Effect of environmental factor on some litter traits of sows in the tropics Mexican

ABSTRACT Objective. To determine the effect of environmental factors on litter traits at birth and weaning, and their repeatabilities in four farms in the sub-humid tropics of Mexico. Materials and methods. Data from 46.249 to 50.316 litters for litter size at birth (LSB), number of piglets born alive (NBA), litter weight at birth (LWB), number of piglets weaned (NPW) and litter weight at weaning (LWW) were used. The statistical model for LSB, NBA and LWB included the effects of farm, farrowing year, farrowing season, parity number, simple interactions, random effects of sow and the error term. NPW and LWW were analyzed using the previous model plus the linear and quadratic effects of lactation length (LL). Results. The means for LSB, NBA, LWB, NPW and LWW were 11.7 piglets, 11.0 piglets, 16.1 kg, 10.3 piglets and 61.3 kg, respectively. All effects in the model affected the litter traits. Farrowing year x season interaction was significant for NPW, LWB and LWW. The dry season had the highest LSB, NBA y NPW. First parity sows had higher LSB and NBA means than for second parity sows. Parity increase until parity 4 to decrease thereafter. LL had a quadratic effect on NPW and LWW. Repeatability estimates for LSB, NBA, and LWB were 0.12, 0.12 and 0.14, respectively. Conclusions. All traits studied were influenced by the environmental factors studied. Repeatabilities for LSB, NBA and LWB were low.   RESUMEN Objetivo. Determinar el efecto de factores ambientales sobre características de la camada al nacer y al destete, y sus repetibilidades en cuatro granjas en el trópico sub-húmedo de México. Materiales y métodos. Se utilizaron los datos de 50.316 a 46.249 camadas para el total de lechones nacidos (LSB), lechones nacidos vivos (NBA) y peso de la camada al nacimiento (LWB), lechones destetados (NPW) y peso de la camada al destete (LWW). El modelo estadístico para LSB, NBA y LWB incluyen los efectos de granja, año, época, número de parto, interacciones simples, efecto aleatorio de cerda y error. El modelo para NPW y LWW incluyó los factores anteriores y además, los efectos lineal y cuadrático de largo de lactación (LL). Resultados. Las medias para LSB, NBA, LWB, NPW y LWW fueron 11.7 lechones, 11.0 lechones, 16.1 kg, 10.3 lechones y 61.3 kg, respectivamente. Todos los factores estudiados afectaron las características de la camada. La interacción de año x época fue significativa para NPW, LWB y LWW. La época seca presentó las mayores medias de LSB, NBA y NPW. Las cerdas primer parto obtuvieron medias de LSB y NBA superiores que las cerdas del segundo parto. Las medias por número de parto incrementaron hasta el cuarto, para después disminuir. La LL obtuvo un efecto cuadrático sobre NPW y LWW. Las repetibilidades estimadas para LSB, NBA, y LWW fueron 0.12, 0.12 y 0.14, respectivamente. Conclusiones. Todos los factores ambientales estudiados afectaron las características de la camada al nacer y al destete. Las repetibilidades estimadas fueron bajas

Thermal comfort assessment in a typological non-isolated maternity pig sheds with different types of farrowing systems

Received: February 1st, 2021 ; Accepted: May 8th, 2021 ; Published: May 19th, 2021 ; Correspondence: [email protected] facilities in tropical climates, especially the maternity, have worked with typological systems that have been little studied to determine the influence of the type of farrowing on microenvironmental conditions and its effect on both the sows and the piglets' physiological parameters. Therefore, the aim of the research was evaluate the thermal environment (Temperature Humidity Index - THI and Radiant Thermal Load - RTL) and its influence on some physiological parameters (respiratory frequency - RF and rectal temperature - TRectal) in the sows and piglets in two different types of farrowing systems (Traditional and Slatted), in a typological swine facility located in tropical climates in Colombia. The findings showed that in the two systems, both for sows and piglets, the type of farrowing system did not generate significant differences in the physiological responses RF and TRectal. Also, the RTL did not show significant differences in the two types of farrowing system at the piglets and the sows’ level, without exceeding the maximum allowed levels. Temperature-Humidity Index was above the threshold during all experimental time, being slightly higher at the piglets' level with Slatted systems. These results show that the type of floor has little impact on the conditions of animal thermal comfort at the sows and piglets’ level. However, variables like low-temperature, low radiant energy exchange, and high humidity, which were found mainly at the piglets’ level, could have the highest incidence for not achieving a suitable microenvironment. This means that almost all Colombian pig farming facilities require a redesign of their farrowing system to guarantee better thermal conditions for both piglets and sows

