Microenvironments in swine farrowing rooms: the thermal, lighting, and acoustic environments of sows and piglets

Morello, Gabriela Munhoz; Lay, D. C.; Rodrigues, Luiz Henrique Antunes; Richert, B. T.; Marchant‐Forde, Jeremy N.

doi:10.1590/1678-992x-2016-0303

Cited by 7 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Further, the PWM difference between SEHM and HL will vary across production systems as management also substantially contributes to this value. Large PWM variability is a known challenge in pig production [16], thereby creating some uncertainty in this estimated value.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pilot-Scale Assessment of a Novel Farrowing Creep Area Supplementary Heat Source

Smith

Ramirez

Hoff

et al. 2019

Animals

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Simple SummaryPre-weaning mortality (PWM) causes major economic and productivity losses for the US swine industry. This pilot-scale study evaluated a novel semi-enclosed heated microclimate (SEHM) as a supplementary heat source for farrowing creep areas. Six farrowing cycles (from January to July 2019) were studied in two rooms with 24 farrowing stalls per room. Six SEHMs (each SEHM covers two stalls) were randomly distributed in each room and compared to heat lamps (HLs) for productivity and electricity usage. Data were collected on 113 (SEHM) and 101 litters (HL), and there was no statistically significant difference for average daily gain and weaning weight. There was a tendency for significance of PWM (p = 0.08). A significant difference (p = 0.02) was noted in the PWM attributed to over-lay mortalities, SEHM = 4.05% (± 0.76%) compared to HL = 6.04% (± 0.78%). The SEHM averaged 3.25 kWh d−1 (2.91, 3.59 kWh d−1; 95% CI), which was significantly different (p < 0.01) from the HL equivalent with 125 W bulbs (6 kWh d−1). Based on only electrical savings, payback was estimated at 74 farrowing cycles, or at 12 cycles y−1, 6.1 years. The SEHM demonstrated promising pilot-scale results for increasing productivity and decreasing electricity usage compared to conventional HLs.AbstractPre-weaning morality (PWM) is attributed to a poor creep area microclimate and causes major economic and productivity losses for the US swine industry. Piglets need supplementary heat to overcome a high surface area to body weight ratio and minimal thermoregulation. A pilot-scale study was conducted to evaluate a semi-enclosed heated microclimate (SEHM) as a supplementary heat source for farrowing creep areas over six farrowing cycles (from January to July 2019) in two rooms with 24 farrowing stalls in each room. Six SEHMs (each SEHM covers two stalls) were randomly distributed to each room and compared to heat lamps (HLs) for productivity and electricity usage. Data from 113 (SEHM) and 101 litters (HL) showed no significant difference between treatments in average daily gain (p = 0.26), 252.4 ± 8.0 g hd−1 d−1 (SEHM) and 260.3 ± 8.1 g hd−1 d−1 (HL) and PWM (p = 0.08), 9.67% ± 0.82% (SEHM) and 12.04% ± 0.87% (HL). However, a significant difference (p = 0.02) was noted in the PWM attributed to over-lay mortalities, 4.05% ± 0.76% (SEHM) compared to 6.04% ± 0.78% (HL). The SEHM electricity averaged 3.25 kWh d−1 (2.91, 3.59 kWh d−1; 95% CI), which was significantly different (p < 0.01) from the HL equivalent (125 W bulb; 6 kWh d−1).

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pilot-Scale Assessment of a Novel Farrowing Creep Area Supplementary Heat Source

Smith

Ramirez

Hoff

et al. 2019

Animals

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“…Most swine systems house dams and their litters in crates for the duration of lactation, separate from other litters, and changes that take place here may contribute to the mycobiome of the piglets. For example, differences in temperature, humidity, and air velocity can vary drastically between crates within the same farrowing room at any given time ( 57 ), which may influence fungal populations and subsequent GI tract colonization.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Weaning transition, but not the administration of probiotic candidate Kazachstania slooffiae, shaped the gastrointestinal bacterial and fungal communities in nursery piglets

Harlow,

Summers,

Oliver

et al. 2024

Front. Vet. Sci.

