Ventilation systems that function at their best are critical for pork operations. The Iowa Pork Industry Center (IPIC) is now offering a seasonal approach to checking the various components in an easy-to-use checklist format to help producers.
Following a regular process for maintaining ventilation systems can pay big economic dividends, IPIC wrote. The summer and winter checklists developed by Iowa State University extension agriculture and biosystems engineer Brett Ramirez were developed to help guide and remind the person in charge of maintenance and/or ventilation management of necessary tasks and inspections. ISU extension swine specialist Mark Storlie assisted him with these checklists.
Source: IPIC
“These tasks are important steps in getting the barn and its ventilation system ready for upcoming changes in weather,” Ramirez said in a release. “The categories on the checklists are similar, although the items to be checked will be different depending on the season.”
He suggests using the summer checklist in April to prepare for cooling season, and the winter checklist in October to prepare for heating season.
The idea behind these checklists is simple, Ramirez pointed out. Keeping a printed checklist that stays in the barn can be a useful tool to facilitate maintenance and ensure the proper equipment and components of the barn are being inspected.
“Some of the tasks and checkpoints listed might not be intuitive for everyone, so having a detailed list with place for notes is an excellent guide,” Ramirez said. “Laminating a printed copy to keep in the barn also allows a person to mark what they found, and then easily clear it for the next year.”
Because each barn, each system and other contributing factors may be different, Ramirez cautioned producers that not all recommendations listed might be appropriate for every location. These two-page pdf publications are available at no charge on the ISU Extension store. Look for Summer Ventilation Checklist AE3553A and Winter Ventilation Checklist AE3553B.
