Free Standard AU & NZ Shipping For All Book Orders Over $80!
Register      Login
Animal Production Science Animal Production Science Society
Food, fibre and pharmaceuticals from animals
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Odour emissions from tunnel-ventilated broiler sheds: case study of nine Queensland farms

Mark Dunlop A B , Erin Gallagher A and Jae Ho Sohn A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A State of Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, Agri-Science Queensland, PO Box 102, Toowoomba, Qld 4350, Australia.

B Corresponding author. Email: mark.dunlop@deedi.qld.gov.au

Animal Production Science 50(6) 546-551 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN09188
Submitted: 8 December 2009  Accepted: 12 February 2010   Published: 11 June 2010

Abstract

Odour emission rates were measured from nine tunnel-ventilated broiler farms in south-eastern Queensland, Australia. At one farm, odour emission rates were measured over two sequential batches approximately weekly, while at the remaining farms, odour emission rates were measured just before the first pickup (around Day 35 of the batch) when bird liveweight was greatest and peak odour emission rates were expected. Odour samples were analysed using dynamic olfactometry (to AS/NZS 4323.3:2001), and an artificial olfaction system was used to continuously monitor odour emission rates at one farm. Odour emission rates ranged from 330 to 2960 ou/s per 1000 birds and from 0.19 to 2.12 ou/s.kg, with a significant amount of variability observed throughout the batch and throughout each sampling day. While the wide range in odour emission rates was primarily due to changes in bird liveweight and ventilation requirements, other factors were also involved. The artificial olfaction system proved useful for quantifying the range and variability of odour emission rates, especially when olfactometry analysis was impractical.

Additional keywords: artificial olfaction system, electronic nose, emission rate, olfactometry.


Acknowledgements

This research was undertaken through the Australian Poultry Cooperative Research Centre in collaboration with researchers at the University of New South Wales – Gavin Parcsi, Xinguang Wang and Richard Stuetz; Queensland University of Technology – Rob Modini and Zoran Ristovski; and the Department of Primary Industries, Victoria – Ian McCauley and Brett Matthews.


References


Cai L, Koziel JA, Lo Y-C, Hoff SJ (2006) Characterisation of volatile organic compounds and odorants associated with swine barn particulate matter using solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-olfactometry. Journal of Chromatography. A 1102, 60–72.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | [Verified 21 May 2010]

Hayes ET, Curran TP, Dodd VA (2006) Odour and ammonia emissions from intensive poultry units in Ireland. Bioresource Technology 97, 933–939.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | open url image1

Hobbs PJ, Webb J, Mottram TT, Grant B, Misselbrook TM (2004) Emissions of volatile organic compounds originating from UK livestock agriculture. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 84, 1414–1420.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Hudson N, Ayoko GA (2009) Comparison of emission rate values for odour and odorous chemicals derived from two sampling devices. Atmospheric Environment 43, 3175–3181.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | open url image1

Hudson N, Duperouzel D, Melvin S (2006) Assessment of permeable covers for odour reduction in piggery effluent ponds. 1. Laboratory-scale trials. Bioresource Technology 97, 2002–2014.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | open url image1

Hudson N, Ayoko GA, Dunlop M, Duperouzel D, Burrell D, Bell K, Gallagher E, Nicholas P, Heinrich N (2009) Comparison of odour emission rates measured from various sources using two sampling devices. Bioresource Technology 100, 118–124.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | open url image1

Jiang J , Sands J (2000) ‘Odour and ammonia emission from broiler farms.’ RIRDC Pub. 00/2, Project No. UNS-11A. (Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation: Barton, ACT)

Lacey RE, Mukhtar S, Carey JB, Ullman JL (2004) A review of literature concerning odors, ammonia, and dust from broiler production facilities: 1. Odor concentrations and emissions. Journal of Applied Poultry Research 13, 500–508.
CAS |
open url image1

McGahan E , Kolominskas C , Bawden K , Ormerod R (2002) Strategies to reduce odour emissions from meat chicken farms. In ‘Poultry information exchange (PIX)’. ANA Hotel, Gold Coast, Australia. pp. 27–40. (Poultry Information Exchange Association Inc.: Caboolture, Qld)

O’Neill DH, Phillips VR (1992) A review of the control of odour nuisance from livestock buildings: Part 3, properties of the odorous substances which have been identified in livestock wastes or in the air around them. Journal of Agricultural Engineering Research 53, 23–50.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Pollock T , Anderson S (2004) ‘Review of modelling, emission measurement and treatment of odour and dust emissions from broiler farms.’ Australian Poultry CRC, Project 03-29, ISBN 1-921010-00-2, Armidale, NSW.

Pollock T , Friebel E (2002) Effect of batch age and ambient temperature in broiler shed odour modelling. In ‘Enviro2002 conference and exhibition’, Melbourne, Australia. (Australian Water Association Inc.: Melbourne, Vic.)

R Development Core Team (2009) R: a Language and environment for statistical computing, version 2.6.1. (R Foundation for Statistical computing: Vienna, Austria)

Robertson AP, Hoxey RP, Demmers TGM, Welch SK, Sneath RW, Stacey KF, Fothergill A, Filmer D, Fisher C (2002) Commercial-scale studies of the effect of broiler-protein intake on aerial pollutant emissions. Biosystems Engineering 82, 217–225.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Schiffman SS, Bennett JL, Raymer JH (2001) Quantification of odors and odorants from swine operations in North Carolina. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 108, 213–240.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Sohn JH, Hudson N, Gallagher E, Dunlop M, Zeller L, Atzeni M (2008) Implementation of an electronic nose for continuous odour monitoring in a poultry shed. Sensors and Actuators. B: Chemical 133, 60–69.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Standards Australia (1995) ‘Australian standard: stationary source emissions: selection of sampling positions (AS4323.1–1995).’ (Standards Australia International: Sydney)

Standards Australia/Standards New Zealand (2001) ‘Stationary source emissions part 3: determination of odour concentration by dynamic olfactometry (AS/NZS 4323.3-2001).’ (Standards Australia/Standards New Zealand: Sydney)