Inadequate ventilation in barns that animals inhabit during the winter months can often lead to pneumonia and respiratory illnesses caused by ammonia build up from waste. Animal producers often close-up their barns in winter to prevent cold drafts on their calves, pigs and poultry; but unfortunately restricting barn air flow can pose a greater risk to the health of their animals and the people who take care of them.
“Ammonia and its effects on human and animal health are seldom noticed when the same person works in the same operation every day. Ammonia can be a hidden killer and often is a major factor in reduced animal and human performance. Producers often admit that they have a problem with ammonia, but seldom realize how great it is,” said Tim Nelson, Vice President – Animal Health & Nutriti
on Sales at Brookside Agra.
At an ammonia level of 6 ppm, eye and respiratory irritation can occur. Animal performance can be reduced at ammonia levels of 11 ppm, with 25 ppm being the max level for eight-hour exposure. At the 40 ppm level, humans can experience headaches, nausea and appetite loss. Severe reductions in animal performance and health, with an increased possibly of pneumonia, can occur at 50 ppm. At 100 ppm, humans and animals can experience sneezing, salivation and irritation of mucus membranes.
To control ammonia, other offensive gasses and waste volume in animal housing during the winter months, Brookside Agra recommends its all-natural Ammocure line of products. Proven to reduce ammonia levels by up to 50 percent or more when added to a ration, Ammocure helps improve air quality, feed conversion and average daily gain, plus helps increase feed intake for better animal health and more comfortable working conditions for employees.
Made in the U.S.A., Ammocure is a specially formulated source of saponin, a natural wetting agent derived from the Yucca Schidigera plant, for addition to animal feeds. Non-toxic to all species and sizes of livestock, poultry and small animals when used as directed, all-natural Ammocure is available in a 15% Meal, 30% Powder and 50% Liquid formulation.
Ammocure Liquid is proven to control odors and reduce ammonia emissions from manure when added to feeds, while the powder and meal formulations are recommended to control waste volume, ammonia and offensive gasses produced by livestock. Ammocure Powder and Meal can also be used as a flavoring agent in commercial livestock feeds.
Brookside’s Ammocure products contain no fillers or carriers such as Zeolite or Calcium Carbonate that can often inhibit the activity of the saponin. Ammocure is also listed as a GRAS LIST safe-to-use ingredient.
For more information about Brookside Agra’s all-natural Ammocure, visit https://www.brookside-agra.com/categories/specialty-feed-additives/ or contact Tim Nelson, Vice President – Animal Health & Nutrition Sales, at 402-560-7381 or tim.nelson@brookside-agra.com.