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Introduction

Mass balance is probably the simplest method to estimate the whole elementary gas losses (water, carbon, nitrogen, etc) whatever the type of poultry house during the period of the animal farm of a batch of animals. It is important to be able to define exactly the liquid and solid inputs and the outputs to adopt this method. The period of measurement must extend over several weeks. Initially, it is necessary to carry out a matter balance on the volatile and nonvolatile compounds. It will compare the opening and final inventories. In the second time, the house atmosphere is either sampled, or analyzed directly to know volatile in cash nitrogen, water and carbon contents.

Equipment

• Clothing for animal farm (disposable coat and boots or specific clothing of the animal farm)
• Material for taking notes
• Material of cleaning and disinfection of equipment after the measurements,
• Gas Analyzer (for example infra-red photoacoustics analyzer INNOVA® 1312 with filters CO₂, CO, CH₄, NH₃, N₂O, H₂O)
• 1 TEDLAR® bag for the sampling of outside air
• 1 TEDLAR® bag for the sampling of inside air
• Thermo Hygromètre to characterize the temperature and hygrometry inside and outside the house
• Air pump (for example aerator of aquarium)
• Filters (Milipore Millex- HV Hydrophile PVDF 0,45 μm) placed at entry of the sampling system, one for outside and one for the inside air
• PTFE tubes to connect filters, bags, pumps and analyzer gas
• If necessary, add the material for samplings of feeds and manure

Guideline details

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