| Popis: |
A modified-open-front (MOF), naturally-ventilated, solar-assisted (NVS) swine nursery and a mechanically-ventilated, solar-assisted (MVS) swine nursery were compared for building environment, energy efficiency, pig performance, and pig behavior during the winter of 1983. The two, 96-pig capacity nurseries utilized active solar collectors to provide in-floor heating in the sleeping area of each pen. Hovers were placed over the sleeping area of each pen. The MVS nursery utilized solar-preheated ventilation air. The NVS nursery had double-glazed solar windows to passively heat the interior space. The air temperature and relative humidity averaged 18°C (59°F) and 67% for all trials with more variation occurring in the naturally-ventilated building than in the mechanically-ventilated building. The NVS nursery used 72% as much energy as the MVS nursery and required 0.60 kWh less energy per pig than the MVS nursery. The two nurseries used only 1.4 to 2.2 kWh/pig as compared to 15.2 to 18.2 kWh/pig for a modeled mechanically-ventilated, conventionally-heated nursery for the same weather conditions. Significantly more pigs were observed utilizing the hovers in the NVS nursery than in the MVS nursery (P |
