Air circulation for agricultural facilities
Why is it important?
Proper ventilation in livestock buildings is essential for maintaining animal health, welfare, and productivity. It ensures thermal comfort, removes harmful gases, and prevents respiratory diseases, all critical for animal welfare and stable production. Poor ventilation often goes unnoticed but leads to disease, lower performance, and hidden costs.
Animal caretakers work in the same conditions and may experience headaches or occupational allergies. Good ventilation also means comfort and safety at work.
Key takeaways
- Poor ventilation is a silent enemy, leading to disease, lower performance and hidden costs
- A well-designed system should operate automatically, adapting to season, stocking and climate
- At Reventon, we offer a variety of solutions that can help you achieve proper ventilation
- If you want to correctly design your ventilation system, consider animals volume, species, layout and placement
- Investing in controllers and automation pays off
- A hybrid (natural & mechanical) system is flexible and efficient
“A well-designed ventilation system is the cheapest medicine and the most reliable path to better welfare and higher profits.”
Table of contents
- Why is it important?
- Key takeaways
- The role of ventilation in livestock buildings
- What does proper ventilation do?
- What impact does it have on production and workers?
- What are the ventilation requirements?
- Consequences of poor ventilation
- Types of ventilation
- Which ventilation system should you choose?
- How to select a ventilation system?
- How we solve the problem of air circulation in agricultural facilities
The role of ventilation in livestock buildings
Ventilation is a foundation for animal health, productivity, and welfare. Properly designed and maintained ventilation systems ensure air purity, microclimate control, and disease prevention, reducing economic losses.
Key functions:
- Regulating temperature and humidity
- Removing toxic gases
- Reducing dust and pathogen levels
- Preventing respiratory diseases
What does proper ventilation do?
1
Maintains thermal comfort and humidity
Farm animals such as dairy cattle, pigs, and poultry produce large amounts of heat and moisture. For example, an adult dairy cow releases approximately 4-5 gallons (15-19 litres) of water vapour and 600-700 W of heat per day. Effective ventilation removes excess heat and moisture, preventing overheating and condensation on building surfaces.
2
Removes harmful gases and contaminants
Livestock buildings accumulate harmful gases such as ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and methane, which can negatively affect animal and human health. Ventilation effectively removes these gases, improving indoor air quality.
3
Reduces diseases
Stagnant air encourages the spread of pathogens and respiratory diseases in animals. Effective ventilation reduces infection risks by removing contaminated air and supplying fresh air.
4
Improves welfare and productivity
Proper ventilation enhances animal comfort, which directly boosts productivity, for example, increased milk yield in cows or improved weight gain in pigs.
5
Reduces emissions
Modern ventilation systems can significantly reduce ammonia and odour emissions and lower energy consumption in livestock buildings.
What impact does it have on production and workers?
A better microclimate means:
- Higher milk yield (up to +2–5 litres per day)
- Improved pig weight gain (up to +60 g/day)
- Fewer veterinary interventions
Ventilation is a return on investment in health and productivity.
Animal caretakers work in the same conditions and may experience headaches, difficulty concentrating, or occupational allergies. Good ventilation also ensures workplace comfort and safety.
What are the ventilation requirements?
First and foremost, ventilation requirements depend on animal species, age and body weight, stock density, and season (moisture removal in winter, cooling in summer)
Dairy and beef cattle
- Minimum ventilation (winter): 20-40 m³/h per animal – to remove moisture and ammonia
- Maximum ventilation (summer): 300-600 m³/h per animal – for cooling and heat stress prevention
- Air exchange: 4-40 per hour, depending on building volume and weather
- Air velocity: max. 0.3 m/s near animals to avoid drafts
Note: Feed intake and milk yield decrease in dairy cows when temperatures exceed 22°C.
Poultry (broilers and layers)
- Minimum ventilation (winter): 0.3–0.6 m³/h per kg (broilers), 0.5–1.0 m³/h per bird (layers)
- Maximum ventilation (summer): 4–6 m³/h per kg (broilers), 6–8 m³/h per bird (layers)
- Air exchange time for broilers: should be under 1 minute
Note: Poor ventilation leads to CO₂ and ammonia buildup, causing suffocation, mortality, and cannibalism.
Pigs
- Piglets: 3–6 m³/h per animal (min., winter), 40–60 m³/h per animal (max., summer) – very sensitive to drafts and temperature
- Fattening pigs: 10–20 m³/h per animal (min., winter), 100–150 m³/h per animal (max., summer) – high heat and ammonia production
- Sows: 15–25 m³/h per animal (min., winter), 200–250 m³/h per animal (max., summer) – special care around farrowing period
Consequences of poor ventilation
Lack of proper ventilation is one of the most common hidden factors affecting production. Effects may not be immediately visible, but the impact on health, welfare, and profitability is significant.
