AMES, Iowa – Fall is a great time to plan for seasonal ventilation maintenance and manure pit pump-out. Iowa State University extension agriculture and biosystems engineer Brett Ramirez said taking time now will help ensure these critical steps are completed before cold weather.

“It’s critical to get barns ready for winter to help reduce heating costs and provide a good environment for the pigs,” he said. “Routine equipment inspections and maintenance will pay dividends in the long run, not only by extending the life of the equipment but also creating a good environment inside the barn.”

The Iowa Pork Industry Center’s Winter Ventilation Checklist AE3553B is a timely tool for this seasonal job. Available as a free download from the ISU Extension store, the checklist can be printed and laminated for use as needed. Because some of the tasks and checkpoints listed might not be intuitive for everyone, having it in hand with space for notes is helpful no matter who does the maintenance.

Along with ventilation maintenance, Ramirez reminded producers that pit pumping requires attention and awareness, with safety at the top of the list.

“We want to follow best practices for agitation; this is a key first step,” he said.

With best practices in mind, follow these safe operation procedures:

• Never enter the building while pumping — use caution tape, mark barn entrances, and alert everyone that pumping is occurring.
• If possible, remove animals from the portion of the barn where agitation and removal will occur.
• It may be worth investing in a gas monitor. If you have one, have it handy during pumping.
• Make sure someone is at the site during pumping, and that they have a copy of the emergency action plan.
• Prohibit smoking, open flames, and spark-producing activities in the immediate vicinity.
• Observe animals for signs of noxious gas distress.

For more information on safety during pit pumping, these three fact sheets are available as free downloads on the ISU Extension store.

• Hydrogen Sulfide Safety – Monitoring AE 3603
• Hydrogen Sulfide Safety - Manure Agitation AE 3604
• Hydrogen Sulfide Safety - Swine Barn Ventilation AE 3606

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IPIC was established in 1994 as a coordinated effort of the colleges of Agriculture (now Agriculture and Life Sciences) and Veterinary Medicine at ISU. Its mission is to promote efficient pork production technologies in Iowa, maintain Iowa's pork industry leadership and strengthen rural development efforts. IPIC focuses its efforts on programs that are integral and complementary to ISU Extension and Outreach. Through IPIC, Iowa producers receive accurate and timely information to make their operations more efficient and profitable.