Analysis of Alternative Energy Sources and Their Use in the Pig Breeding Farm During the Winter Period

Abstract

Investigations were carried out at the pig breeding farm located in Šalčininkai district. There are 9 hulls in the pig farm, two of which are dedicated to pig breeding. One barn was reconstructed: installed heated-cooled floor with the heat pump and a manure-slurry cooling system. The second barn was installed more than 50 years ago and has not been modernized yet. This hull doesn’t have mechanical cooling system, is heated by a gas heater, infrared rays are installed in the pig holders. Both barns have a mechanical air exhaust system. The research data were collected during the winter season. Also was collected statistical data on the birth rate, weight gain, morbidity and piglets’ death. The parameters of the old barn microclimate depended directly on outdoor air parameters. The average temperature in the old housing was 21 ° C, in the modernized 27 °C; humidity was 79% and 54% respectively. In the winter period, in the old barn, due to low air temperatures and high humidity, the piglets’ death was 7.8% upper and the weight gain of 35% lower than in the reconstructed barn. It has been determined that the microclimate parameters influence the growth of the weight of piglets, their fall, and morbidity. The installed heated-cooled floor and manure-slurry cooling systems allow the farm to not use other types of fuel, facilitate the maintenance of the microclimate parameters of the barn (maintenance of the design temperature all the year), reduce emissions of CO2 and NH3 into the environment, and receive higher revenues from growing and selling products.