Search Results (143)

Agriculture and animal feeding operations are responsible for 87% of ammonia emissions in the UK. Controlling NH₃ concentrations below 20 ppm is crucial to preserve workers’ and livestock’s well-being. Therefore, ammonia control systems are required for maintaining adequate air quality in livestock facilities. This study assessed the ammonia reduction efficiency of a novel air pollution abatement (APA) system used in a pig farm building. The monitoring duration was 11 weeks. The results were compared with the baseline from a previous pig cycle during the same time of year in 2023. A ventilation-controlled room was monitored during a two-phase campaign, and the actual ammonia concentrations were measured at different locations within the site and at the inlet/outlet of the APA system. A 98% ammonia reduction was achieved at the APA outlet through NH₃ absorption in tap water. Ion chromatography analyses of farm water samples revealed NH₃ concentrations of up to 530 ppm within 83 days of APA operation. Further scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray inspections revealed the presence of salts and organic/inorganic matter in the solid residues. This research can contribute to meeting current ammonia regulations (NECRs), also by reusing the process water as a potential nitrogen fertiliser in agriculture. Full article

Background: Since the massive outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in South Korea in 2010–2011, cloven-hoofed livestock have been immunized with serotype O and A vaccines across the country. Other serotypes of FMD vaccines were stockpiled in overseas FMD vaccine factories as antigen banks. Once a manufacturing facility has been established in South Korea, the overseas antigen banks will be replaced by domestic one. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the commercial potential of the previously developed SAT2 vaccine candidate (SAT2 ZIM-R). Methods: The optimal condition was determined at various virus concentrations, infection times, and pH levels, resulting in 0.01 MOI for SAT2 ZIM-R for 24 h infection at a pH of 7.5. Results: When the SAT2 ZIM-R virus was produced in flasks from 40 to 1000 mL in fivefold increments, all scales of production yielded > 7.0 µg/mL of antigens. Using a bioreactor, 5.6 µg/mL of antigens was recovered from a 1 L viral culture. The optimal conditions of viral inactivation kinetics were determined to be 1 mM of binary ethyleneimine (BEI) treatment at 26 °C for 24 h, with approximately 91% of the antigen being retained after virus inactivation. When the SAT2 ZIM-R experimental vaccine was administered twice to pigs, the neutralizing antibody titer increased approximately 500-fold after booster immunization. Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate the antigen productivity, viral inactivation kinetics, and immunogenicity of the SAT vaccine strain in pigs. In the future, the SAT2 ZIM-R vaccine may be a useful candidate vaccine for a domestic antigen bank. Full article

Livestock farming has been identified as a significant contributor to atmospheric pollution, underscoring the necessity for the design and management of housing systems to adopt mitigation strategies. In the context of civil engineering, green wall systems are proving to be effective solutions for air filtration and purification. Nevertheless, research related to their application in livestock buildings is limited. This study focuses on the design, implementation, and performance evaluation of a modular, mobile green wall system that has been specifically developed to test PM2.5 concentrations’ reduction in naturally ventilated, free-stall dairy barns in the Mediterranean region. To this end, PM2.5 concentrations and climatic parameters have been measured before and after the application of the green wall system. Based on one-way analysis of variance, PM2.5 concentrations after the application were significantly lower (p < 0.001) than those before the mitigation strategy. The results of this study showed that the overall efficacy of the green wall reached 44%. The implementation of green wall systems offers a promising strategy to improve air quality in livestock facilities and to design aesthetically pleasing barns with a positive impact on the surrounding landscape. Full article

The awareness of global warming has boosted research on methods to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Livestock buildings, although essential for food production, represent a sustainability challenge due to their high maintenance energy costs, GHG emissions, and impact on the environment and rural landscapes. Since the environment, cultural heritage, and community identity deserve protection, research trends and current knowledge on livestock buildings, building sustainability, energy efficiency strategies, and landscape management were investigated using the Web of Science and Scopus search tools (2005–2025). Research on these topics was found to be uneven, with limited focus on livestock buildings compared to food production and animal welfare, and significant interest in eco-sustainable building materials. A total of 96 articles were selected after evaluating over 5400 records. The analysis revealed a lack of universally accepted definitions for building design strategies and their rare application to livestock facilities, where passive solutions and insulation prevailed. The application of renewable energy was rare and limited to rural buildings, as was the application of sustainable building materials to livestock, agriculture, and vernacular buildings. Conversely, increased attention was paid to the definition and classification of vernacular architecture features aimed at enhancing existing buildings and mitigating or facilitating the landscape integration of those that diverge most from them. Although not exhaustive, this review identified some knowledge gaps. More efforts are needed to reduce environmental impacts and meet the milestones set by international agreements. Research on building materials could benefit from collaboration with experts in cultural heritage conservation because of their command of traditional materials, durability-enhancing methods, and biodeterioration. Full article

