Would you fly on airplane that hadn't been tested? Neither would anyone else. Over the past 3 decades, researchers have developed very accurate numerical models for airflow around an airplane geometry that predict how well their plane design will fly…
Laboratory Evaluation and Field Verification of Single Point Monitors (SPMs) for Measuring Aerial Ammonia and Hydrogen Sulfide Associated with Swine Operations
Single Point Monitor is a portable, relatively low cost instrument that can detect relatively low levels of gaseous ammonia and hydrogen sulfide. It is an approved method for measurement of ambient hydrogen sulfide levels by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.…
Studies on PRRSV vaccination: interleukin-12 to enhance the immune response to killed vaccinte and combination vaccine with MLV and killed vaccines
PRRSV vaccine efficacy remains controversial. The currently available PRRSV vaccines, either modified live (MLV) or killed virus (KV) vaccines, often appear to provide insufficient protective immunity. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate if interleukin (IL) – 12, a protein…
Immunity against PRRS virus-what is the role of ‘auto-anti-idiotypic’ antibody?
PRRS is the most costly disease U.S. swine producers confront and little progress has been made in recent years to improve the situation. Prevention and control of PRRS has been difficult, in part because our knowledge of the immunity against…
Investigating the genetic relatedness among Salmonella species isolated in transportation trucks, holding pens and from swine at slaughter
Previous studies have suggested strongly that the lairage is a source of Salmonella to swine. Using more refined tools to determine relatedness between isolates we have reinforced this finding. More importantly however it appears that some serotypes of Salmonella may…
Eliminating the Abattoir Pen Lairages to Decrease the Prevalence of Salmonella in Cull Sows
This project has demonstrated that the antemortem holding pens at an abattoir may play a role in increasing the number of Salmonella-infected cull sows entering the abattoir. It also provides an indication that other peri-marketing concentration and transport steps may…
Characterization of VOCs and particulates from swine finishing facilities and relationship of these compounds to human health
Determination of the Presence and Infectivity of Swine Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) in Swine Manure Storage Facilities and Nearby Water Sources
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infects pigs but does not cause clinical disease in pigs. There is concern that hepatitis E virus from pigs may infect people and that pigs may be an important reservoir for HEV. This study was conducted…
Direct Measurement of Dietary and Management Strategy Impacts on Ammonia Volatilization
A study conducted at Iowa State University, by university scientists and researchers from the USAD-ARS Swine Odor and Manure Management Unit evaluated the independent effects of diet and post-excretion manure treatment on ammonia emission from swine manure. Findings of the…
Ammonia, Nitrous Oxide and Methane Emmisions from Deep Bedded Hoop Structures
Swine hoop structures are an alternative housing system where the pigs are raised on a bedded manure pack. This bedded pack begins a natural composting process inside the building, providing supplemental heat for the pigs, and this composting process can…