Analysis on the Application of Carbon Dioxide Gas Detectors
Large‑scale livestock farms for cattle, pigs, chickens and other animals usually adopt closed or semi‑closed housing systems. Due to the large quantity and high stocking density, animals exhale substantial amounts of carbon dioxide. In poorly‑ventilated enclosed housing, excessive carbon‑dioxide concentration causes oxygen deficiency in animals, resulting in listlessness, lassitude, reduced feed intake, slow weight gain and higher morbidity. Poor air circulation also facilitates outbreaks and spread of infectious diseases.
For example, insufficient ventilation in pig barns leads to reduced immunity, lower feed conversion efficiency and respiratory infectious diseases. In recent years, infections such as Mycoplasmal Pneumonia of Swine (MPS), Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), Atrophic Rhinitis of Swine, Actinobacillus Pleuropneumonia (APP), Pseudorabies, Swine Influenza and Porcine Circovirus Type 2 (PCV2) have raised the incidence and severity of porcine respiratory diseases. Such outbreaks are hard to control, with morbidity generally ranging from 40 % to 50 % and mortality from 5 % to 30 %.
Nevertheless, excessively fast ventilation and high air velocity in winter will remove heat from pig housing, lower indoor temperature, raise pigs' basal metabolic rate and retard growth. Rapid ventilation also creates drastic temperature fluctuations inside the barn and causes stress discomfort to pigs. According to professional references, economic losses caused by inadequate ventilation can raise pig‑raising costs by 10 %‑20 %.
Therefore, monitoring carbon‑dioxide concentration, temperature and ventilation rate is critical for livestock housing. Carbon‑dioxide and temperature monitors can be installed and connected to ventilation fans for real‑time data tracking. When carbon‑dioxide concentration exceeds the threshold, the monitor triggers an alarm and activates fans to automatically supply fresh air, while continuously measuring housing temperature and ventilation rate.
