Context

High concentrations of ammonia in the air can cause skin, eye, throat and lung problems in both animals and humans. In extreme cases it can cause blindness, lung damage and even death. On pig farms, where slurry accumulates under the slats with a high concentration of ammonium, diffusion of ammonia in the air is very high and, despite adequate ventilation, it has a severe impact on the welfare of the pigs. The implementation of on-farm slat treatments such as adding acid or adsorbent materials (e.g. zeolites) can reduce or even mitigate ammonia emissions in pigsties. Furthermore, such a reduction in on-farm emissions could have an impact not only on animal welfare, but also on the productivity and quality of the final product.