Determination of ammonia concentrations on different floor types in dairy cow housing using a dynamic flux chamber

The design of floor surfaces and manure management in dairy cattle houses are crucial factors in reducing ammonia emissions. This study presents data from commercial farms in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. A total of 1445 measurements were carried out on 12 farms with a total of 19 floor types using a dynamic flux chamber. The floor types could be divided into four floor categories: slatted floors, grooved floors, transverse slope floors and paved floors. The farm-by-floor type classification is sparse, however, the installation of more than one floor type per farm allowed comparisons within and between farms. The results showed that all floor categories could achieve comparatively low ammonia concentrations under the given practical conditions, with a high degree of variability in the design of each floor type. As good manure management was standard across all farms, the time since the last manure removal results in non-significant differences in the ammonia concentrations. This suggests that the effectiveness of emission-reducing floor categories depends largely on their specific design and management. This study aimed to compare ammonia concentrations across different floor types under practical conditions using a dynamic flux chamber and to identify differences related to floor type and manure management.