AUSTRALIAN POULTRY CRC FINAL REPORT Program (3B) Project No: 04-45 PROJECT LEADER: Mark Dunlop DATE OF COMPLETION: 25 September 2011 Project No: 04-45 Dust and odour emissions from meat chicken sheds © 2011 Australian Poultry CRC Pty Ltd All rights reserved. ISBN 978-1-921890-13-0 Dust and odour emissions from meat chicken sheds Project No. 04-45 The information contained in this publication is intended for general use to assist public knowledge and discussion and to help improve the development of sustainable industries. The information should not be relied upon for the purpose of a particular matter. Specialist and/or appropriate legal advice should be obtained before any action or decision is taken on the basis of any material in this document. The Australian Poultry CRC, the authors or contributors do not assume liability of any kind whatsoever resulting from any person's use or reliance upon the content of this document. This publication is copyright. However, Australian Poultry CRC encourages wide dissemination of its research, providing the Centre is clearly acknowledged. For any other enquiries concerning reproduction, contact the Communications Officer on phone 02 6773 3767. Researcher Contact Details Mark Dunlop Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, Queensland 203 Tor Street Toowoomba QLD 4350 Phone: 07 4688 1280 Fax: 07 4688 1192 Email: [email protected] In submitting this report, the researcher has agreed to the Australian Poultry CRC publishing this material in its edited form. Australian Poultry CRC Contact Details PO Box U242 University of New England ARMIDALE NSW 2351 Phone: 02 6773 3767 Fax: 02 6773 3050 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.poultrycrc.com.au Published in September 2011 ii Research team Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, Queensland Mark Dunlop, Erin Gallagher, Dr Jae Ho Sohn, Dr Neale Hudson & Geordie Galvin Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI), Queensland, was the lead agency for this research project. This group was responsible for odour, ventilation, and litter moisture measurement in Queensland and Victoria. University of New South Wales Gavin Parcsi, Dr Xinguang Wang and Professor Richard Stuetz The University of New South Wales (UNSW) was responsible for identification and quantification of non-methane volatile organic compounds present in the air exiting the poultry sheds. Queensland University of Technology Dr. Nicholas Meyer, Rob Modini, and Associate Professor Zoran Ristovski The Queensland University of Technology (QUT) was responsible for measurement of particulate matter number and concentration at all farms. Department of Primary Industries Victoria Dr. Ian McCauley and Brett Matthews Department of Primary Industries Victoria (DPI, Victoria) was responsible for the development and deployment of the in-shed sensor networks. VicDPI staff also assisted with collection of odour, volatile organic compound, litter moisture samples, and airspeed measurements from farms in Victoria. Acknowledgements Australian Poultry Cooperative Research Centre for providing funding. All integrators – Inghams, Bartters, Darwalla Milling, Hazeldenes and the privately owned farms. All farm owners, managers and employees that provided access to their facilities and helped in numerous ways including passing on industry knowledge. Without your generosity this work would never have taken place. Julie Simons, Karen Moore, Patrick Daniel, Maurie Miles, Michelle Watt, and Steve Driesen from Department of Primary Industries Victoria. Dr Gautam Chattopadhyay, from University of New South Wales. Chris Clayton, David Duperouzel, Gary Collman, John McAlpine, Michael Atzeni, Lyle Pott, Warren Mills, Les Zeller, Geof Runge, Peter Nicholas from Department of Employment, Economic Development, and Innovation (DEEDI), Queensland Government. Victoria Agranovski, Kerrie Mengersen and Clair Alston from Queensland University of Technology. Terry Burkitt from Emission Testing Consultants. iii Foreword by the authors When this investigation was conceived in 2003–2004, the Australian chicken meat industry was undergoing changes and facing challenges including transition to sheds with tunnel ventilation; rapid growth of the industry with the need for appropriate land parcels to develop new farms; increase in farm size; urbanisation pressures; and the onset of an extended period of drought. There was a shortage of appropriate odour and dust emission rate data and little understanding of the diurnal, seasonal, batch and inter-farm variability (especially for modern shed designs and management practices but also changes in odour analysis techniques). High quality odour and dust emission rate data was required to improve planning for new and expanding farms by increasing the confidence in odour modelling, improve the calculation of separation distances and respond to community concerns. The measurement of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was added to the project to improve understanding of the origins of the odour; and the identification of key odorants. In the longer term, these will be required to develop science based, targeted, odour mitigation strategies. At the inception of the project, there was limited understanding about the many variables that influence the emission of odour and dust from meat chicken sheds and few researchers had extensive practical experience collecting samples from this highly complex biological/mechanical system. Consequently, sampling and analytical methods evolved and were refined during this investigation. Odour, dust and VOC emissions were measured at a small selection of broiler farm; each managed slightly differently according to prevailing conditions and the preferences of the integrator and farm owner/manager. Shed emissions varied diurnally, seasonally, throughout each batch and between farms and much of the variability could not be readily explained by the conditions recorded on each sampling day. The commencement of extended drought in 2003 potentially introduced another factor into this investigation, which is the use of drought affected feed grains. Whilst impossible to quantify the effect of drought affected grains on odour emissions, it is possible that lower and more variable grain quality may have at times altered the composition of the bird faeces and contributed to feed digestibility problems (and subsequent issues with litter conditions). It would be reasonable to assume that at different farms and different points in time, specific odour emission rates may be different from what we observed. Future measurement of emissions from broiler farms (assuming they are conducted in an appropriate manner) should be considered on their own merits and not automatically tied to the emission rate data included in this report. Six years after the commencement of this project, and many hundreds of odour, dust and VOC measurements later, the research team are proud to have contributed to advancing knowledge of meat chicken farm emissions and the refinement of associated measurement techniques. It is believed that the findings of this investigation will support the ongoing and sustainable development of meat chicken farms thus ensuring the ongoing supply of quality and affordable chicken meat. iv Executive summary Odour, dust and non-methane volatile organic compound (NMVOC) emissions were measured at tunnel ventilated broiler (meat chicken) farms over several production cycles in Queensland and Victoria. Emission rates were found to vary between farms due to numerous management and environmental factors. The variability in emissions prevented the development of a robust odour emission model; however, the emissions data that has been collected will improve scientific understanding and support improved planning of new broiler farms. NMVOCs are the building blocks of odour—mixtures of specific odorous NMVOCs combine to form what people recognise as poultry odour—and influence its character and strength. NMVOC composition of broiler odour samples was analysed to provide knowledge that will be vital for the strategic development of odour mitigation strategies and real time monitoring. Instrumental methods to continuously monitor odour, dust and in-shed environmental conditions were trialled during this project. A prototype artificial olfaction system (AOS) was able to successfully measure in-shed odour concentration and enabled continuous measurement of odour emissions when combined with ventilation rate data. AOS technology could one day form the basis of a continuous odour monitoring system for enhanced research of broiler shed odour emissions. Sensor networks were used to monitor in-shed conditions such as temperature, humidity, ammonia, airspeed and relative concentrations of dust and VOCs were found to be generally unsuitable for use in poultry sheds and further development of sensors, sensor placement and network design will be required. The successful completion of this project has been made possible through the collaboration of four research teams and co-ordination by the Australian Poultry CRC. Background Odour and dust emitted from broiler (meat chicken) farms have the potential to impact on nearby residences, communities and the environment. Impacts due to odour and dust have been recognised by the poultry industries and regulatory authorities as a cause of concern. Consequently, new and expanding farms undergo rigorous assessments to ensure that emissions will not cause unnecessary