LPV+ ventilation for pigs
Productivity and well-being
Pigs are sensitive to high temperatures. If the livestock house is not adequately ventilated during hot periods, the pigs may struggle to release heat, leading to severe consequences. Finisher pigs may experience lower feed intake and consequently a lower weight gain, while sows may have reduced milk production, weight loss, and there is a lower weight among piglets at weaning in the farrowing pen.
Ensure proper ventilation
During cold periods, the incoming air should be mixed with the heated housing air before reaching the animals to ensure the right temperature in the occupied area. In hot periods, the ventilation system should remove excess heat from the animals and draw air into the livestock house to create a cooling effect with air velocity.
Comparing ventilation systems
Tunnel ventilation
Air velocity and cooling are traditional methods of reducing the temperature in pig houses. Tunnel ventilation achieves this by drawing air through cooling pads at one end of the livestock house to cool the pigs. However, creating a uniform climate in this system can be difficult, as the air current becomes warmer as it travels through the house. This causes temperature variations from one end of the livestock house to the other, affecting the pigs' productivity and welfare. A careful house and pen layout is required to ensure air movement reaches the pigs' area.
LPV+
An LPV+ system brings air into the livestock house through ceiling inlets and directs it downward over the pigs. The ceiling inlets are designed to generate high air velocity during hot periods and ensure air mixing before it reaches the animal area during cold periods. The air is drawn in through a well-insulated attic space to prevent unnecessary heating before entering the livestock house. If additional cooling is needed, the air can pass through cooling pads in the attic space, or high-pressure cooling can be installed in combination with the ceiling inlet in hot and dry climates.
Weaner section with LPV+ system
1. System in LPV mode, when pigs are small, and it is relatively cold outside – small opening of ceiling inlets and horizontal air direction.
2. System in chill mode when it is warm outside – ceiling inlets are fully open with a vertical air direction.
Behavior and productivity
Correct behavior
Properly positioned ceiling inlets above the pens help maintain a consistent and optimal climate for all pigs in the livestock house.
The air intake encourages natural behavior in pigs and helps ensure that the pens are utilized correctly for rest, activity, and dunging.
Uniform productivity
The air enters the entire house uniformly. It means that all pigs are produced under the same climate conditions.
It provides all pigs with excellent growth conditions and consistent production results.
Design your livestock house to your liking
The LPV+ system imposes fewer demands on building design and housing equipment compared to Tunnel ventilation.
The ceiling inlets are optimally positioned in relation to the pen layout and allow air to flow directly down into the pen without any obstructions from the building design or housing equipment.
You can achieve the same cooling effect with ceiling inlets (e.g., 3 m/s) as with Tunnel ventilation. The critical difference is that the cooling effect can reach its maximum in the area where the pigs are located.
Optimized investment
In many areas where there is pig production, the ventilation system must cope with substantial temperature fluctuations between cold and hot periods, daily or throughout the year. Traditionally, ventilation systems have had to use two types of air intakes: ceiling or wall inlets for the cold/cool periods and tunnel inlets for the hot periods.
However, LPV+ technology enables the same ceiling inlet to be used during cold and hot periods. This optimizes investment and reduces operating costs, including maintenance expenses.
Reduced infection pressure
A high infection control level is increasingly important in international pig production.
An LPV+ system is crucial in this context, allowing for efficient in-herd protection against infection.
Livestock houses can be constructed using closed pen partitions, which allows for relatively small sections. This flexibility is not available to the same extent in livestock houses with Tunnel ventilation.
Furthermore, using the attic space for air intake allows centralized air filtration.
The LPV+ ventilation system is designed for areas that experience significant temperature variations, such as hot summers and cold winters or substantial differences between day and night temperatures. Combined with high-pressure or pad cooling, the system is suitable for use worldwide in tropical and subtropical regions.