Clean fans, efficient heaters and monitored temperatures and ventilation systems may be the answer to rising natural gas prices for prairie hog producers.
Saskatchewan farmers’ gas bills rose by 25 percent this month, while Manitoba’ s increase, the third since last fall, was five percent. Alberta, which provides residents with gas rebates, has also seen two increases in less a year.
Nick Woodhouse, systems specialist with Walbern Agri-Systems, said energy savings will pay for the costs of switching to more efficient systems.
“It may take up to three years to pay back, but it’ s money in the bank 10 or 15 years down the road,” he said. “Any way we can reduce costs increases the bottom line for producers.”
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Stephane Lemay, a research scientist at the Prairie Swine Centre in Saskatoon, said there are immediate steps that farmers can take, such as setting temperatures appropriate to each section of the barn. For example, weanlings require more warmth than dry sows, farrowing or grower-finish hogs.
“We need to make sure we follow what we need for the well-being of the animal and productivity of the animal, but not more than that.”
Lemay said clean fans and equipment will run more efficiently and use less fuel. His research has shown the same kind of heater can burn at vastly different efficiency rates.
Woodhouse recommended monthly 15- to 20-minute maintenance routines. Attend to squeaks, remove dust from louvers and intakes, and clear out dander-clogged bird screens near barn eaves.
Dust buildup will make systems work harder and will cause more breakdowns.
“Farmers tend to do maintenance once it’ s broken,” Woodhouse said.
“There’ s nothing worse than trying to repair something on a Sunday afternoon when you can’ t get parts.”
Lemay said air quality measurements should include not only temperature but also factors like relative humidity to ensure a room is not overventilated.
“It’ s very easy to waste, to use 50 percent more energy for heating that way,” Lemay said.
Woodhouse recommended linking the heating and cooling systems with a heating-ventilation thermostat worth $200. Many barns have separate thermostats for the heater and fan, he added, with the two not balanced together.
“It’ s like warming our houses up and leaving all the windows open at the same time.”
He said hot water heating systems used in northern Europe offer the option of using alternative fuel like straw, which is plentiful on the Prairies.
Woodhouse, who is originally from England, said gas costs are double in Europe, where “green” Scandinavian and Dutch producers have been conscious of ways to cut such costs for years.
He recommended chimney as opposed to side-wall ventilation.
“It’ s more energy efficient to move warm air upwards.”
Switching to fluorescent lights from incandescent and buying tubes in bulk can save up to 70 percent in energy costs.
Avoid wasting water through systems like cup or bowl waterers or nipple drinkers in a feed bowl.
Feed can be manipulated to lower manure removal costs, which is a large energy drain for producers. Pellets are more easily digested and produce less manure, while feed enzymes can improve feed-use rates and reduce the amount of manure.
Feed can also be distributed by chain disk delivery systems using a single motor.
The Prairie Swine Centre features the top five ways to improve energy efficiency in hog barns on its website at www.prairieswine.com. An additional five recommendations will soon join the list.
