Influence of housing air temperature on the behavioural acts, physiological parameters and performance responses of fattening pigs

Anna Lykhach; Vadym  Lykhach; Roman  Mylostyvyi; Yevhen  Barkar; Mykola  Shpetny; Olena  Izhboldina

doi:10.31893/jabb.22026

Keywords:

microclimatic parameters

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to investigate the influence of housing air temperature on the behavioural acts, physiological parameters and performance responses of fattening pigs. Animals were randomly allocated to 3 groups with 30 heads in each. During eight weeks of fattening, the animals of the two experimental groups were subjected to long-term technological temperature stress, provoked by a significant deviation of the microclimate parameters. The first control group of animals was kept following the Departmental Norms for Technological Design - Agro-Industrial Complex - 02.05 «Pig-breeding enterprises (complexes, farms, small farms)» at an air temperature of +17…+21 °C; pigs of the second experimental group were kept at a temperature of - +5…+8 °C, and the third experimental group - +28…+31 °C. During the experiment, the timing of behavioural acts and their index assessment, physiological parameters and productive characteristics of fattening pigs were studied. The experiment results showed that the thermoneutral zone for fattening pigs is + 17… + 21 °C. Animals 2nd experimental group showed less movement (P < 0.001), used huddling for decreasing body heat loss, more feed intake (P < 0.01), which increased its conversion, had reduced HR, RR, RT. Pigs of the 3rd experimental group showed increased movement (P < 0.001). This can be explained by their desire to find a cool place and rest lying on the side, consuming more water, having high HR, RR, and RT, showing signs of hyperthermia and were characterized by low-performance responses.
References
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2. Adebiyi OA, Muibi MA, Alaba O (2017) Nigerian Performance and behavioural characteristics of Pigs as affected by types and duration of evaporative cooling. Nigerian Journal of Animal Science 19:103-113.
3. Alberts JR (1978) Huddling by rat pups: Group behavioural mechanisms of temperature regulation and energy conservation. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology 92:231-245.
4. Atrian P and Shahryar HA (2012) Heat Stress in Dairy Cows (A Review). Research in Zoology 2:31-37.
5. Botto Ľ, Lendelová J, Strmeňová A, Reichstädterová T (2014) The effect of evaporative cooling on climatic parameters in a stable for sows. Research in Agricultural Engineering 60:85-91.
6. Bracke MBM (2011) Review of wallowing in pigs: Description of the behaviour and its motivational basis. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 132:1-13.
7. Dekker M (2015) The effect of temperature and activity patterns on lying behaviour and space use in conventional housed fattening pigs. PhD Thesis. Wageningen University. Wageningen.
8. Farrell DJ (1977) Effects of high temperature on the biological performance of growing pigs. Proc. RAAN Conference.
9. Garrido-Izard M, Correa E-C, Requejo J-M, Diezma B (2020) Continuous Monitoring of Pigs in Fattening Using a Multi-Sensor System: Behavior Patterns. Animals 10:52.
10. Gilbert C, McCafferty D, Le Maho Y, Martrette JM, Giroud S, Blanc S, Ancel A (2010) One for all and all for one: the energetic benefits of huddling in endotherms. Biological Reviews 85:545-569.
11. Gody D, Herbut P, Angrecka S, Corrêa Vieira FM (2020) Use of Different Cooling Methods in Pig Facilities to Alleviate the Effects of Heat Stress – A Review. Animals 10:1459.
12. Gourdine J-L, Rauw WM, Gilbert H, Poullet N (2021) The Genetics of Thermoregulation in Pigs: A Review. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 8:770480.
13. Hines E (2019) Cold Temperature Management for Pigs. https://extension.psu.edu/cold-temperature-management-for-pigs.
14. Huynh TTT, Aarnink AJA, Gerrits WJJ, Heetkamp MJH, Canh TT, Spoolder HAM, Kemp B, Verstegen MWA (2005) Thermal behaviour of growing pigs in response to high temperature and humidity. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 91:1-16.
15. Huynh TTT, Aarnink AJA, Truong CT, Kemp B, Verstegen MWA (2006) Effects of tropical climate and water-cooling methods on growing pigs’ responses. Livestock Science 104:278-291.
16. Huynh TTT, Aarnink AJA, Heetkamp MJW, Verstegen MWA, Kemp B (2007) Evaporative heat loss from group-housed growing pigs at high ambient temperatures. Journal of Thermal Biology 32:293-299.
17. Ingram DL (1965) The effect of humidity on temperature regulation and cutaneous water loss in young pigs. Research in Veterinary Science 6:9-17.
18. Kanis E, van den Belt H, Groen AF, Schakel J, de Greef KH (2004) Breeding for improved welfare in pigs: a conceptual framework and its use in practice. Animal Science 78:315-329.
19. Kim YJ, Song MH, Lee SI, Lee JH, Oh HJ, An JW, Chang SY, Go YB, Park BJ, Jo MS, Lee CG, Kim HB, Cho JH (2021) Evaluation of pig behavior changes related to temperature, relative humidity, volatile organic compounds, and illuminance. Journal of Animal Science and Technology 63:790-798.
20. Lacetera N (2019) Impact of climate change on animal health and welfare. Animal Frontiers 9:26–31.
21. Marchant-Forde JN, Rodenburg TB (2016) Future directions for applied ethology. In: Brown J, Seddon Y, Appleby M, editors. Animals and Us: 50 Years and More of Applied Ethology. Wageningen: Wageningen Academic Publishers 297-318.
22. Nielsen BL, Lawrence AB, Whittemore CT (1996) Feeding behaviour of growing pigs using single or multi-space feeders. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 47: 235-246.
23. Nienaber JA, Brown Brandl TM (2009) Heat Stress Effects on Growing-Finishing Swine. In Proceedings of the 25th Annual Carolina Swine Nutrition Conference, Raleigh, NC, USA.
24. Parois SP, Cabezón FA, Schinckel AP, Johnson JS, Stwalley RM and Marchant-Forde JN (2018) Effect of Floor Cooling on Behavior and Heart Rate of Late Lactation Sows Under Acute Heat Stress. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 5:223.
25. Rauw WM, de la Peña E de M, Gomez-Raya L, García Cortés LA, Ciruelos JJ, Gómez Izquierdo E (2020) Impact of environmental temperature on production traits in pigs. Scientific Reports 10:2106.
26. Ross JW, Hale BJ, Gabler NK, Rhoads RP, Keating AF, Baumgard LH (2015) Physiological consequences of heat stress in pigs. Animal Production Science 55:1381-1390.
27. Spoolder HAM, Aarnink AAJ, Vermeer HM, van Riel J, Edwards SA (2012) Effect of increasing temperature on space requirements of group housed finishing. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 138:229-239.
28. Souza L (2009) How can heat stress affect production? The Pig site. https://www.thepigsite.com/articles/how-can-heat-stress-affect-your-production
29. Taylor NA, Tipton MJ, Kenny GP (2014) Considerations for the measurement of core, skin and mean body temperatures. Journal of Thermal Biology 46:72-101.
30. Zervanos S, Hadley NF (1973) Adaptational biology and energy relationships of the collared peccary (Tayassu tajacu). Ecology 54:759-774.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

