USDA's New Web-based Awareness Tool Estimates Energy Use for Animal Housing

MORGANTOWN, WV, Dec. 5, 2006 —A new Web-based energy awareness tool designed to help agricultural producers reduce energy costs related to animal housing is available. The "Energy Estimator for Animal Housing" evaluates the energy use and costs associated with heating, lighting and ventilating poultry, swine and dairy housing. This is the fourth energy estimator tool USDA has developed as part of its overall energy strategy to reduce the impacts of high energy costs and to help develop long-term solutions for producers.

"A good analysis of the use and costs for heating, lighting and ventilating animal housing contributes to a comprehensive picture of how energy is used on the farm," Barbara Broxterman, West Virginia Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Agricultural Engineer said. "This tool can result in significant energy and cost savings for producers if they take the appropriate actions."

Producers with animal feeding operations can save up to $250 million annually nationwide by regularly maintaining their ventilation and heating systems and using more energy-efficient fixtures and equipment. An individual producer may realize up to 50 percent savings in energy use by maintaining their ventilation and heating equipment regularly.

The Web-based "Energy Estimator for Animal Housing" has three components—poultry, swine and dairy that operate independently. For poultry, the producer provides ventilation, lighting, and heating information for the entire broiler house. The dairy component also evaluates lighting as well as milk pumping and cooling options.

Once the required information has been entered, the animal housing energy awareness tool provides an analysis of estimated energy use and costs associated with various energy management options. The analysis also identifies potential energy savings that can result from carrying out certain recommendations for swine, poultry and dairy operations.

Producers should use the "Energy Estimator for Animal Housing" for guidance rather than as a sole source for decision-making on energy matters related to animal housing. This tool evaluates alternatives based on producer input, but does not offer site-specific recommendations. It also does not estimate the cost of implementing recommended practices. USDA recommends that producers take their animal housing energy analysis to their local USDA Service Center, Cooperative Extension office, or Rural Electric Cooperative for more field-specific assistance.

The other three estimators address energy costs and usage for tillage, nitrogen fertilizer, and irrigation. Producers and NRCS field staff have used the estimators successfully to predict potential energy savings. After using the estimators by themselves or with USDA Service Center staff, some producers have switched to energy-saving equipment and conservation practices such as crop residue management and irrigation water management.

Additional information about USDA's "Energy Estimator for Animal Housing" can be found at http://ahat.sc.egov.usda.gov. Information about the energy estimators for tillage, nitrogen fertilizer and irrigation can be found at http://www.usda.gov/energytools. Or contact your local USDA Service Center, listed in the telephone book under U.S. Department of Agriculture, or your local conservation district.

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