VENTEC Keeping Fresh Air Moving

Published on Fri, 05/01/2015 - 10:02am

For dairy producers, maximizing dairy herd production potential is of utmost importance. One key factor in the equation is eliminating stale air. Research shows that fresh, clean air helps eliminate high moisture, manure gases, pathogens and dust concentrations — that in turn increases milk production and milk quality.Since 1989, Ventec (www.ventecventilation.ca/), a Canadian company, has specialized in agricultural ventilation concepts. Since its beginning in the province of Quebec, Ventec has steadily grown and expanded throughout the world, including the United States, Europe, China, Japan as well as the rest of Canada. Ventec’s production facility is located in the industrial sector of Saint-Hyacinthe in a 50,000-square foot production facility that houses complete production staff and support personnel.For the past 25 years, Ventec has helped its customers optimize the efficiency of their operations by manufacturing many specialty products that reduce animal heat stress, illness, injury and mortality through innovative solutions. Ventec’s patented, durable, and effective ventilation solutions have translated into continuous savings for our customer, which makes Ventec Canada the complete solution to all your ventilation needs.

From the ground up
That’s one of the things about Ventec Canada. “At Ventec, we tailor what we offer to meet the needs of the producer. Many of our most recent projects are completely new designs — from the ground up,” says Kelly Ingalls, North American Technical Sales Manager. With a multidisciplinary team with formal engineering and technical degrees, as well as members with extensive field experience, the design team has the expertise to tailor the best Ventec product to meet each producer’s needs.“We have a dealer distribution network throughout the United States that we conduct continuous training, support and encourage them to seek our advice on a job to job basis,” notes Ingalls.
So, if a producer is looking at erecting a new dairy barn, the producer will meet with the local dealer to discuss overall size of the structure, number of cattle, etc. The engineer and design team will then custom fit the ventilation system based on the specs of the building. According to Ingalls, “We are able to design and custom fit a complete natural or tunnel ventilation system to meet the specifications of the building and ventilation needs. Our dealers carry standard products in inventory, but for the most part our products are custom built for that specific job. For these products we strive to maintain a 2-3 week lead-time from time of ordering to the shipping date. Our dealers have the personnel, experience and installation manuals to install all Ventec equipment.”             

Dealerships/Ventec working together
At the same time, Ingalls says Ventec dealers can also help producers with redesign projects. “We work with the farmer on a one-to-one basis. First, we look at the problem and the impact it is having on them. We then provide options to help solve the problem. In many cases, we can show the return on investment.”Two such dealerships include Hicks Sales located in Vermont and Agromatic from Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Hicks Sales notes, “As a dealer, the Ventec Canada products have been a great fit for us. The products are custom fit to meet our customer needs. We mostly retrofit barns to improve the ventilation and Ventec Canada has always given us a quick response. We are looking forward to growing with Ventec Canada and continuing to provide our customers with the best possible products available”At the same time, Agromatic, which has been working with Ventec Canada for two and a half years, has this to say. “Ventec’s product line is versatile and always high quality. Whether it is for an existing facility or new construction, we know they have the product we need and the knowledge to back it up. Agromatic is confident Ventec has the best products on the market and that is reflected in each installation we do. We look forward to continuing to work with this innovative company.”

