A field specialist at Ohio State University says proper ventilation management is critical to protecting swine health throughout the winter months.
Glen Arnold tells Brownfield, “The fans should be clean. The shutters should be lubricated. We don’t want to short circuit the ventilation system by having unplanned openings such as pit covers left off of the manure pump out pits or doors being left ajar. Those should be shut.”
He says producers should regularly monitor air quality.
“You can often have gases that come up through the pits, whether it be ammonium gas or hydrogen sulfide in small amounts,” he says. “It can create areas of the building that are not comfortable for the pigs to be in. Get up there, check your inlets and make sure they’re evenly opened.”
Arnold says ensuring livestock have consistent ventilation is the most important step producers can take to support animal comfort and overall productivity.
