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Maintaining Good Air Quality in Horse Stables

Maintaining good air quality in your barn is the single most important thing you can
do to keep you horse healthy and happy. Maintaining good air quality implies that
the air inside the barn contains minimal contaminants. Air begins as a mixture of
gases, mainly nitrogen, oxygen, varying amounts of water vapor, and contaminants.
These contaminants consist of pathogens, dust, and gases, since all air contains
some level of contamination it stands to reason that the concentration of these
contaminants is the cause for concern with regards to air quality. Reducing the
concentration of these contaminants is paramount in reducing their detrimental
effect; this is accomplished in two ways, by minimizing the introductions of the
contaminant, and through ventilation. The most controllable of the contaminants is
dust. Dust in the barn can be an irritant, infectious, or allergenic, and includes mould
spores, pollen, bacteria, and fungi, it can absorb gases, liquids, carry viruses and
bacteria. A horse in a dusty environment is more susceptible to infection, and other
small airway diseases and can suffers from increased transportation stress. Bedding
and hay are the most common source of dust and mould spores in the barn, even
the cleanest straw contains significantly more small mould and fungal spores than
other types of bedding. Not only is the type of bedding important, but how it is
delivered, and stored can greatly affect the interior air quality. Storing both bedding
and hay in a separate facility will greatly reduce the amount of dust, mold, and
fungus introduced into the air, feeding hay close to the ground will also reduce the
amount of inhaled dust.

Before we look at ventilation, let’s look at the other common contaminants found in
barns.

Gases – Common gases in the barn consist of Carbon Dioxide, Carbon Monoxide,
Methane, and Ammonia. Carbon dioxide is produced from respiration and manure
decomposition, carbon monoxide from engine exhaust, and methane from manure
decomposition. The most significant threat to your horse’s respiratory health from
gas contamination is from ammonia. The source of ammonia is fresh manure and
urine. Ammonia reduces the horse’s ability to remove particles from the lungs,
making him more susceptible to small airway diseases. It is highly water soluble and
can be retained at high levels in humid air. Ammonia is detectable to the human
nose at a concentration of .0005%, in concentrations as low as .07% it can cause
respiratory lesions, and irritate the eyes, and at .17% it will induce coughing, and an
exposure for 40 minutes at a concentration of .5% can be fatal. Ammonia vapors
condensing on stalls or other surfaces can oxidize to form nitrates, which are toxic.
By comparison an exposure for 30 minutes to a concentration of 30% carbon dioxide
may be fatal, and a concentration of .2% for 60 minutes of Carbon monoxide is
considered dangerous. Since the level of detection for most of these gases (except
carbon monoxide which is not detectable) is significantly below the level at which it is
a health risk, your nose may be the best judge of your barns air quality.

The introduction of contaminates in even the best kept barn is unavoidable; the best
way to mitigate their detrimental effects on your horses health is through ventilation
and management. Simply turning your horse out during stall cleaning will
significantly reduce his exposure to ammonia gases. Ventilation is the process by
which outside air is brought into the barn where it collects and dilutes moisture,
heat, and other contaminates, and exhausts them to the exterior. Although
ventilation is critical it must not create draughts, for example @ 40degrees F. in an
area free of draughts your horse may feel perfectly comfortable. But increasing the
wind to just 4 mph and the same horse would require a heavy rug to maintain the
same level of comfort.

Since ventilation is essentially a process of dilution, the amount will vary depending
on the climate, the season, and the size and configuration of the barn. For example,
a barn where hay and bulk shavings or straw are stored in the same area as the
horses would require a higher ventilation rate to maintain the same air quality as a
barn where they are stored in a separate facility. Ideally ventilation varies from just
enough to maintain good air quality in very cold climates, up to a maximum rate to
reduce heat stress. The ventilation system should be designed to provide at least 3
seasonal ventilating rates. The ventilation rate is measured in cubic feet of air per
minute (cfm). In a cold climate the minimum ventilation rate should be 25 cfm. In a
typical 12’ x 12’ x 8’ stall, the entire volume of air in that stall would need to be
changed every 45 minutes.. In a mild climate the minimum rate should be 100 cfm
or an air change every 12 minutes, and in a hot climate the minimum rate should be
350 cfm or an air change every 4 minutes.