This study evaluates Spain’s biomethane production potential for 2030 and 2050, focusing on agricultural residues, livestock manure, municipal solid waste (MSW), and wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) sludge. The research aims to provide a regional analysis based on historical data on livestock populations, cultivated land, waste availability, and demographic projections. Using utilization coefficients and technological assumptions derived from existing biogas infrastructure, the study estimates that Spain could generate 9.71 TWh of biomethane by 2030, slightly below the national target of 10.41 TWh. By 2050, agricultural and livestock residues are expected to contribute 30.04 TWh, accounting for nearly 80% of total biomethane production, while the relative share of MSW and WWTP sludge will decrease. Andalusia, Castilla-La Mancha, and Castilla y León emerge as key contributors due to their extensive agricultural and livestock sectors. Catalonia and Madrid maintain significant roles driven by urban waste generation. The findings underscore the need for infrastructure expansion, particularly enhancing biomethane injection facilities into the natural gas grid, alongside financial incentives to support industry growth. This study highlights the role of biomethane in Spain’s renewable energy sector, emphasizing its potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, optimize organic waste utilization, and contribute to a sustainable energy transition. Full article

Rural villages function as relatively self-sustained production and living units with well-developed infrastructure. In this setting, investigating the transmission pathways of airborne biological particles, including pathogenic microorganisms, is pivotal for ensuring the health of residents. This study investigated the sources and dispersion of biogenic particulate matter in rural ambient air and factors influencing their behavior. Potential bioaerosol sources including livestock farming areas, composting sites, garbage dumps, and sewage treatment facilities were investigated using a calibrated portable bioaerosol detector to collect and analyze the dispersion of bioaerosol particles. The dispersal characteristics of Enterobacteriaceae were explored using an Andersen six-stage sampler. Livestock farming areas were the primary source of bioparticles. The distribution of the bioparticles varied significantly with environmental conditions. Key factors influencing their distribution included the dispersal capabilities due to wind speed and the processes of aggregation and coagulation of particles. The dispersal pathway of Enterobacteriaceae indicated that the inhabitants of residences near the dispersion source might be exposed to health risks from pathogenic bacteria present in bioparticles indoors. Understanding such characteristics and transmission patterns of bioparticles in rural environments provides a scientific basis for risk assessment and management strategies, with important implications for improving air-quality monitoring, public health policies, and environmental management in rural areas. Full article

Precision livestock farming technologies support health monitoring on farms, yet few studies have evaluated their effectiveness under field conditions using reliable gold standards. This study evaluated a commercially available technology for detecting cough sounds in pigs on a commercial farm. Audio was recorded over six days using 16 microphones across two pig barns. A total of 1110 cough sounds were labelled by an on-site observer using a cough induction methodology, and 8938 other sounds from farm recordings and open-source datasets (ESC-50, UrbanSound8K, and AudioSet) were labelled. A hybrid deep learning model combining Convolutional Neural Networks and Recurrent Neural Networks was trained and evaluated using these labels. A total of 34 audio features were extracted from 1 s segments, including validated descriptors (e.g., MFCC), unverified external features, and proprietary features. Features were evaluated through 10-fold cross-validation based on classification performance and runtime, resulting in eight final features. The final model showed high performance (recall = 98.6%, specificity = 99.7%, precision = 98.8%, accuracy = 99.6%, F1-score = 98.6%). The technology tested was shown to be efficient for monitoring cough sounds in a commercial swine production facility. It is recommended to test the technology in other environments to evaluate the effectiveness in different farm settings. Full article

Climate variability and extremes adversely affect the agricultural production system, food security, livestock sector, and water resources. With the cumulative effects of climate variability, there is a need to anticipate and develop appropriate adaptation strategies to cope with changing climatic conditions. It is necessary to study the adaptation strategies that are to be followed for climate change to examine the ability of vulnerable communities and people, frequently affected by drought and other climate-related risks, to adapt to climate change impacts. Hence, the present study examined the determinants of various climate change adaptation strategies followed by farmers as a measure to face climate variability, which will be ultimately beneficial and enlightening to policymakers to gain knowledge about the measures to be taken to mitigate the impact of climate change. The study was undertaken using data collected from 105 farm households with an organized pre-tested interview schedule in the central agro-climatic zone of Afghanistan. The multivariate probit econometric model was used to analyze the factors responsible for major adaptation strategies to mitigate the impact of climate change. The key findings of the model indicated that the probability of educated farmers migrating to the non-agricultural sector for employment has increased by 1.3 percent, and those who have more land area have adopted a reduction in irrigation by 5.2 percent as an adaptive mechanism. The study also found that having access to technical guidance from extension officials increased the likelihood of farmers changing their cropping pattern by 18.6 percent and of diversifying their farms by 19.2 percent. On the other hand, expert guidance reduced the likelihood of drilling new bore wells by 20.5 percentage points and decreased the probability of selling livestock by 10.8 percentage points. The results of the study provide policy insights to improve the ability of farmers to modify their practices through improvement in extension services, irrigation infrastructure facilities, watershed development, and climate-resilient agricultural systems. Full article