Key Products
One of the cornerstones is the Polymat G3, which is an inflated insulated wall, which allows light inside the barn and optimizes the reproductive cycle of animals. It is the outcome of 50 years of innovation in agricultural ventilation. This insulated wall can be automated and controls the climate inside a naturally ventilated barn. During the cold months it creates an insulated barrier, sealing off the cold air that would normally cause your barn to freeze. Ventec’s patented design allows us to manufacture opening heights from 3 feet to 15 feet and lengths up to 300 feet. This allows you to maximize the structures natural ventilation possibilities. Our unique pole bracket design allows the Polymat G3 to exceed the openings at the top and bottom by 4 inches and exceed the opening at the sides by 24 inches to prevent cold air infiltration. The Polymat G3 opens and closes with ease and quietness. No more noise like curtains from the wind and no more broken cables or pulleys in the winter. The Polymat G3 end kit covers are made with high density polyethylene plastic (HDPE) that provides a greater resistance to weather conditions and eliminates any risk of corrosion that sheet metal ones offer. Ventec Canada end kits are installed on a steel support making it more rigid. This makes it easier and quicker to install translating into savings for dairy producers.Dodd Farms in Vermont discusses the positive interaction with their dealer and Ventec during the construction of their new heifer barn. “We met with our dealer, Lake’s End Equipment, and Kelly from Ventec Canada for advice on ventilating our newly constructed heifer barn. They gave us solid options that fit our budget and they were always available to answer any questions during the installation process. This past winter we didn’t have the barn at full capacity and with the Polymat G3 covering our sidewalls, the barn didn’t freeze up. The Polymat G3 sealed up the sidewall openings and prevented cold air from coming in the barn. We have a unique system that uses natural ventilation during less heat stress temperatures and automatically switches to the tunnel system during high heat stress temperatures. This was all designed by the team at Ventec Canada and Lake’s End Equipment.”
The most commonly purchased fan is the Cyclone Plus 72" recirculating fan. Its patent design round exhaust exit gives you more control of the directional air flow pattern. It can be positioned at a 30⁰ angle directing air flow in one direction or in the horizontal position directing air flow in two directions. This versatility allows the air flow to be directed in the areas needed to cool the animals in their comfort zone and not dry out the feed alley. With this unique engineering change from the old square exit model, Ventec created a more energy efficient fan while maintaining the air flow required to cool the animals.Robert Velthuis of Vriesdale Farm was impressed right away with the Cyclone Plus 72" fans. “We installed the Cyclone Plus 72" fans in our new natural ventilated barn in 2014. We noticed right away these fans moved more air then the HVLS fans. We move air in the areas we want with no dead air spots and the cows didn’t bunch up anymore. There are no flies or mosquitos and no birds in the barn. They eliminated the fog and humidity. The cows stay cleaner because they are not swatting flies with the tails. These fans help dry out our sand stalls if they get wet. When it was 35˚C (95˚F) outside last summer it was 25˚C (77˚F) in the barn. In our maternity area, at times we turned the fans in reverse and circulated the air slowly. This made a big difference in the quality of the air in that area. In our opinion there is no fan that comes close to the Cyclone Plus 72".”
Donald Barton of Barbrooke Farm echoes those sentiments. “We are really happy with the Cyclone fan. With the variable speed drives we save money from the energy efficiency and we are surprised at how much air these fans move in the areas we are looking at cooling. We can see that the cows really enjoy the new air environment.”Tired of rain and snow infiltrations, freezing issues and wet feed alleys? Ventec chimneys and linear roof vents have been the answer for many producers. Ventec chimneys are designed to stop these problems and are a crucial part of an effective ventilation system. Chimney designs come in oval, round and rectangular. The linear roof vents are built with a cascade design and geometry that ensures maximum air circulation without allowing water or snow infiltrations. Once again, by working with dealers and Ventec Canada, producers are able to come up with the design that best fits their needs.

Cornerstones for breeding success
Good breeding success is key in a successful dairy operation. Scientists recognize three important elements for breeding calves successfully: food, housing and management. Ventec offers producers its CalfOTel® breeding system, a dairy housing system backed by nearly 30 years of successful practical experience. With the CalfOTel® breeding systems, farmers are guaranteed that the cornerstone ‘housing’ is the strongest link in the chain.
Marja van den Bijgaart from Heusden in the Netherlands handles the milking duties for 60 cows. She says, “At our dairy cattle farm, I am responsible for the calves. The CalfOTel® system is strong, but very manageable. This means that even as a woman I can easily work with this system.”Ventec’s secret: top quality polyester and patented fencing.
Fiberglass-reinforced polyester has a number of qualities, which makes this material very suitable for producing CalfOTel® systems. The material is extremely strong and sustainable. A life of 30 years is quite normal. Another strong point of this polyester is that it is resistant to UV. A CalfOTel® hutch effectively keeps solar heat outside, also because the smooth, extremely white top layer reflects sunlight. Even in high heat it remains cool in a CalfOTel® calf hutch! In addition, the openings created at the front of the roof guarantee the flow of fresh air. The smooth, very hard top layer also prevents the forming of cracks so that bacterial formation does not stand a chance. As a result, the huts are very easy to clean.
A word from the owner of Ventec Mr. Claude Levesque. “The Levesque family has continued to serve the agriculture industry for four generations now. We have always and will continue to listen to what our customers need and improve on our products quality and service. This is the foundation of our business.” The bottom line is this: Ventec offers state-of-the-art barn ventilation systems tailored to meet the specific needs of its customers. Its team of qualified professionals in barn and industrial ventilation combined with its active dealer network work together to ensure that customer service is of utmost importance.