Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-qxdb6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-27T06:41:03.361Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Performance of group-housed growing pigs at and below lower critical temperature

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 November 2017

P.H. Simmins
Affiliation:
ADAS, Terrington EHF, Terrington St. Clement, King's Lynn, Norfolk PE34 4PW
A.W. Armsby
Affiliation:
ADAS, Terrington EHF, Terrington St. Clement, King's Lynn, Norfolk PE34 4PW
S.A. Edwards
Affiliation:
North of Scotland College of Agriculture, 581 King Street, Aberdeen AB9 1UD
A.T. Smith
Affiliation:
MAFF/ADAS, Woodthorne, Wolverhampton WV6 8TQ
Get access

Extract

Intensive pig housing often provides an environment with high levels of airborne contaminants which may be to the detriment of the health and welfare of the pig and the stockman. The problem is compounded by producers maintaining higher temperatures than necessary in an attempt to maximise performance. Consequently, air changes in a room may be unduly limited, particularly when the temperature differential between the outside and inside is large as in winter. It is therefore desirable to keep the room temperature as low as possible to maximise ventilation rate whilst ensuring that feed is used efficiently for growth. The temperature above which this occurs is the lower critical temperature (LCT). However current recommendations for LCT are based on research carried out on individuals and very small groups. Commercially, the variability of the group may have a significant effect on the practical minimum temperature which may be achieved. The objective of the trial reported here was to assess the performance of larger groups of pigs grown in controlled conditions utilising current recommendations for LCT based on the Bruce and Clark (1979) model.

Type
Pig Production
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Production 1990

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

ARC (1981) The Nutrient Requirements of Pigs. CAB, Slough.Google Scholar
Bruce, J.M. and Clark, J.J. (1979) Animal Production, 28 : 353369.Google Scholar
Holmes, C.W. and Close, W.H. (1985). In: Recent Developments in Pig Nutrition, ed Cole, D.J.A. and Haresign, W.. Butterworths, London, pp 1840.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MLC (1988) Pig Yearbook. MLC, Bletchley.Google Scholar