5 Benefits of Environmental Sensors in Livestock Houses

An environmental sensor is a device that measures the environment around us. It can be used to monitor air quality, temperature, humidity, etc. In livestock houses environmental sensors or climate sensors are used to ensure an optimum environment.

Get Better Animal Welfare With a High Air Quality

There are several ways to use environmental sensors in livestock farming. One way is to use them to measure air quality by using a carbon dioxide sensor and an ammonia sensor. Connected to a controller and your farm management system these sensors will provide data for alarms or for starting the ventilation in the house.

CO2 and ammonia are both to blame for the animals not thriving optimally. To high levels of CO2 and ammonia causes problems with breathing, corrosion damage on feed and skin, as well as irritation of the mucous membranes in the eyes and mouth. The high levels reduce the air quality thus increasing mortality and reducing production.

You can measure the level of ammonia with the award-winning DOL 53 Ammonia Sensor and keep track of the CO2 level with the robust DOL 119 CO2 Sensor or the 3-in-1 sensor DOL 139 that measures humidity, temperature and CO2.

Increase Production With the Right Temperature

Another way to use an environmental sensor is to monitor temperature. Using an accurate temperature sensor designed for the harsh environment in livestock is a great way to keep track of the temperature and increase your production.

For example, to get the best production, broilers need a temperature of 35 degrees Celsius when they arrive in the house and about 22 to 24 degrees towards the end.

DOL 114 is an accurate temperature and humidity sensor for measuring both relative humidity and temperature simultaneously. With a high-precision temperature sensor you can avoid extreme temperature swings in the barns, keeping a more consistent environment and thus a better animal welfare.

DOL 139 is another sensor for monitoring temperature. The sensor is a 3-in-1 sensor that measures temperature, humidity, and CO2. Since the sensor has a robust design and the fact that it is waterproof and protected against dust, it is very suitable for the livestock industry.

Avoid Mould Formation and Illness with Low Humidity

You can also use an environmental sensor to detect humidity. High humidity levels can lead to mold formation which have severe impact on animal welfare, mortality rate, and FCR.

Due to the built-in filter and the sensor element, DOL 104 humidity sensor is very suitable for application in environments with constantly high humidity. To eliminate the need of removing the sensor when high-pessure cleaning in livestock houses, a protective cap is available for DOL 104.

DOL 114 is a 2-in-1 sensor that measures both relative humidity and temperature. The sensor has the same benefits as DOL 104 and is well-tested to last long in the harsh environment in livestock facilities. DOL 114 is available in various output versions, such as 0-5V, 0-10V and 4-20mA to fit different demands.

If you want to keep track on both temperature, humidity, and CO2 at the same time, DOL 139 is a great solution. The 3-in-1 sensor accurately monitores all three things.

Keep Mortality Down by Lowering the CO2 Level

If the CO2 level is too high in livestock houses, the animals will have difficulties in breathing. This of course leads to a high mortality among the animals which is why we want too keep the CO2 level as low as possible. But to do, we need to measure the carbon dioxide level correctly and have a way to control the ventilation system.

DOL 119 is an accurate CO2 sensor for measuring the carbon dioxide level. Connected to a farm controller it can provide the data neccesary for controlling the ventilation system when ventilation is needed. DOL 139 is a humidity, temperature, and CO2 sensor with great benefits such as an IP67 protection that makes it waterproof and protected against dust.