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As in-feed antibiotics are phased out of swine production, producers are seeking alternatives to facilitate improvements in growth typically seen from this previously common feed additive. Kazachstania slooffiae is a prominent commensal fungus in the swine gut that peaks in relative abundance shortly after weaning and has beneficial interactions with other bacteriome members important for piglet health. In this study, piglets were supplemented with K. slooffiae to characterize responses in piglet health as well as fungal and bacterial components of the microbiome both spatially (along the entire gastrointestinal tract and feces) and temporally (before, during, and after weaning). Litters were assigned to one of four treatments: no K. slooffiae (CONT); one dose of K. slooffiae 7 days before weaning (day 14; PRE); one dose of K. slooffiae at weaning (day 21; POST); or one dose of K. slooffiae 7 days before weaning and one dose at weaning (PREPOST). The bacteriome and mycobiome were analyzed from fecal samples collected from all piglets at day 14, day 21, and day 49, and from organ samples along the gastrointestinal (GI) tract at day 21 and day 49. Blood samples were taken at day 14 and day 49 for cytokine analysis, and fecal samples were assayed for antimicrobial resistance. While some regional shifts were seen in response to K. slooffiae administration in the mycobiome of the GI tract, no remarkable changes in weight gain or health of the animals were observed, and changes were more likely due to sow and the environment. Ultimately, the combined microbiome changed most considerably following the transition from suckling to nursery diets. This work describes the mycobiome along the piglet GI tract through the weaning transition for the first time. Based on these findings, K. slooffiae administered at this concentration may not be an effective tool to hasten colonization of K. slooffiae in the piglet GI tract around the weaning transition nor support piglet growth, microbial gut health, or immunity. However, diet and environment greatly influence microbial community development.

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“…Microenvironments within individual crates can be influenced by airflow, seasonal variation, location within the room, supplemental heat source type, position, and age. These variations were studied by Morello et al (2018) [18]. In an environmentally controlled farrowing room, the spatial distributions of temperature, relative humidity, light intensity, and sound intensity were observed to be up to 9.6 • C, 57%, 3847.3 Lx, 0.87 m s −1 , and 38.7 dBC among different pens in the same room.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impacts of Farrowing Pen Design, Season, and Sow Parity on Litter Performance and Piglet Mortality

Madeira Pacheco,

Brown-Brandl,

Rohrer

et al. 2024

Animals

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Piglet mortality during lactation is a significant concern in swine production, influenced by complex interactions involving sow, piglet, environmental, and management factors. While crushing by the sow may be the ultimate cause of piglet mortality, there are many factors influencing the outcome, including parity, thermal stress, and animal housing systems. New farrowing systems are continuously being developed; however, it is difficult for producers to make decisions without any scientific basis. This study aimed to assess the impact of different farrowing pen layouts on piglet performance, considering parity and season. A total of 546 sows and 9123 piglets were monitored across 36 lactation cycles. Sows were randomly assigned to three farrowing pen layouts (standard, diagonal, and offset) in three rooms (20 sows by room). All farrowing pens had the same space allocations (2.7 m by 1.8 m and 2.1 m by 0.6 m for the sow area). The three types of farrowing pens were blocked by position within the room. Piglet performance traits (percent of stillborns, percent of mortality, percent of overlays, and average daily weight gain: ADG) and sows traits (health and parity) were monitored following US Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC) procedures. Results indicated that treatment, parity, and season influenced some piglet performance traits. The offset farrowing pen had a lower percent of stillborns compared to the standard. No significant differences were observed between the diagonal crate and the other treatments. When evaluating high mortality sow (>two piglets), the offset and standard treatments had a lower percent of overlays. Piglets from first-parity sows had lower ADG than those from higher-parity sows. A higher percent of overlays were observed in Autumn and Summer compared to Spring and Winter, and Summer had lower average daily weight gain than other seasons. The results suggest that modifying the layout (offset), with sows placed further away from the heating source, can reduce the percent of overlays in sows with high mortality (>2 piglets). In addition, the influence of season on the piglet production traits demonstrated the importance of proper management of the environment, even in systems with a certain level of climatic control.

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Microenvironments in swine farrowing rooms: the thermal, lighting, and acoustic environments of sows and piglets

Cited by 7 publications

References 22 publications

Pilot-Scale Assessment of a Novel Farrowing Creep Area Supplementary Heat Source

Pilot-Scale Assessment of a Novel Farrowing Creep Area Supplementary Heat Source

Weaning transition, but not the administration of probiotic candidate Kazachstania slooffiae, shaped the gastrointestinal bacterial and fungal communities in nursery piglets

Impacts of Farrowing Pen Design, Season, and Sow Parity on Litter Performance and Piglet Mortality

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