Ammonia Problems

Ammonia build up is one of the most critical issues surrounding the safe use of your cool room. High levels of ammonia can be harmful to the animal’s respiratory system. In extreme cases we have heard of cattle being blinded by ammonia exposure and even dying. Ammonia buildup in a cool room will also destroy your refrigeration equipment. All cool rooms must be built capable of draining the urine out of the room. If the room does not drain properly and urine is allowed to set in the bedding, ammonia will be a major problem. We highly recommend you follow our detailed drawings for proper drainage and then use SciZyme - Ammonia & Odor Controller on a daily basis. Proper use of your cool room should provide a healthy and comfortable place for your show animal to live and grow to their potential.

What is SciZyme?

SciZyme Fresh 500C– Ammonia and Odor Controller Concentrate was tested by us at Cool Calf in our own cool rooms and found to be a highly effective product at controlling the ammonia levels. SciZyme, a product of FlexTran, Inc. is 100% natural and safe for people and animals. We highly recommend it for use in our cool rooms. To learn more about SciZyme and how to purchase it go to www.flextraninc.com/scizyme.html.

The proper bedding is also important, not only for providing comfort for your animals but also for absorbing the urine and reducing ammonia build up. Several types of bedding can be used depending on the cost and availability in your area. ShowBed* pellets, as seen at www.showbed.com, cedar fiber and low-dust shavings or bark have been proven effective beddings for cool rooms. SciZyme is effective with all of these beddings, whether on mats or concrete floors. A key note is look for a bedding that is low in dust, absorbent, and comfortable. Remove the urine saturated and manure soiled bedding twice a day and spay with SciZyme.

*ShowBed livestock bedding is manufactured of 100% recycled cardboard. It is virtually dust-free, highly absorbent, helps control allergies, is safe and easy to use in pellet form and makes great compost. Click on ShowBed for additional information.
With the purchase of a Cool Calf cool room we will supply detailed floor drawings on how to construct your cool room to drain properly and best control ammonia problems. These drawings have been used successfully through out the U.S. and we are confident they will also work for you and your operation.
Fresh Air System

A fresh air system is a standard feature on all of our complete rooms. The fan is controlled by a 5 minute cycle timer. We will tell you how to calibrate the timer based upon the number of cattle in your room. We will supply this system to anyone needing to provide fresh air to their room.

Helpful Hint: Managing your ammonia, even with a Fresh Air System, is critical to the health of your animals and the life of your refrigeration equipment. We highly recommend the use of SciZyme Ammonia & Odor Controller to keep ammonia levels low. For information on SciZyme and how you can purchase it please go to www.flextraninc.com/scizyme.html.