Agricultural Product for Light and Air ock! e · 2017-05-31 · In contrast to all other circulation fans, Vetsmarttubes ensure that air only flows in close proximity to the animal,

Unique climate

concept for livestock!Agricultural Product for Light and Air

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Draught-free fresh air for livestock buildings

YOUR BENEFITS

• Draught- and pollutant-free fresh outdoor air supply for your livestock• Prevention of respiratory illnesses and infections• Custom-designed ventilation tubes tailored to the physical requirements of your livestock buildings• All-in system, including fan• Pre- and post-installation microbial measurements on request• On-site veterinary consulting session• 60% cut in treatment costs (verified by case study)• Rapid amortization of your investment• Suitable for all livestock types

Fresh air – a natural resource

Fresh air is a vital raw material in livestock farming and is freely available all around the livestock housing. Ventilation system specialist and pioneer HUESKER Synthetic GmbH helps deliver this fresh air straight to your livestock.

In addition to our recognised standard products we also supply textile ventilation tubes, known as Vetsmarttubes, which furnish livestock buildings with a greater level of draught-free fresh air with fewer microorganisms and hazardous gases. Cooperation with the company of the same name, VETSMARTTUBES GmbH, provides HUESKER with direct access to first-hand technical and veterinary know-how, in turn helping to create a unique synergy that focuses on improving animal health.

Why active ventilation?

Natural ventilation requires wind and larger buildings with sizeable openings, which are not always available with older housing or on compact farms. A lack of ventilation increases microbial concentration and causes calves in particular to quickly develop respiratory diseases. Vetsmarttubes provide animals with active ventilation delivering constant and draught-free fresh air. As with calf igloos, from the very outset calves are reared in a fresh-air environment and remain resilient against diverse environmental influences.

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How it works:

HUESKER offers a totally new concept. Applying comprehensive veterinary expertise, the actual conditions on site are assessed. Custom-made tubes are then designed and optimised in a number of calculation stages using complex computing methods. Exploiting veterinary know-how and physical fluid dynamics expertise, the production method produces each tube to precisely meet the commensurate application requirements.

Working in tandem with our distribution partners, a regional team of experienced veterinarians is always on hand. Each livestock building is individually assessed on site, with advice provided to the rearing farmer and microbial content measured prior to and following installation upon request.

No two livestock buildings are alike and consequently each has different physical requirements. The fluid dynamics involved are highly complex and the animals react extremely quickly to any lack of air or draughts. Using a simple Excel calculation to evaluate the ventilation is wholly insufficient. In cooperation with physicists, complex simulation programs are used to three-dimensionally map and evaluate all air movement within the commensurate livestock building. Numerous studies have shown that carrying out such an evaluation is well worth the effort. See page 6 for an example of how savings can be made on medication.

The Vetsmarttubes system comprises a fan connected to a textile ventilation tube. The fan size depends both on the scale of the animal housing to be served and on the age and constitution of the resident animals. The tube dimensions are specified in line with the particular requirements. Fresh air is drawn into the building by the fan installed in the external wall and evenly distributed across the space by the tube system.

The key technical innovation relates to the air outlet holes in the tube: these are specially configured for each individual housing so as to provide the animals with adequate fresh air, though without creating any draughts that may pose a health risk. Direct ventilation can be designed out for those areas frequently occupied by persons.

The Vetsmarttues system thus offers a truly unique combination: not only does it improve both the health and productivity of farm animals, it also guarantees acceptable indoor conditions for farmworkers.

Two strong partners!for calves:∙ 50% reduction in microorganisms∙ 100% draught-free ventilation∙ Reduction of ammonia

for cows:∙ Cooling and ventilation via fresh air flowing directly to the animal∙ Cooling via faster air speeds∙ No energy loss – 100% of the fresh air is delivered to the livestock area

* Check out our ‘money-back guarantee’

Enhanced climate conditions guaranteed

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Consult our team of professional veterinarians!

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In calf housing:

Calves in particular need fresh air and a microorganism–free environment. Vetsmarttubes enable these enhanced requirements to be met in any stock calf housing. Even new calf-rearing facilities are designed with Vetsmarttubes, as a constant air exchange cannot be guaranteed if there is no wind. The ventilation tubes deliver fresh air from outside into each and every calf pen, while the entire bedded area in group pens is also homogeneously ventilated.

Dairy cows in cubicle cow housing:

Vetsmarttubes that are used to counter heat stress require a considerably greater flow of air than for other applications. In contrast to all other circulation fans, Vetsmarttubes ensure that air only flows in close proximity to the animal, which saves an enormous amount of energy. Vetsmarttubes also exclusively use fresh air from outside.

In cubicle cow housing, cooling air flows are specifically created around the cubicles, feeding tables and in the milking parlour and waiting room. Rooms with minimal ceiling heights and little pen space are similarly unproblematic. Heat, flies, ammonia, carbon dioxide and humidity cause stress and are a burden to both the cows and the milker. As such, the milker’s requirements are also specifically addressed.

Tube ventilation in calf housing The principle of tube ventilation for cooling

Applications of ventilation tubes

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Pig farming

Further applications

Pig farming:

The constant exchange of air in pig housings leads to elevated energy loss. As such, we recommend that Vetsmarttubes in pig housings are used in combination with an air exhaust duct and heat exchanger. Using the simulation program, the air outlets in the tubes are precisely calculated to ensure the air speed near the animals does not exceed 0.1m/s and yet still completely exchanges the air. Spent air extraction is facilitated via an exhaust duct using frequency regulated extraction fans. An efficient heat exchanger extracts energy from the exhaust air and warms the fresh air. A central control unit records the temperature and humidity and regulates the flow of air and the auxiliary heaters where necessary.

