Thermal performance and concentration of gases in facilities for pigs in semiarid region from State of Paraiba - Brazil

Abstract

ABSTRACT:The study was conducted in a facility for pigs during the nursery and finishing in the town of 'Montadas', in the semiarid of the state of Paraiba, Brazil, in the rainy and dry season, aiming to evaluate the concentration of oxygen, methane, carbon monoxide and ammonia, and the bioclimatic indexes: ambient temperature (AT), relative humidity (RH) and the index of black globe temperature and humidity (IBGTH). These indexes differed significantly (P>0.05) between the periods and times. The AT in the rainy season was in the thermal comfort zone(TCZ) in most of the times in the nursery; for the finishing phase, thermal discomfort occurred; during the dry season, there was thermal comfort in the nursery phase; in the finishing phase the thermal discomfort occurred at all times. In the rainy season, the IBGTH was in TCZ; in the dry season, it was above the TCZ. The RH in the rainy period was in the TCZ; in the dry season, in most of the times, below the range of the TCZ. The concentration of gases showed no differences (P > 0.05) between periods and between the times, and the carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide and methane were below 1.0 ppm, and the ammonia showed a mean of 5.2 ppm. None of the analyzed gases exceeded the limits established by Brazilian and international standards for animals and workers.KEY WORDS: welfare, thermal comfort, gases, semiarid. DESEMPENHO TÉRMICO E CONCENTRAÇÃO DE GASES EM INSTALAÇÕES PARA SUÍNOS NO SEMIÁRIDO PARAIBANO RESUMO:A pesquisa foi desenvolvida em uma instalação para suínos, na fase de creche e terminação, no município de Montadas, semiárido paraibano, nos períodos chuvoso e seco, com o objetivo de avaliar a concentração dos gases oxigênio, metano, monóxido de carbono e amônia, e os índices bioclimáticos: temperatura ambiente (TA), umidade relativa do ar (UR) e índice de temperatura de globo e umidade (ITGU). Estes índices diferiram significativamente (P < 0,05) entre os períodos e horários. A TA no período chuvoso ficou na zona de conforto térmico (ZCT) na maior parte dos horários na creche; para a fase de terminação, ocorreu desconforto térmico; no período seco, houve conforto térmico para a creche; na terminação, desconforto térmico em todos os horários. No período chuvoso, o ITGU ficou na ZCT; no período seco, acima da ZTC. A UR no período chuvoso esteve na ZTC; no período seco, na maior parte dos horários, abaixo da faixa da ZTC. A concentração de gases não apresentou diferenças (P > 0,05) entre os períodos e os horários, sendo que o valor de monóxido de carbono, gás sulfídrico e metano ficou abaixo do 1,0 ppm, e a amônia apresentou média de 5,2 ppm, sendo que nenhum dos gases analisados ultrapassou os limites estabelecidos pelas normas brasileiras e internacionais para animais e trabalhadores.

Thermal environment in growing and finishing pig facilities of different building typologies

“…Based on the recommendations of Ferreira (2005), the ideal temperature for pig growth and finishing phase ranges between 15 and 28 ºC. At certain periods of the day, the temperature exceeded the 28°C reported by Furtado et al (2012) as the beginning of the zone of thermal discomfort for pigs in the growth and finishing phase. Thus, pigs exposed to high temperatures are affected in their performance (Kiefer et al 2010), mainly due to reduced food intake and energy expenditure associated with thermoregulation processes (Manno et al 2006).…”

Control of ammonia emissions in naturally ventilated dairy cattle facilities in Portugal

“…Livestock facilities have been identified as the largest source of air pollution by agriculture due to contaminant gas emissions (FURTADO et al, 2012). The livestock facility ventilation need leads to gases and polluted air emission in the vicinity of facilities (FURTADO et al, 2010;TOLON et al, 2010), and therefore may present a risk for animal and human health (FURTADO et al, 2012). NH 3 emission has as origin the N excreted by animals in urea form and other N organic forms within the premises of facilities or outdoors or in adjacent areas, such as parks, feeding areas, storage tanks, animal traffic areas and waiting areas, for example, milking parlors.…”