Ventilation systems in poultry and swine farms are a basic component in production: what should we know?

Ventilation systems in farms are an indispensable component in their conformation that producers should know in their basic concepts. Ventilation is an environmental control mechanism inside poultry and swine farm.

Advantages of ventilation systems

Farms with ventilation systems can take full advantage of these mechanisms to generate animal comfort and maximize production. Some of the advantages of ventilation systems are:

1. It favors the elimination of carbon dioxide and ammonia: the ventilation system of the farm creates stream of air that favor the circulation of environmental gases.
2. Maintain relative humidity: in poultry and swine houses, hot air accumulates in the upper part of the facility. Thanks to the ventilation system, the incoming air allows maintaining a good relative humidity inside the farm. The optimum relative humidity should be between 60-70%. When cold air enters the house, this air warms up and the relative humidity decreases, thus increasing the capacity to retain water. Therefore, the humidity in the litter and floors can escape thanks to the ventilation system.
3. They regulate temperature: ventilation systems can cool the houses when there is excessive heat. Also, if a heating system is available, they can circulate warm air to maintain a comfortable temperature for the animals when temperatures drop.

Types of ventilation systems:

Two main ventilation systems can be suitable for animal production farms: natural and artificial.

Natural ventilation system.

This ventilation mechanism works optimally when the environmental conditions where the farm is located are favorable for the animals. That means, the climate of the region where the house is located must be the same as that desired inside the facilities. However, in natural ventilation, it is advisable to install curtains to control the flow of ambient air and correct the temperature. Thus, if it is hot, the curtains are opened to allow cold air to pass through; if it is cold, the curtains are closed to conserve the heat inside the house where the poultry or pigs are kept. An important rule of natural ventilation is that curtain systems are operated 24 hours a day.

On the other hand, natural ventilation can be supplemented using fans to promote air circulation inside the house.

Artificial or forced ventilation system with exhaust fans.

Farms with this ventilation mechanism use powerful exhaust fans to move air from the outside environment into the house. Thanks to this mechanism, the air exchange rate, airflow, and air intake can be controlled. Now, to achieve this air circulation, exhaust fans can perform two types of pressure: positive and negative.

Positive pressure in artificial ventilation systems is used more in cold climates; they push air into the building. However, they occupy most of the exhaust fans used.

Negative pressure is the most used system in artificial ventilation. In this mode, the exhaust fans draw air from inside the building to the external environment. Thus, a partial vacuum or negative pressure is created in the building, which favors the flow of new air through the air inlets located in the walls. However, to ensure proper operation, the house where the poultry or pigs are kept must be hermetically sealed.

Neutral pressure: This system has fans that favor the entry of air and extractors that take it out again.

Ventilation in poultry farming: Why is it so important?

In poultry farming, poultry is held in houses that must support a permitted density of poultry according to animal welfare. To promote their comfort and productive performance, ventilation systems allow maintaining adequate conditions for the poultry.

The poultry produce ejections (a mixture of urine and feces) that increase soil and environmental humidity and ammonia levels. In addition, respiration increases humidity and carbon dioxide because water and CO₂ are exhaled. To control relative humidity, have adequate CO₂ and ammonia levels, ventilation systems exert their air circulation mechanism and stabilize the environment. As a result, the poultry remains comfortable and optimal for their needs.

How does ventilation work in poultry farming? To read more about this topic you can continue reading at Importance of ventilation in poultry farming

Ventilation in pig farming: What should we consider?

Pigs are animals that have difficulties eliminating body heat because they have few sweat glands. Therefore, pigs eliminate heat mainly through respiration and by contact with cold surfaces. However, ventilation systems can be adapted to always ensure the comfort of pigs.

Ventilation systems in pig farms allow maintaining adequate temperatures for pigs. Otherwise, sudden temperature changes can seriously affect the pigs’ productive performance. They can get into the well-known heat stress syndrome that affects their organ systems.

How to condition ventilation systems on a pig farm ventilation in poultry farming? To read more about this topic you can continue reading in: Ventilation in pig farms

CONCLUSIONS

Ventilation systems for poultry and swine farms offer multiple advantages that satisfy animals and increase production. Mainly, there are three types of objectives that these systems allow to achieve. The first is related to the elimination of harmful gases such as carbon dioxide and ammonia. Second, ventilation maintains the optimum relative humidity that animal production houses require to function properly. Third, these systems can control the temperature inside the house, which is a critical factor in poultry or swine.

There are mainly two types of ventilation systems: natural and artificial. The natural system is based on the environmental conditions of the area and the outside air entering the house. In the artificial system, exhaust fans are used to create positive or negative pressures to circulate the air.

In poultry farming, ventilation is a key factor because it allows the comfort and welfare of the poultry. Thanks to this, the poultry house environment remains stable, and the poultry can be housed in ideal conditions.

In pig farming, pigs have difficulty controlling heat. For this reason, it is essential to adapt a ventilation system that prevents pigs from entering swine stress syndrome.