Sow breeding:

Sow breeding today encompasses a variety of breeding procedures. The focus on avoiding heat stress and providing fresh air is equally important in all of these procedures, as ultimately only stress-free sows will effectively come on heat and remain healthy and fertile. Ventilation tubes are individually calculated and create a pleasant exchange of air for the sows throughout the entire housing. Older buildings can also be climatically upgraded to modern standards. Vetsmarttubes enable nose ventilation to be effectively implemented in the farrowing pen to specifically meet the different requirements of the sows and sucklings in the compact space.

Poultry farming:

Poultry housings are equipped to very high technical standards. Despite this fact, heat stress is still one of the most frequent causes of poultry death and low productivity in the poultry industry. Heat stress normally develops at housing temperatures over 27°C.

In laying hens, heat stress diminishes the number of eggs produced due to a reduced feed intake, which is also detrimental to the egg shell. Heat stress also causes broilers and turkeys to consume less feed.

The simplest way to reduce heat stress is additional ventilation. Using only a small number of fans, Vetsmarttubes channel air directly to the poultry. These custom-made tubes supply fresh air from outside directly to the birds via a calculated outlet configuration.

The tube is made of a thin plastic foil that requires changing for reasons of hygiene after every fattening phase.

Poultry farming

Tube with individual ventilation outlets

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Example of microbial content in the air before and after the installation of Vetsmarttubes

Typical microbial content in the air

Microorganisms are everywhere. But in dung and in humid and warm environments lacking air movement, the microbial content in the air can increase exponentially within a matter of a few hours. Natural microbial content in the air is measured using a Petri dish filled with nutrient agar. Microorganisms come into contact with the nutrient agar over a defined period. The individual microorganisms become visible after they have propagated and formed colonies.

Outdoors 100 – 1.000 kbE/m³Clean office 1.000 – 2.000 kbE/m³Well-ventilated animal housing 10.000 – 15.000 kbE/m³Normal calf house 25.000 – 3.000.000 kbE/m³CFU = colony-forming units

The most successful way to maintain calf health is to reduce the concentration of microorganisms.

Case study from Switzerland: calf housings equipped with ventilation tubes for 25 animals The use of Vetsmarttubes for calves has an immediate and successful impact. Ultimately, calves that grow up under Vetsmarttubes from the very outset are subjected to significantly lower concentrations of microorganisms. Lower microorganism concentrations mean fewer illnesses. Healthy calves naturally reduce the consumption of medication – an effect that is clearly perceptible after only a few weeks. Without having to undergo treatment calves grow more quickly and are subsequently more productive, an effect that is consistently evident in the long-term. In the following example, the microbial content in a calf housing atmosphere and issue of medication on a Swiss farm was precisely recorded prior to installation. A comparison with the figures after installation of the ventilation tubes produced the following results:

Treatment required Without Withper 75 kg calf

Initial occupation 25,89 € 9,37 €After 70 days/weaning 9,65 € 9,65 €After further 21 days 24,43 € 6,73 €Total cost 59,97 € 25,75 €

Cost savings for 25 calves through 855,40 € / 3 months use of Vetsmarttubes

(calculated exchange rate: 1 SFR = € 0.91)

Rearing with constant fresh air not only saves medication costs but also helps calves grow more quickly and lead a more productive life.

Scientific background

Calf housing with Vetsmarttubes installed

Calves love fresh air

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Development process

To optimally configure a tube, the overall process encompasses manual entry of a plethora of data, determination of ratios based on empirical values and complex computer calculations for the simu-lations. The steps in detail are:

1. Data acquisition of housing geometry, livestock type and numbers. Definition of requirements and demands in relation to the ventilation system. 2. Pricing of an offer by HUESKER. 3. Approximate calculation of the number, size and location of the outlets. 4. Creation of a 3-D building model, including all the doors and windows. 5. Positioning of the configured tubes within the model. 6. Calculation of the air supply volume, pressure ratios and fan power. 7. Ascertainment of pressure ratios at all the outlets. 8. Generation of a three-dimensional air flow matrix. 9. Determination of a time-dependent flow solution. Establishment of long-term simulation using the Finite Element Method and RANS equation: this maps the flow conditions, which will level out after a certain time. 10. Optimisation of outlet sizes and locations and reconfiguration of the simulation until the flow solution achieves the optimal conditions for the livestock.

Note: Even minor errors in the calculations can severely compromise the health of livestock. Consequently, only qualified experts in this particular field should carry out this task!

Acquisition of precise details of the spatial volume and knowledge of fluid dynamics provide an informative 3-D simulation:

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HUESKER Synthetic GmbH

Fabrikstrasse 13-1548712 Gescher, GermanyPhone: +49 (0) 25 42 / 7 01-0Fax: +49 (0) 25 42 / 7 01-499E-mail: [email protected]: www.HUESKER.com

Location DuelmenIm Broemken 548249 Duelmen, Germany Phone: + 49 (0) 25 94 / 89 27 -0Fax: + 49 (0) 25 94 / 89 27 -890E-mail: [email protected]

Picture credits:© [VETSMARTTUBES® GmbH]

Vetsmarttubes® is a registered trademark of VETSMARTTUBES® GmbH.

HUESKER Synthetic is certified to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 50001.