Livestock buildings in rural areas are increasingly recognized for their environmental impact, yet few studies provide applied, scenario-based evaluations to guide retrofit interventions. While the existing literature acknowledges the environmental burden of livestock facilities, it often lacks operationally grounded analyses applicable to real-world agricultural contexts. This paper proposes an original integration of experimental climatic monitoring and life cycle assessment (LCA) to evaluate retrofit scenarios for energy efficiency in real poultry farming contexts. Based on an accurate climatic monitoring campaign conducted on-site during the spring and summer periods, relevant data were collected on air temperature, humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation affecting two poultry tunnels in central Italy, highlighting the need for thermal mitigation. The comparison between the observed operational scenario and the hypothesized improved scenario, involving energy supply from photovoltaic sources, evaluated using the PVGIS tool, demonstrated a significant reduction in environmental impact, with a 33.4% decrease in global warming potential and a 26.1% reduction in energy consumption. This study combines experimental on-site climatic data collection with comparative environmental evaluation using LCA methodology. The LCA approach, which guided the entire study, highlighted how the energy efficiency gained through solar panels adequately offsets their production and maintenance costs over the long term. These findings offer a replicable model for energy retrofits in rural livestock facilities, contributing to both environmental goals and rural resilience. Full article

Throughout human settlement history, the pursuit of durability has been a paramount objective in building construction. The emphasis on durability has resulted in the construction of buildings designed to outlast human lifespans. However, the lack of consideration for building demolition and disposal during the design and construction phases has created challenges for future generations. This oversight contributes to the environmental impact of structures after demolition, which is a significant concern given that the construction industry is a major contributor to energy consumption, CO₂ emissions, and solid waste production. In fact, in recent decades, there has been an increasing demand for temporary constructions, driven by factors such as migration phenomena, natural disasters, and the COVID-19 pandemic, but also in sectors like agriculture, where seasonality and annual variations in activities require adaptable structures such as warehouses, barns, livestock shelters, and food storage facilities. Unlike traditional constructions, these temporary buildings must be assembled and disassembled multiple times during their lifespan. The challenge lies in ensuring the structural integrity, adaptability to varying conditions, and compliance with specific requirements to extend their usability and postpone the disposal phase. This study focuses on the design of a novel type of temporary structures intended for temporary needs such as emergencies and planned agricultural activities, resulting in a European patent. The structure is based on a glulam frame inside two OSB panels—that work as structural bracing, creating a hollow, resistant, light structure—connected with external steel connections. This work reports results of mechanical simulations and thermal transmittance calculations. Specifically, it demonstrates the building maintains structural strength through multiple usages and its thermal characteristics can be easily adapted to the context. These are the first steps for a resilient and sustainable building. Full article

Biosecurity is essential in livestock farming to prevent the spread of diseases, ensure animal welfare, and maintain farm sustainability. In Portugal, small ruminant farms are predominantly extensive and small-scale, and most of them are familiar, especially in the northern and inland regions. Thus, biosecurity implementation on these farms is low due to factors such as an aging livestock farmer population, poor training, limited veterinary support, and economic constraints. This study, the first to assess biosecurity on Portuguese small ruminant farms, evaluated compliance levels and the influence of sociodemographic factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted between July 2023 and April 2024, through structured interviews with 276 farmers. A 32-question checklist covering nine biosecurity categories was used to assess compliance. The results revealed poor implementation of key biosecurity measures, particularly cleaning and disinfection, quarantine protocols, and visitor control. Inadequate premises infrastructure, including the absence of quarantine areas, isolation facilities for sick animals, and farrowing rooms, further hampered disease prevention. Compliance was influenced by farmers’ age, education level, herd size, and production. Larger farms, particularly dairy farms, demonstrated better biosecurity practices, likely due to better management and infrastructure. This study highlights the challenges of implementing biosecurity measures on small-scale, extensive farms and argues that standardized plans are ineffective. Instead, region- and farm-specific strategies are needed, considering the socioeconomic realities of farmers. Improving farmers’ education and access to veterinary services is crucial. Furthermore, public policies should provide financial incentives and educational programs to improve biosecurity without compromising farm viability. Strengthening biosecurity on small ruminant farms is vital to protecting animal and public health and ensuring the long-term sustainability of rural communities in Portugal. Full article

