Relation between energy use and indoor thermal environment in animal husbandry: a case study

Abstract

Climate control is of the foremost importance in structures for intensive animal rearing because many animals (e.g. pigs and broilers) tolerate a small range of climate conditions (mainly air temperature and relative humidity) that may differ considerably from the outdoor environment. For this reason, the indoor climate in the majority of structures for animal husbandry is guaranteed by HVAC systems. On the one hand, the use of mechanical systems makes it possible to avoid production risks due to the unpredictability of the outdoor weather conditions and to maximize the feed efficiency, with positive effects on both the animal welfare and farm profit. On the other hand, the use of HVAC entails not negligible thermal and electrical energy consumptions. In literature, few data about the real thermo-hygrometric conditions and energy consumption of animal houses are present. In this work (in the framework of the EPAnHaus – Energy Performance certification of Animal Houses –project), the results obtained from a long-term monitoring campaign in two growing-finishing pig houses are presented. The performed measurements concerned environmental parameters and electrical power that were acquired during two production cycles (warm and cool seasons). For the environmental monitoring, both the buildings were equipped with temperature and relative humidity sensors embedded in portable data loggers (10 minutes logging time) that were placed in various spots inside the houses. Outdoor data were obtained through a weather station located near the test site. Concerning the energy monitoring, power transducers connected to portable data loggers (10 seconds logging time) were placed in the electric panel of each house to log the electrical energy consumptions due to ventilation, lighting and automatic feeding. The acquired data were used for carrying out analysis concerning the indoor thermal environment, its characterization in relation with the animal welfare, the electrical energy uses and the existing relations between all these aspects. The obtained data were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the HVAC system in guaranteeing the adequate indoor climate conditions (avoiding heat/cold stress conditions) and to identify electrical energy uses.

Estimation of Energy Balance throughout the Growing–Finishing Stage of Pigs in an Experimental Pig Barn

“…When calculating the overall energy loss, it was found to be 11.78% and 8.13% due to pigs' different activities (physical activity, fasting heat production, and wastewater) and proper airflow management of the barn, respectively. This percentage is lower than the value reported by Kil [32] and Bilardo et al [43]. Kil [32] reported that 15.40% of energy was lost by pigs' different activities, while Bilardo et al [43] measured that around 17% of total energy was used to manage the barn airflow.…”

“…This percentage is lower than the value reported by Kil [32] and Bilardo et al [43]. Kil [32] reported that 15.40% of energy was lost by pigs' different activities, while Bilardo et al [43] measured that around 17% of total energy was used to manage the barn airflow. The remaining 10.89% of energy was used to manage the barn temperature and illuminate the barn.…”

Energy use and indoor climate in livestock buildings for pigs : an introductory paper

“…As part of the EPAnHaus (Energy Performance of Animal House) project (2014-2017), a study was conducted to assess the relationship between animal welfare, indoor climate conditions, and energy use for two buildings housing GFP in North West Italy (Bilardo et al 2019). The structures of the buildings were comparable, with fully slatted concrete floors, sandwich roofs (likely metal sheets and insulation), and hollow concrete wall blocks.…”

“…The first one was by , as it was clearly related to and complemented the article by Peters et al (2015) on relevant IAQ issues. The second was a review of used energy and thermal climate models in Europe as part of the EPAnHaus project (Bilardo et al 2019). All references were summarised using one mind map per reference, which included the research aim, method, important results, and main conclusions.…”

The Role of Climate Control in Monogastric Animal Farming: The Effects on Animal Welfare, Air Emissions, Productivity, Health, and Energy Use

“…Pig productivity can also be affected by heat stress. According to the experimental results of Bilardo et al [46], growing-finishing pigs tend to not feed when indoor air temperatures are excessively high. Furthermore, growth performance and intestinal function of pigs can be affected by the increased gut permeability and inflammation caused by heat stress [43].…”