EFFECT OF HOUSING SYSTEMS ON THE REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF SOWS AND GILTS
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Date
1998
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COLLEGE OF VETERINARY AND ANIMAL SCIENCES-MANNUTHY,THRISSUR
Abstract
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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