There’s no doubt about it. Winter has set in. While record snowfalls and subzero temperatures have caused us to add extra layers and adjust our thermostats in our homes, swine producers may want to consider how they prepared their swine barns for the season.
Just as with the summer heat, winter also requires ventilation. However during the cold months, a balance to keep the air moving without chilling piglets or causing pneumonia in the finisher must be met. An effective operation will often check all fans to ensure proper operation. Producers will clean fan blades, check the motors and make sure the fan’s thermostat works. Examining fan blades and louvers for damage and rust and replacing them if they are older than 10- 15 years old are another part of ensuring proper ventilation.
A successful swine barn will also check outside the building that the feeding equipment is working properly, the curtains close securely, debris or equipment is cleaned up and put away by snowfall and propane tanks are examined for leaks. Inside the building, managing rodent control, checking air inlets and temperature and testing supplemental heat are also good ways to manage high energy costs, reduced airflow and ammonia levels during the cold winter months.
While all these tips can be useful in keeping the barn safe for pigs and the employees who work in the barn, sometimes the swine operation may want to consider employing the use of a feed additive to combat the problem of ammonia pollution. A major concern for large-scale, highly concentrated swine operations focuses on the impact that growing supplies of manure exert on water and air quality. By the time a pig goes to market at 250 pounds, the animal will have generated 1.5 tons of waste. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the major source of environmental degradation from confined animal production is the waste material (manure, urine and bedding material) that is produced. Animal waste can be transmitted through runoff of nutrients, organic matter and pathogens to surface water; leaching of nitrogen and pathogens to ground water; and volatilization of gases and odors to the atmosphere.
These gases and odors can not only cause stillborns, tail-biting and respiratory diseases in pigs; they can also cause severe problems for humans. At .5 parts per million, the lowest level is detectable by smell. By 40 ppm, headaches, nausea and appetite loss are common symptoms in humans. An increased chance of pneumonia, salivation and irritation to mucosal surfaces can show up in 50 to 100 ppm.
One product some producers have found to help this problem is an extract from the Yucca Schidigera plant that binds ammonia. Besides improving working conditions in the barn and significantly lowering respiratory disease, the plant has been shown to help confinement facilities by decreasing energy and heating use and assisting with ventilation.
A recent study conducted by the National University of Ireland in Galway, Ireland and the University of Plymouth, England allocated 24 Large White crossbred pigs (12 male and 12 female, 25–30 kg) to three dietary treatments. Treatment consisted of a control, control plus 120 ppm De-Odorase (Y. schidigera extract) and control plus 250 ppm De-Odorase. Pigs were fed a grower diet for weeks 1–4 of the trial and a finisher diet from week 4 to slaughter. Weight, weight gain, feed conversion ratios and dry matter intake were measured for each animal.
The researchers found that the addition of De-Odorase to the diet increased daily liveweight gains by 52 g/day in the 120 ppm supplemented animals. Although no significant difference in feed intake was observed, the tendency toward improvement in both would account for the observed increase in gain. Decreases in urine ammonia concentrations of 12–36 percent were observed in both metabolism studies for pigs supplemented with 120 ppm De-Odorase. Serum urea and ammonia tended to be lower in response to De-Odorase (120 ppm), with significant reductions in serum ammonia noted at week 6.
Reduced airflow and increased ammonia levels are inevitable in the barn during cold winter months. Producers need to make sure their barns can get through the long winter and prevent respiratory disease and health problems for both their herd and their employees. Embracing new technologies and developing a management plan can help swine operations handle these cold weather challenges effectively.
Editor’s Note: This commentary is sponsored by Alltech. Through 29 years of research-driven product development, Alltech has created a range of natural solutions for the feed and food industries. For more information, please visit the Web sites at www.alltech.com.
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