Nighttime Air Quality

Sir is there ant idea how to maintain ammonia level during brooding period and how to check it in comercial farm

Here is a newsletter on how to measure ammonia that you might find of interest. https://www.poultryventilation.com/tips/vol14/n8 There are other newsletters on ammonia control at our website www.poultryventilation.com

I wish to comment on typical night brooding jn Lagos , Nigeria. Care must be taken at this period the temperature is down at night and heating forms of various types may be employed. In whatever case ,the poultry attendant at night must carefully open some strategic sides of the pen to all fresh air in and ammonia gas to go out, at the same time maintaining adequate brooding temperature Depending on the size of the pen , where there is no electricity, charcoal heat is utilized.. .

What I see as a safe range for night min vent is: If a producer has to increase ventilation rates during the day to lower Ammonia/R.H. to safe levels that new level is to be used that through out the course of the nighttime period. The following morning recheck air quality, and adjust according. Producers may lower rates if R.H. is well below 70%.

I would say that would be true for young chicks when the fans are only operating off of a timer. But, if the fans are operating off of temperature at all during the day then nighttime air quality may not be as good as it was during the day. I would agree if the house has a relative humidity sensor indicating that the Rh never exceeded 70% that chances are the air quality was fine. But just because the Rh and air quality is fine at 9 or 10 in the morning doesn't necessarily mean that it was all night long.

My comment was geared towards chicks without temperature driven ventilation. Older age group I would do an air quality check at an hour before sun rise to seven. This would aid producers in optimisting bird growth by maintaining good air quality and R.H. If farm has higher R.H.(above 70%) the following day, I would look closely at overnight me minimum ventilation and adjust accordingly.

I would say that this article is very good, thanks to the authors. Ventilation rate may vary depending on the temperature, age and size of the bird, relative humidity and also air quality must be taken into consideration. Factors that may cause high ammonia levels must be checked at all times such as presence of wet droppings, wet litter and leaking drinking lines, etc. If minimum ventilation is achieved and air quality is good upon actual checking of farm personnel, then there will be no problem. Keeping bird's comfortable at all times is the key for effective poultry farming, meaning that you should be seeing birds that are eating, drinking, playing and resting during the entire day length (light is on). Careful monitoring should be done at night specially when there is a lighting program (dark out).

Koedy, I agree with what you are doing. if you can check the air quality an hour before sunrise and it is good then you are fine for the day. Take care

Good and quite information you are in good direction that is all owners should known not all case should treat with antibiotic

Ammonia gas in the poultry can be controlled by having enough litter present. The release of ammonia gas is as a result of bacterial action on proteins present in the litter from feed that has been spilt onto the litter together with high moisture and a limestone source. If litter level is to low deamination of proteins results and ammonia is released. The example that I sometimes use the in composting. The use of fans helps circulate the air within the barn and drys out the surface of the litter reducing the amount of ammonia. While I agree with the above comments, for proper ammonia reduction manage moisture in the litter and increase the amount of litter or add new litter as need be. A high C:N > 40% will help reduce ammonia as the bacteria will use the N from the ammonia as a source of food in breaking down the cellulose in the litter. Bottom line is keep the litter as dry as possible.

Thank you Dr. mike C , take good care of you and yours

Your text is empty The important point that should be, this is the most important factor in controlling the ammonia feed. Use materials that contain sugars and other than saccharides can reduce the adhesion of the bowel wall is too much water. In terms of acute diarrhea (Rabynvzaylanaz- saponins). This increases the gas in the hall. Environmental conditions such as heat stress also increases the excretion of carbon dioxide much water and will eventually cause severe diarrhea in poultry.

While I agree with you that house design is of paramount importance in allowing for proper air flow, this is not always possible. It works well for open sided houses but with controlled environment houses one has to depend on proper airflow and ventilation within the barn or house. As far as litter being a solution we have to understand why is ammonia being produced. As previously ammonia is a product of denitrification of proteins caused by bacteria coming from the gut of the bird, and there are many. Four main factors are required for ammonia production; a bacterial source, a source of nitrogen ( e.g. uric acid, proteins in soybean meal, moisture and temperature). Another is a chemical reaction between calcium carbonate (limestone) and a nitrogen source. Moisture is still required. The addition of litter provides a carbon source that allows the bacteria present in the litter to utilize the nitrogen as source of food to break down the litter into compost. The only way to maintain the C:N ratio is to continuously add litter. Once the C:N is greater than 30:1 there should be no ammonia. The other way of reducing ammonia in the barn besides what has been said in previous discussions is to reduce the moisture in the litter, control spillage from the water troughs, maybe reduce salt levels in the feed to prevent watery stool. Make sure the birds don't have any disease, or parasites that cause watery stool, stocking density, ventilation, air flow even in open sided houses . This is now a management problem. So to answer your question adding fresh litter to maintain dryness is only a part of the solution, it is not the solution. Ammonia reduction in the barn requires a holistic approach that covers many facets of barn management.

I agree with you, using enough amount of litter, low moisture litter and using the proper ventilation rates we can achieve goal (low ammonia levels). So, I have a question to Dr. Mike. Talking about turkeys, is there some tips for ammonia control or dust at nighttime? Thanks.

YES. Some mortalities that we pick in the morning could be due to poor nighttime air quality. Stocks that are unable to withstand poor nighttime air quality would die. If we ensure that the level of both ammonia and humidity are at tolerable levels then, we can ensure proper housing / pen enviroment for the flocks.

Hector: Dust levels are often lower at night because bird activity levels are lower. With turkey's you have to be careful no to get the house to dry because they appear more susceptible to dust related issues. Sprinklers may be required to increase the litter moisture if the house becomes too dry. When it comes to controlling ammonia guidelines for turkeys are pretty much the same as for broilers.

Thanks so much Dr. Mike.

i think the article is good but you must depends on your common sense in dealing with this situation by noticing the level of ammonia and the situation of the birds on the farms and its status you must make good balance between the air inlet and air out let by good temperature and good air flow supply you must give good lettre and give out the dirty one from the farm and the corner in farms must be occupied by feeders or insturment to prevent the birds from sleep in it in broiler you must give good lighting in farm give some herbel substances like eculptus and minthol to birds in water and through spray good luck dr abdelaziz egypt

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