Article Details: Received: 2020-10-22 | Accepted: 2020-11-27 | Available online: 2021-01-31https://doi.org/10.15414/afz.2021.24.mi-prap.131-134A prerequisite for the successful pig breeding isthe achievement of high reproductive performance, which can be influenced by several environmental factors. Therefore, the aim of our research was to assess the impact of the season, microclimatic indicators and technology of housing of the lactating sows on the number of the weaned piglets in the litter. The experiment was performed on a production farm in Slovakia and a total of 800 litters were evaluated. The results have shown that the season had a statistically significant effect on the number of the weaned piglets (p<0.01), least in the summer and most of them in the fall. The highest number of the weaned piglets was found at the temperatures from 18 to 22 °C (p<0.05), temperatures outside the stated range had a negative impact on the number of the weaned piglets. An increase of the relative humidity - above 70% (p<0.05) and an increase in the flow - above 0,4 m.s-1 (p<0.05) led to a decrease in the number of the weaned piglets. In the housing with a freemovement of the lactating sows, the number of the weaned piglets was higher than with the restricted movement (p<0.05).Keywords: microclimate, technology, weaned pigletsReferencesBoudný, J. & Špička, J. (2012). The effect of production efficiency on economic results in pig breeding. Res. Pig Breeding, 6(1), 1-8.Close, W. (1992). Thermoregulation in piglets: Environmental and metabolic consequences. BSAP Occasional Publication,15, 25-33. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0263967X00004067English, P. R. & Edwards, S. A. (1996). Management of the nursing sow and her litter. In Dunkin A. C. & Taverner, M. (eds.). Pig Production. World Animal Science (Vol. C10). Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier (pp. 113-140).Holmes, C. W. & Mount, L. E. (1967). Heat loss from groups of growing pigs under various conditions of environmental temperature and air movement. J. Anim. Prod., 9, 435-452. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0003356100042008Horký, P. (2014). Influence of increased dietary selenium on glutathione peroxidase activity and glutathione concentration in erythrocytes of lactating sows. Ann. Anim. Scie., 14(4), 869-882. https://doi.org/10.2478/aoas-2014-0056Matoušek, V. et al. (2013). Livestock breeding II. České Budějovice : JU ZF. In Czech.Myer, R. & Bucklin, R. (2018). Influence of hot-humid environment on growth performance and reproduction of swine. AN107: UF/IFAS Extension, 1-6.Nevrkla, P. et al. (2016). analysis of reproductive parameters in sows with regard to their health status. Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis. 64, 481-486.https://doi.org/10.11118/actaun201664020481.Novák, P. & Rožňovský, J. (2009). Influence of microclimate on the pig performance. In Current knowledge about the pig breeding: proceedings from the International Scientific Conference 41 held on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of MZLU in Brno. Brno: MZLU (pp. 45-48). In Czech.Prunier, A. et al. (1996). Environmental and seasonal influences on the return-to-oestrus after weaning in primiparous sows. Livestock Production Science, 45, 103-110. https://doi.org/10.1016/0301-6226(96)00007-3Rodrígues, S. V., Plà, L. M. & Albornoz, V. M. (2012). Modeling tactical planning decisions through a linear optimization model in sow farms. Livest. Sci., 143(2-3), 162-171.Rolinec, M. (2020). The Effect of coconut oil addition to feed of pigs on rectal microbial diversity and bacterial abundance. Animals (Basel), 10(10), E1764. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10101764Rozkot, M. (2014). Pigs technology and the public. Náš chov, 74(10), 63-66. In Czech.Sällvik, K. & Walberg, K. (1984). The effects of air velocity and temperature on the behaviour and growth of pigs. J. of Agricultural Engineering. Research, 30, 305-312. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0021-8634(84)80031-1Silva, B. A. N. et al. (2006). Effect of floor cooling on performance of lactating sows during summer. Livest. Sci., 105, 176-184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2006.06.007Suriyasomboon, A. et al. (2006). Effect of temperature and humidity on reproductive performance of crossbred sows in Thailand. Theriogenology, 65, 606-628. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2005.06.005Vanerhaeghe, C. et al. (2010). Longitudinal field study to assess sow level risk factors associated with stillborn piglets. Anim. Reprod. Sci., 120(1-4), 78-83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anireprosci.2010.02.010Wegner, K. et al. (2014). Climatic effects on sow fertility and piglet survival under influence of a moderate climate. Animal, 8(9), 1526-1533. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731114001219
