Study on Late Rainy Season Aerial Pollutant Gases Concentrations in Tropical Poultry Pen Environment in Nigeria

Abstract

Research on the concentrations of pollutant gasses in tropical livestock buildings is needed in order to establish baselines for exposure limits in the context of animal and human welfare in tropical environments. Concentrations of aerial ammonia (NH₃), nitrous oxide (NO₂), flammable gas (methane, CH₄), carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen sulphide (H₂S) and sulfur dioxide (SO₂) were measured in selected intensively managed poultry pen at Port Harcourt area of Rivers State, Nigeria during late rainy season month of October. The Gasman hand held personal gas detectors that employed a catalytic bead sensor for flammable gas and electrochemical sensors for other gas measurements were used for the gas analyses. The poultry pen types studied were broilers (FA1, FA2, FA3, FA4 and FA5), layers (FB1, FB2, FB3 and FB4) and pullets (FC1, FC2 and FC3) pens. Environmental factors such as temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and moisture content of the litter as well as building dimensions were determined. Data obtained showed that the range of 16.5±4.18 to 18.3±4.18 to 18.3±1.63 ppm of CO obtained in FA2 and FA4 were significantly higher (p< 0.05) than those of other broiler pens. The 2.33±2.70 LEL of CH4 obtained in FA1 was significantly higher (p<0.05) than those of other broiler pens. In addition, the range of 0.66 ±0.51 to 0.10 ± 0.00ppm of NH₃ obtained in FB1 and FB2 were significantly higher (p< 0.05) than those of the other layers pens. Similarly, the 0.13±0.05 ppm and 1.00±0.00 LEL of N₂O and CH₄ respectively recorded in FC1, FC2 and FC3 were significantly higher (p< 0.05) than those of other pullet pens. This study suggests that the concentration of aerial pollutant gases in the poultry houses studied may be detrimental to human as well as animal health during the during late rainy season month of October.

Keywords: Pollutant gases, poultry pen, aerial environment, humid tropics, Nigeria