Tag: Baumgartner Environics

Ten Reasons to use EPI Air in your Barn

Posted on by EPI Air

If you are a swine or poultry producer who wants to improve your production rates, it is time to learn about Electrostatic Particle Ionization (EPI) by Baumgartner Environics. EPI is a patented air-cleaning system, specially designed for reducing dust particles from agricultural settings and other confined spaces. Read more about how it works here.

Why use EPI to Improve your In-Barn Air Quality?

  1. Proven Dust Removal – USDA Studies and other test data show that EPI Air can help remove 50-80% of dust particles and aerosols from the air.
  2. Improve Animal Production – EPI Air has been shown to dramatically improve animal production and livability (See Murphy-Brown’s production gains).
  3. Employee Work Environment & Morale – Cleaner air makes it easier for employees to breathe inside the animal production area, creating a better work environment.
  4. Quick Return on Investment – Murphy-Brown calculated less than 34 weeks to get a ROI based on their own 99.9% statistically significant tests.
  5. Reduce Odors for Neighbors– EPI Air catches dust particles inside the barn, so gases and pathogens can’t “hitch a ride” on dust particles being emitted outside. Visitors and neighbors will appreciate reduced barn odors.
  6. Encourage Growth – Cleaner air can also relieve stress on animals, creating an environment that improves the rate of swine and poultry growth.
  7. Reduce Mortalities – EPI Air has been shown to reduce mortality rates (Mortalities reduced by 26.1% for Murphy-Brown).
  8. Innovative Combinations – EPI Air can be combined with other clean-air methods such as filtration for promising results.
  9. Fight PRRS – EPI Air may help PRRS infected pigs to fight secondary complications. 
  10. Worldwide Recognition– EPI Air is installed in barns across the globe. In fact, EPI complies with European standards for dust reduction with Certification in the Netherlands, and also has been invested in by the Canadian government in support of the Manitoba Pork Council.

If you would like to learn more about how EPI Air can make a difference in your production facility, please contact us today.

World Pork Expo is Super Showcase for BEI

Posted on by EPI Air

By Dick Hagen, of Hagen and Associates

Perhaps speaking for the 400+ exhibitors at the 2012 World Pork Expo, Des Moines, John Baumgartner, President, Baumgartner Environics, Inc., Olivia, MN simply said, “Expo is the one-stop place for scientific and business information technology for the pork industry. And to a huge extent, this show is about people. Be that pork producers renewing acquaintances, technical people briefing on the latest issues and new products, and enjoying the atmosphere of international guests from everywhere. Expo truly is the celebration of the U.S. Pork industry and we were hugely satisfied and impressed with the traffic at our EPI-Air exhibit.”

Show-stealer for BEI was their unique display of the EPI (Electrostatic Particle Ionization) system in which participants slapped on a wrist band and decidedly felt the ‘tingle’ of electronic waves which capture airborne dust, ammonia, odor and hydrogen sulfide within hog production buildings. The net result of this ionization process is cleaner air or ‘EPI-Air’ which in turn results in faster gains, reduced mortalities, and slight improvements in feed efficiencies.

Commented Matt Baumgartner, general manager of BEI, “We first released the Murphy-Brown test data validating our EPI technology at the 2011 Expo. Since that time there has been quite a bit of industry talk about this data and our technology, precipitated because Murphy-Brown, North America’s largest hog producer, is now installing EPI units throughout their Western Division.”

World Pork Expo logo“We had 7, sometimes 8 of our own people at our Expo booth and often just simply couldn’t keep up with the questions and inquiries. That’s about as good as it gets. Expo literally was a home run for us, with the bases loaded.”

Dr. Gary Bradley, Research Coordinator, Murphy-Brown LLC, directed the trials of the EPI technology. Interviewed at the Pork Expo, he commented, “We were fortunate to be on the ground floor of this new technology. We were quite impressed with the performance results and thus our major move with the installation of EPI units in most of our nursery facilities.”

We were fortunate to be on the ground floor of this new technology. We were quite impressed with the performance results and thus our major move with the installation of EPI units in most of our nursery facilities.

Next move for Murphy-Brown is testing EPI units in growing/finishing facilities. “There are different dynamics with ventilation in larger barns. Humidity may be more of a factor relating to the efficacy of ionization of air in larger barns. So our work now relates to the impact of negative ions in a more humid environment,” says Bradley.