How to cite

Lykhach, A., Lykhach, V. ., Mylostyvyi, R. ., Barkar, Y. ., Shpetny, M. ., & Izhboldina, O. . (2022). Influence of housing air temperature on the behavioural acts, physiological parameters and performance responses of fattening pigs. Journal of Animal Behaviour and Biometeorology, 10(3), 2226. https://doi.org/10.31893/jabb.22026

[1] Aarnink AJA, Berg AJ, Keen A, Hoeksma P, Verstegen MWA (1996) Effect of slatted floor area on ammonia emission and on the excretory and lying behaviour of growing pigs. Journal of Agricultural Engineering Research 64:299-310.

[2] Adebiyi OA, Muibi MA, Alaba O (2017) Nigerian Performance and behavioural characteristics of Pigs as affected by types and duration of evaporative cooling. Nigerian Journal of Animal Science 19:103-113.

[3] Alberts JR (1978) Huddling by rat pups: Group behavioural mechanisms of temperature regulation and energy conservation. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology 92:231-245.

[4] Atrian P and Shahryar HA (2012) Heat Stress in Dairy Cows (A Review). Research in Zoology 2:31-37.

[5] Botto Ľ, Lendelová J, Strmeňová A, Reichstädterová T (2014) The effect of evaporative cooling on climatic parameters in a stable for sows. Research in Agricultural Engineering 60:85-91.

[6] Bracke MBM (2011) Review of wallowing in pigs: Description of the behaviour and its motivational basis. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 132:1-13.

[7] Dekker M (2015) The effect of temperature and activity patterns on lying behaviour and space use in conventional housed fattening pigs. PhD Thesis. Wageningen University. Wageningen.

[8] Farrell DJ (1977) Effects of high temperature on the biological performance of growing pigs. Proc. RAAN Conference.

