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31 May 2024

Sound the alarm

Sound the alarm


Kieran Keane, Teagasc Pig Development Department, discusses why it is important to regularly test and review ventilation and feed system alarms on farms, ensure all links in the notification chain work properly, and consider using remote access apps cautiously to address issues promptly and safely.

No one likes to get a phone call in the middle of the night, but it would certainly be worse if no one gets the call. All automatic ventilation and feeding systems should come with some type of alarm output. How this output is delivered to a person can vary – phone call via auto dialler, SMS, email or just a loud siren on farm. The outcome is then dependant on the person who receives the alarm; does the person return to the farm? Can they log in from another computer or phone to check out the alarm and perhaps fix it remotely? or does it just have to wait until morning?

Ventilation

As we draw nearer to what will hopefully be a warm and sunny summer now is a good time to review ventilation alarm protocols on farm. The implications of inadequate ventilation on pig performance can be costly but the implications of ventilation failure, especially in hot conditions, can be catastrophic. As part of the Bord Bia PQAS ventilation alarms should be tested at least once a week. However in practice merely testing that the alarm mechanism itself works may does not guarantee it works well in a real scenario, say a high temperature alarm on warm summers evening. We need to know that all the following are in place:

  • The stat is set to an appropriate temperature to trigger the alarm
  • Failsafe of the system works properly
  • The alarm dialler is ready and all inputs are enabled (sometimes a troublesome input can be turned off to avoid nuisance alarms – its important these aren’t forgotten)
  • The correct phone number(s) are in the dialler
  • The person it tries to contact hasn’t blocked the number or has excluded it from any “do not disturb” function on the phone at night
  • The person receiving the alarm is close by and has the means, expertise and knowledge to deal with the alarm

So there are a lot of links in the chain from the system registering a problem to the problem being solved. It’s best to test the system fully and regularly rather than realising it doesn’t work when it’s too late.

Feed systems

All the points above also apply for the testing of a feed system alarm also. However the urgency and potential risk of casualties is somewhat smaller. That being said having a feed system on alarm or stopped for any period of time will also adversely affect pig performance. The longer time that a feed system is on alarm the lower the volume of feed that it will deliver. Obviously the busier the system and the longer the time, then the greater the impact. The costs associated with having a feed system down for a period of time is proportional to

  • the number of animals affected
  • the number of feedings missed and the proportion of their daily feed this represents
  • the length of time they are affected for
  • the ability of the feed system to catch up or compensate

A delay in solving an alarm can result in lower intakes, lower daily gain, reduced FCE, increased stress and aggressive behaviours. Depending on the feed system and how busy it is there comes a length of stoppage where the pigs will not compensate for the feeds they have missed. This will vary based on age and weight of the pigs. Up to this certain point if the feed system has the available time to “catch up” the pigs might still consume the same amount of feed. The ability of the feed system to catch up will depend on how busy the system is, the trough capacity and trough space per pig. For example an alarm on a dry feed system supplying large wet/dry feeders will be less pressing than a short trough adlib fed wet feed system. Each system will have its own in-built urgencies. Each system should be assessed differently on how an alarm for each may be dealt with. It is a good idea to assess and have proper protocols in place.

Remote Access

Remote access apps can be very useful. For feed systems in particular there is the possibility of solving the alarm without the need to return to the farm. If it can’t be fixed remotely at least the cause of the alarm is known before someone returns to the farm. There are various types of apps available and some are free depending on frequency of use. However caution is to be advised when remotely operating the system for a few safety reasons:

  • Obviously when operating machinery you cannot see or hear, so you may be making a problem such as a blockage worse.
  • You could endanger someone trying to fix the problem on site (in which case they should isolate whatever machinery they are working on)
  • If you were to get disconnected in the middle of a manual operation you could cause a bigger problem e.g. overflow a tank with water or worse with feed.

So it is important to advise all people who have remote access to a system of these dangers and also to remind everyone else on farm that remote access can restart a system they are working on.

In summary

  • Review alarm protocols regularly and test every link in the chain.
  • If you already use remote access apps review safety and access, if not consider getting one.
  • Try to sort nuisance alarms quickly rather than turning off an output.
  • Also track alarm records, as identifying repeated alarms or alarms in a pattern could flag an issue which when solved will result in fewer alarms in the long run.