Brett Ramirez News Today

Iowa Pork Industry Center's Summer Ventilation Checklist great tool for seasonal job.

Research areas include livestock housing and ventilation systems, environmental control and precision livestock farming.

Biosecurity doesn’t have to be complicated, with most practices coming down to basic animal husbandry.

Proposed federal draft models designed to guide emissions forecasting for broiler operations need improvement and clarification, according to an in-depth analysis led by Iowa State University scientists.In August, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a set of draft models to estimate daily levels of ammonia, hydrogen sulfide and several types of particulate matter (dust) typically emitted from U.S. broiler operations.

Proposed federal draft models need improvement and clarification.

During the colder months, swine barns are always faced with what Ramirez calls a “conundrum of energy efficiency versus air quality.”

As colder weather approaches, now is a good time for producers to do ventilation inspection and maintenance on their livestock buildings.

As weather gets colder, it’s critical to get barns ready for winter to help reduce heating costs and provide a good environment for the pigs.

Hogs are particularly susceptible to heat, and it's critical to control their environments.

Ramirez cautioned swine producers that because each barn, system may be different, not all recommendations might be appropriate.