Environmental
medicine - some useful equipment
Basic environmental medicine can be broken down into four major areas: water, food, floor and the air. Each of these areas requires some equipment to allow the clinician to carry out a basic examination. The basic tools in the kit are highlighted in red |
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Water supply |
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Note drinker placement, number and position |
Look for dirty drinkers |
Look for unusual behaviour |
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Note water appearance, taste and temperature |
Note water depth |
Tape measure for height |
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Collapsible measuring Cup – 250 ml |
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Measuring cylinder |
Stop watch |
Water pressure gauge |
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Wrench to remove drinker |
Tools to take drinker apart – Swiss Army knife |
Check stray with a volt meter |
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Food |
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Note placement of feeders |
Look at feed usage and wasted feed |
Look for unusual behaviour |
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Measure dimensions of feeder |
Presence and age of soiled food |
Check weight of feed delivered against volume |
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Observe feed consistency |
Note the smell of the feed |
Note the taste of the feed |
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Floor |
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Note stocking density measure tape and ultrasound and calculator |
Note defecation pattern |
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Measure solid/void/step |
Note rough edges |
Note total floor comfort |
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Presence of mould |
Dry and wet areas |
Crated area appropriate size |
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Sharp points and projections |
Slope of the floor – 20o measure shown - EU |
Hygiene levels |
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Air |
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Cold piglets |
Hot finishers |
Good lying pattern of group |
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Note lying pattern and position of group |
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Smell the air |
Note presence of dust |
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Air temperature and humidity |
Infra-red gun |
Remote temperature recorder |
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Gas pollutants – NH3, CO2, CO, H2S |
Light levels |
Air speed – easier once air pattern known |
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Small cold smoke to large smoke generators |
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Air movement – smoke bombs/generators |
Static pressure |
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Measure Inlet outlet size |
Fan hygiene |
Fan Speed – tachometer |
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Drip cooling |
Other cooling systems |
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Summary List of equipment
Air speed |
Calculator |
Gas concentrations |
Humidity |
Light meter |
Measuring tape – 2 metre |
Measuring tape -
20 metres |
Measuring tape - ultrasound |
Pliers |
Screwdriver (flat) |
Screwdriver (Philips) |
Slope meter |
Smoke bombs |
Static pressure |
Stop watch |
Swiss Army knife |
Tachometer |
Temperature |
Volt meter |
Water measuring bottle |
Weight scales |
Wrench |
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