Efecto del meloxicam sobre el número y peso de lechones destetados en cerdas primíparas

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the application of meloxicam in first-parity sows on the number of piglets born alive, and the number and weight of piglets at weaning in a commercial farm in the sub-humid tropics of Mexico. For this, 540 sows (270 sows per treatment) were used. The treated group received meloxicam (Metacam® 20 mg/ml, 0.4 mg/kg of body weight. IM) during farrowing and the control group was not treated. There were no significant differences for the variables under study between the two experimental groups.El objetivo del presente estudio fue evaluar el efecto de la aplicación de meloxicam en cerdas de primer parto sobre el número de lechones nacidos vivos, y el número y el peso de los lechones al destete en una granja comercial en el trópico subhúmedo de México. Se usaron 540 cerdas (270 cerdas por tratamiento). El grupo tratado recibió meloxicam (Metacam® 20 mg/ml, 0.4 mg/kg de peso corporal. IM) durante el parto y el grupo control no fue tratado. No se encontraron diferencias significativas para las variables en estudio entre los dos grupos experimentales

Climate change adaptation and economic valuation of local pig genetic resources in communal production systems of South Africa

The broad objective of the study was to determine the economic value of local pigs in marketand subsistence-oriented production systems in communal areas of Southern Africa. Data were collected from 288 households to investigate farmer perceptions, effects on pig production and handling of disease outbreaks such as classical swine fever (CSF) in market- and subsistenceoriented production systems. The utilisation of local pigs in these market- and subsistenceoriented production systems in improving people‟s welfare was evaluated. Climate change was identified by farmers in these production systems as a major constraint to pig production hence an experiment was carried out in the hottest season to determine diurnal heat-related physiological and behavioural responses in Large White (LW) and South African local pigs. The same genotypes were used to determine effects of diurnal heat-related stress on their growth performance. Choice experiment was done to determine farmer preferences for local pig traits and implicit prices for these traits in CSF-affected and unaffected areas that were under subsistence- and market-oriented production systems. In this experiment, the importance of heat tolerance was assessed relative to other productive and climate change adaptation traits. Significantly more pigs were culled in the CSF-affected areas that were market-oriented (8.0 ± 1.76) than subsistence-oriented (4.1 ± 1.00) production system. The risk of parasites and disease challenges was high in subsistence-oriented production system and coastal areas. In both production systems, CSF was perceived as destructive since the culling of pigs affected pork availability and income generation. The high risk of disease outbreaks and threat of climate change caused farmers in subsistence-oriented production system to select local pigs for their adaptive traits while those in the market-oriented production system focused on productive imported pigs. Farmers (83 %) indicated that they wanted pig genotypes that were adapted to climate change effects such as hot conditions. Local pigs were found to have superior heat tolerance over LW pigs (P < 0.05) in terms of lower heart rate and skin surface temperature. Frequency per day and duration for behavioural heat loss activities such as wallowing, sleeping in a prostrate posture and sprawling in slurry were also lower (P < 0.05) for local than LW pigs. The superiority of heat tolerance of local over LW pigs was further confirmed by their uncompromised growth performance under high diurnal temperatures. The Pearson‟s product moment correlation coefficient between temperature and feed conversion ratio for LW pigs was strongly positive (r = 0.50; P < 0.001) unlike the weak and positive correlation for local pigs (r = 0.20; P < 0.05). There was a quadratic relationship between temperature and average daily gain (ADG) for both pig genotypes. The regression coefficients for ADG were higher (P < 0.001) for LW than local pigs. It was concluded that at high ambient temperatures, performance of local pigs was less compromised than for LW pigs. Although local pigs were found to be heat tolerant, results of choice experiment showed that this trait was not selected for relative to other traits. Keeping pigs that required bought-in feeds, fell sick often and produced low pork quality (eating quality based on farmer perceptions) negatively affected farmers‟ livelihoods more in subsistence- than market-oriented production system. Farmers in market-oriented production system derived more benefit from productive traits such as heavier slaughter weights and large litter size than subsistence-oriented farmers. Under the subsistence-oriented production system, farmers in CSF-affected areas placed high prices on adaptive traits than the unaffected areas. Subsistence-oriented farmers who were affected by CSF wanted a total compensation price of R10 944.00 (USD1563.43) for keeping a pig genotype with unfavourable traits when compared to R4235.00 (USD605.00) for their CSF-unaffected counterparts. Implicit prices for traits could not be determined for market-oriented production system. It was concluded that farmers in CSFaffected areas placed high economic values on pig traits than farmers from the CSF-unaffected areas. The findings suggest that adapted local pigs can be promoted in subsistence-oriented production systems while productive imported pigs and their crosses with local pigs can be kept in market-oriented production systems

