Air Quality
Practices
to Reduce Odor from Livestock Operations
Odors generated in livestock housing can exit the facility and make
their way to downwind neighbors. Even systems that utilize external
manure storage will have some manure within the housing itself, creating
odor. Additionally, there will be odors and dust particles from feed
and animals themselves. Odorous compounds tend to be carried on dust
particles and therefore, strategies to reduce odors from animal housing
focus primarily on housekeeping measures that reduce dust emissions. Read
entire article.
View ‘Reduce Odor from Livestock Operations Flowchart’ here
Practices to Reduce Ammonia
Emissions from Livestock Operations
In livestock facilities, ammonia results primarily from the breakdown of
urea (present in urine) by the enzyme urease (excreted in feces). In
poultry, urease is excreted with uric acid. Undigested feed protein and
wasted feed are additional sources of ammonia in animal production
systems. Strategies to reduce ammonia from animal housing focus
primarily on preventing ammonia formation and volatilization, or
downwind transmission of ammonia after it is volatilized. Read
entire article.
View ‘Reduce Ammonia from Livestock Operations Flowchart’ here
Practices to Reduce Hydrogen Sulfide from Livestock
Operations
Gases generated in livestock housing facilities can exit the facility
and make their way to downwind neighbors. Even systems that utilize
external manurestorage will have some manure within the housing itself,
which may lead to gaseous emissions. Strategies to decrease hydrogen
sulfide emissions from animal housing focus primarily on reducing the
formation and movement of sulfur compounds. Read
entire article.
View ‘Reduce Hydrogen Sulfide from Livestock Operations Flowchart’ here
Practices to Reduce Dust and Particulates from Livestock
Operations
Dust and particulate matter (PM) generated in livestock housing can exit
the facility and make its way to downwind neighbors. Within the housing
area, dust particles from the feed and the animals themselves will be
present. Reducing dust and PM from animal housing will contribute to
improved odor conditions because some portion of odor is carried on dust
particles. Read
entire article.
View ‘Reduce Dust and Particulates from Livestock Operations Flowchart’ here
The Science of Smell-Part 1: Odor Perception and
Physiological Response
Olfaction, the sense of smell, is the least understood of the five
senses. This, among other factors, makes the task of reducing livestock
odors a considerable challenge. Read
entire article.
The Science of Smell-Part 2: Odor Chemistry
Odor chemistry is complex and still poorly understood. More than 75
odorous compounds, in varying proportions, have been identified in
livestock manures. Knowing the chemical basis of odors derived from
animal manure is helpful to understand how odor develops and what can be
done to design and manage manure systems and avoid nuisance com
plaints. Read
entire article.
The Science of Smell-Part 3: Odor Detection and Measurement
As perceived by humans, odors have five basic properties that can be
quantified: 1) intensity, 2) degree of offensiveness, 3) character, 4)
frequency, and 5) duration, all of which contribute to the neighbor’s
attitude towards the odor as well as the business generating the odor. Read
entire article.
The Science of Smell-Part 4: Principles of Odor Control
Methods to control and reduce odor are of great interest to livestock
producers. Choosing which odor control practices to employ can be a
diffi cult decision. However, understanding the principles behind
effective odor control strategies can help make the decision easier. Read
entire article.
Odor Control Methods Used by Iowa Pork Producers
Air and odor issues related to livestock production have received much
attention recently and are a primary concern for pork producers. To
establish baseline informationabout the odor control technologies used
by producers, a survey was conducted in 2002. In early August, 3,249
surveys were sent to pork producers and 562 were returned and usable.
This report provides a summary of the types of odor control methods used
by Iowa pork producers and the level of satisfaction with those
methods. Read
entire report.
Feed
Management to Raise Swine and Protect the Environment
By Dale Rozeboom and Gretchen Hill
Carbon
Market Opportunities for Agriculture
By David Beede and Wendy Powers
Odor Control - Pamphlet (download here)
Animal Air Quality Research Facility (AAQRF)
Current and on-going research at the AAQRF
The
Air We Breathe
By Wendy Powers
Does animal agriculture affect air quality? Here’s what the former CEO
of the Institute of Toxicology and Safety says. Read entire article
The Nose Knows
By Jordan Barnes
MSU Extension has gotten a whiff of a technology that will help
educators, farmers and rural residents understand odors better.
Extension has trained 10 Animal Ag and Environment AoE (AAE) team
members in the use of the Nasal Ranger® for detecting odor levels, both
good and bad. Read
entire article.
Taking Steps To Improve Air Emissions
By Wendy Powers
Determining how to reduce emissions is a complicated task. Universities
across the United States are collaborating to develop a tool that will
help producers make those determinations and become even better
neighbors. Read
entire article
Changing Animal Diets Can Help Control Air Emissions
By Wendy Powers
Odor is among t he top complaints from neighbors of livestock and dairy
farms. Modifying animals’ diets can cut down odor and complaints. Read
entire article
Air Quality and Agriculture
Odor is the major issue locally and regionally (1). For example, over
330 different odor-causing compounds have been measured in swine manure.
However, the particular compounds that are perceived as offensive are
not well understood. Read
entire article
Biofilters
Odor control is often a concern for swine operations, and one of the
methods proven to reduce odor is the use of a biofilter. A biofilter is a
bed of organic material through which odorous air is passed. Read
entire article
Odor Reduction by Ozonating Swine Waste
At the east end of the MSU Swine Research and Teaching Facility, there
is a small out-building that houses equipment that can improve the
offensive odor associated with applying accumulated swine waste to the
nearby cropland. Read
entire article
Manure - What Makes it Stink?
The problem of odors from manure on farms has been around for a long
time. But in recent years there have been an increasing number of
complaints about odors emanating from animal producing farms.Read
entire article
Ventilation and Animal Health
Barn ventilation is often associated with animal respiratory health. But
ventilation—directly and indirectly—impacts many other aspects of
animal health as well. Good ventilation in the freestall area of the
lactating cow barn helps to keep bedding dry, a factor in favor of good
udder health. Read
entire article
Developing Computer Modeling Tools To Improve Water Quality
in Agricultural Watersheds
Michigan has an abundant and diverse supply of freshwater due to its
unique geographical location within the Great Lakes Region. These waters
provide a wealth of resources for the diverse agricultural, industrial,
and recreational activities of the state. Read
entire article
Impacts of Air Emissions on Michigan Communities
Potential health impacts of livestock and poultry farms on nearby
residents is an issue that livestock and poultry industries have faced
nationally, though the topic is dealt with primarily at the local level. Read entire article
