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1998 - 19993
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Subject: Livestock Production and Management × End date: 1999 × Start date: 1998 ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    EFFECT OF HOUSING SYSTEMS ON THE REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF SOWS AND GILTS
    (COLLEGE OF VETERINARY AND ANIMAL SCIENCES-MANNUTHY,THRISSUR, 1998) V. RAMESH; P.C. Saseendran
    An experiment was conducted to findout the effect of housing systems on the reproductive performance of sows and gilts. Three types of housing systems namely, conventional house with wallowing tank (control TJ , conventional house with sprinklers (Tj) and range system (Tj) were put to test. Eighteen sows and eighteen gilts were reared under each system. A significantly lower (P<0.01) temperature was observed in sprinkler system (33.0°C) when compared to conventional (35.0°C) and range (34.35°C). There was nc significant difference in relative humidity between the groups. Significant difference (P<0.01) between treatment groups Ti with Tj and T3 in age at puberty and mating in gilt which were 305.47 ± 9.51, 270.36 ± 8.75 and 276.22 ± 5.- ;. respectively. The gilts under the treatment group T^ and T, had reached piiberty and were mated earlier than Ti group. The weight of gilts at the time of breeding was significantly (P<0.05) lower in treatment group T3 (75.39 ± 3.19) when compared to Tj (97.63 ± 3.09) and T^ (93.11 ± 3.73). But T3 group gilts had compensatory weight gain during pregnancy and difference between treatment groups in weight of gilts at one week after farrowing and at weaning were non significant. The weight of sows at the time of breeding, one week after farrowing and at weaning were significantly lower (P<0.05) in treatment group Tj when compared to T3 and . S .gnificantl' higher (P<0.01) percentage of oestrus occurrence, breeding success and intensity of oestrus were observed in T, and T3 group than group. The gestation length and post weaning oestrus period were found to be non-significantly different between the groups. The litter size at birth and weaning were 9.06 ± 0.26 and 6.87 ± 0.22 respectively in gilts and 9.38 ± 0.33 and 6.92 ± 0.05 respectively in sows reared under range system (T3) which were highly significant (P<0.01) than the litter size at birth and weaning obtained for gilts (5.85 ± 0.40 and 4.00 ± 0.69 respectively) and sows (7.09 ± 0.68 and 4.63 ± 0.70 respectively) reared under conventional system (TJ . Between T^ and T3 there was no significant difference. The litter weight at birth and weaning in T3 groups of 13.89 ± 0.43 kg and 62.72 ± 1.99 kg respectively in gilts and 14.35 ± 0.52 kg and 63.84 ± 4.04 kg respectively in sows were found to be highly significant than T^ group and non significantly higher than T, group. The cost of installing sprinkler in conventional pen and providing range in place of conventional pen were estimated to be Rs.29/m^ and Rs.l25/m= respectively. In the present study the reproductive performance of pigs maintained under sprinkler and range system was found to be better than the pigs maintained under conventional system. But the range system may not be practical and economically feasible always when compared to sprinkler system
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    EFFECT OF MODIFIED ENVIRONMENT DURING SUMMER ON THE PERFORMANCE OF GROWING PIGS
    (COLLEGE OF VETERINARY AND ANIMAL SCIENCES-MANNUTHY,THRISSUR, 1998) T. SUBRAMANIAN; K.S. Sebastian
    An investigation was carried out to study the environment variables and the effect of modified housing conditions on the physiological norms and growth performance during the dry season on the large white Yorkshire grower pigs. The modified housing include, - without wallow and sprinkler, Tj - with wallow only, T3 - with sprinkler only and T4 - with wallow and sprinkler as the four treatment groups. The dry season (summer) characterised by higher ambient temperature (maximum temperature - 31.5° to 37°C, minimum temperature 22.8 to 26.1°C, mean temperature - 27.4°C to 31.3°C), comparatively lower relative humidity (mean RH 63.15 to 75.68%) and wind speed (2.75 to 7.8 km/h) . The higher range of temperature was sufficient to cause stress on the performance of the grower pigs as per the literatures. The treatment (TJ without wallow and sprinkler varies significantly (P<0.05) in the body temperature, respiration rate, cardiac rate both in the forenoon