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The key element of every pigsty is its ventilation – a system that is responsible for air exchange and removal of moisture from the building. Currently, fattening livestock buildings are increasingly based on gravity ventilation systems, the so-called "curtain houses", but the vast majority of Polish pigsty houses have mechanical ventilation.
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The operation of the latter is based on mechanical fans placed in roof ventilation chimneys and air inlets located in the walls. Control is most often electronic modules that regulate temperature settings, and the fan speed is regulated by inverters. Problems begin with a long-term power outage or voltage surge, e.g. after a lightning strike, which may result in damage to one or more ventilation elements. Lack of air exchange in the pigsty for 2-3 hours is a huge risk of suffocation of the entire herd – warn Gobarto experts.
Read more Heat stress reduces the welfare and profitability of pig farming
A generator is essential equipment
The solution in such a crisis situation as a power outage is a generator. In principle, every building should have such a device, but for buildings with mechanical ventilation it is a necessity. The question is not whether to have a generator, but which one to buy. The systems used in the devices are also important – automatic start-up or manual start, as well as systematic, preferably once a week, test starts and switching of power supply to emergency mode.
Read more It is possible to reduce the effects of heat stress in pigs
For the emergency power supply to have a chance to work, an appropriate notification system is also necessary. The most common one today is the GSM module, i.e. a device equipped with a SIM card and connected by the operator to the mobile network. Such a device, properly programmed, in the event of a 2-3 degree drop or increase in temperature, alerts the pigsty owner by phone (calls or sends an SMS) that the system is not working properly.
Watering systems
Animal watering systems are also electrically powered. A breakdown during a hot summer may not only cause production problems and expose animals to stress, but also, combined with ventilation problems, threaten the health and life of the entire herd. Inspection and verification of the condition of all equipment is therefore dictated by the care of the business, and failure to do so may expose the breeder to serious legal consequences.
– Securing the pigsty with emergency power systems is a really important topic. Of course, the problem may be the expense of PLN 40,000. PLN for the purchase of a power generator, but I don't think anyone needs to be convinced that the loss of an entire herd of pigs worth PLN 1.2 million is much more than PLN 40,000. PLN per unit. "Really wise after the damage" in the case of such a threat sounds really bad – says Eng. Małgorzata Budzyńska, Gobarto expert.
Source: Gobarto
