Annual dynamics of microclimate parameters of farrowing room in pigsty using two different ventilation systems

Abstract

The study aimed to investigate the valve and geothermal microclimate systems' impact on microclimate indicators in farrowing rooms. In farrowing rooms, where the valve type of ventilation was installed, the temperature in the farrowing room in summer and autumn exceeded the norm by 3.90 and 1.60 °C, respectively. The amplitude of the average values of the annual temperature dynamics at all these measurement points was higher at using valve-type ventilation relative to geothermal, which provided a constant temperature during the year. Humidity during all seasons of the year was optimal with the use of both microclimate systems, but in summer and autumn, it was probably higher during using geothermal ventilation. The content of carbon dioxide reached its highest values in the autumn months with the use of both systems to create a microclimate, but without exceeding the norm. At the same time, its content was probably higher in the summer months in the room for keeping pregnant sows with the geothermal type of ventilation by 400 ppm or 50% (P <0.01). The ammonia content tended to increase in the autumn months in both farrowing rooms, but reached its highest values in the fall, remaining, however, within normal limits. The hydrogen sulfide content did not exceed the optimal values for both farrowing rooms during all seasons without a statistically significant difference between different types of ventilation. In the farrowing rooms where the geothermal ventilation system was used, the highest H2S content was in the winter months, amounting to 3.59 ppm, which is 0.96 ppm or 26.81% (P <0.001) higher than in spring, 0.83 ppm or 23.29% (P <0.001) higher than in summer and 0.26 ppm or 7.44% (P <0.05) higher than in spring.

Keywords

• sow
• piglet
• type of ventilation
• den temperature
• humidity
• gas composition
• season