Using chemical ionization mass spectrometry and photo- acoustic spectroscopy, we analysed the evolution of vola- tile organic compounds (VOCs) and other trace gases dur- ing an approximately one-week measurement period each in a pigsty and a sheep shed at the Federal Agricultural Research Centre (FAL) in Mariensee, Germany. When ac- tivities in the sheep shed were most intense during feeding hours and manure removal, concentration surges of VOCs were observed, which strongly correlated with methane and ammonia levels. Immediately after this disturbance, especially the manure removal, which lasted for about 30 minutes, the short-term concentration spikes decayed exponentially as a result of dilution of.
