Research and Extension Programs

Prof Richard S. GatesDr. Morgan Hayes Ms. Laura PeppleDr. Angela Green

IRCAEW Workshop, Ha’rbin ChinaSeptember 12-14 2014

University of Illinois

Livestock Facilities and Animal Manure Management

Research and Extension

Dr. Morgan HayesDr. Richard GatesMs. Laura Pepple

Alternative Housing Systems for Livestock and

Poultry

Livestock Facilities Air Quality and VentilationDeep-pit Swine Manure

Foaming Nutrient Management

Planning

Who we are

Laura Pepple

Livestock Extension Specialist

Dr. Richard Gates

Professor & Extension Specialist

Co-director AWES

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Dr. Morgan HayesClinical Assistant

Professor

Dr. Angela GreenAssistant Professor, co-Director AWES

Livestock and Poultry Program Areas

Alternative Housing & Heat Stress

Air Quality and Ventilation

Best Management Practices Training

Nutrient Management Planning & Training

Manure Management

Ventilation Systems Design

Animal Manure Management Extension Programs

Certified Livestock Managers Training

Objective: Annual training for IL livestock producers in environmentally sustainable and safe management of their operations

Outcome: Certified more than 10,000 livestock producers through this program since its infancy

Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan (CNMP) Development Course

Objective: Train and educate Technical Service Providers (TSPs) to develop CNMPs for livestock operations nationally

Driven by federal EQIP funding from farm bill, 60% of state allocated funding must be spent on livestock related projects

2014 IL will receive roughly 8M in EQIP funds with 6M going to improve conservation on IL livestock farms

Outcome: Over 50 participants in past 2 years, representing over 750 individual CNMPs and Nutrient Management Plans

Swine Facility Management Short Courses

- Annually, USGC hosts Chinese swine producers to come to Illinois to learn about U.S. Swine Facility Production and Management

- Ventilation and Manure Management are focus areas of this short course

Other Programs

Ventilation and Air Quality Field Days

Custom Manure Applicator Training

For Livestock Housing and Manure Management Questions

You can contact:

Dr. Morgan Hayes

mhayes17@illinois.edu

217-244-8179

Dr. Richard Gates

rsgates@illinois.edu

217-244-2791

Ms. Laura Pepple

lpepple2@illinois.edu

217-244-0083

www.livestocktraining.com

Research Topics

Deep-pit Swine Manure Foaming

Objective: Determine causality and develop mitigation techniques for this critical industry problem

Importance: Currently costing the swine industry millions of unnecessary dollars annually in foam mitigation, building destruction and animal losses

Deep-pit Swine Manure Foaming

Findings:

Microbial Community Analysis and Genetic Fingerprinting has identified clear differences in bacterial communities between sites.

Relational database developed to relate differences to environment, management and other factors.

Deep-bed Pack Facilities DesignMS Project: Akaiterina Kasimati

Objective: Evaluate and improve current design standards for these buildings

Importance: Becoming a standard practice for the IL Beef Industry, as these facilities reduce non-point source pollution in comparison to open feedlots

Deep-bed Pack Facilities Design

Findings: Water Holding Capacity (WHC) of various bedding materials, with 8, 12 or 16% TS manure added, has been measured.

Upgrade of Portable Monitoring Unit MS Project: Boyu Ji

Objective: find new NH3 sensors and upgrade the data acquisition system for improved data management

Importance: A need continues for low-cost, reasonable performance air quality assessment

Outcome: identified candidate new sensor; selected microprocessor platform; evaluation under way

Biofilter Research & Design

Objective: Evaluate biofilter efficacy. Help producers properly implement biofilter technology on their farm

Importance: Biofilters are being promoted in the swine industry. Significant funding for farmers available. Poor designs can create substantial problems for farmers.

Biofilter Design

Results: 1. Proper design methodologies developed with

collaborators. 2. Clear evidence of importance of moisture control of

media to minimize N2O generation. 3. Importance of design on ventilation system is

emphasized.

