In this section:
Air Quality Assessment Service
The Pig Health and Production Group from the Pig and Poultry Production Institute (PPPI) has developed a kit to perform air quality audits of pig, poultry and horse sheds. The kit will be an invaluable aid to producers and consultants wishing to check facilities for air quality problems or to monitor the effects of improvements and renovations made to existing sheds.
The air quality audit kit was developed at PPPI as part of a research program designed to assess air quality in pig sheds and the effect of reduced air quality on pig health and production. The kit is now used nationally at regional centres established by the pig industry. The Pig and Poultry Production Institute is the only South Australian regional centre, endorsed by the pig industry, to conduct air quality assessments. PPPI provide air quality assessments as a commercial service to industry.
Following a request from a producer or consultant, a trained technician will conduct a full air quality audit of one or more sheds. A scientist specialising in air quality research will interpret the results, prepare a report and make recommendations on structural and management changes to significantly improve air quality both for livestock and for workers.
Air quality audit equipment in the kit varies from simple monitors to sophisticated machines. It includes a machine to continuously measure ammonia and carbon dioxide and equipment to monitor bacterial and dust levels. The air concentration of various bacterial and fungal cell wall components is also determined. In addition to measuring these key pollutants, other variables which have an important influence on air quality are also measured ie. stocking density, air flow and ventilation rates.
An air quality assessment involves:
- measuring shed size to calculate stocking density and the number of stock per shed or air space
- describing and assessing the effluent system and ventilation system
- assessing hygiene using a grading system based on the level of faecal contamination on floors and slats
- assessing and measuring ventilation rates and patterns
- assessing temperature and humidity by using data loggers and information down-loaded onto a computer program developed at PPPI
- monitoring ammonia and carbon dioxide levels over three days using a MGM machine
- measuring respirable particles and total dust over an 8-hour period
- determining the concentration of airborne viable bacteria by using an Anderson sampler
- measuring the concentration of endotoxins and peptydoglycans to determine bacterial contamination in the air space
- tabulating the results and identifying key factors influencing air quality
- supplying the producer or the consultant with a final report describing the significance of results and providing a series of recommendations for improving air quality
- supplying the producer or the consultant with a brief review on the importance of air quality on production and health and the expected outcomes of shed and management changes to improve air quality
For further information, contact Thomas Banhazi, at the Pig and Poultry Production Institute (PPPI).
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