[9] Garrido-Izard M, Correa E-C, Requejo J-M, Diezma B (2020) Continuous Monitoring of Pigs in Fattening Using a Multi-Sensor System: Behavior Patterns. Animals 10:52.

[10] Gilbert C, McCafferty D, Le Maho Y, Martrette JM, Giroud S, Blanc S, Ancel A (2010) One for all and all for one: the energetic benefits of huddling in endotherms. Biological Reviews 85:545-569.

[11] Gody D, Herbut P, Angrecka S, Corrêa Vieira FM (2020) Use of Different Cooling Methods in Pig Facilities to Alleviate the Effects of Heat Stress – A Review. Animals 10:1459.

[12] Gourdine J-L, Rauw WM, Gilbert H, Poullet N (2021) The Genetics of Thermoregulation in Pigs: A Review. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 8:770480.

[13] Hines E (2019) Cold Temperature Management for Pigs. https://extension.psu.edu/cold-temperature-management-for-pigs.

[14] Huynh TTT, Aarnink AJA, Gerrits WJJ, Heetkamp MJH, Canh TT, Spoolder HAM, Kemp B, Verstegen MWA (2005) Thermal behaviour of growing pigs in response to high temperature and humidity. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 91:1-16.

[15] Huynh TTT, Aarnink AJA, Truong CT, Kemp B, Verstegen MWA (2006) Effects of tropical climate and water-cooling methods on growing pigs’ responses. Livestock Science 104:278-291.

[16] Huynh TTT, Aarnink AJA, Heetkamp MJW, Verstegen MWA, Kemp B (2007) Evaporative heat loss from group-housed growing pigs at high ambient temperatures. Journal of Thermal Biology 32:293-299.

[17] Ingram DL (1965) The effect of humidity on temperature regulation and cutaneous water loss in young pigs. Research in Veterinary Science 6:9-17.

[18] Kanis E, van den Belt H, Groen AF, Schakel J, de Greef KH (2004) Breeding for improved welfare in pigs: a conceptual framework and its use in practice. Animal Science 78:315-329.

[19] Kim YJ, Song MH, Lee SI, Lee JH, Oh HJ, An JW, Chang SY, Go YB, Park BJ, Jo MS, Lee CG, Kim HB, Cho JH (2021) Evaluation of pig behavior changes related to temperature, relative humidity, volatile organic compounds, and illuminance. Journal of Animal Science and Technology 63:790-798.

[20] Lacetera N (2019) Impact of climate change on animal health and welfare. Animal Frontiers 9:26–31.

[21] Marchant-Forde JN, Rodenburg TB (2016) Future directions for applied ethology. In: Brown J, Seddon Y, Appleby M, editors. Animals and Us: 50 Years and More of Applied Ethology. Wageningen: Wageningen Academic Publishers 297-318.

[22] Nielsen BL, Lawrence AB, Whittemore CT (1996) Feeding behaviour of growing pigs using single or multi-space feeders. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 47: 235-246.

[23] Nienaber JA, Brown Brandl TM (2009) Heat Stress Effects on Growing-Finishing Swine. In Proceedings of the 25th Annual Carolina Swine Nutrition Conference, Raleigh, NC, USA.

[24] Parois SP, Cabezón FA, Schinckel AP, Johnson JS, Stwalley RM and Marchant-Forde JN (2018) Effect of Floor Cooling on Behavior and Heart Rate of Late Lactation Sows Under Acute Heat Stress. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 5:223.

[25] Rauw WM, de la Peña E de M, Gomez-Raya L, García Cortés LA, Ciruelos JJ, Gómez Izquierdo E (2020) Impact of environmental temperature on production traits in pigs. Scientific Reports 10:2106.

[26] Ross JW, Hale BJ, Gabler NK, Rhoads RP, Keating AF, Baumgard LH (2015) Physiological consequences of heat stress in pigs. Animal Production Science 55:1381-1390.

[27] Spoolder HAM, Aarnink AAJ, Vermeer HM, van Riel J, Edwards SA (2012) Effect of increasing temperature on space requirements of group housed finishing. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 138:229-239.

[28] Souza L (2009) How can heat stress affect production? The Pig site. https://www.thepigsite.com/articles/how-can-heat-stress-affect-your-production

[29] Taylor NA, Tipton MJ, Kenny GP (2014) Considerations for the measurement of core, skin and mean body temperatures. Journal of Thermal Biology 46:72-101.

[30] Zervanos S, Hadley NF (1973) Adaptational biology and energy relationships of the collared peccary (Tayassu tajacu). Ecology 54:759-774.

Abstract

References

How to cite