Ultrasonic evaluation of different types of mortas subjected to attack by pig slurry

This paper presents the mechanical behavior of different types of mortar subjected to attack by real pig slurry. The study of the behaviour of mortars was made by the ultrasonic velocity images, obtained by means of automatic inspection and mechanical test of compressive strength. The use of ultrasonic velocity has allowed the extraction of information on the state of damage to the inspected material. The results obtained from non-destructive ultrasonic tests were compared to destructive testing of compressive strength, and they showed how ultrasonic velocity in the degraded material correlates well with the compressive strength. This conclusion allows us to affirm that the ultrasonic velocity can be used to characterize the process of degradation in cement mortars attacked by pig slurry. The study proposes a mathematic model for estimating compressive strength by measuring variations in ultrasonic velocity

Effect of floor type on the growth performance and health status of growing-finishing pigs

Using a factorial design: two full floor types, concrete vs. concrete waterproofed with resin (resin floor) and two slat types, concrete vs. metal, were used to house 72 pigs in four rooms (18 pigs room-1). During the experimental period which lasted from 22.9 kg to 112.7 kg live weight the four groups of pigs received the same feed. Growth, water consumption and health status of the pigs as well as subjective odour level inside the rooms were studied. The resin floor with metal slats tended (P < 0.1) to improve feed conversion efficiency and positively affected (P < 0.03) pig health. In the room with the resin floor and metal slats odour level was significantly lower than in the other three rooms. The potential predictive function for the relationship between average daily water consumption (WC, in L) and feed average daily intake (FADI, in kg) is WC = 2.692 x FADI1.265. Odour level increased with pig live weight. The use of resin as an impermeable floor material is promising for housing growing, finishing pigs. - Bajo un tratamiento factorial: dos tipos de suelo, hormigón vs hormigón impermeabilizado con resina (suelo de resina) y dos tipos de rejilla, hormigón vs metálica, 72 cerdos fueron alojados en cuatro salas (18 cerdos por sala). Durante el periodo experimental, comprendido entre 22,9 y 112,7 kg de peso vivo los cuatro grupos de cerdos recibieron el mismo tipo de pienso. Se estudió el crecimiento, el consumo de agua y el estado sanitario de los cerdos, así como el nivel subjetivo de olor en el interior de las salas. El suelo de resina y la rejilla metálica tendieron (P < 0,1) a mejorar el índice de transformación del alimento y afectaron positivamente, a un nivel significativo (P < 0,03), al estado sanitario de los cerdos. En la sala de suelo de resina y rejilla metálica el nivel de olor fue significativamente más bajo que en las restantes. La relación entre el consumo de agua y de pienso se ajustó a una función potencial. El nivel de olor aumentó con el peso vivo de los cerdos. La utilización de resina como material impermeabilizante del suelo es prometedora para los alojamientos de cerdos de cebo

Mechanical strength and microestructure evolution of fly ash cement mortar submerged in pig slurry

This paper studies the behaviour of mechanical strength and porosity of mortars made with three types of cement with different fly ash content. The trials were carried out under real conditions with natural pig slurry. The three mortars were submerged at depths of 1 and 3 m in slurry in an experimental lagoon. Control samples were situated in the open air in the natural environment. The total duration of the experiment was 24 months. The variation in the flexural and compressive strength in the specimens was checked at 3, 12 and 24 months by carrying out standardised tests. An increase in flexural and compressive strength in all cements was noted in the two submerged environments, which is explained as a result of a decrease of pore size produced in the external part of specimens

Belt separation system under slat in fattening pig housing: Effect of belt type and extraction frequency

The efficiency of manure separation by a conveyor belt under a partially slatted floor for fattening pigs was determined for two types of belts, a flat belt with an incline of up to 6° transversely and a concave belt with an incline of up to 1° longitudinally. A 31.20% and 23.75% dry matter content of the solid fraction was obtained for the flat and concave belt, respectively. The flat belt was more efficient at 6° than other slope angles. The residence time of the manure on the two belt types influenced the separation efficiency from a live weight of 63.00 kg upwards. The quantity of residue produced with this system was reduced to 25–40% with respect to a pit system under slat. This could mean a remarkable reduction in costs of storage, transport and application of manure

Laboratorio de Bienestar Porcino: Primeros Resultados y Primeras Conclusiones

La puesta en marcha del Laboratorio de Bienestar Porcino comenzó con una iniciativa de un grupo de investigadores de la E.T.S.I. Agrónomos de Madrid (UPM) que, con el apoyo y financiación de la empresa Tragsa, desarrolló un modelo de alojamiento para cebo de cerdos que incluía un sistema patentado de separación in situ de heces y orina

