Growth and estimated heat balance of pigs raised under different housing conditions during summer in southern australia

Abstract

ABSTRACT1. An experiment was carried out to describe growth rate, efficiency and thermal balance of pigs accommodated in three different housing conditions during summer in southern Australia.2. Housed pigs grew at a similar rate to those in an outside pen with a wallow and shelter (418g/day compared with 404g/day respectively; P > 0·05), and both groups utilized food with similar efficiency (food conversion ratios of 3·07 and 3·14 respectively; P > 005). A group accommodated in an outside pen with a wallow but no shelter grew at a significantly slower rate (347g/day; Z <001) with a lower efficiency of food conversion (3·35; P < 005) than either of the other two groups. At slaughter, pigs housed outside without shelter showed a significantly higher dressing proportion (0·749; P < 005) and had less backfat (11·6mm; P < 0·05) than the inside group (0·723 and 13·4mm respectively).3. Estimated heat storages at 12.00 h of pigs housed inside and outside without shelter were respectively, and approximately, 50 and 18·5 × greater than in those pigs housed outside with shelter.