• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.63 no.4
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• pp.790-798
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• 2021

The objective of this study was evaluation of pig behavior changes related to temperature, relative humidity, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and illuminance. A total of 24 growing pigs ([Yorkshire × Landrace] × Duroc) were used in the experiment. A sensor was installed at a height of 0.5 m in the center of the pig house. In experiment 1, temperature was changed every four days to 18℃ (T1), 22℃ (T2), 26℃ (T3), and then 30℃ (T4). In experiment 2, relative humidity was adjusted to 45% (low humidity [LH]), 60% (middle humidity [MH]), and then 75% (high humidity [HH]) for four days. In experiment 3, after cleaning the pig house just before experiment, only minimal ventilation was provided. VOCs and pig behaviors were observed for 7 days without cleaning the pig house. In experiment 4, three light bulbs of 40 W (470 lumens / 45 lx; low illuminance [LI]), 75 W (1,055 lumens / 103 lx; middle illuminance [MI]), and 100 W (1,521 lumens / 146 lx; high illuminance [HI]) were used for four days each. Pig behavior analysis was performed for following criteria : Feed intake, Standing, Lying, Sitting, Drink water, Rooting, Posture transition (lying-standing), Posture transition (standing-lying), Wallowing, and Biting. In experiment 1, feed intake time was lower (p < 0.05) for the T3 than other treatment groups. Standing time was highest (p < 0.05) for the T1 and lowest (p < 0.05) for the T3. Lying time was shorter (p < 0.05) in T1 and T2 compared to T3 and T4. Drinking frequency was higher (p < 0.05) for the T4 than other treatment groups. In experiment 2, the frequency of rooting and wallowing increased (p < 0.05) with increasing humidity. LH showed the lowest (p < 0.05) rooting frequency and HH showed the highest (p < 0.05) rooting frequency. In experiment 3, VOCs concentration did not (p > 0.05) change pig behavior. In experiment 4, lying time was the longest (p < 0.05) at LI and shortest (p < 0.05) at HI. Therefore, pig behavior is heavily influenced by the environment, especially temperature and humidity. However, correlation between pig behavior to VOCs and illuminance seems to be needed more research.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.63 no.4
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• pp.892-903
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• 2021

The objective of this study is to investigate effect of air cleaner operated during pig breeding period on stress hormones of pigs and their pork quality. The stress hormones (cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine) in blood sample of pigs reared in the housing rooms with or without air cleaner have been measured according to a pig's rearing stage: 0 day (farrowing), 21st day (farrowing-weaning), 70th day (weaning-nursery), 140th day (nursery-growing), and 180th day (growing-fattening). The comparison of pork quality according to the application of an air cleaner was performed through the carcass analysis of the pigs shipped from swine house. The levels of cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine in pigs reared in housing rooms with and without air cleaners were found to be within the range of normal reference values. Among pork quality evaluation items, the thickness of intermuscular fat and final carcass grade of pigs raised in housing room with air cleaner was generally superior to those of pigs raised in housing room without air cleaner (p < 0.05). Based on the results obtained from this study, it is concluded that air cleaner does not have a significant effect on reducing pig stress but contributes to improving pork quality in pig breeding.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.567-575
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• 1989

This study was conducted to evaluate the possibility of application of a microenzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(micro-ELISA) for the serodiagnosis of specific toxoplasma antibodies in swine sera and this test was performed as a microplate system by coating the polystyrene plates with toxoplasma soluble antigen, incubated serially diluted sera, then added horse radish peroxidase labelled goat anti-swine IgG(r) conjugate followed by o-phenylenediamine as substrate. The color development by enzyme-substrate reaction was determined by the photometric reading [ELISA reader at 490nm (OD)] and visual reading. The soluble antigen was prepared from the tachyzoites in mouse peritoneal cavity. A total of 1,200 swine sera from pig slaughter-house and a total of 116 swine sera from pig breeding station (S-C farm) were tested for the detection of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii. The results obtained were summarized as follows: 1. The optimal reactions of indirect ELISA for the test sera were determined by the dilution of antigen 1:256 and 1:3,200 of horse radish peroxidase conjugate [anti-swine IgG(r)]. 2. The specific togoplasma antibody(IgG) in pigs infected with Tp artificially were detected as the serum titers of 1:64 or 1:128 at one week postinfection. 3. Of a total of 1,200 swine sera from pig slaughter-house 505 samples of sera were detected as positive (42.1%) and of a total of 116 swine sera from S-C pig breeding station 68 samples of sera as positive (58.6%). 4. The specific antibody(IgG) detection rates against a total of 1,200 test sera from pig slaughter-house were not significant between male (43.1%) and female (40.7%). 5. The indirect ELISA was proved to be a sensitive and specific procedure for the serodiagnosis of swine toxoplasmosis and also evaluated as an effective screening test for the large scale of test samples in laboratory.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.433-442
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• 2013