The aggressiveness of pig slurry to cement mortars

The aim was to measure the behaviour of various mortars employed in livestock media in central Spain and to analyse the aggressiveness of pig slurry to cement blended with fly ash mortars. To achieve this, mortar specimens were immersed in ponds storing pig slurry. Mortar specimens, of 40 ? 40 ? 160 mm, were made from four types of cement commonly used and recommended for rural areas. The types were a sulphate-resistant Portland cement and three cements blended in different proportions with fly ash and limestone filler. After 3, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48 and 60 months of exposure, three or four specimens of each cement type were removed from the pond and washed with water. Their compressive strength and microstructure (X-ray diffraction, mercury intrusion pore-symmetry, thermal analysis and scanning electron microscopy) were then measured. Sulphate-resistant Portland cement (SR-PC), found to be more susceptible to degradation due to its greater proportion of macro-pores and increased total porosity, was found not to be suitable for use with livestock. After 60 months of immersion in the pig slurry medium, CEM II-A (40.3%) mortar retained the greatest compressive strength. Mortars with less than 20% replacement of cement by fly ash were found to be the most durable, with the most suitable mechanical behaviour

Strength and porosity evolution of two cement mortar submerged in pig slurry

Pig slurry is an agricultural by-product used chiefly to fertilize cultivated fields. The demand for fertilizer depends on crop cycles. So, the slurry must be stored over long periods of time. In Spain, the lagoons of different depths generally used for such storage are made of brick covered with plain or reinforced concrete. Also, the slurry is in contact with other precast concrete structural members. The degradation of these structures may entail substantial economic loss, in patterned flooring especially, where deterioration-induced collapse can cause severe injury to the animals. The paper presents two aspects related to the durability of the mortar cements. In it addresses the variations observed in porosity and flexural and compressive strength in two types of cement mortar when submerged in pig slurry. The tests were conducted in a 100 m3 experimental lagoon. The mortars were exposed to three types of environments for 36 months: one outside the test lagoon and two submerged in it, at two different depths. Bending and compression measurements were taken after 3, 12, 24 and 36 months. In addition, 3, 24 and 36 month specimens were tested for total porosity and pore-size distribution

Laboratorio de Bienestar Porcino: Primeros Resultados y Primeras Conclusiones

La puesta en marcha del Laboratorio de Bienestar Porcino comenzó con una iniciativa de un grupo de investigadores de la E.T.S.I. Agrónomos de Madrid (UPM) que, con el apoyo y financiación de la empresa Tragsa, desarrolló un modelo de alojamiento para cebo de cerdos que incluía un sistema patentado de separación in situ de heces y orina

Comparison of Dry Mater Content of Pig Faeces in Two Belt Separation Systems

The average production of slurry per animal per day lies between 3 and 7 kg during a period of swine fattening. Spain is the world’s fourth largest producer of pork. The size of farms and their density are growing faster and faster. Therefore, slurry management is becoming an environmental problem due to air and soil pollution. Separating faeces and urine improves waste management and reduces the levels of environmental pollution. Since 1999 different systems aimed at this separation have been developed. In 2001, Vazquez et al. designed and patented a new integrated system for waste management in pig housing, based on a special, adjustable floor conveyor belt under a partial slat, to avoid slurry production. A fullsize system has been built and installed at the Pig Welfare Laboratory, a pig fattening facility for a maximum of 240 animals located in Madrid, Spain. The separation system is based on the direct harvest of faeces and urine by means of a belt placed under the partial slats of the pen. Two types of belt were made for two types of handling. One of them is a flat belt of 0.6 m x 14 m with the possibility of up to 8° slope side to side and up to 2° lengthways. The other is a conventional belt with longitudinal inclination from 0º to 8º. The aim of this study was to analyze the performance of both belts comparing the characteristics of solids collected during a fattening period. Every fortnight samples of 250 cm3 were taken and the percentage of dry matter was measured. This assessment took into account the interior and exterior temperatures registered in the laboratory. This study shows the technical feasibility of the patented system. Keywords. Environmental, Swine, Manure, Separation system, Belt

Separación in situ de heces y orina mediante cinta de deyecciones bajo slat en alojamiento de cebo de ganado porcino

Se analizan los resultados de producción de heces y orina en dos ciclos de cebo completo con 168 animales utilizando un sistema de cinta de separacion de heces y orina bajo slat, patentado por parte de los miembros del equipo. Se estudia la influencia del tipo de cinta, de la inclinación de la misma y frecuencia de extracción. Tambien se controló la temepratura del aire tanto a la entrada como a la salida del alojamiento. Con el sistema se logra una eficaz separación de heces y orina, con una disminución notable en la producción de ambos residuos. La ventilaci¿on forzada permite reducir la cantidad de residuos generados