• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.99-108
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• 2010

The principal objective of this study was to investigate the cooling effects of geothermal heat pump system (GHPS) in farrowing house. A total of 96 sows were allocated to 2 pig housings (GHPS and conventional housing) with 48 for four weeks in summer season. During the experimental period of four weeks, the highest outside temperature observed was approximately $34.1^{\circ}C$, GHPS decrease indoor temperature of pig housing up to $30.9^{\circ}C$, but conventional pig housing was similar to outside temperature. Dust concentrations (maximum 61.4%) of particulate matter less than $10{\mu}m$ (PM 10) in GHPS-housing were lower than the conventional housing. GHPS showed no signigicant difference in carbon dioxide emission, whereas the ammonia gas concentration was significantly decreased in GHPS-housing compared to that of conventional housing. Sows in GHPS-housing showed significantly lower respiratory rate than those of the control group. GHPS did not affect hormone level, litter size and birth weight, but weaning weight of piglets was influenced by GHPS. Feed consumption of sows was significantly increased in GHPS-housing compared to the conventional hosing. These results suggest that GHPS decrease dust concentration, ammonia gas emission and indoor temperature of pig housing and may affect performance in sows and weaned piglets.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.739-746
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• 2016

A total of 152 pig farms were randomly selected from the five provinces in South Korea. During the experiment, the average temperature and relative humidity was $24.7^{\circ}C$ and 74% in summer and $2.4^{\circ}C$ and 53% in winter, respectively. The correlation between floor space allowance (FSA) and productivity index was analyzed, including non-productive sow days (NPD), number of weaners (NOW), survival rate (SR), appearance rate of A-grade pork (ARA), and days at a slaughter weight of 110 kg (d-SW) at different growth stages. The objectives of the present study were i) to determine the effect of FSA on the pig productivity index and ii) to suggest the minimum FSA for pigs based on scientific baseline data. For the pregnant sow, NPD could be decreased if pregnant sows were raised with a medium level (M) of FSA (3.10 to $3.67m^2/head$) while also keeping the pig house clean which improves hygiene, and operating the ventilation system properly. For the farrowing sows, the NOW tended to decrease as the FSA increased. Similarly, a high level of FSA (H) is significantly negative with weaner SR of farrowing sows (p-value = 0.017), indicating this FSA tends to depress SR. Therefore, a FSA of 2.30 to $6.40m^2/head$ (very low) could be appropriate for weaners because a limited space can provide a sense of security and protection from external interruptions. The opposite trend was observed that an increase in floor space (> $1.12m^2/head$ leads to increase the SR of growing pigs. For the fattening pigs, H level of FSA was negatively correlated with SR, but M level of FSA was positively correlated with SR, indicating that SR tended to increase with the FSA of 1.10 to $1.27m^2/head$. In contrast, ARA of male fattening pigs showed opposite results. H level of FSA (1.27 to $1.47m^2/head$) was suggested to increase productivity because ARA was most affected by H level of space allowance with positive correlation ($R^2=0.523$). The relationship between the FSA and d-SW of fattening pigs was hard to identify because of the low $R^2$ value. However, the farms that provided a relatively large floor space (1.27 to $1.54m^2/head$) during the winter period showed d-SW was significantly and negatively affected by FSA.

• Journal of agriculture & life science
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.163-168
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• 2012

The objective of this study is to quantify the levels of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide inmechanically ventilated slurry-pit swine house according to pig's growth stage and seasonal condition. Mean concentrations of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide in the housing room of gestation/farrowing pigs were 5.60 (${\pm}2.48$) ppm and 178.4 (${\pm}204.8$) ppb in spring, 2.51 (${\pm}3.08$) ppm and 86.6 (${\pm}112.5$) ppb in summer, 4.96 (${\pm}2.84$) ppm and 182.3 (${\pm}242.6$) ppb in autumn, and 6.82 (${\pm}3.42$) ppm and 206.3 (${\pm}356.8$) ppb in winter, respectively. Mean concentrations of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide in the housing room of nursery pigs were 7.18 (${\pm}3.26$) ppm and 486.0 (${\pm}190.2$) ppb in spring, 4.23 (${\pm}2.95$) ppm and 206.4 (${\pm}186.9$) ppb in summer, 7.02 (${\pm}2.65$) ppm and 465.4 (${\pm}156.8$) ppb in autumn, and 9.25 (${\pm}3.68$) ppm and 618.4 (${\pm}298.3$) ppb in winter, respectively. Mean concentrations of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide in the housing room of growing/fattening pigs were 9.26 (${\pm}3.02$) ppm and 604.4 (${\pm}186.8$) ppb in spring, 6.78 (${\pm}3.88$) ppm and 312.5 (${\pm}215.4$) ppb in summer, 9.34 (${\pm}2.14$) ppm and 578.2 (${\pm}248.1$) ppb in autumn, and 14.65 (${\pm}3.15$) ppm and 825.3 (${\pm}316.9$) ppb in winter, respectively. As a result, mean concentrations of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide in terms of pig's growth stage were highest in growing/fattening housing room followed by nursery housing room and gestation/farrowing housing room (p<0.05). The swine house showed the highest levels of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide in winter followed by spring, autumn and summer. However, there was no significant difference of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide among seasons (p>0.05).

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.463-466
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• 2009

A swine farm located in the Kyungpook province (designated as farm D that have been suffering from PED for several years was selected to study the etiology and the outbreak pattern of PED by clinical and laboratory examinations. Clinical examination indicated that sows exhibited signs of mastitis resulting in an inadequate transfer of lactogenic immunity against PEDV to newborn piglets. Furthermore, serological tests revealed that all sow groups and their piglets had low levels of anti-PEDV antibody. These data suggest that improper vaccination program has been indeed performed in this farm. Remarkably, despite no symptoms of PED in weaners, the presence of PEDV was identified by RT-PCR from fecal samples of weaning piglets, indicating persistent PEDV circulation in the herd. Based on these results, the following basic control schemes were executed for the control of PEDV circulation in the farm; a) A quick removal of affected pigs and disinfection of affected sheds. b) restructuring of vaccination program and employment of consultant. c) prompt treatment of mastitis and removal of poor lactogenic sows, and d) enhancement of biosecurity of farrowing house by acquisition of additional space. We evaluated risk factors and implementation of control measures in two months and were unable to found any case related to PEDV infection. Taken together, our data indicate that the method described above is effective for the control of PED outbreak in farm persistently suffering from PEDV infection.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.25-34
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• 2012

Noxious gases with malodorous substance concentrations in each stages of pig buildings were determined at a typical 400sow-scale farm to improve piggery environment. Using IAQ-300 and pDR-1000AN, continuous records for the concentration of $NH_3$, CO, $CO_2$, $NO_2$, $SO_2$, $H_2S$, $O_2$, and along with temperature, humidity, dust concentrates from individual pig pens were collected to analyze every 6 hours' condition of indoor environment for 24 hours' period. In most pig houses, the air quality at noon was good, while at night (00:00~06:00), air composition became noxious in all buildings. The order of buildings' air quality for 24 hrs was pregnant > farrowing > nursery > growing > finishing. The cause of air quality differences was presumed to be the differences of stocking density, defecating amount and the length of exposure time of slurry in indoors. In conclusion, well-designed building structure, proper control of stocking density, quick removal of excreta from pig pens and continuous ventilation are prerequisites to improve pig housing environment.