Trees kill odours and emissions from poultry houses

According to George W. Malone, Ph.D., and colleagues from the University of Delaware, some emissions were cut by almost half. Additionally, trees also provide farms with the added benefit of reducing energy consumption.

Malone, who is an extension poultry specialist, pointed out that trees have been used in the past as aesthetic barriers. His research on giving trees a new role in the poultry industry began in 2000, when residents near farms on the Delmarva Peninsula complained about dust and odours from poultry houses that had recently switched to new ventilation systems.

In the report, Malone’s team now suggested that planting vegetation could reduce ammonia and particulates that may degrade surrounding air and water quality. “We looked at what we could do to address [the concerns] and the whole area of air quality as it relates to the emission of ammonia from poultry houses,” said Malone.

In response, they proposed planting trees to serve as a vegetative filter that could capture emissions from chicken farms. In an extensive study, Malone and his team found that a 3-row plot of trees of various species and sizes reduced total dust by 56%, ammonia 53%, and odour 18%.