it is very good and we, most of the time, ignore it. Ammonia it is the sort of silent things which can damage the birds slowly and without any visible issues many times but birds are under stress and you lose performance.
Ammonia is one the silent killer in poultry pens. If unchecked, it causes severe respiratory and production problems to the stocks. This is normally a management problem. If manures are removed when due, the stock population is controlled, beddings are properly managed and the ventilation is properly monitored, then ammonia issues will be a little challenge to both the flocks and caretakers.
Emmanuel Nwaotule High ammonia smell is always result of bad digestion. But in case of intensive ventilation, you cannot feel this smell, independently, is feed composition good or bad. From another side, feed recipe can to be good, but you will detect ammonia smell, if ventilation is working not enough. Ammonia sensor is based on chemical reaction inside of detector unit, that's why it's shelf life is limited. The best way to detect, is digestion good or bad, is to watch poultry excrements using microscope, spray by iodine and undigested starch particles becomes dark blue color. If blue color is absent, it is everything ok, and not necessary to buy expensive equipment.
Ammonia levels are problem in modern poultry houses with South or North American or European production methods. Ammonia can be controlled with very low stocking densities and/ or high ventilation rates and deep litter, however it will difficult to make a profit. Thus Dr. Czarick’s work on continuous detection of ammonia is very important. Our goals are for 10 ppm of ammonia. This level is achieved in most warm weather conditions with ventilation for the moisture of the house, moisture of the litter and temperature. Cold weather conditions however cause difficulties to maintain 10 ppm at all hours of the day. With a low cost, accurate, continuous ammonia sensors, we can more efficiently produce broilers and ensure that we have meet or exceeded the welfare needs of the birds.
Dr. Wicker. Good day! Can you recommend an ammonia sensors you have tried and used, if possible the brand? Likewise, what is your take or comment on the use of Gastec Ammonia Dosimeter tubes in lieu of the sensors you have used, the tubes are handy and cost at lot less?
Andy G Tuazon; Dr. Tuazon, I have not used the Gastec ammonia detector. We have used the following hand held detectors, Drager, PAC 7000, 3-M's Single Gas Detector model 450-455-104 A, and the Honeywell gas detector model 128-266-1-3. These gas detectors are available from the Grainger distribution company 9avaiable on line). All of these models can detect the ammonia, however they assay only for the time that you are conducting the assay. We find that the highest ammonia levels occur in the early A.M of the day, many times around 3:00 AM when no one is in the house. Thus our intense interest in Drs. M. Czarick and B. Fairchild's work with ammonia detectors that assay for ammonia every 30 minutes of so in the house. Previous detectors of this type would function for only 3-4 months. Some of the newer detectors may have a longer life span and have a cost that is reasonable for long term continuous assays.. We have one farm that has an expensive ammonia detector that has worked for years, however the cost is too high for all farms.
Newsletter related to our two year test of the DOL53 ammonia sensor
https://www.poultryventilation.com/system/tdf/vol32n1.pdf?file=1&type=node&id=5122&force=
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