Comparison of odour emissions from animal housing systems with low ammonia emission

Abstract

Nuisance from livestock facilities is an increasing problem in densely populated areas like The Netherlands. It is in the interest of both farmers and society that housing systems and management methods are developed to minimise the emission of odour. An odour research programme has been completed in The Netherlands to investigate odour emission from both conventional housing systems and systems designed for low ammonia emission. The aim of this paper is to compare within each animal category the odour emission of a number of swine housing systems and poultry housing systems. Emission measurements including 17 housing systems were carried out at 24 livestock facilities. Results showed that investigated systems with low ammonia emission for fattening pigs and sows were significantly (p<0.025) lower than conventional systems, being 50%, or more, lower. For laying hens and broilers, housing systems with low ammonia emission showed odour emissions that in most cases only differed slightly from conventional systems. Correlations between ammonia and odour concentration (within facilities) did not show a consistent pattern. It is concluded that methods for restriction of emitting (slurry) surface in pig husbandry may reduce both ammonia and odour emission. In poultry housings the effects of methods for ammonia reduction that involve drying of fresh manure or litter cannot be directly extrapolated to odour emision.