Body Condition and Productivity, Health and Welfare

This reprint focuses on applied research on growth traits, fat reserves, fatty acid profiles and enriched diets and their effects on reproduction, health status and welfare. The studies contained in the volume have been carried out in both monogastric organisms and ruminants, fish, broilers or pigeons. Fundamental studies with rats or mice are also presented. The reader will find novel research about the effects of the degree of fatness and muscularity determined by ultrasound method on sows´ reproductive performance, genetic studies on fatty acid profiles and growth traits in rabbits and Gilthead Seabream; nutritional studies addressing diets enriched with bee pollen in rats, postbiotics in male rabbits, concentrate and bypass supplementations in buffaloes; and interesting studies on the welfare assessment of meat sheep, rabbits, racing pigeons, broilers, alpacas and llamas using body condition measurements

Comparison of febrile responses, thermoregulation and skin morphology in the local Kolbroek, Windsnyer and exotic Large White breeds of pigs in South Africa

A Thesis submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Johannesburg, 2017.Smallholder agriculture may be particularly vulnerable to the increased temperatures, reduced water availability and increased risk of disease anticipated under future climate change scenarios. Pigs may be particularly sensitive to the increased heat stress as they do not sweat. Local pigs are said to be better adapted than the exotic breeds and therefore may be better able to withstand some of the negative impacts of climate change however, there is not much scientific support for that claim. I therefore compared the febrile and thermoregulatory responses and skin characteristics of local (Kolbroek, Windsnyer) and exotic (Large White) pigs. Pigs were implanted with intra-abdominal tags for measuring core body temperature and activity. Terminally, skin samples were collected from the interscapular, lateral thoraco-abdominal and ventral abdominal regions. Six week old boars of the (Kolbroek (5.4 ± 1.4 kg; n = 8), Windsnyer (8.1 ± 1.6 kg; n = 8) and Large White (6.0 ± 1.5 kg; n = 8) were used to determine the febrile responses and sickness behaviours. The pigs were injected intravenously with polyinosinic acid: polycytidylic acid (poly I:C) (0.5 mg/kg); lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (2 μg/kg) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) (1.7 x 1010 cell walls/kg) or saline (control). The exotic Large White pigs had a significantly greater (F2,20 = 13.70; P = 0.0003) Thermal Response Index (TRI) after receiving poly I:C but a lower (F2,21 = 6.22; P = 0.009) TRI in response to LPS than the local pigs. All pigs displayed anorexia and lethargy in response to poly I:C, but only the Large White and Windsnyer displayed anorexia and lethargy to LPS. Febrile temperature responses were similar between the breeds of pigs after injecting S. aureus. The Large White and Kolbroek were more sensitive to S. aureus and had severe clinical signs when compared to the Windsnyer pigs. Following LPS and S. aureus administration, the Large White and Kolbroek pigs showed no body mass reduction 22 h after pyrogen administration unlike the Windsnyer which lost body mass. There were slight differences in febrile responses between the breeds; however the Large White