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Research article2005Peer reviewed

Techniques to reduce the ammonia emission from a cowshed with tied dairy cattle

Gustafsson Gösta, Jeppsson Knut-Håkan, Hultgren Jan, Sannö Jan- Olof

Abstract

ABSTRACT The influence of different techniques to reduce the ammonia emission from a building with 42 tied dairy cows was investigated at the university farm Brogården in Skara, Sweden. The release of ammonia from the building was measured before and after measures were taken to reduce the emission. The following changes of the building design were made in 2000; improved gutters with a 3% slope towards a urine drainage channel equipped with a rotating auger; cooling of manure by water pipes in the gutters and manure gas ventilation from the urine channels and manure culvert. The air flow through the manure and urine disposal system was adjusted to prevent ammonia from being released to the inside air without increasing the total emission. The concentrations of ammonia in the exhaust air and ventilation rates were monitored continuously using an infrared spectrophotometer and outlet impellers. Before changing the building design the average ammonia emission was 42 g/h corresponding to 24 g/cow and day, which was equivalent to a nitrogen loss of 5.5%. During the same period the average daily ammonia concentration in the cowshed was 8 ppm. The first year after the changes had been made the ammonia emission through the exhaust air was reduced with 38% to 15 g/cow and day. The second year the ammonia emission was 18 g/cow and day. The average nitrogen loss after the changes of the building was 4.0%. The average ammonia concentration inside the building was reduced to 3 ppm

Keywords

Ammonia; emission; animal husing; tied dairy cattle; manure

Published in

Agricultural Engineering International: the CIGR Ejournal
2005, Volume: VII, number: BC 04 010, pages: 1-13
Publisher: CIGR

      SLU Authors

    • Gustafsson, Gösta

      • Department of Agricultural Biosystems and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

      • Jeppsson, Knut-Håkan

        • Department of Agricultural Biosystems and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

        • UKÄ Subject classification

        Animal and Dairy Science
        Veterinary Science

        Permanent link to this page (URI)

        https://res.slu.se/id/publ/6715