A filtered farm is never finished, says Phil Hord, co-owner of Hord Family Farms. The farm has recently added barn filtration to their biosecurity plan after consecutive outbreaks of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) struck their farms in a region where this disease has not run rampant like it does in many parts of the U.S. Hord believes filtration is a daily mindset that pork producers need to adopt and engrain in farm employees.
Installing Filters is the Easy Part
Filtration requires an ongoing operational culture. As Hord says, “Construction is only the starting line.” He outlines four steps needed to make filtration work on your farm.
Step 1. Build and seal.
Precise installation envelope sealing, rigorous commissioning.
Step 2. Train and operate.
Ongoing staff training on airflow and ventilation controls.
Step 3. Inspect and test.
Routine pressure monitoring. Find and repair leaks.
Step 4. Maintain culture.
Fix every breach as soon as possible. Filtration is a protocol, not a project.
Tips to Make Filtration Work
If you decide filtration is a good option for your farm, Hord encourages producers to remember these five things before they make any purchases.
1. The True ROI is Downstream and Human
Do not calculate the payback of filtration solely on the cost of the sow farm. The true return is the prevention of downstream finisher mortality, avoiding expensive pig-buying commitments, and preventing the “labor and morale destruction” of depopulating barns.
2. Positive Pressure for Legacy Assets
Retrofitting older barns with negative-pressure systems is incredibly difficult because of the need to seal every crack. Positive-pressure systems are highly effective for older assets because they push air out of structural imperfections.
3. Operations Trumps Technology
Even the best filter is useless if a feed bin runs empty and acts as a straw for dirty air, or if employees bypass the “hot room” supply protocols, for example. The culture shift is the most difficult and critical part of the investment.
4. Tackle the “Low-Hanging Fruit” First
Hord advises against investing in filtration if a system hasn’t already mastered basic biosecurity (transportation sanitation, trailer baking, secure entries). Filtration is the last line of defense, not a shortcut.
5. Filtration is Not “Set and Forget”
Filters are physical barriers that degrade, tear and eventually clog with dust and particles over time. Regular testing and monitoring for airflow restrictions is important. Establish a proactive replacement schedule are critical to ensure your defense system doesn’t become a bottleneck.
