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Title: THE EFFECT OF ELECTROSTATIC SPACE CHARGE SYSTEM IN REDUCING DUST AND MICROORGANISMS DURING THE LAY CYCLE OF BROILER BREEDERS

Author
item RICHARDSON, L - UNIV OF GEORGIA-ATHENS
item Mitchell, Bailey
item HOFACRE, C - UNIV OF GEORGIA-ATHENS
item WILSON, J - UNIV OF GEORGIA-ATHENS

Submitted to: Poultry Science Association Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/9/2002
Publication Date: 8/11/2002
Citation: Richardson, L.J., Mitchell, B.W., Hofacre, C.L., Wilson, J.L. 2002. The Effect Of Electrostatic Space Charge System In Reducing Dust And Microorganisms During The Lay Cycle Of Broiler Breeders. Poultry Science Association Meeting Abstract.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Broiler breeders begin their laying cycle at 20-22 weeks of age and are in production to at least 65 weeks of age. During this time, dust accumulates on walls and equipment and airborne dust levels increase. Since, microorganisms in general are carried by dust particles, this provides an excellent vector for horizontal disease transmission between birds. Airborne dust has also been closely correlated to ammonia levels, suggesting dust reduction should reduce ammonia emissions. Two environmentally controlled rooms containing broiler breeders (n=308 females/room, 33 males/room) were used to evaluate the effectiveness of an electrostatic space charge system (ESCS) in reducing airborne dust and microorganism levels. The control and ESCS treated rooms were each equipped with two ceiling fans for air mixing. The ventilation rate was kept equivalent between the two rooms throughout the study. A 252 pin, 6-bar ionizer unit was placed below each of two circulating fans in the middle of the treatment room. The ESCS in the treatment room was designed to reduce airborne dust and bacteria by inducing a strong negative electrostatic charge on airborne particulates as they circulate past the ceiling fan and to collect most of them on the grounded litter as air is directed there by the ceiling fans. Dust and ammonia concentrations in each room were logged at 10-minute intervals and airborne bacteria levels were measured using media plates (Blood, MACconkey, XLT4) exposed to the air. Airborne dust and ammonia levels were reduced by an average of approximately 50% compared to the control room. The use of the ESCS resulted in up to a 7-fold reduction in overall bacteria and up to a 65% reduction in gram-negative bacteria when compared to the control room. The reductions of airborne dust and bacteria in this study are comparable to earlier results obtained with the ESCS in experimental broiler breeder pullet rearing rooms, but lower than those obtained in commercial hatching cabinets or in an experimental caged layer room.