Article (Scientific journals)
Comparison of ammonia and greenhouse gas emissions during the fattening of pigs, kept either on fully slatted floor or on deep litter
Philippe, François-Xavier; Laitat, Martine; Canart, Bernard et al.
2007In Livestock Science, 111 (1-2), p. 144-152
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Keywords :
pig; slatted floor; litter; ammonia; greenhouse gases; water vapour
Abstract :
[en] Five successive batches of fattening pigs were raised, each during a four month period, on a totally concrete slatted floor in one experimental room and on straw based deep litter in another. The rooms were automatically ventilated to maintain a constant ambient temperature. Available floor space was of 0.75 in m(2) per pig kept on the slatted floor and 1.20 m(2) per pig kept on the deep litter. With this last system, about 46 kg of straw were supplied per pig throughout a fattening period. The slurry pit was emptied and the litter removed after each batch. Once a month, the emissions of ammonia (NH3) nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2) and water vapour (H2O) were measured continuously for 6 consecutive days by infra-red. photoacoustic detection. The performance of the animals was not significantly different according to the floor type. Gaseous emissions from pigs raised on the slatted floor and on the deep litter were, respectively, 6.2 and 13.1 g per pig per day for NH3, 0.54 and 1.11 g per pig per day for N2O, 16.3 and 16.0 g per pig per day for CH4, 1.74 and 1.97 kg per pig per day for CO2 and 2.48 and 3.70 kg per pig per day for H2O. Except for the CH4 emissions, all the differences were significant (P<0.001). Thus, pig fattening on deep litter releases nearly 20% more greenhouse gases than on slatted floor, with 2.64 and 2.24 kg of CO2 equivalents, respectively (P<0.001). Whatever the floor type, emissions increased from the beginning to the end of the fattening periods by about 5 times for NH3, 4 times for N2O, 3 times for CH4 and 2 times for CO2 and H2O. Correlation coefficients between CO2-emissions and H2O, NH3 and CH4 emissions were, on average for both floor types, 0.82, 0.77 and 0.74, respectively. Although rearing pigs on straw generally has a good brand image for the consumer, this rearing system produces more pollutant gases than keeping pigs on slatted floors. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Disciplines :
Animal production & animal husbandry
Environmental sciences & ecology
Author, co-author :
Philippe, François-Xavier ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de productions animales > Ecologie et éthologie vétérinaires
Laitat, Martine  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département clinique des animaux de production (DCP) > Département clinique des animaux de production (DCP)
Canart, Bernard
Vandenheede, Marc ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de productions animales > Ethologie vétérinaire et bien-être des animaux
Nicks, Baudouin ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de productions animales > Ecologie et éthologie vétérinaires
Language :
English
Title :
Comparison of ammonia and greenhouse gas emissions during the fattening of pigs, kept either on fully slatted floor or on deep litter
Publication date :
2007
Journal title :
Livestock Science
ISSN :
1871-1413
eISSN :
1878-0490
Publisher :
Elsevier Science Bv, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Volume :
111
Issue :
1-2
Pages :
144-152
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Available on ORBi :
since 11 March 2009

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