This study aimed to compare the dynamics of air temperature and velocity under two different ventilation and housing systems during summer and winter in Korea. The $NH_3$ concentration of both housing systems was also investigated in relation to the pig's growth. The ventilation systems used were; negative pressure type for the enclosed pig house (EPH) and natural airflow for the conventional pig house (CPH). Against a highly fluctuating outdoor temperature, the EPH was able to maintain a stable temperature at 24.8 to $29.1^{\circ}C$ during summer and 17.9 to $23.1^{\circ}C$ during winter whilst the CPH had a wider temperature variance during summer at 24.7 to $32.3^{\circ}C$. However, the temperature fluctuation of the CPH during winter was almost the same with that of EPH at 14.5 to $18.2^{\circ}C$. The NH3 levels in the CPH ranged from 9.31 to 16.9 mg/L during summer and 5.1 to 19.7 mg/L during winter whilst that of the EPH pig house was 7.9 to 16.1 mg/L and 3.7 to 9.6 mg/L during summer and winter, respectively. These values were less than the critical ammonia level for pigs with the EPH maintaining a lower level than the CPH in both winter and summer. The air velocity at pig nose level in the EPH during summer was 0.23 m/s, enough to provide comfort because of the unique design of the inlet feature. However, no air movement was observed in almost all the lower portions of the CPH during winter because of the absence of an inlet feature. There was a significant improvement in weight gain and feed intake of pigs reared in the EPH compared to the CPH (p<0.05). These findings proved that despite the difference in the housing systems, a stable indoor temperature was necessary to minimize the impact of an avoidable and highly fluctuating outdoor temperature. The EPH consistently maintained an effective indoor airspeed irrespective of season; however the CPH had defective and stagnant air at pig nose level during winter. Characteristics of airflow direction and pattern were consistent relative to housing system during both summer and winter but not of airspeed. The ideal air velocity measurement favored the EPH and therefore can be appropriate for the Korean environment. Further emphasis on its cost effectiveness will be the subject of future investigations.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.31-38
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• 2008

Ammonia gas is one of the malodorous gases from swine production facilities, such as manure storage tank, manure fermentation facilities, and livestock houses, etc. Ammonia gas from swine house is being emitted at relatively low concentrations throughout the year. Therefore, livestock facilities were continuously ventilated to supply fresh air for respiration of the animals internal the livestock facilities. The swine facilities need very high ventilation rate to control the inside environmental conditions. The deodorization system of the livestock facilities must be developed considering the ventilation rates. The odor abatement system was installed in order to improve the internal environment of the naturally ventilated growing-finishing pig house. The system which distributes the deodorized air into inner space of the swine house by using plastic duct was installed. Since the internal environment, effected by the operation of the odor abatement system, is monitored by closing the winch curtain installed on the side wall of the pig house, the experiment was practiced at the season when the internal environment becomes aggravated, winter. The effects on the improvement in the internal environment of swine house by operating the odor abatement system are as follows ; 1. By re-distributing the air which was deodorized by the odor abatement system installed in the pig house, the result showed that the concentration of ammonia gas is decreased approximately 33.3% compared with that before operating odor abatement system. 2. The effect on the pig house's ammonia gas reduction was found that the ventilation rate was less than $0.5m^3$/min head. The effect of the operation of the odor abatement system showed to be scarce when the ventilation rate increases because of the influx of external fresh air makes the quantity of diluted air more than those of the odor abatement system. 3. The perishment rate of the pigs which were brooded until slaughtering decreased about 3.8% by operating the odor abatement system in the growing-finishing pig house. Also, after operating the odor abatement system, the stinging of the eyes, suspension dust, etc were decreased when going into swine house for management.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.135-144
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• 2002

An experiment was conducted to evaluate a ventilation system, which was devised to encourage farmers to use the enclosed growing and finishing pig housing system. A roof-air-entry ventilation system in winter and a side-wall-air-entry system in summer were evaluated. Air flow rate on the floor level which is the low part of pen and the living area of pigs in the enclosed growing and finishing pig house during winter was measured at 0 to 0.19 m/s at the minimum ventilation efficiency of 1,440 $m^{3}/h$. During summer the air flow rate was detected at 0.07 to 0.42 m/s at the maximum ventilation efficiency of 24,000 $m^{3}/h$. Therefore, it is concluded that the side-wall ventilation system is suitable for growing and finishing pigs in the enclosed house during the days of mid-summer and the roof-ventilation system was suitable during the coldest days of mid-winter. In addition, although the enclosed pig house has the system in which air exhausts through only one side wall, air should enter through both-side walls for the better ventilation performance.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.155-164
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• 2001