Health issues:
- Respiratory diseases:
- Cattle → pneumonia, respiratory irritation, lowered immunity
- Pigs → PRRS, APP, coughing
- Poultry → respiratory infections, higher mortality in heat
Cause: High levels of ammonia, dust, CO₂, and humidity
- Irritation of mucous membranes and eyes: tearing, sneezing, nasal discharge (especially calves, foals)
- Heat stress and dehydration
- Productivity losses:
- Cows → milk yield drops by 10–20%
- Pigs → worse feed conversion, slower growth
- Poultry → lower daily gain
- Cows → milk yield drops by 10–20%
Interesting fact: Cornell University studies showed milk and pig productivity declines at NH₃ concentrations > 25 ppm.
Impact on hygiene and welfare
- Moisture and lack of airflow encourage mould, bacteria, and flies
- Water vapour and condensation → hoof infections, fungal skin diseases
- Poor air quality increases animal aggression
- Higher disease risk = more antibiotics = higher cost + residue risks in milk/meat
- Greater risk of airborne disease transmission
Economic losses
- Veterinary costs: +30–60% annually
- Feed: reduced intake and efficiency = more feed per kg of gain
- Production: lower milk, egg, or meat output = lower profit
- Building wear: moisture damage, corrosion, wet bedding = renovation costs
Types of ventilation
Ventilation in livestock buildings can be:
- Mixed (hybrid) – combination of natural ventilation and a mechanical device
- Mechanical – based on a fan operation
- Natural – based on natural weather conditions (wind, temperature differences)
The choice usually depends on animal type, housing system, building location or modernisation possibilities. If you’re not sure what to choose, feel free to contact us directly for more information.
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Example: A barn with natural inlets and sensors that activate fans in summer
Types:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Which ventilation system should you choose?
1
Natural + mechanical (mixed)
Best for dairy cows
2
Mechanical (roof or tunnel ventilation)
Best for fattening pigs
3
Mechanical (tunnel with sensors)
Best for broilers
How to select a ventilation system?
Choosing a system is a technical process that requires considering species, number of animals, volume, housing technology and a local climate.
Determine the building volume
Calculate the required air exchange per hour
Determine ventilation capacity
Choose system type:
Natural → for tall, open buildings (barns, stables)
Mechanical → where animal density and gas emission are high (poultry, pigs)
Mixed → most flexible and effective (modern barns, stables)Position the ventilation elements:
Air inlets: 2–3 m above ground on side walls
Exhaust: ridge, chimneys, or wall fans
Air should not blow directly on animalsSelect appropriate ventilation devices
Add components
Accessories
Gravity shutters
Controllers
How we solve the problem of air circulation in agricultural facilities
Roof fan STORM PRO AC
The STORM PRO AC roof fan offers high efficiency in ventilation systems and improved resistance to various weather conditions. The fan efficiently removes used air from industrial buildings and can easily be installed on buildings like cattle sheds, swine barns, stables, and others.
Key features:
- Airflow ranges from 1340 m³/h to 6700 m³/h
- Motor power ranges from 160 W to 800 W
- Housing made of composite material
- AC induction motor with an IP44 rating
- Noise level ranges from 54 dB to 70 dB
Extractor fan FR-BS wall-mounted series
The extractor fan FR-BS is designed to provide efficient air circulation in agricultural facilities like cattle sheds, swine barns, or stables . The fan casing is equipped with a square mounting plate and can be wall-mounted. Perfect when combined with a gravity shutter.
Key features:
- Airflow ranges from 780 m³/h up to 20000 m³/h
- Motor power ranges from 55 W to 1200 W
- Powder-coated steel casing
- Powder-coated steel impeller blades
- AC induction motor with an IP54 rating
- Noise level ranges from 52 dB to 75 dB
- Plate-mounted
Short cased axial fan FR-BC
The FR-BC short cased axial fan is commonly used for ventilation or as a component of exhaust and supply systems in round ventilation ducts. Perfect to improve air movement or extraction of used air out of an agricultural facility.
Key features:
- Airflow ranges from 780 m³/h to 11400 m³/h
- Motor power ranges from 55 W to 660 W
- Round & powder-coated steel housing
- Powder-coated steel impeller blades
- AC induction motor with an IP54 rating
- Noise level ranges from 52 dB to 74 dB
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- comprehensive evaluation tailored to your unique need
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Contact us today, and our experts will gladly answer your questions and prepare a personalized offer tailored to your needs.
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- Our team operates efficiently. Order an estimate now to start the journey towards an efficient and cost-effective system based on Reventon devices.