Invloed mengen op stofwisseling van biggen

Het mengen van biggen (bij ongeveer 20 kg) zonder verplaatsing heeft geen langdurige invloed op de stofwisseling. De warmteproductie gedurende de eerste twee uur direct na het mengen is wél verhoogd vanwege actief gedrag

Biggen mengen voor transport?

Het mengen van biggen voor transport naar een ander bedrijf heeft geen nadelige invloed op de stofwisseling. Zowel biggen die gemengd zijn als biggen die niet gemengd zijn hebben na transport een verhoogde stofwisseling. Veertien dagen na transport isde stofwisseling nog niet op het normale niveau

Gewichtsverlies van biggen tijdens vasten en daaropvolgend transport

In een samenwerkingsproject tussen het Praktijkonderzoek Varkenshouderij en de Landbouwuniversiteit Wageningen hebben vijf transporten (60 km) met elk 40 biggen plaatsgevonden. Voor aanvang van het transport kregen de biggen gedurende een periode van 16 uur geen voer verstrek

Carbon Dioxide Production in Animal Houses: A Literature Review

This article deals with carbon dioxide production from farm animals; more specifically, it addresses the possibilities of using the measured carbon dioxide concentration in animal houses as basis for estimation of ventilation flow (as the ventilation flow is a key parameter of aerial emissions from animal houses). The investigations include measurements in respiration chambers and in animal houses, mainly for growing pigs and broilers.Over the last decade a fixed carbon dioxide production of 185 litres per hour per heat production unit, hpu (i.e. 1000 W of the total animal heat production at 20 oC) has often been used. The article shows that the carbon dioxide production per hpu increases with increasing respiration quotient. As the respiration quotient increases with body mass for growing animals, the carbon dioxide production per heat production unit also increases with increased body mass. The carbon dioxide production is e.g. less than 185 litres per hour per hpu for weaners and broilers and higher for growing finishing pigs and cows.The analyses show that the measured carbon dioxide production is higher in full scale animal houses than measured in respiration chambers, due to differences in manure handling. In respiration chambers there is none or very limited carbon dioxide contribution from manure; unlike in animal houses, where a certain carbon dioxide contribution from manure handling may be foreseen. Therefore, it is necessary to make a correction of data from respiration chambers, when used in full scale animal buildings as basis for estimation of ventilation flow. Based on the data reviewed in this study, we recommend adding 10% carbon dioxide production to the laboratory based carbon dioxide production for animal houses with slatted or solid floors, provided that indoor manure cellars are emptied regularly in a four weeks interval. Due to a high and variable carbon dioxide production in deep straw litter houses and houses with indoor storage of manure longer than four weeks, we do not recommend to calculate the ventilation flow based on the carbon dioxide concentration for these houses

Sanitary housing conditions modify the performance and behavioural response of weaned pigs to feed- and housing-related stressors

Pigs are confronted with changes in farming practices that may affect performance and animal well-being. The sanitary conditions of the farm can have an impact on the ability of pigs to adapt to these changes. This study aimed to analyse how weaned pigs respond to common farming practices of changes in diet and housing in terms of performance, health and behaviour, and how these responses are affected by the sanitary housing conditions, qualified here as good or poor. At weaning at 4 weeks of age, 20 piglets were assigned to 10 blocks of two littermates and each pig within a litter was randomly assigned to one of two sanitary conditions. Pigs were housed individually and received a starter diet. A diet change occurred on day 12 post weaning (starter to weaner diets) and pigs were transferred to the grower unit on day 33 post weaning and continued to receive the weaner diet. From 43 days post weaning, pigs were offered a grower diet and were vaccinated against swine influenza on day 47 and 61 post weaning. On the basis of this design, three post-weaning phases were identified: phase I from day 1 to 11 (post weaning), phase II from day 12 to 32 (after the diet change) and phase III from day 33 to 42 (after the housing change). Individual BW was measured every 3 days, and feed refusals and faecal scores were recorded on a daily basis. Behavioural observations were performed during 28 days by using the instantaneous scan sampling method. Individual blood samples were collected at the end of each phase to analyse the plasma concentration of haptoglobin and on day 68 post weaning to analyse the anti-influenza immunoglobulins G (IgG). Poor sanitary conditions resulted in a decrease in daily gain, feed intake and gain to feed ratio of, respectively, 11%, 5% and 7% (P < 0.05). Pigs in poor sanitary conditions had higher faecal scores (P < 0.05), tended to have higher plasma haptoglobin concentration in phase II (P = 0.06) and had a higher anti-influenza IgG titre (P = 0.11). The diet change affected performance and behavioural responses of pigs in poor but not in good sanitary conditions. Housing change resulted in a 30% decrease in growth and an increase in behaviour oriented towards exploration and excitement. The results of this study show an effect of sanitary conditions on the responses of pigs to a diet change, whereas those to a housing change were little affected by the sanitary conditions

Temperature and body weight affect fouling of pig pens

Fouling of the solid lying area in pig housing is undesirable for reasons of animal welfare, animal health, environmental pollution, and labor costs. In this study the influence of temperature on the excreting and lying behavior of growing-finishing pigs of different BW (25, 45, 65, 85, or 105 kg) was studied. Ten groups of 5 pigs were placed in partially slatted pens (60% solid concrete, 40% metal-slatted) in climate respiration chambers. After an adaptation period, temperatures were raised daily for 9 d. Results showed that above certain inflection temperatures (IT; mean 22.6°C, SE = 0.78) the number of excretions (relative to the total number of excretions) on the solid floor increased with temperature (mean increase 9.7%/°C, SE = 1.41). Below the IT, the number of excretions on the solid floor was low and not influenced by temperature (mean 13.2%, SE = 3.5). On average, the IT for excretion on the solid floor decreased with increasing BW, from approximately 25°C at 25 kg to 20°C at 100 kg of BW (P <0.05). Increasing temperature also affected the pattern and postural lying. The temperature at which a maximum number of pigs lay on the slatted floor (i.e., the IT for lying) decreased from approximately 27°C at 25 kg to 23°C at 100 kg of BW (P <0.001). At increasing temperatures, pigs lay more on their sides and less against other pigs (P <0.001). Temperature affects lying and excreting behavior of growing-finishing pigs in partially slatted pens. Above certain IT, pen fouling increases linearly with temperature. Inflection temperatures decrease at increasing B