Air Quality and Livestock Farming

Air quality has a direct influence on health, welfare and production performance of livestock as the high concentrations of noxious gases, dust and airborne microorganisms are likely to reduce production efficiency and the general welfare of farm animals. Long term exposure to particulates in livestock buildings might also affect the respiratory health of farm workers. Dust in animal buildings contains many biologically active substances such as bacteria, fungi, endotoxins and residues of antibiotics (as a result of veterinary treatments) that are suspected to be hazardous to human health. Furthermore, air pollutants emitted from livestock buildings can reduce air, water and soil quality and can potentially undermine the health of nearby residents. Airborne emissions include ammonia, methane, nitrous oxide, particulates like dust and microorganisms. In addition, other potentially harmful substances such as heavy metals, antibiotic residues and components of disinfectants might be also emitted from livestock building that are potentially damaging to ecosystems. In this book, key aspects of agricultural air quality, such as monitoring, managing and reducing airborne pollutants in and around livestock facilities are reviewed. Features: addressing the raising awareness of the importance of optimal health and welfare for lifestock species with contributions from international specialists and researchers providing up-to-date information for professionals involved in modern animal producti This book will be useful for farming professionals, academics, students, policy makers, business leaders, regulatory bodies and agricultural consultants.

Section I: Characteristics and sources of different airborne pollutants 1. Airborne dust in livestock buildings Steven J. Hoff 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Particulate sources and fractional characteristics 1.3 Indoor particulate matter concentrations 1.4 Summary of comprehensive animal and poultry housing PM studies 1.5 Conclusion 2. Lagoon characteristics and ambient hydrogen sulfide concentrations at a swine feeding facility Albert J. Heber 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Literature review 2.3 Methodology 2.4 Results and discussion 2.5 Summary and conclusions 3. Ammonia and hydrogen sulfide in swine production Ji-Qin Ni, Albert J. Heber and Teng-Teeh Lim 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Ammonia in swine production 3.3 Hydrogen sulfide in swine production 3.4 Discussion and conclusions 4. Pollutants in livestock buildings: Ammonia and dust interplay with the respiratory tract Annamaria Costa and Cinzia Domeneghini 4.1 Ammonia in piggeries: concentrations and effects on animal's health and performance 4.2 Particulate matter: origin, classification, deposition in the respiratory system and effects on animal health and production 4.3 Concept of secondary particulate matter: from gases to PM formation Section II: Measurement issues 5. Gaseous emissions of bedded pack barns with wood chips and compost as bedding material Hendrik Jan van Dooren, Francis Sanderink, Annemieke Hol and Paul Galama 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Materials and methods 5.3 Results 5.4 Discussion 5.5 Conclusions 6. Seasonal variability of the PM and ammonia concentrations in uninsulated loose-housing cowshed Marek Maasikmets, Erik Teinemaa, Allan Kaasik and Veljo Kimmel 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Materials and methods 6.3 Results and discussion 6.4 Conclusions 7. Air quality and factors related to sub-optimal pig housing conditions in nursery and finishing rooms: A field study in 143 French herds Christelle Fablet, Fabrice Bidan, Virginie Dorenlor, Florent Eono, Eric Eveno, Nicolas Rose and Francois Madec 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Material and methods 7.3 Results 7.4 Discussion 7.5 Conclusions Section III: Pollutant levels encountered in livestock buildings 8. Temperature, relative humidity, noise, dust and odor levels recorded on free-range piggery sites in three states of Australia Thomas Banhazi 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Materials and methods 8.3 Results and discussion 8.4 Conclusions 136 9. Airborne pollutant concentrations within and emission rates from Australian piggery buildings Thomas Banhazi 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Material and methods 9.3 Results 9.4 Discussion 9.5 Conclusions 10. Microclimate and air quality in uninsulated loose-housing cowsheds in temperate climate conditions Allan Kaasik and Marek Maasikmets 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Materials and methods 10.3 Results and discussion 10.4 Conclusions Section IV: Effects of sub-optimal air quality on workers, animals and the environment 11. Intensive livestock housing: a review: Preventing occupational respiratory hazards for workers Kelley J. Donham 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Which hazardous dusts and gases are found in ILHs? 11.3 Who is exposed to these dusts and gases, and when? 11.4 How commonly does excessive exposure occur? 11.5 Respiratory effects of inhaling ILH dusts and gases 11.6 Diagnosis 11.7 Treatment 12. The effect of air quality in livestock buildings on the occupational health of farm workers Thomas Banhazi and Dino Pisaniello 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Materials and methods 12.3 Results 12.4 Discussion 12.5 Recommendations 180 13 Dust dispersion modeling of fugitive emissions from piggeries Thomas Banhazi 13.1 Introduction 13.2 Methodology 13.3 Results and discussion 13.4 Conclusions 14 The effects of atmospheric ammonia during export of livestock Yu Zhang and Clive J.C. Phillips 14.1 Introduction 14.2 Source of atmospheric ammonia during live export 14.3 Atmospheric ammonia levels during live export 14.4 Effects of ammonia on livestock during live export 14.5 Threshold levels of atmospheric ammonia for humans 14.6 Threshold levels of atmospheric ammonia for animals 14.7 Conclusions 15 Hygiene and cleanliness in pig buildings as preventive medicine to ensure healthier animals Christelle Fablet 15.1 Introduction 15.2 Influence of hygiene and cleanliness on pig health 15.3 Hygiene to ensure food safety and quality 15.4 Hygiene, health and air quality in buildings 15.5 Current means to attain hygiene in pig production and the need to implement better hygiene 15.6 Cleaning and disinfection procedures in pig buildings 15.7 Conclusions Section V: Reduction methods Controlling internal concentrations and emissions from the animal buildings 16 Controlling the internal concentrations of gases and odor within and emissions from animal buildings Jens Seedorf 16.1 A general view on airborne pollutants - an introduction 16.2 A brief description of relevant gases and odor 16.3 Control and reduction measures 16.4 Final remarks 17 Controlling the internal concentrations of particulate matter within and emissions from animal buildings Jens Seedorf 17.1 The characteristics of airborne particles at a glance 17.2 Control and reduction measures 17.3 Final remarks 18 Emission reduction from livestock buildings using a filtration device Thomas Banhazi 18.1 Introduction 18.2 Materials and methods 18.3 Results and discussion 18.4 Conclusions 19 Effect of electrostatic precipitation on particulate matter emissions from a high-rise layer house Teng-Teeh Lim, Chaoyuan Wang, Albert J. Heber, Ji-Qin Ni and Lingying Zhao 19.1 Introduction and objective 19.2 Methods and procedures 19.3 Experimental design 19.4 Results and discussion 19.5 Conclusions Section VI: Reduction methods and technologies for controlling airborne pollutants 20 Oil-spraying technologies to be used for dust reduction in livestock buildings Hisamitsu Takai and Thomas Banhazi 20.1 Introduction 20.2 Fundamentals for designing oil-spraying for dust control 20.3 Strategy of the oil-spraying operation 20.4 Different types of oil-spraying systems 20.5 Review of studies reported previously 20.6 Recommendations for future studies 21 Housing index development for a holistic air quality evaluation: A preliminary framework Jens Seedorf 21.1 Introduction 21.2 The concepts of air quality indices 21.3 Conclusions 22 Computer-based management of air quality data: Development of a software system Thomas Banhazi 22.1 Introduction 22.2 General description of the software 22.3 Description of the main functionalities of the BASE-Q software 22.4 Description of the main functionalities of the Pocket BASE-Q program 22.5 Conclusion