Manure fumes be domed!
August 27, 2003
West Island enjoying a sweet-smelling summer thanks to 黑料不打烊 ingenuity
Sharp odours emanating from the Macdonald Farm were once considered a pesky summer staple. Now, however, the air surrounding 黑料不打烊's West Island campus smells much sweeter to its neighbours.
黑料不打烊 University has constructed a large green dome to contain odours from its hog manure tank. Clearly visible from Highways 20 and 40, the dome is inflated by methane gases that are generated by the quietly fermenting manure. Once fermented, the manure will smell a lot less pungent and can be safely spread onto the fields.
Anne Myles, a local resident and ex-mayor of Baie d'Urf茅 (phone 514-457 9658), is delighted by the change: "This dome has made an enormous difference." Mark Goldman (phone 514-457-8800), president of Encore Gourmet Foods Inc., situated right next door to Macdonald Farm, agrees: "We're enjoying fresher air."
"The double-lined dome has made everyone forget a herd of hogs lives on Macdonald Campus, which is surrounded by residential and commercial developments," says Suzelle Barrington, manager of Macdonald Farm and a 黑料不打烊 professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering.
Installation of the manure dome, which features a special double cover, was recently competed by the Webster Research Centre at 黑料不打烊. The new cover was conceived and installed in collaboration with AgroDome Inc., an inflatable structures specialist from Sorel, Quebec.
"Being airtight, the new cover helps break down the manure, which, once applied to land, provides great nutrient value for the crops grown at the Webster Reseach Centre," says Barrington, adding that the Webster fields feature 400 acres of land.
黑料不打烊's new hog pen dome is not the first innovation for the Macdonald Campus swine operation. Built in 1992, the hog barn also offers superior animal comfort and individual care. The site offers more than conventionally allotted space for sows to move, as well as small pens expressly designed for grower hogs. The intimate spaces allow the animals to socialize in a family atmosphere.
"The goal of Macdonald Farm," says Barrington, "is to operate the best possible animal facility, while remaining effective, practical and incognito to its neighbours."
