ABSTRACT
Due to the occurrence of the avian influenza viruses (H5N1 and H7N2), studies related to biosafety have been intensified, and one of the discussed solutions is the use of screen to enclose the poultry house area, avoiding the contact of the housed laying hens with other birds. In this context, the aim of the present study was to evaluate and to compare the use of screen, to enclose the perimeter of a laying hen house, on the acoustic and aerial environments inside the facility. This research was carried out in a Californian Dekalb Brown laying hen house. Half of the barn area was enclosed by high density polyethylene (HDPE) screen and the other half was maintained completely open. The levels of noise, ammonia (NH3) concentration and carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration were measured during 22 weeks. The use of HDPE screen increased the noise level and the concentrations of NH3 and CO2 inside of the facility, however, these values were smaller than those which offer health risks to the birds and workers.
Key words:
biosafety; noise; ammonia; carbon dioxide