and afternoon from the Tj, T3 and T4 gramps, i.e., T^ has shown more of physiological stress reaction than other treatment groups. T, was found to be more comfortable than T^. and T3 were having no significant difference except in afternoon body temperature and respiration rate. There were no statistically significant (P<0.05) difference between treatment groups in the fortnightly body weight gain from the first fortnight to upto twelfth fortnight. The twelfth fortnight body weight of the treatments T^, T2, T3 and T4 were 70.833 ± 2.114, 69.333 ± 5.816, 73.333 ± 5.681 and 71.667 ± 5.975. There were also no significant difference in the body length, chest girth and body height among the treatment groups in the fortnightly observations. Though T^ had shown significant (P<0.05) rise of physiological norms that had not reached upto the level of growth retardation. The overall fortnightly rate of gain (kg) and average daily gain (g) of the treatment groups of T^, Tj, Tj and T^ were 5.08 ± 0.60, 4.97 ± 0.54, 5.28 ± 0.56 and 5.17 ± 0.60 and 339 ± 39.9, 330.9 ± 36.1, 351.7 ± 37.6 and 343.9 ± 36.0. Under restricted feeding regime, T3 was having relatively better feed conversion efficiency and lower cost per kg of live weight production than T^, T^ and Tj. The conversion efficiency of T^, T^, T3 and T^ were 4.05, 4.15, 3.91 and 3.99 and cost per kg of live weight production 36.16, 37.03, 35.05 and 35.81. Based on the observations and the results suitable method of environment modification during the dry season for grower pigs can be recommended.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    HEAT STRESS ALLEVIATING MEASURES FOR CROSSBRED COWS
    (COLLEGE OF VETERINARY AND ANIMAL SCIENCES Mannuthy - Thrissur, 1999) THIRUMURUGAN, P.; Saseendran, P.C.; THIRUMURUGAN, P.
    An experiment was conducted to find the effect of sprinkling water on crossbred cows during summer season of Kerala. Twelve early lactating crossbred cows were selected and put into four groups of three each and were randomly allotted to four treatments as open house with sprinkler (TJ, open house without sprinkler (T,), tie-barn with sprinkler (TJ and tie-barn without sprinkler (T,). The mean maximum temperature recorded in the T^, T^, T, and T< locations were 32.03, 32.17, 33.27 and 33.40'c respectively and these were lower than the maximum temperature recorded outside the animal houses (35.45*C). Both within the tie-barn and within the open house, the mean maximum and minimum temperatures and mean relative humidity morning and afternoon did not differ significantly due to sprinkling of water. But the differences between the tie-barn and open house were highly significant (P<0.01) and higher in the tie-barn for all these variables. f Physiological reaction such as rectal temperature, respiratory rate, and cardiac rate did not vary significantly between treatments for morning recording. For afternoon recording the differences were highly significant. Sprinkling of water in Tj and T, markedly reduced the diurnal rise in physiological norms compared to T,. The difference between T^ and Tj was comparable. Mean weekly milk yield of cows in T^, Tj and Tj increased by 4.70, 1.22 and 1.71 kg per head respectively compared with . Milk composition such as total solids, solids not fat, protein and fat percentages did not vary significantly between treatments. Green grass consumption differed significantly between treatments and highest in the Tj (26.16 kg per cow). Daily water consumption differed significantly between treatments and highest in the T, (31.72 kg). Haemoglobin, packed cell volume and erythrocyte sedimentation rate differed significantly (P<0.01) between treatments. There was a uniform loss in body weights of all the experimental cows as lactation progressed upto the peak yield stage, thereafter the cows had shown tendency to regain body weights irrespective of the type of treatment given. Sprinkling water in Tj and encouraged the feeding and rumination of cows during hot hours of the day and consumed significantly more feed. Sprinkling of water in Ti and T, increased the intensity and duration of oestrus and successful insemination rate. The results suggest that during the summer season of kerala tree shade or simple shade areas with roof supported on pillors affording maximum ventilation and sprinkling or splashing of water during hot hours of the day may be practiced to alleviate heat stress and reduce drop in milk production and fertility rate during summer.