Dust suppression in swine feed using soybean oil

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Engineering
• Animal Science
• Environmental Health

Background:

• Dust generation in animal feed production poses health risks and affects feed quality.
• Swine feed, typically a corn-soybean meal diet, is a significant source of airborne dust.
• Mitigating dust is crucial for improving air quality in livestock facilities and worker safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of soybean oil treatment on dust generation from swine feed.
• To evaluate the effects of soybean oil concentration, corn bulk density, and oil addition timing on dust suppression.
• To determine the influence of feed storage time on dust levels.

Main Methods:

• Dust generation was assessed using a cement mixer in a controlled plywood box environment.
• Airborne total dust concentrations were measured gravimetrically using a vacuum pump and filters.
• Key factors investigated included soybean oil concentration (0-3%), corn bulk density (normal vs. low), oil addition timing (pre- vs. post-grinding), and storage duration (0-14 days).

Main Results:

• Adding soybean oil after grinding significantly suppressed total dust generation, with 3% oil being more effective than 1%.
• Feed made with normal-bulk density corn produced less dust than feed made with low-bulk density corn.
• The timing of oil addition (after grinding) and higher oil concentration were critical factors in dust reduction.

Conclusions:

• Soybean oil application, particularly after corn grinding and at higher concentrations, is a highly effective strategy for reducing dust in swine feed.
• Corn bulk density plays a significant role, with normal-density corn yielding less dust.
• Feed storage time did not appear to influence dust generation under the tested conditions.