Measurement of ammonia emissions from three ammonia emission reduction systems for dairy cattle using a dynamic flux chamber

There is increasing interest among dairy farmers in The Netherlands for animal friendly housing systems that at the same moment reduce the ammonia emission compared to currently available systems. Therefore, there is a need for a relatively cheap and easy measuring method to investigate the potential effect of new emission reduction systems. In 2008 and 2009 Wageningen UR Livestock Research preformed emission measurements on 3 different ammonia emission reduction systems using a dynamic flux chamber. All systems were meant for use in a free stall housing system for dairy cows. Two of the emission reduction systems were concrete floors and one was an emission reduction system covering the slurry in the pits. The experiments were conducted at three different practical dairy farms in the Netherlands, one for each system. Emission of the reduction system was related to emission of a references floor. In all cases a concrete slatted floor with slurry pits was used as a reference. Emission levels ranged from 39% to 71% of the emission of the reference system. The two systems based on reduction of floors emissions seemed to have more perspective than the system based on reduction of pit emissions. A complete closing of the pits is however an important condition. Because of the case-control character of the flux chamber measurements the results can not be translated directly to full scale emission factors for dairy housing neither can they be used for between farms comparison