Ammonia, dust and bacteria in welfare-oriented systems for laying hens.

The use of litter and manure in welfare-oriented systems for laying hens may negatively affect the air quality and the work environment. The objective of the current case study was to compare concentrations of ammonia, dust and bacteria in 3 such systems: 1) a floor housing system, 2) a multilevel system, and 3) a system with furnished cages. Data was collected from 3 houses of each type, and 1 house of each type was selected for detailed measurements for 1-2 weeks. Daily average concentrations of ammonia were 3-12 ppm in the house with furnished cages, 21-42 ppm in the multilevel system, and 66-120 ppm in the floor housing system. Total dust concentration was 2.0- 2.5 mg x m(-3) in the house with furnished cages, 0.71-2.4 mg x m(-3) in the multilevel system, and 6.8-18 mg x m(-3) in the floor housing system. The number of bacteria cells per m3 was .1-2.2 x 10(7) in the house with furnished cages, 2.2-3.4 x 10(7) in the multilevel system, and 8.0-9.6 x 10(7) in the floor housing system. In the system with furnished cages, concentrations of ammonia and dust were of the same magnitude or below concentrations found to reduce pulmonary function in poultry workers in other studies. Concentrations of ammonia in the multilevel system and concentrations of both ammonia and dust in the floor housing system were above these levels.

[1]  Burgess,et al.  The preferences of laying hens for different concentrations of atmospheric ammonia. , 2000, Applied animal behaviour science.

[2]  H. H. Kristensen,et al.  AVERSION OF PIGS AND DOMESTIC FOWL TO ATMOSPHERIC AMMONIA , 2002 .

[3]  F Golbabaei,et al.  Evaluation of workers' exposure to dust, ammonia and endotoxin in poultry industries at the province of Isfahan, Iran. , 2000, Industrial health.

[4]  Heather Valentine,et al.  A study of the effect of different ventilation rates on the ammonia concentrations in the atmosphere of broiler houses , 1964 .

[5]  R. R. Wolfe,et al.  Effect of Dust and Ammonia Air Contamination on Turkey Response , 1968 .

[6]  G. Gustafsson,et al.  Influence of Temperature, Humidity and Ventilation Rate on the Release of Odour and Ammonia in a Floor Housing System for Laying Hens , 2005 .

[7]  T. Madelin,et al.  Air hygiene in a broiler house: comparison of deep litter with raised netting floors. , 1989, British poultry science.

[8]  Stephen J Reynolds,et al.  Respiratory symptoms and lung function in poultry confinement workers in Western Canada. , 2003, Canadian respiratory journal.

[9]  W. Eduard,et al.  Improvements in the quantification of airborne micro-organisms in the farm environment by epifluorescence microscopy , 1996 .

[10]  C. Ségala,et al.  Aérocontaminants et morbidité chez les éleveurs de volailles , 2007 .

[11]  J. Hartung,et al.  A comparison of three balance methods for calculating ventilation rates in livestock buildings , 1998 .

[12]  J. Dutkiewicz,et al.  Efficacy of a novel biofilter in hatchery sanitation: II. Removal of odorogenous pollutants. , 2007, Annals of agricultural and environmental medicine : AAEM.

[13]  J. Hartung.  [Nature and amount of aerial pollutants from livestock buildings]. , 1998, DTW. Deutsche tierarztliche Wochenschrift.

[14]  H. H. Kristensen,et al.  Ammonia and poultry welfare: a review , 2000 .

[15]  J. Dutkiewicz,et al.  Health effects of exposure to organic dust in workers of a modern hatchery. , 2007, Annals of agricultural and environmental medicine : AAEM.

[16]  W Eduard,et al.  Chronic bronchitis in farmers. , 1997, Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health.

[17]  S W Lenhart,et al.  Respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function in chicken catchers in poultry confinement units. , 1991, American journal of industrial medicine.

[18]  K. A. Jordan,et al.  Effect of ammonia on the quantitative clearance of Escherichia coli from lungs, air sacs, and livers of turkeys aerosol vaccinated against Escherichia coli. , 1984, American journal of veterinary research.

[19]  B. Danuser,et al.  Respiratory symptoms in European animal farmers. , 2001, The European respiratory journal.

[20]  C. Quarles,et al.  Effect of atmospheric ammonia and the stress of infectious bronchitis vaccination on leghorn males. , 1974, Poultry science.

[21]  Yoon-Shin Kim,et al.  Assessment of Korean farmer's exposure level to dust in pig buildings. , 2008, Annals of agricultural and environmental medicine : AAEM.

[22]  W. J. Visek,et al.  Ammonia: its effects on biological systems, metabolic hormones, and reproduction. , 1984, Journal of dairy science.

[23]  P.W.G. Groot Koerkamp,et al.  Litter Composition and Ammonia Emission in Aviary Houses for Laying Hens: Part II, Modelling the Evaporation of Water , 1999 .

