Dust Reduction from Oil-Based Feed Additives

Dust in animal facilities is derived from feed, bedding, animal dander, and dried feces, but several studies show that much of the dust in pig housing originates from the feed. The objective of this research was to determine if adding food grade soybean oil or two commercial products at 1% or 3% levels to the feed would reduce feed dust. The study was designed to measure dust concentrations generated from ground feed that was mechanically mixed in a laboratory dust generator within an enclosed space. Concentrations of inhalable and respirable airborne dust fractions were measured over a 4-h sampling period for three treatments, food grade soybean oil, and two commercial feed additives. These same dust measurements were made during a 1-h sampling period for a control (no additive) case. Food grade soybean oil produced greater average reductions (80% to 95%) than either of the two commercial additives for the inhalable fraction. However, for the respirable dust fraction (particles < 4 μm in diameter), the commercial additives reduced the concentrations more than the food grade soybean oil (especially the 1% treatment). The relatively high reductions (70% to 90%) in respirable dust by the two commercial additives (A and B) as well as the 3% soybean oil treatment are important findings since the treatments would be expected to reduce the negative health impacts of airborne feed dust on people working in pig production buildings