Environmental factors such as $NH_3,\;H_2S,\;CO_2$, dust, temperature, and humidity in the animal house are a potential health hazard to humans and animals. Until now, most of measurement methods can only provide periodic results with low accuracy. A data acquisition system which can measure continuously and simultaneously $NH_3,\;H_2S,\;CO_2$, temperature, and humidity was developed and installed in two pig houses. Daily changes of environment for the pig-houses were investigated by the data acquisition system. In order to evaluate NH$_3$sensor, gas samples were obtained and NH$_3$concentrations were measured at nine positions; combinations of three positions(inlet, middle, and outlet) and three heights(0 cm, 40 cm, 150 cm). Ammonia concentration of 14.0 ~37.1 ppm for slurry pig-house is higher than that of 8.4~29.7 ppm for scraper pig-house, and there were no statistical differences among the positions. However, the concentration of $NH_3$at 150 cm was higher than thats of 0 cm and 40 cm.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.25-37
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• 2008

When livestock facilities in Korea have been changed larger and denser, rearing conditions have been getting worse and the productivity of animal production have been decreased. Especially in the cold season, the minimized ventilation has generally been operated to save energy cost in Korea resulting in very poor environmental condition and high mortality. While the stability, suitability, and uniformity of the rearing condition are the most important for high productivity, the ventilation configuration is the most important to improve the rearing condition seasonally. But, it is so difficult to analyze the internal air flow and the environmental factors by conducting only field experiment because the weather condition is very unpredictable and unstable as well as the structural specification can not be easily changed by the researchers considering cost and labor. Accordingly, an aerodynamic computer simulation was adopted to this study to overcome the weakness of conducting field experiment and study the aerodynamic itself. It has been supposed that the airflow is the main mechanism of heat, mass, and momentum transfers. To make the simulation model accurately and actually, simplified pig models were also developed. The accuracy of the CFD simulation model was enhanced by 4.4 % of errors compared with the data collected from field experiments. In this paper, using the verified CFD model, the CFD computed internal rearing condition of the mechanically ventilated pig house were analyzed quantitatively as well as qualitatively. Later, this developed model will be computed time-dependently to effectively analyze the seasonal ventilation efficiency more practically and extensively with tracer gas decay theory.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.93-100
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• 2004

An experiment was conducted to establish comparison of ventilation efficiency in an enclosed and conventional growing-finishing pig house. The experimental pigs were in winter and summer. The main results of the experiment are as follows : Then the air from planar slot inlet the pig house flow out through the sidewall outlet operated by exhaust fan(Gl). The second structure has an air input through the circular duct inlet are plated side the juncture of the entering wall and the air into the pig house flow out through the chimney and pit outlet are operated by exhaust fan(G2). Through the air into relay fan the pig house flow out through the curtains in sidewall(G3). Similarly, air comes in through the circular duct inlet are placed the air into the pig house flow out through the curtains in sidewall (G4). Air flow rate on the floor level which is the low part of pen and the living area of pigs in the G2 and G4 system during winter was measured at 0.2 to 0.3 m/s at the 0.5 to 0.6 m/s at the maximum ventilation efficiency. As for the results of detrimental gas(ammonia) concentration ratio analysis, while G2 and G4 system sustained of summer 13.3 $\~$ 16.6 ppm, winter 14.0 $\~$ 14.6 ppm level, Gl and G3 system sustained of summer 14.6 $\~$ 20.3 ppm, winter 20.3 $\~$ 25.0 ppm, and the latter one is lower than that of the G1 and G3 system.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.8
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• pp.1310-1315
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• 1999

Air quality in confinement pig houses is important to production and health. Mechanical ventilation and confinement is known to be the most practical tool for maintaining adequate air quality in pig houses through extensive researches since Millier (1950) invented the 'slotted inlet' ventilation system. A variety of mechanical ventilation systems have been applied to confined nursery pig houses in Korea without scientific verification of their ventilation effectiveness. Ventilation systems with three feasible combinations (NA, NB, and NC) of inlets and outlets in a confined nursery pig house were tested to evaluate their ventilation efficiency, of which the one with the performance was supposed to be taken as a standard ventilation system for nursery pig houses in Korea. Field data of air velocity and temperature fields, and ammonia concentration with three ventilation systems were taken and compared to determine the best system. The air velocity and temperature fields predicted by the PHOENICS computer program were also validated against the available experimental data to investigate the feasibility of computer simulation of air and temperature distribution with an acceptable accuracy in a confined house. NC system with duct-induced in-coming air, performed best among the three different ventilation systems, which created higher velocity field and evener distribution ($2.5m/s{\pm}0.3m/s$) over the space with a Reynolds number of $10^4$. The experimental data obtained also fitted well with the simulated values using the modified PHOENICS, which suggested a viable tool for the prediction of air and temperature field with given calculation geometries.