Layer Facilities Research (Brazil and U.S)

Evaluate Thermal Environment & Air Quality of Traditional and Alternative Housing Systems

Natural and Hybrid Ventilation Schemes for Livestock Facilities in Hot Climates

Alternative Housing Systems for Livestock and Poultry

Thermal Cooled Perches for Laying Hens(With: H. Cheng , USDA; Hester et al., Purdue)

Objectives:

1) to determine if cooled perches improve thermal comfort and welfare for caged hens during hot weather,

2) to examine if cooled perches prevent heat stress-induced behavioral and neurophysiological changes, improving heat adaptation in caged hens, and

3) to conduct engineering and economic analyses of the costs and maintenance of cooled perches and perform sensitivity analyses to key economic parameters.

Thermal Cooled Perches for Laying Hens(With: H. Cheng , USDA; Hester et al., Purdue)

Thermal Cooled Perches for Laying Hens(With: H. Cheng , USDA; Hester et al., Purdue)

Two-Summer-long Study

Six banks of cages. Three tiers of cages/bank. Two cages/tier.

9 hens/cage.

3 treatments: no perch (Ctrl), perch w/o water (AP), chilled perch (CP)

Environment

Imposed heat stress: 35 C max daily; 23-26C min nightly

Data analysis

System performance and energy efficiency

Bird production performance

Bird behavior assessment

Alternative Euthanasia for Neonatal Pigs(proposed! With: D. Lay, ARS; J.L. Rault, U Melbourne)

Objectives:

1) design, build and commission a two-step euthanasia prototype system capable of accommodating 1 to 5 piglets and testing different gas mixtures

2) to use the system to develop guidelines for its optimal use in euthanasia , and

3) to use neurobiological, physiological, and behavioral parameters that quantify the degree of humaneness for each method.

Outcome: Provide an effective alternative euthanasia method to blunt force trauma or CO2 immersion alone for piglets

Livestock and Poultry Facilities: Air Quality and Ventilation

Updated Ventilation Rates for Swine

Objective: Promote the updated heat and moisture production rates for swine by providing some information of the extra ventilation needed.

Outcome: Differences between old and new values indicate ventilation designs based on old values would be 30 to 40% undersized. Poor ventilation reduces animal performance and building lifespans.

Trailer Thermal Environment During Commercial Swine Transport

Objectives: 1. Characterize the thermal environment of a loaded swine trailer in hot weather and cold weather.

2. Assess TQA guidelines

3. Assess alternative boarding (opening) practices for cold weather operation

Trailer Thermal Environment During Commercial Swine Transport

Outcomes: For extreme ambient temperatures (t >27C; t < -

7C), trailer conditions were categorized as Extreme (hot:

trailer temp > 35C, cold: trailer temp < -15C respectively).

Emergency conditions were also encountered.

Temperature distribution patterns created by trailer ventilation

variability was not consistent.

Management to improve the sustainability

of integrated cattle and grain operations

• Cattle performance*

• Grazing behavior

– GPS data

• Forage selectivity*

• Interrelationships

among:

– Cattle spatial

occupancy

– Soil characteristics*

– Crop yield*

*not presented here, but investigated for overall project

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Spatial Occupancy

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Treatment Arrangement

Understanding cattle pasture utilization by monitoring location with GPS

(Green et al.)

Grazing included 3 treatments (strip grazing, continuous grazing, control with no grazing) with 3 replicates each and 36 mature Angus cows (648 kg), at 3 cows/ha.

Demo - Strip grazing simulation

Water

Feeder

Cross fences

Cross fences

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Simulating cattle pasture utilization with an agent-based model developed

from GPS data (Green et al)

The Ruminant Emission Measurement System (REMS) supports research on the relationships between nutrition, genetics, and different management strategies, and their subsequent effects on beef cattle CH4 emissions.

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Ruminant Emission Measurement System

Outcomes: system has been commissioned and currently in use. Can function as both direct and indirect calorimter, and methane emission measurement system

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Ruminant Emission Measurement System

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Mass flow control of SF6 Mass flow control of CH4 Mass flow control of SF6 withdiffuser

Gravimetric analysis of SF6

Mean

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Chamber 1 Chamber 2 Chamber 3