Automated Ventilation Solutions for Your Livestock Comfort

Poor ventilation poses health risks for livestock and can damage your bottomline. As ventilation technology continues to advance, automated ventilation solutions are an increasingly common and promising investment for farmers. 

In this blog we’ll explore pigs, chickens, and calves, and automated ventilation technology you should consider when updating your barns. 

Integrating Smart Controls to Your Farm Ventilation

Modern farms have been using environmental controllers and automated systems to help save time and improve the consistency of their ventilation systems. Here are key components that help make up a smart ventilation system:

• Phason Temperature Sensor: The Phason Temperature Sensor delivers accurate, real-time data to help farmers monitor barn conditions, detect potential issues quickly, and make informed management decisions for improved performance.
• ⚠️ Important: This sensor is designed to work exclusively with Phason control systems. A complete Phason control unit is required for operation—the sensor alone will not function independently.
• Automatic Fan Controls: These help regulate fan speeds based on data to help integrate airflow at ideal temperatures.
• Edge and Maximus Controllers: These controllers give farmers control over ventilation, heating, cooling, and lighting, helping streamline barn management and optimize multiple livestock environments.
• Cooling Pads: When paired with smart controllers, they automatically activate and adjust water flow as temperatures rise.

Swine: Beating the Heat and Humidity

Heat stress can lead to poor health in swine, reducing their growth and, in extreme cases, increasing mortality. Automated systems are a crucial investment that can react dynamically to the environment by adjusting exhaust fans to help remove excess heat and circulation fans to create air to aid in keeping your pigs cool. 

Chickens: Healthy Air to Stay Clear of Sickness

Air quality is crucial for flock health. Proper ventilation with air inlets will bring in air in addition to one’s barn. Another option farmers use are shutters on exhaust fans. These help prevent backdrafts that can potentially increase the risk of harmful pollutants to your chickens. To learn more about maintaining the temperature in chicken hatcheries, read our post here. 

Calves: Preventing Respiratory Illness with Fresh Air

Having poor ventilation in your barns can have a major impact on calves, as it can lead to respiratory illness. It is important to prevent drafts, while providing a constant supply of fresh air. 

Using ventilation systems that can be adjusted to balance airflow with warmth, especially during the colder months, should be considered. With the right Air Inlets, Exhaust Fans, and Automatic Fan Controls, you can provide a healthy environment for your calves. Learn more about managing your calves and their temperature requirements here.

Signs That Your Ventilation Needs Updates

Your ventilation system might need an update even if you don't see obvious signs. Here are some indicators that your system needs attention:

• Strong odors coming from the system
• Unusual animal behavior, such as huddling or panting
• Excessive dust or wetness on the systems
• Random temperature or humidity changes in parts of the barn

If you’re looking to update your ventilation systems on the farm, contact our team at 1.800.845.3374 to get started!

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