The Rural Voice, 2002-03, Page 28IP
Outside (above)
the barn looks
much like a
normal hog barn,
and the main
floor (left) also
shows little
difference from a
slatted -floor barn.
The secret is on
the lowest level
where a storage
area large
enough for one
year's liquid
manure is filled
with six feet of
straw to absorb
the liquid.
One year's
hog manure
+ 50,000 kg
of straw
= 58% Tess
manure
Two-storey hog barn reduces
manure volume and
improves inside and outside
air quality too.
Story by Keith Roulston
Photos courtesy Ron Fleming,
Ridgetown College
After its first year of operation,
Ontario's only two-storey hog barn
has run into a few small problems but
generally has pleased its owners.
Ron Fleming, Ridgetown College
engineer, outlined the results of his
year-long study of the barn's
operation to the Centralia Swine
Research Update conference, January
30. Generally, he reported, the barn
has been operating as it was designed
to do.
24 THE RURAL VOICE