pigs had more severe clinical signs than the local breeds of pigs after injection of the bacterial mimetics. Four month old boars of Kolbroek (n=6; 40 ± 1.3 kg); Windsnyer (n=7; 46 ± 7.7 kg) and Large White (n=7; 60 ± 1.3 kg) pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus) were used to determine thermoregulatory responses. The pigs were exposed to 5°C (92% RH), thermoneutral (20°C) with 40% RH, 30°C with drinking water with 40% RH, 30°C with high relative humidity (60%) and 30°C with 48 h water deprivation except for the cold and thermoneutral treatments where pigs were kept for 48 h. The pigs showed remarkably similar patterns in core body temperature under all the treatments. At 5°C, local pigs employed primitive behaviours to maintain core body temperature while the exotic pigs increased activity. At 30°C compared to TNZ all pigs reduced physical activity, however, the Large White and Kolbroek had higher change in respiratory rates (F4,68 = 14.96; P < 0.0001) than the Windsnyer which maintained constant respiratory rates when compared to TNZ. On exposure to 30°C with 48 h water deprivation, the local breeds conserved their plasma volume unlike the Large White. The lower respiratory rates in the Windsnyer pigs may reflect their being less dependent on panting than the other breeds. Their skin histology provides support for that hypothesis as they had large (F2,13 = 52.48; P < 0.0001) and more superficial (F2,13 = 125.60; P < 0.0001) sweat glands, thin total skin layer, thinner hypodermis than the Large White pigs and Kolbroek pigs. The skin of the Windsnyer also had more melanin visible than the Kolbroek whilst the Large White had none. Although the differences between the breeds were subtle, the Windsnyer pigs had some physiological, behavioural and morphological traits that might make them more adaptable to the changing environmental conditions than the Kolbroek and Large White pigs.MT201

Integrated farming systems for food and energy in a warming, resource-depleting world

Diese Arbeit ist ein Beitrag zur Entwicklung einer Strategie für die eine CO2 sparende zu- künftige Landwirtschaft, in der nur geringe Emissionen von Treibhausgasen entstehen, die Stromerzeugung vor Ort aus natürlichen Ressourcen erfolgt, eine maximale Ausnutzung der Sonnenenergie genutzt wird, und der Konflikt zwischen der Nutzung der verfügbaren Ressourcen für Nahrungsmittel und Treibstoff Produktion vermieden wird. Alle Versuche in der Arbeit wurden in den Jahren 2005 -2009 auf der Öko-Farm (TOSOLY) der UTA (Fundación para la Producción Agropecuaria Tropical Sostenible Capitulo Kolumbien - UTA) unter der Leitung von Dr. TR Preston (Präsident ) und MSc Lylian Rodríguez (Director) durchgeführt.This thesis is a contribution to the strategy that should underpin all future farming systems: namely the need to “de-carbonize” the system, by reducing emissions of greenhouse gases, generating electricity locally from natural resources, making maximum use of solar energy and ensuring there is no conflict between use of available resources for both food and fuel production. All the experiments described in the thesis were carried out in the period 2005 -2009 at the ecological farm (TOSOLY) of the UTA Foundation (Fundación para la Producción Agropecuaria Tropical Sostenible Capitulo Colombia – UTA) of which the principals are Dr T R Preston (President) and MSc Lylian Rodríguez (Director).