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Gary Rapp, co-owner of the Environmental Control Systems
division at Juergens Produce and Feeds, talks about the
process that neutralizes odor and dust in confinement
buildings. The new system uses an atomization process
that breaks down the elements responsible for odors.
(Photo by Jeff Storjohann) |
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"We're working with the hog and cattle industries, we've
done applications with sheep and we want to move into
poultry. Our goal is to help all the producers that
produce food for America, getting their environmental
concerns out of their way."
-- Gary Rapp, co-owner of Juergens Environmental
Control
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Juergens odor control
division is growing
By
BUTCH HEMAN
Staff
Writer
The new Environmental Control Systems division at Juergens Produce &
Feeds in Carroll is growing.
Juergens has installed its odor-control system at three hog-finishing
sites, including a facility outside Lidderdale, and two sow farms,
according to division co-owner Gary Rapp.
The Juergens system neutralizes odor and dust at hog-finishing,
-breeding and -gestation units by treating them above the slats using an
atomization system and breaking down the elements responsible for the
odors in a deep-pit-treatment process.
Each system is custom-designed, -built and -installed by Juergens
Environmental Control.
There are Juergens systems in use in Illinois, Nebraska, Indiana,
Maryland and Pennsylvania as well as Iowa, said Rapp.
Rapp and Peter Juergens were showing the odor-control system, which
recently went online, at the Lidderdale facility on Thursday.
The heart of the system is a biosecurity shed, which controls the
applications of odor-control products into two 1,250-head finishing
barns.
"It keeps us outside the facility to service the equipment necessary to
apply the applications," said Rapp. "The only time we have to go inside
the barn is to install the system.
"It will have a watchdog system built in to alert the producer if
something goes wrong."
Besides alerting the producer of a power failure or temperature problem,
the system automatically informs Juergens Environmental Control seven
days before a hog facility runs out of liquids used by the odor-control
system.
Not only does Juergens design and install the odor-control systems on
new and existing hog barns, it can contract with producers to maintain
the odor-control solutions. The division offers site assessments, site
recommendations and other services.
In addition, Juergens sells Daisy odor-control products including urinal
blocks, portable restroom liquid concentrate, cat litter additive and
dry bedding additive.
Rapp said the odor-control system brings improved pig growth rates,
reduced mortality, improved feed efficiency, insect control and better
air quality for workers.
"In Maryland our pigs are putting on 2.14 pounds per day," he said.
"It's about 1.6 here (at Lidderdale), but this barn just went online.
That rate of gain should improve with longevity of treatment."
Juergens Environmental Control Systems have been involved in several
university studies and is drawing financial and technical support from
the USDA, universities and private businesses.
The systems are expected to be eligible for financial assistance in
fiscal year 2009 and will be covered under the Atmospheric Resource
Quality Management standard. The systems installed at livestock
facilities are projected to be eligible for a payment of $2.50 per
animal unit up to 1,000 animal units for three years.
"The division's growing," said Rapp, who holds several patents for
odor-control and air-quality products. "We're working with the hog and
cattle industries, we've done applications with sheep and we want to
move into poultry.
"Our goal is to help all the producers that produce food for America,
getting their environmental concerns out of their way."
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