Headbox Respiration Systems

In headbox systems, the animal is tethered in a pen with its head in a hood, and fresh air is drawn past at a known rate. Calculations are the same as for full-body respiration chambers, but emissions voided in the flatus are not included in the emission estimate.

The headbox system allows most of the animal’s body to be open to the atmosphere so that it can be cooled by fans and misters in hot climates, and for this reason headboxes are popular in tropical countries.

There are some published designs (e.g., Animals, 10(2), p.227; Journal of Animal Science, 94(suppl_5), pp.576–577), but there is also technical advice available to potential users – See “Headbox Best Practise” available for download on the right.

To support users further, we’ve created a video series covering key aspects of headbox design and operation. Watch the “Headbox Best Practice Guide” playlist on YouTube HERE. These videos provide practical insights and demonstrations from experts.

These resources were generated for an international workshop on headbox design and use run by New Zealand under its Climate Smart Agriculture Initiative. The workshop was held at and co-hosted by Cambodia’s Royal University of Agriculture in Phnom Penh in 2025.

News about the workshop were published on the SEARCA website, please click HERE to read more about the workshop