Facility agriculture is essential for diversifying food supply and advancing agricultural modernization. Guided by the concept of new quality productive forces, this study establishes a comprehensive framework to analyze the optimization of facility agricultural land allocation in Zhejiang Province. The findings indicate a relatively low overall allocation level, with higher intensity in the breeding industry compared to crop cultivation. Facility agricultural land is predominantly located in areas with lower elevations, gentler slopes, proximity to roads and rivers, and moderate distances from urban centers. Service areas vary significantly, with grain cultivation having the largest impact, followed by other crop cultivation, fruit and vegetable cultivation, aquaculture, other livestock breeding, and pig farming. As agriculture transitions from small-scale to large-scale and facility-based production, service areas exhibit an inverted U-shaped trend, initially increasing before declining. To optimize decision-making, this study proposes a classification system (shared, modern, safeguard), an entry list (encouraged, restricted, prohibited), and strategies for spatial layout, flexible control, and intensive land use. Guided by green and high-quality development goals, this research establishes a contemporary standard system and optimization strategies, offering scientific and practical guidance for sustainable facility agricultural land development and supporting land resource allocation and industry upgrading. Full article

Diseases in pig houses not only hinder the growth and productivity of pigs but also result in significant economic losses for farmers due to high mortality rates. Although viral infections, including PRRS and PCV-2, are the primary causes, the likelihood of disease onset is closely linked to the pigs’ immune status, which is often compromised by environmental stressors. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between environmental conditions and pig mortality through detailed field monitoring in a commercial pig house with 600 growing pigs. The facility, which experienced a surge in mortality after a ventilation system change, was analyzed for various environmental parameters, including ammonia concentration (range: 7.0–10.7 ppm), dust levels (PM10: 106 µg/m³, PM2.5: 45 µg/m³), ventilation rates (0.49 AER, 67% of design capacity), air temperature (mean: 22.3 °C, range: 18.1–28.7 °C), and relative humidity (mean: 67.4%, range: 55.3–83.2%). Pig mortality and its spatial distribution were recorded, while viral infections were identified using RT-PCR, detecting pathogens such as PRRS, PCV-2, Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, and Salmonella. Our findings revealed that although dust and ammonia concentrations remained within permissible limits, mortality was significantly correlated with thermal instability. Chronic respiratory diseases were observed in regions where ventilation was concentrated, resulting in daily temperature variations as high as 6.64 °C. The combination of improper ventilation and frequent temperature fluctuations weakened the pigs’ immunity, facilitating the onset of disease. This research underscores the critical role of maintaining stable microclimatic conditions in reducing mortality and highlights the need for advanced automated environmental control systems in smart livestock barns. The insights gained from this study provide a foundational framework for developing precision ventilation and thermal management strategies to enhance productivity and animal welfare. Full article

This study aims to develop a novel use of baker’s yeast in biosorption as a sustainable metal recovery process for cost-effective and practical applications in recovering copper and zinc from waste gravity-thickened sludge generated at livestock wastewater treatment facilities. The supernatant of the acid-extracted product was separated from the residues through centrifugation. To ensure cost efficiency, the supernatant was treated with 2N acetic acid for 24 h, with the addition of hydrogen peroxide, and used for the biosorption experiments. The filtrated supernatant was adjusted to various pH values (4.5, 5.0, and 5.5) to explore the effects of acidity on the subsequent biosorption of extracted zinc and copper by baker’s yeast. A diluted molasses solution was added to the filtrate as a carbon source to support yeast growth during the 4 h biosorption experiments. The results revealed that the removal efficiency of zinc from the filtrate by baker’s yeast was 97.3%, while the removal efficiency for copper was about 48.8% at pH 5.5 with a reaction time of 4 h. In summary, this combined approach is expected to reduce and recycle heavy metals in livestock sludge. Acetic acid with hydrogen peroxide can extract copper and zinc from the sludge, and baker’s yeast can absorb both metals from the filtrate at pH 5.5 in a 4 h reaction time. This technological innovation has the potential to transform waste management practices in the livestock industry, contributing to resource recovery and environmental sustainability. Full article

Assessing water demand is essential for urban planning, aligning with socio-economic and climatic needs. The territorial water footprint identifies water requirements across sectors and detects sources of consumption. This aids in mitigating impacts and evaluating alternative water sources like reclaimed water. In Gavà, water impacts were assessed for residential, commercial, municipal, tourism, industrial, agricultural, and livestock sectors. The total water footprint is 6,458,118 m³, comprising 3,293,589 m³ from blue water, 2,250,849 m³ from green water, and 913,680 m³ from grey water. Agriculture (54.2%), residential (30.9%), and industrial activities (5.8%) are the main water footprint contributors. A key methodological advancement of this study is the refinement of grey water footprint calculations for livestock facilities within the RWF framework, allowing for a more precise assessment of their environmental impact. Integrating geographic information systems with land use mapping helps localize impacts, detect hotspots, and identify infrastructure improvement opportunities. Full article