurry

Concrete slatted floor

1.2 kg NH3 / y

Reduction of emitting surface area

Haye Hendriks

Diving cooling elements

Metal or plastic slatted floor

slurry

1.2 kg NH3 / y

Slurry cooling

Haye Hendriks

Haye Hendriks

Slurry

Metal slatted floor

1.2 kg NH3 / y

Flushing gutters

Flushing gutter

Haye Hendriks

70 to 95% NH3 reduction

Ingoing air Outgoing airFilter material

Sprinklers

Removal drainwater

Pump

Liquid level Mixing tank

Chemical air scrubber

Haye Hendriks

Individually housed sows

4,2 kg NH3 / y

2,6 kg NH3/y

lying area

Activity and excreting area

Eating area

Group housing of sows with straw

Haye Hendriks

Group housing of sows with straw

2,6 kg NH3/y

8.3 kg NH3 / y

Farrowing with fully slatted floor

Haye Hendriks

Slatted floors for weaners

0.60 kg NH3/y

Metal slatted floor

Max. 0.07 m2 per pig

Slurry

0.17 kg NH3/y

Reduction of emitting surface areaweaned piglets

Haye Hendriks

Poultry systems

Laying hens, broilers, parental stock broilers,

ducks (conventional and low NH3 emission)

Low emission by:• forced drying of manure on belts• forced drying of litter

Selected poultry systems

Floor housing for layers

0.315 kg NH3 / y

0.090 kg NH3 / y

Aviary system for layers

Haye Hendriks

0.012 kg NH3 / y

Battery system with forced drying of manure

Haye Hendriks

Odour sampling scheme

• Sampling 1 farm location per housing system• Sampling during 2 periods: each period 5

samples in duplicate (2x5x2) • Odour samples taken between 10-12 a.m• Dust filter at the inlet of sample tube

Results: means of odour emission fattening pigs

System kg NH3/y OUe/s

Conventional 2.5 22.4< emitting surface 1.2 9.6cooling 1.2 10.8flushing 1.2 10.9acid scrubbing 0.5 15.9

Results: odour emission sows and weaners

System kg NH3/y OUe/s

Sows indiv. 4.2 19.0Sows group 2.6 6.8Farr. sows 8.3 17.8Weaners, slats 0.60 5.0W < em.surf. 0.17 4.0

Group housing of sows with straw

2,6 kg NH3/y

Conclusions research pig housing systems

• No consistent relation between odour and ammonia emissions

• Restriction and cooling of emitting surfaces generally reduces both ammonia and odour emission

Results: means and variation of odour emission laying hens

System kg NH3/y OUe/s

Battery cages– slurry 0.045 0.69– dry manure 0.012 0.35

Litter housing 0.315 0.26

Aviary housing 0.090 0.31

Results: odour emission broilers, parental stock and ducks

System kg NH3/y OUe/s

Broilers litter 0.050 0.18

Br. litter drying 0.014 0.16

Par. st. broilers 0.170 0.53

Ducks litter 0.210 0.49

Conclusions odour research poultry housing systems

• No consistent relation between odour and ammonia emissions between farms and concentrations within farms

• Battery cage and litter systems for laying hens showed similar odour emission levels

• Relative small effect of forced litter drying on odour emission

treatment of airmethod perspective

Biofilter +/-Air scrubber +Dilution +/-Ozon --Active coal --Additives -

odour reduction:options for short term

pen factors & manure treatment

method perspective

<emitting surf. +cooling surface +/-quick removal slurry +/-quick drying manure +aeration with flushing +/-anaerobic dig. with flushing +additives +/-

odour reduction:options for short term

odour reductions:options for long term

• feed: intake and composition• pen-hygiene: behaviour en pen design• manure treatment

Anaerobic treatment

Aerobic treatment

Composting

Odour filter

Ingoing air

Outgoing air

Filter package

Sprinklers

Water supply Drain water

Water tray Pump

Fan

70% NH3 reduction

Bioscrubber

Haye Hendriks

factors affecting odour emission

feed animal

urine

feces

manure air

manure treatment

air treatment

dilution of manure/slurry

dilution of air

additives

feed intake and composition

animal behaviour

pen factors

Reference

• Aarnink A and Ogink N, 2002. Factors affecting odour emission from livestock housing and possibilities for reduction. Proc. International worshop in Odour Management Research at Taipei