Poor air quality in livestock housing — high in ammonia, particulates, and pathogens — causes respiratory disease and chronic welfare compromise that is closely linked to stocking density and ventilation design.
Animals in poorly ventilated housing with high ammonia concentrations are breathing an atmosphere that causes direct tissue damage to their respiratory tracts. The burning sensation from high ammonia concentrations — analogous to what humans experience near strong cleaning products — is a form of chronic suffering that affects millions of farm animals daily. Eyes water, airways inflame, and susceptibility to respiratory infection increases. The welfare improvement achievable through proper ventilation design is substantial and technically straightforward. The barrier is primarily economic — ventilating adequately in winter costs more in heat — requiring regulatory standards that prevent false economies being made at the expense of animal welfare.