Hydrogen production by anaerobic digestion is considered as one of tomorrow's clean energy source. Swine manure is also a big concern but as a problematic waste, a waste that could eventually be degraded by anaerobic digestion. The goal of this study was to combine these two subjects and design, operate, study and optimize an anaerobic reactor that could use a substrate with a heavy load of proteins like swine manure. To achieve these objectives, two experimental campaigns in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor (UASB) as weIl as an activity test campaign in bottles were conducted on granular sludge that was thermally pre-treated. The effects of teinperature, hydraulic retenti on time, pH and the use of a citrate buffer on the productivity of hydrogen and other metabolic by-products where monitored. Temperature of 55 °C gave better results (1.85 L H2·(d·Lyl)⁻¹) than 35 °C (0.078 L H2·(d·Lyl)⁻¹) and pH 5 (3.3 L H2·(d·Lyl)⁻¹) was preferable to pH 4.5 (1.75 L H2·(d·Lyl)⁻¹) and 5.5 (2.5 L H2·(d·Lyl)⁻¹) at 55 °C. A major production of lactic acid was also measured and showed up to be a major problem that influenced negatively hydrogen productivity and yield. It was also deterrnined that a citric acid buffer was inefficient and could easily be degraded at 35 °C. FinaIly, a pH 10 choc treatment improved hydrogen productivity by 50% to reach a maximum average of 3.49 L H2·(d·Lyl⁻¹) on the day that followed the recovery of the system.