Werner Geisler, Engineer in the centre of regional significance with the pig production, education and knowledge, Boksberh City, Germany.

Germany plays the first fiddle in pig production of Europe. It presented it’s know- how in the field of microclimate support on the pig farms to Ukrainian pig producers during the third congress “Profitable pig production”.

Werner what is the reason that you have chosen pig production to work in it most part of your life?

It’s a family tradition my grandfather and then my father worked with pigs. So I had all conditions to work in pig production. My ideology was formed by my parents; they also helped me to choose education. I graduated the University of Nottingham. And now I work in scientific and research center Boxberg I research and teach in the same time.

What are the main directions in which the center works?

For the first it is training specialists of agrarian sector; for the second doing research of housing and ventilation systems; for the third it is testing of new technologies and conceptions. And the last it is the development of new systems and doing their research.

A big step forward was made in investigation of new of climate control systems. In fact we presented our latest achievement geothermic ventilation system at the congress. It is improved and modernized type of long existed subfloor ventilation.

How does it differ from other ventilation systems that are on the market?

We were searching for the ventilation system with minimum discomfort and harm. The performance of any technology depends on human. Man is prone to error. Our task is to minimize the human factor. From the moment of the creation of the system we made a lot of researches, found the best ways of construction, improved investment in building. First systems started working according to such principle 25 years ago. Some of them are still working and give good results without any improvements and modernization. Depending on the speed of the air flow and channel cross section, air firstly comes to a channel under the floor and only after that goes to the animals. Due to penetration through blowing channels, air covers larger area and is spread more evenly to the crates with animals. The concept of geothermic ventilation is quite simple. The air is supplied to the farm through stone cushions which are under the farm.

Why stone cushions and why are they under the ground?

Stone cushion is nothing else but the way to expend the area of heat exchange. We can maintain the stable temperature which does not depend on the outside temperature by burring the stones on certain depth. Land and stones are optimal regulators of temperature.

This system is suitable only for newly built farms, isn’t it?

Absolutely not. The stones may be located near the farm and covered with soil. Such version is usually used during reconstruction.

How does soil regulates temperature in pig houses?

What one should pay special attention to when implementing this type of ventilation?

Why such a ventilation system is particularly suitable in climates of Ukraine?

Are there any disadvantages of geothermal ventilation system?

How does Mr Haysler sees the development of pig production in Germany and what forecasts has he got for Ukraine?

You can read more in the magazine publication "Profitable Pig Production", №3 (5), September 2011.