USDA Develops Tool to Estimate Energy Use

December 27, 2006 — 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has developed a web-based tool, the Energy Estimator for Animal Housing, to estimate energy usage in livestock facilities.

The tool 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.

Composed of three components, poultry, swine and dairy, the swine component allows the producer to evaluate heating, lighting and ventilation for three production stages-farrowing (birth to about 15 pounds), nursery (weaning) and finishing (growing)-as well as for the overall animal housing. The user can select one or more swine production stages for analysis.

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.

Although the tool does not offer site-specific recommendations or estimate the cost of implementing recommended practices, USDA suggests that an individual producer may realize up to 50 percent savings in energy use by maintaining their ventilation and heating equipment regularly.

Source:
USDA, NRCS, Energy Estimator for Animal Housing