Effect of Diet Composition on Excreta Composition and Ammonia Emissions from Growing-Finishing Pigs

This study aimed to investigate the impact of decreased crude protein (CP) levels (by 2% units) or acidifying diets (by adding 10 g benzoic acid/kg diet in combination with replacing a part of CaCO₃ by about 10 g Ca-formate/kg diet) on urine, feces and manure composition and ammonia emissions from growing and finishing pig houses. Yorkshire x F1(Landrace x Yorkshire) pigs (n = 576) with an initial body weight of 24.9 ± 3.4 kg were randomly allocated to four treatments of (i) a control diet with normal protein content and no acidifying components added; (ii) a diet with 2% units CP reduction; (iii) a diet with an acidifying effect on the manure; (iv) or a diet consisting of a combination of diet (ii) and (iii). Pigs were housed in four mechanically ventilated and temperature-controlled rooms. Results showed that decreasing the dietary CP levels by 2% units reduced the ammonia emission from the floor by 46% (p = 0.06) and from the pig house by 31% (p = 0.08). Decreased CP diets reduced the total N in feces and in manure and NH₄-N in the manure, as well as the ammonia concentration at 1 cm and 10 cm above the manure surface (p < 0.05). However, acidifying diets failed to reduce ammonia emissions from the floor and the pig house (p > 0.05). Reducing dietary crude protein is, therefore, a solution to reducing ammonia emissions from pig houses.