![]() ![]() Pigs are particularly sensitive animals to high temperatures because of the low ability to lose latent heat. Heat stress produces important industry losses, reaching over $300 million annually in the European Union. As a result, the risk of heat stress is more frequent and severe in pork production than ever before. The production of pork takes place mainly in areas where the temperature of the environment is periodically over the thermoneutral range of pigs, and there is a severe fluctuation in day temperatures to which the animals have to adapt. It is concluded that providing a double feeder in the pens, although reducing the presence of negative social interactions, negatively affected body weight, in comparison to pigs fed with just one feeder.Īccording to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2007), warming of the climatic system is unequivocal, and it estimates a confidence level of >90% that there will be more frequent warm spells and heat waves. A 30% slat 70% concrete floor showed better results in the pig stress indicators and body weights than 100% slat. A double feeder reduced the presence of negative social behavior, especially in the feeding area, but body weight was lower than when one single feeder was used. In addition, heat stress affected the final product by decreasing the lean percentage of carcasses by 2.6%. Pigs subjected to temperatures above 30 ☌ up to six hours had lower body weight gains than pigs subjected to a maximum temperature of 25 ☌, confirming that thermal stress negatively affects performance in pigs. They were housed in 32 pens of 8 pigs each, distributed into 4 rooms (16 with one feeder and 16 with two). ![]() A total of 256 pigs in the growing-finishing period (from 27 kg to 110 kg) were housed using two environmental temperatures: control (from 18 ☌ to 25 ☌) and heat stress (above 30 ☌ six hours a day). In addition, two types of flooring, of 100% slat and 30% slat 70% concrete, were also considered. The aim of the present work was to study the effect of providing a double feeder for pigs reared under two different environmental temperatures. Heat stress and competition for food are two major challenges in pigs reared in intensive conditions.
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