Heat and moisture production values are used to size ventilation fans in animal housing. The heat and moisture production values that are currently published in the ASABE and ASHRAE standards are from data collected in either the 1970’s (nursery piglets) or the 1950’s (grow-finish pigs). 

A recently completed series of studies, conducted to systematically update the heat and moisture production standards. These studies indicate the standards are currently underestimating heat and moisture production by up to 40%. This, in turn, causes ventilation designs to be undersized.

Since hot weather (maximum) ventilation is designed to control temperature using heat production values, these ventilation design criteria must be recalculated. As well, cold weather (minimum) ventilation in swine housing is often managed to control relative humidity in a barn. Moisture production on a facility level from the study is being used to redesign minimum ventilation needs.

Grant Information

Pepple (PI) & Hayes (Co-PI) USDA Sub-Award. Producer Outreach for Updated Swine Ventilation Standards. 2014 (1 year) 

Paper Citations

Brown-Brandl, T., M. Hayes, H. Xin, J. Nienaber, H. Li, R. Eigenberg, J. Stinn, and T. Shepherd. 2014. Heat and moisture production of modern swine. Trans ASHRAE 120(1).