The objectives of the study are: a) to provide refinements on upward-flow ventilation design that showed promise (in published study (Pawar et al., 2007) with more uniform conditions and substantial decrease in disease spread than current downward-flow ventilation designs; b) document impact of refined/various ventilation configurations in cage-free housing on indoor air quality, uniformity, supplemental heat, and bird comfort.
Results from this study are expected to create practical recommendations for improved environment and animal welfare in cage-free systems in commercial poultry facility builders and equipment suppliers and reduce the likelihood of avian influenza disease spread through poultry house design to minimize aerial virus spread on downwind barns and surroundings. These results are also expected to provide pertinent information of improved cage-free hen housing for egg farmers, allied industries, regulators and consumers.
Pennsylvania State University scientists working on this project include: Dr. Eileen Fabian, Dr. John Cimbala, Long Chen, and Daniel Hofstetter from the department of agricultural and biological engineering; and Dr. Paul Patterson, department of animal science.
