Controlling the concentrations of airborne pollutants in piggery buildings

SUMMARY The objective of the project was to assess the efficiency of an oil treatment applied to the bedding material in broiler buildings in order to improve air quality. A classical comparative experiment was conducted during the winter season on a commercial farm. Bedding in a broiler building was treated with a mixture of oil/water, while the other identical building was used as control. Air quality parameters were measured in the building using standard measuring techniques. The oil treatment significantly (p<0.001) reduced the concentrations of both inhalable and respirable particles in the treatment room. However, the mortality rate in the oil treated building was 6.59% compared to the control room of 3.83%, which would require further investigation.