EFFECT OF DIFFERENT FLOORING SYSTEMS ON FATTENING PIGS
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Date
2021
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Abstract
A study was conducted to assess the growth performance of Large White Yorkshire weaned pigs in three different flooring systems viz., solid concrete floor (T1), raised slatted concrete floor (T2) and raised slatted polypropylene floor (T3). Ten numbers (5 males and 5 females in each treatment) of weaned Large White Yorkshire pigs were allotted to each treatment group with average body weight of 16.50±0.50 kg.
The data on growth performance in terms of body weight, body weight gain, average daily gain, feed intake and feed conversion efficiency, thermal comfort included ambient temperature, wind velocity, relative humidity, temperature humidity index and air quality index, animal comfort with respect to animal skin temperature and respiration rate, blood parameters, microbial load of the floor before and after using disinfectant, hoof condition score, health and slaughter studies were recorded as per the standard procedures and the data were subjected to statistical analysis.
The overall body weight in T2 was numerically higher but statistically no difference was observed between the treatment groups. Similar trend was observed in body weight gain and average daily gain but there is significant (P<0.01) difference was observed in eight fortnight body weight gain and seventh fortnight average daily gain between the treatment groups. The feed intake, feed conversion efficiency and blood profile of pigs showed no significant difference between the treatment groups. In all the three types of flooring patterns studied, temperature humidity index ranged between 80 and 82. Microclimate values and air quality index did not differ between treatments but higher values were observed in the afternoon than morning hours. Highly significant (P<0.01) difference was recorded between the treatment groups in physiological parameters such as skin temperature and respiration rate. Microbial load was high in all the three flooring patterns however there was numerical reduction in microbial load after cleaning and disinfecting the floors with Kohrsolin disinfectant especially in raised slatted concrete floor (T2).
There are no abnormalities detected in hoof and health conditions of pigs in all the treatment groups. The locomotory movement conditions of pigs were more pronounced in raised slatted concrete floor (T2). Animals in T2 treatment group showed numerically higher range of carcass length, dressing percentage and back fat thickness when compared to other treatment groups T3 and T1. The result of the study showed that T2 group maintained in raised slatted concrete floor had a lesser production cost of 23.97 per cent (Rs.71.16) per kg of body weight gain, followed by T1 group (solid concrete floor) with 24.17 per cent (Rs.71.20) when compared to the raised slatted polypropylene floor (T3) with 29.85 per cent (Rs.89.57) as production cost per kg of body weight gain.