The influence of animal housing techniques and management on aerial emissions: a multi-pollutant approach

Main research question/goal

The main objective of this project is to examine the influence of different housing and farm management techniques on the emission of the most important air pollutants. This multi-pollutant strategy accounts for ammonia, greenhouse gases (methane, nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide), particulate matter and odour. The influence of the different housing techniques is evaluated through analysis of existing data collected during previous projects as well as new experiments. The influence of cleaning protocols, frequency of pit slurry removal and feeding management is also examined experimentally.

Research approach

A large-scale measurement campaign is used to investigate the influence of two cleaning protocols in a commercial pig barn in Flanders. The study involves dry cleaning versus dry and wet cleaning with subsequent application of disinfectant. These two cleaning protocols are simultaneously tested in a barn containing fully slatted floors and low ammonia emission compartments. The emissions of different housing techniques are also examined based upon experimental data of earlier research projects. This data analysis enables further validation of recently developed emission measuring strategies. The influence of the manure pit emptying frequency and feed formulation are respectively investigated in experimental barns and respiration chambers at ILVO.

Relevance/Valorisation

Air emissions from agricultural activities are gaining increasing attention in Flanders and Europe in general. Legislation on agricultural emissions now focuses on ammonia, but in the (near) future also greenhouse gases, odour and particulate matter may be regulated. The results of this multi-pollutant research should allow for integration of different policies and regulations (e.g. ammonia low emission animal houses, Flemish climate policy, reduction policy on particulate matter). Furthermore, knowledge of the underlying relations between the pollutants can be used to develop integrated emission reduction techniques. This should allow the farmers to make sustainable investment choices.

Funding provider(s)
ILVO - Instituut voor Landbouw-, Visserij- en voedingsonderzoek

External partner(s)
Ugent - Fac. Bio-ingenieurswetenschappen