Ventilation occurs by three means, natural, mechanical, or a combination of the two.

Natural ventilation occurs through wind or thermal buoyancy. For wind to be
effective the barn must be carefully oriented on the site and openings carefully
located. Thermal buoyancy takes advantage of the natural fact that warm air rises,
to be effective the temperature inside the barn must be a little warmer that the
outside temperature. In a cold climate insulating the barn will help this to occur. In a
hot climate a tall barn would be beneficial. In all cases the air inlets and exhaust
locations must be properly planned. The introduction of mechanical ventilation
through the use of fans can greatly increase the effectiveness of natural ventilation.
All fans are rated according to their capacity to move air in cubic feet per minute
(cfm). A fan located in a ventilating cupola will greatly improve thermal buoyancy by
removing the warm air accumulating at the ridge or ceiling. While a fan mounted in
each stall can significantly reduce heat stress.

Essential to maintaining a healthy horse is to provide an environment that does not

needlessly stress or challenge him. Maintaining good air quality is a fundamental
aspect of a healthy environment.

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Maintaining The Air Quality in Stables

The importance of maintaining the air quality in a stable cannot be overstated

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http://chestofbooks.com/animals/horses/Health-Disease-Treatment-4/Stable-Ventilation.html

The ventilation of the stable is of supreme importance, as probably one-half of the diseases from
which horses suffer may be traced directly or indirectly to defective ventilation. The method found
most satisfactory is by the introduction of a small glazed ventilator (fig. 578) in the stable-wall, as
high above the horse's head as possible. The fresh air, being thrown upward towards the ceiling,
carries the air as heated and contaminated by the horse's breath towards the back of the stable.
From this one or more shafts should be provided, according to the size of the stable, but at least
one to every three or four horses, up through the loft, and discharging (if possible) at the ridge
through a suitable ventilating-cowl. The whole system of ventilation is shown in fig. 574.
Wherever practicable, windows ought to be provided in the front and back walls of a stable, and if
another window can be placed in the gable ending, extending upwards to the ceiling, it will be a
great improvement. These windows not only admit light, but, if made to open, can be adjusted to
serve both as inlets and outlets for air.

Fig. 578. - Combined Window and Air-inlet.

In ventilation, as in everything else about a stable, simplicity is of the first importance. Beware of
elaborate contrivances that look pretty upon paper, but require constant attention to ensure their
proper working. An automatic system, depending solely upon the flow of the atmospheric
currents, and the poise and the counterpoise always going on between the inner and outer
temperature, and consequent weight of the air, may fail during some rare calm, or on an
exceptionally hot day; but, on the other hand, it is independent of the stableman, who probably
understands but little of the theory of ventilation, and is liable to be careless or indifferent even
when he does.

Another method of ventilation, first suggested by Mr. Alfred Water-house, E.A., is a modification
of that generally known as "Tobin's". The end of the stall-division nearest the horse's head is cast
hollow, in the form of an oblong tube, at the lower end of which the air is introduced by a grating
in the outside wall, and, passing up the hollow with an impetus towards the ceiling, spreads out all
round without draught.

As before stated, the heated air from the stable should not be allowed to escape into the hay-loft,
either through traps in the ceiling or through other openings; a special air-shaft should be
provided, and the hay brought down through a shoot if possible in an outside passage, or in the
fodder-room. The loft stairs also should not rise directly from the stable. To render the stable
ceiling completely air-tight may not be easy, for plaster is not desirable under a hay-loft, and
boarding, even when grooved and tongued, is apt to shrink and become far from impervious. Felt,
or at least brown paper, laid under the floor-boarding, or over the ceiling-boarding, answers the
purpose well, however, and is not expensive. The hay-lofts should, of course, be well ventilated
by louvred windows, arranged to allow a full current of air through every part of the loft.