Three benefits of installing VentTubes in livestock housing

Positive pressure vent tube systems are long tubes that are fitted along the internal length of a building with a fan at one end that sucks clean air in from outside and blows it down the tube.

The clean air is equally dispersed out of the holes along the length of the tube throughout the shed. This process pushes warm, stale air out through outlets incorporated into the building.

VentTubes are a cost-effective, low maintenance cooling system, making them ideal for improving animal housing ventilation. VentTubes also help to improve herd health and can be made bespoke to any building.

In this blog, we discuss the benefits of installing a VentTube this spring.

Benefit one: VentTubes are cost-effective

When compared to traditional fans, VentTubes are a more energy-efficient system [see diagram below].

Based on historic figures, the initial investment and energy usage of four VentTubes in place of fourteen fans saved farmers around £24,000 over a three-year period.1

With farmers currently seeing energy prices increase by 30-60% in 2022, installing VentTubes instead of fans could help make even greater savings today.

Benefit two: VentTubes improve cow health and welfare

VentTubes improve air quality by removing moisture, gases such as ammonia, as well as airborne viruses and bacteria by bringing in fresh air. This reduces the risk of respiratory diseases.

Research shows that 100% fresh air kills airborne bacteria and viruses 10–20 times more quickly than 50% fresh air.3

VentTubes also create a consistent environment and prevent heat stress by lowering the temperature within the cowshed. Galebreaker’s VentTube Cool increases the volume and velocity of air flowing through the tube creating a chill effect.

Air is circulated without creating a draught, which can reduce youngstock daily live weight gain and increase their susceptibility to disease. Cases of pneumonia in calves have also been shown to drop by 75% and antibiotic usage has dropped even further after VentTube installation.4

Benefit three: VentTubes are made bespoke to your building

VentTube systems can be designed and installed for each specific shed, so they have an optimum effect. This means they can be installed in any housing, no matter the type, number and age of livestock, as well as the dimensions of building and location.

To find out more about how VentTubes work as a cooling system to reduce the risk of heat stress, speak to our team today.

1 Galebreaker

2 Electricity bill increase of up to 60% hitting farm businesses – Farmers Weekly (fwi.co.uk) (link: https://www.fwi.co.uk/business/markets-and-trends/input-prices/electricity-bill-increase-of-up-to-60-hitting-farm-businesses)

3 Have you tested your buildings airflow? | Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (daera-ni.gov.uk) (link: https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/news/have-you-tested-your-buildings-airflow)

4 Simple Changes to Improve Calf Health | LLM Farm Vets (https://llmfarmvets.co.uk/simple-changes-to-improve-calf-health/)