A Breath of Fresh Air with Dr. Rex Crawford and Mr. Harold House: Animal Health Insights, Ep. 3, Mar. 6 2021

Good barn ventilation goes a long way to support the respiratory health of ruminants. An agricultural engineer and a large-animal veterinarian explain why ventilation is so important for animal health, and share simple barn improvements to minimize disease.

For animals that are dealing with a contagious disease outbreak, true “social distancing” can be almost impossible to put in place. Veterinarians have to think creatively about all aspects of animal care, including the functionality of their housing, in order to decrease the chance that a group of animals will experience a contagious respiratory infection. Dr. Rex Crawford, a large-animal veterinarian, and Mr. Harold House, an agricultural engineer focused on livestock housing, join us to discuss how barn ventilation systems can help to improve ruminant health. From clinical presentations of respiratory disease and common indications of barn ventilation issues, to retrofits or new barn designs to maximize flock or herd health, there are a number of interesting points to consider to help improve ventilation systems for ruminant housing.

Links of Interest:

• Dairyland initiative, University of Wisconsin
• Ventilation for Livestock and Poultry Facilities, Ontario Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Rural Affairs
• Farm Practices Guide - Ventilation, British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture
• Fan Ventilation Principles and Rates, Alberta Lamb Producers
• Ventilation in Dairy Production, Alberta Government
• Sheep Housing Requirements, Canadian Sheep Federation
• Ventilation for Dairy Goat Housing, Ontario Goat

• Plans types - Aménagment de bâtiments pour petits ruminants de boucherie, MAPAQ