Year: 2019 | Month: February | Volume 9 | Issue 1
Litter Performance of Large White Yorkshire Sows Raised in Different Farrowing House Systems in Tropical Climate
Abstract:
Preweaning piglet mortality, mainly due to crushing is an important concern in pig production systems adversely affecting the profit from the farm and welfare of the animals. The present study compared three different systems of farrowing houses viz. conventional farrowing house with guard rail and one-third slated floor (T1), farrowing house with guard rail and floor level ventilation (T2), and farrowing houses with farrowing crates (T3) to identify the best system to minimize the farrowing house stress and mortality. There were no changes in average daily feed intake, serum cortisol levels and maternal behaviour of the sows in different groups. The litter size and litter weight at birth were more or less similar in all treatment groups, whereas litter size and litter weight at weaning was higher (P < 0.05) in T3 compared to other groups. There was significant reduction in piglet mortality in houses with farrowing crates (T3) compared to other two groups (P < 0.05). Cost of production per kilogram live weight of piglets on housing cost basis was also observed to be lower in system with farrowing crates. The payback period required to meet the housing cost for T3, T2 and T1were calculated as 1.63, 2.94 and 3.11 years, respectively. The results of present study identified that farrowing houses with farrowing crates significantly reduced piglet mortality, thereby increasing the profitability of swine husbandry without any adverse effect on the performance of sows.
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