[24]  S. Reynolds,et al.  Dose-response relationships between occupational aerosol exposures and cross-shift declines of lung function in poultry workers: recommendations for exposure limits. , 2000, Journal of occupational and environmental medicine.

[25]  C. Wathes,et al.  Pulmonary clearance of Pasteurella haemolytica and immune responses in mice following exposure to titanium dioxide. , 1989, Environmental research.

[26]  J. Dutkiewicz,et al.  Efficacy of a novel biofilter in hatchery sanitation: I. Removal of airborne bacteria, dust and endotoxin. , 2007, Annals of agricultural and environmental medicine : AAEM.

[27]  P.W.G. Groot Koerkamp,et al.  Review on Emissions of Ammonia from Housing Systems for Laying Hens in Relation to Sources, Processes, Building Design and Manure Handling , 1994 .

[28]  J. Douwes,et al.  Do farming exposures cause or prevent asthma? Results from a study of adult Norwegian farmers , 2004, Thorax.

[29]  R. Hanson,et al.  Influence of poultry house dust, ammonia, and carbon dioxide on the resistance of chickens to Newcastle disease virus. , 1966, Avian diseases.

[30]  H C Carlson,et al.  Aerosol exposure of ammonia, dust and Escherichia coli in broiler chickens. , 1978, The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne.

[31]  M B Schenker,et al.  Current health effects of agricultural work: respiratory disease, cancer, reproductive effects, musculoskeletal injuries, and pesticide-related illnesses. , 2002, Journal of agricultural safety and health.

[32]  K. A. Jordan,et al.  Scanning electron microscopic studies of adverse effects of ammonia on tracheal tissues of turkeys. , 1983, American journal of veterinary research.

[33]  S G Moum,et al.  A simple method of determining concentrations of ammonia in animal quarters. , 1969, Poultry science.

[34]  W. J. Visek,et al.  Some aspects of ammonia toxicity in animal cells. , 1968, Journal of dairy science.

[35]  Daniel Limpitlaw,et al.  Report from working group , 1979, Technology and Society.

[36]  R. R. Wolfe,et al.  Influence of dust and ammonia on the development of air sac lesions in turkeys. , 1968, American journal of veterinary research.

[37]  B. Danuser,et al.  Prevalence and risk factors for airway diseases in farmers--summary of results of the European Farmers' Project. , 2002, Annals of agricultural and environmental medicine : AAEM.

[38]  C. Pickering,et al.  Prevalence and predictors of work related respiratory symptoms in workers exposed to organic dusts. , 1998, Occupational and environmental medicine.

[39]  J. Douwes,et al.  American Thoracic Society: respiratory health hazards in agriculture. , 1998 .

[40]  J. Douwes,et al.  Bioaerosol health effects and exposure assessment: progress and prospects. , 2003, The Annals of occupational hygiene.

[41]  D. Nowak,et al.  Endotoxin concentration in modern animal houses in southern Bavaria. , 2007, Annals of agricultural and environmental medicine : AAEM.

[42]  J. Douwes,et al.  Short term exposure to airborne microbial agents during farm work: exposure-response relations with eye and respiratory symptoms , 2001, Occupational and environmental medicine.

[43]  R Rylander,et al.  Lung diseases caused by organic dusts in the farm environment. , 1986, American journal of industrial medicine.

[44]  H. Takai,et al.  Ammonia Contents and Desorption from Dusts Collected in Livestock Buildings , 2002 .

[45]  P. Koerkamp,et al.  The effect of manure and litter handling and indoor climatic conditions on ammonia emissions from a battery cage and an aviary housing system for laying hens , 1995 .

[46]  F. N. Reece,et al.  The effect of ammonia and carbon dioxide during brooding on the performance of broiler chickens. , 1980 .

[47]  W. D. Weaver,et al.  The effect of different levels of relative humidity and air movement on litter conditions, ammonia levels, growth, and carcass quality for broiler chickens. , 1991, Poultry science.

[48]  P. Magnus,et al.  Determinants of asthma in a farming population. , 1998, Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health.

[49]  L. Larsson,et al.  Levels of bacterial endotoxin in air of animal houses determined with the use of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and Limulus test. , 2007, Annals of agricultural and environmental medicine : AAEM.

[50]  Willie Soon,et al.  Environmental Effects of Increased Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide , 1999 .

[51]  W. Eduard,et al.  Organic dust-related respiratory and eye irritation in Norwegian farmers. , 2001, American journal of industrial medicine.

[52]  H. Takai,et al.  Dust levels and control methods in poultry houses. , 2000, Journal of agricultural safety and health.

[53]  K. Torén.  Self reported rate of occupational asthma in Sweden 1990-2. , 1996, Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

[54]  P. M. Mc Donnell,et al.  Exposure assessment of airborne contaminants in the indoor environment of Irish swine farms. , 2008, Annals of agricultural and environmental medicine : AAEM.