Odor Control for Liquid Manure Storage Practices - Landscaping

Landscaping can reduce the emission of housing odors, as well as odors generated by other components of the livestock operation, beyond the property line. Landscaping acts as a permeable filter for particle emissions, slowing the particulate movement and diluting the concentrations of emissions. Trees and shrubs act as biofilters for odorous compounds that are attached to fine particles. By landscaping with both a treeline and a row of shrubs, particles at various heights within a plume can be adsorbed. To maximize absorption, landscape materials with large surface areas are recommended. Trees and shrubs placed around the facility should not impede building ventilation and therefore are often located on the property lines.

Costs associated with landscaping will vary depending on selected trees and shrubs, and on perimeter size. The estimate of a shelterbelt planted around a 3000-head hog facility using "higher" cost trees ($25 per shrub or tree), calculated as $0.68 per pig for one year, amortized over 20 years at 5 percent, is just $0.09 per pig. These costs include maintenance costs. In addition to acting as a natural filtration system for odors, landscaping has the additional benefits of being aesthetically pleasing to the eye and of restricting the view of the operation. So, while documented effectiveness on emissions is scarce, the value of creating a facility that

Extension Publications

• PM 1970a Practices to Reduce Odor from Livestock Operations (pdf)
• PM 1970b Practices to Reduce Odor From Livestock Operations Flowchart (pdf)
• EDC 162h Air Quality and Animal Agriculture (pdf)
• PM 1936 Air Quality Resources for Iowa Animal Agriculture (pdf)
• PM 1935 Gaseous Emissions from Animal Agriculture (pdf)
• PM 1963a The Science of Smell Part 1: Odor perception and Physiological Response (pdf)
• PM 1963b The Science of Smell Part 2: Odor Chemistry (pdf)
• PM 1963c The Science of Smell Part 3: Odor detection and measurement (pdf)
• PM 1963d The Science of Smell Part 4: Principles of Odor Control (pdf)
• PM 1964 Odor Control Methods Used by Iowa Pork Producers (pdf)
• PM-1754h Iowa Odor Control Demonstration Project Landscaping (pdf)
• FS925-A Understanding Livestock Odors (pdf)

Abstracts, Conference Proceedings, Presentations and Reports

• Odor Rating System Demonstration Project U of MN

Journal Articles

Newsletter Articles

Other Links

• Section 3 Outdoor Air Quality (MWPS-18)
• Trees Being Considered In The Fight Against Livestock Odor (press release)