Inadequate ventilation in closed animal barns and housing facilities can often lead to pneumonia and respiratory illnesses in the animals and the humans who care for them. Ammonia build-up from waste is seldom noticed when the same person works in the same operation every day, but it can be a hidden killer and is often a major factor in reduced animal and human performance.
At an ammonia level of 6 ppm, eye and respiratory irritation can occur. Animal performance can 
be reduced at ammonia levels of 11 ppm, with 25 ppm being the max level for eight-hour exposure. At the 40 ppm level, humans can experience headaches, nausea and appetite loss. Severe reductions in animal performance and health, with an increased possibility of pneumonia, can occur at 50 ppm. At 100 ppm, humans and animals can experience sneezing, salivation and irritation of mucus membranes.
“Producers often admit that they have a problem with ammonia, but seldom realize how great of a problem it is,” said Tim Nelson, Vice President – Animal Health & Nutrition Sales at Brookside Agra.
To control ammonia, offensive gasses and waste volume in animal housing, Brookside Agra recommends using its all-natural Ammocure specialty feed additive. Proven to reduce ammonia levels by up to 50 percent or more when added to feeds, Ammocure helps improve air quality, feed conversion and average daily gain, plus helps increase feed intake for better animal health and more comfortable working conditions for employees. The lower volume of waste solids also helps reduce the cost of handling liquid and solid manure.
Made in the U.S.A., Ammocure is a specially formulated source of saponin, a natural wetting agent derived from the Yucca Schidigera plant. Non-toxic to all species and sizes of livestock, poultry and small animals when used as directed, all-natural Ammocure is available in a 15% Meal, 30% Powder, and 50% Liquid formulation.
“Ammocure Liquid is proven to control odors and reduce ammonia emissions from manure when added to feeds, while the powder and meal formulations are recommended to control waste volume, ammonia and offensive gasses produced by livestock. Ammocure Powder and Meal can also be used as a flavoring agent in commercial livestock feeds,” said Nelson.
Brookside’s Ammocure products contain no fillers or carriers such as Zeolite or Calcium Carbonate that can often inhibit the activity of the saponin. Ammocure is also listed as a GRAS LIST safe-to-use ingredient.
For more information about Brookside Agra’s all-natural Ammocure, visit https://www.brookside-agra.com/categories/specialty-feed-additives/ or contact Tim Nelson, Vice President – Animal Health & Nutrition Sales, at 402-560-7381 or tim.nelson@brookside-agra.com.