Approach to a classification of construction typologies of pig facilities: case study Antioquia – Colombia

N. Castrillón²³*, V. Gonzalez¹³ and J.A. Osorio¹

¹Universidad Nacional de Colombia, sede Medellín, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Carrera 65 #59A-110, Código postal 050034 Medellín, Colombia
²Universidad Nacional de Colombia, sede Medellín, Facultad de Minas, AV 80 #65-223, Código postal 050034 Medellín, Colombia
³Grupo de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Genética Molecular (BIOGEM), Departamento de Producción Animal, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Medellín, Carrera 65 No. 59 A-110, Código postal 050034, Colombia
*Correspondence: ncastrillon@unal.edu.co

Abstract:

Pig facilities foro confined production in tropical countries such as Colombia does not specify, in the present moment a typological classification that allows researchers to carry out evaluations related to animal comfort and environmental impacts according to the type of accommodation. To achieve the objective of this research were developed a survey to a panel of experts, a decision sensitivity analysis and the hierarchical analytical method AHP. Parameters that allowed to describe the concept of a technified pig farm were obteined, where the most relevant were: biosecurity measures, measurement of zootechnical parameters, training for workers and legal fulfilment. Additionally, ranges were defined to establish the production size in small, medium and large according to the number of animals. The results obtained per group were: 1) breeding small (50–200), medium (201–1,000) and large (1,001–5,000); 2) growth small (60–200), medium (201–800) and large (801–5000); and 3) finishing stage small (50–500), medium (501–1,000) and large (2,001–5,000). A total of 948 typological combinations were initially determined. Finally, the construction characteristics with the greatest technical and operational feasibility were prioritized for each group achieving 36 typologies that can represent the typological pig facilities not only in the state of Antioquia but also in many others states in Colombia.

Key words:

Assessment of the methane emission for different typologies of fattening swine facilities in the department of Antioquia – Colombia

N. Castrillón²³*, V. González¹³, J.A. Osorio¹, A.P. Montoya¹ and G. Correa¹

¹Universidad Nacional de Colombia, sede Medellín, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Carrera 65 #59A-110, Código postal CO050034 Medellín, Colombia
²Universidad Nacional de Colombia, sede Medellín, Facultad de Minas, AV 80 #65-223, Código postal CO050034 Medellín, Colombia
³Grupo de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Genética Molecular (BIOGEM), Departamento de Producción Animal, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Medellín, Carrera 65 No. 59 A-110, CO050034 Código, Colombia
*Correspondence: ncastrillon@unal.edu.co

Abstract:

The explosive growth of swine production at high stocking densities in confinement farming worldwide, has raised concerns the environmental impact, health and livestock productivity and the production of associated gases in this type of large-scale farms. The aim of this paper was to study the methane gas concentration and emissions of ten different typologies of swine production installations. The facilities were in the department of Antioquia – Colombia, they were located between 800–2,300 meters above sea level (m.a.s.l.) of heights, they mainly employed natural ventilation as refrigeration strategy and they were used for pigs in fattening stage. Methane measurements were taken at animal height. Sensors were located at intermediate points of the ventilation inlet and outlet areas. The behaviour of methane concentration and emission of the facilities were analysed along with the correlation and temporal evolution of climatic variables, comfort indices and construction typologies. The information was analysed using descriptive statistics, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and principal component analysis (PCA). Were found an average of CH₄ Emission Rate (ER) per facility (kg year^-1) of 607.9, Global Warming Potential (GWP) per facility (kg year^-1) of 15,197.42 and significant correlations between ER and cleaning frequency (CF), animal unit (AU), air flow (Q), animal density (AD) and relative humidity (RH) were evidenced. This is the first research reported in Colombia, that will be important to create some governmental policies.

Key words:

greenhouse gases, methane emissions, natural ventilation, swine production, typologies of construction