Could EPI technology possibly reduce the movement of PRRS virus? Bradley only ventured, “That might be a possibility. I don’t think the negative ions could eliminate the virus from the barn. However, combined with the overhead positioning of EPI units perhaps a portable unit used at floor level could be ‘zapping’ viruses after the wash down.”

He speculates there likely will be additional technology that branches off from the current EPI system. As a research scientist he’s more than willing and ready to further explore new ideas. “Preliminary results were phenomenal in our nursery units so we’re totally open to stretching our minds about a further spin off of EPI technology.”

How to Clean a Barn with EPI Installed

Posted on by EPI Air

Often we hear questions from customers regarding how to clean a barn that has the EPI Air® System installed. The answer is basically “Clean the barn like usual,” but here are a few things to remember.

Think Differently about Dust

leaf blowerThe EPI Air® System requires a bit of a paradigm shift regarding room cleanliness, since a thick layer of visible dust will collect on surfaces in the barn. It is important to remember that dust collected on surfaces is superior to dust suspended in the breathable air.  Even though the dust will be more noticeable on these surfaces, removing dust from the air enhances ventilation and data shows that it improves production.

Clean the Barn like Usual

When the animal production phase has been completed, the room can be cleaned as part of normal barn washing operations. The EPI Air® components can be power-washed when the system is powered off.  A handheld leaf blower also works well to remove the collected dust from the surfaces to get them out of the barn. Turn the fans on to purge and blow the dust off barn surfaces.  Dust is also removed easily by sweeping with a broom or rapping on the surfaces with a rubber mallet.

What other questions do you have about cleaning a barn with the EPI® System installed?

BEI Launches New EPI Air Website!

Posted on by EPI Air

Welcome to the new BEI website featuring the revolutionary EPI Air!  Our website looks different, but rest assured you are in the right place!

The past several months, we have been working hard to compile the research and articles about Electrostatic Particle Ionization (EPI).  Finally, the research is collected in one, easy to find spot here on our new website, www.epiair.com, where we will continue to share new research data, success stories, and supporting articles.

Continue reading “BEI Launches New EPI Air Website!” →

Watch what happens when EPI Dust Reduction is Unplugged (Video)

Posted on by EPI Air

The effects of Electrostatic Particulate Ionization may seem invisible at first.  But you will see the difference after just a few days, when the dust starts collecting on surfaces. You can also see the effects of the EPI Dust Reduction System when it is switched off.

In the video below, watch the effects of unplugging the EPI Air System.

The EPI Air Dust Reduction System requires a bit of a paradigm shift regarding cleanliness, since a thick layer of dust will collect on surfaces in your barn. Dust collected on surfaces is better than dust suspended in the air, even though it is more noticeable on the surface. Removing dust from the air enhances ventilation and reduces stress on respiratory systems.  Research shows EPI Air improves the overall performance and growth of livestock.

 

Results of EPI Air Presented at AASV Conference

Posted on by EPI Air

Last week, John Baumgartner and Matt Baumgartner of BEI attended the AASV Conference (American Association of Swine Veterinarians) in Denver, Colorado.  Not only did BEI participate at AASV by having the EPI Air in their booth to demonstrate to customers, but they also donated an EPI Air System for the AASV Live Auction, which ended up being the highest bid auction item. There was tremendous support for the EPI Air at the AASV Conference, as Dr. Chris Radermacher, Production Improvement Director for the Western Operations of Murphy Brown LLC, (the world’s largest pork producer) spoke about EPI.  Dr. Radermacher presented about how EPI Air Technology has met and surpassed the criteria laid out by Murphy-Brown LLC.

Dr. Radermacher’s presentation was titled Electrostatic Particle Ionization (EPI) improves nursery pig performance and air quality and included Murphy Brown’s data findings on how EPI affected their swine performance.

After briefly explaining the background of Electrostatic Particle Ionization (EPI), and what EPI Air is, he discussed how the EPI Air works.  Dr. Radermacher went on to share that the USDA Research has shown that the EPI System removes 60-80% of suspended particulate matter from air space.

But how does cleaner air translate to results?

Murphy-Brown, LLC installed EPI Air units in two, 2000-head production nurseries and tested against two matching nurseries without EPI Air. The test ran for five turns, approximately 44,000 nursery pigs. With consistent and reproducible results, Murphy-Brown, LLC proved to itself that EPI technology installed in the hog nursery barn is a “must have” technology. Murphy-Brown, LLC is currently installing EPI system wide.

The production nursery with EPI Air equipped noted these production gains:

Would you like to learn more about how EPI Air can improve your livestock performance?  Contact us for a quote or call us at 800-823-4234 for more information.