Management strategies to reduce air emissions: Emphasis - Dust and ammonia

Air emissions generated by poultry production are numerous and can include dust, odors, endotoxins, microorganisms, and numerous gases. Ammonia (NH ₃) emissions have the potential to contaminate surface waters and are an environmental concern on both a local and global scale. These emissions in and around poultry production facilities can be a health and performance issue for birds and their caretakers. Dietary strategies can aid in the reduction of many airborne emissions, including dust and ammonia. Management techniques to quell, capture, or eliminate these air contaminants are numerous but vary in their cost, effectiveness, and practicality. Endotoxins, microorganisms, and nitrogenous compounds also can adhere to dust particles. Techniques for dust control include simple house cleaning, oil and water fogging, windbreaks, different filters, precipitation, certain housing systems and equipment, and vegetative shelterbelts. Many of the same strategies to reduce dust will also reduce ammonia losses as well. Simple procedures, including good manure management, reducing stress and maintaining bird health, reduce nitrogenous losses. Litter and manure amendments aid in reducing ammonia volatilization, and like those techniques for dust control, poultry housing systems, biofilters, water filters, composting, and vegetative shelterbelts also have potential for ammonia mitigation.