Determination and Evaluation of Noise Pollution in Layer Hen House: A Bursa Case Study

Abstract

Both animals and employees need to improve the indoor conditions in livestock barns and keep them at an optimum level. With the development of automation systems for increased productivity and mechanisation, more systematic production occurs within the poultry houses and the need for a workforce is reduced. However, the increase in industrialisation and herd size can cause noise pollution problems in the poultry house. In this study, noise levels were measured and statistically evaluated in a laying hen farm operating in a battery-type cage in the Bursa region. It is aimed to be assessed according to environmental pollution and animal welfare. It was measured in the corridors between the rows of cages and on the cage floors with the studied facility's noise meter (EXTECH SDL600). The obtained noise data were determined by the SPSS statistical program, the variance analysis of the differences between the corridors and the relationship between the layer hen house environmental factors (temperature, humidity and wind speed) and the regression analysis. According to the results measured throughout the year in the investigated enterprise, the maximum noise intensity was measured as 80.6 dB, and the minimum noise intensity was measured as 76.3 dB. The differences between the noise values measured in the aisles and floors of the cage rows are statistically significant.