EC96-779 Lagoons for Management of Livestock Manure

A lagoon is a specifically designed manure storage facility. A properly designed lagoon also functions as a treatment system. Manure in any storage facility undergoes some biological decomposition. However, any decomposition of organic matter which occurs in a conventional storage is coincidental and not part of the design procedure or considerations. The proper design of a lagoon gives special consideration to biological decomposition of organic matter. In fact, the design is intended to promote or enhance the breakdown of organic matter. This publication discusses the types of lagoons. It covers the design, construction, and guidelines of maintaining a lagoon

Non-Mechanical Ventilation of Swine Facilities

Swine facilities must be ventilated to control heat, moisture, dust, odors, pathogenic organisms and irritating, noxious or toxic gases. Our goal is to provide healthful conditions for animals and personnel and to control deterioriation of structural components and equipment. Given the widely varying climatic conditions of the central and northern plains states there is no system capable of fully satisfying all desirable aspects of a ventilation system. Consequetly, producers must select the system which best fits their management abilities and goals with the most acceptable set of compromises

Nebraska\u27s MOF and Solar Heated Farrowing Houses

Successful operation of multiple Nebraska solar-heated modified-open-front (MOF) nursery/grower buildings led two producers to investigate use of the monoslope Nebraska MOF style building for farrowing. (The first Nebraska solar-heated MOF nursery/grower unit has been in continuous operation since October 1979.) Both units began operation in August 1984

G93-1151 The Somatic Cell Count and Milk Quality

This NebGuide describes what somatic cells are, and their significance related to mastitis and milk quality. The somatic cell count (SCC) is commonly used as a measure of milk quality. Somatic cells are simply animal body cells present at low levels in normal milk. High levels of these cells in milk indicate abnormal, reduced-quality milk that is caused by an intramammary bacterial infection (mastitis)

G95-1271 Mastitis is a Disease -- Control is an Everyday Task

A comprehensive mastitis control program will effectively control infections caused by both environmental and contagious pathogens. Herd mastitis problems can be caused by both environmental and contagious pathogens (disease-causing organisms). These problems may occur separately or simultaneously. Various testing techniques are necessary to determine the type of causative organism and the infection level of the herd or individual cow. Appropriate tests include the CMT (California Mastitis Test), milk market somatic cell count (SCC), Dairy Herd Improvement Association (DHIA) SCC and laboratory cultures of milk from infected cows. Depending upon test results, mastitis control strategies may need to be changed to address both associated infections and types of pathogens. A good control program must consider all possible causes of the disease. No potential disease risk should be ignored. The most appropriate action to prevent or eliminate a disease depends upon the causative agent, so accurate diagnosis is essential. Cows that are non-responsive to therapy should be culled

A multipurpose large volume sea-water sampler

The need for large volumes of sea-water, from all depths, for radioisotope studies with carbon-14, tritium or fission-products, has resulted in the development of a variety of sampling devices…

G83-683 Quality Concrete for Swine Facilities

This NebGuide discusses the major items to consider when using concrete for swine facilities to help assure that quality concrete is obtained. Concrete is widely used to construct swine production facilities. Versatility, durability, and relatively low cost are characteristics that make it ideally suited for floors, walls, foundations, pen dividers, and manure storage structures. With appropriate design, concrete can even be used for the building roof and feeders. There are, however, certain major items to consider to help assure quality concrete and years of reliable service regardless of the specific use

Performance of Solar-Assisted Modified-Open-Front Swine Nurseries

Performance data of two modified-open-front non-mechanically ventilated swine nurseries have shown that solar energy can be effectively utilized to maintain a productive environment within the animal space during cold weather (temperatures as low as -26°C ( - 15 °F). The nurseries feature a monoslope roof design and passive collector panels that also function as warm weather ventilation panels. An active solar-heating system uses a ground-level collector operated in conjunction with an in-floor solar heat distribution and storage system. The nurseries were designed to handle pigs weighing from 7 to 23 kg (15 to 50 lb). An average of 19% of the solar energy incident on the collector was transferred to the floor surface during the heating seasons from October 1980 to January 1982. Season heating costs were approximately 1.0% of the estimated cost to heat the nursery by conventional means

A STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF THE PERFORMANCE OF MILKING SYSTEM VACUUM REGULATORS

Milking machine vacuum regulators were tested at dairies across the United States over a period of twelve years. The drop in vacuum level with increasing air flow for each regulator tested was modeled using segmented regression. Three measures of regulator performance were considered: the slope of the line in the first phase, the variability about the first line, and the join point (after which vacuum pressure began to drop rapidly). The distribution of the join point was estimated based on an accelerated failure time model with censoring, Weibull errors, a model effect, and a linear effect of set point vacuum. For each model, the average slope of the first line, the average variability about the line of the first regime, and the estimated median cfm (cubic feet of air per minute, New Zealand standard) for a join point with set point vacuum of 13 in. Hg were standardized. These standardized values were used in a cluster analysis to identify four performance groups of regulator models