Journal of Animal Behaviour and Biometeorology
https://app.periodikos.com.br/journal/jabbnet/article/doi/10.14269/2318-1265.v02n02a05
Journal of Animal Behaviour and Biometeorology
Research Article Open Access

Performance, behaviour and physiological responses of finishing pigs under different lighting programs

Pedro Ivo Sodré Amaral, Rony Antonio Ferreira, Aldrin Vieira Pires, Leonardo da Silva Fonseca, Sicília Avelar Gonçalves, Gustavo Henrique Campos de Souza

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Abstract

Technologies that improve productivity are essentials for competitiveness in the pork market. The consumer market is always requiring information about the technologies applied in swine production, mainly from the perspective of animal welfare. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of lighting on performance, behavioral and physiological characteristics in finishing pigs. Thirty-six pigs were distributed in a completely randomized design with three treatments and six replications. The animals were subjected to three light programs: natural light (NL), 16 hours of light and eight hours of dark (16L:8D) and 23 hours of light and one hour of dark (23L:1D) for 28 days. Daily feed intake (DFI), average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion (FC) were evaluated. The physiological parameters evaluated were rectal temperature (RT), respiratory rate (RR) and surface temperature (ST). The behavioral standards observed were: standing, lying, eating, drinking, sniffing, interacting, sitting, urinating and defecating. The lighting programs did not affect animal performance. However, pigs that received 23L:1D, showed, in the afternoon, ST upper than others treatments. Providing supplemental light promoted the elevation of RR, also in the afternoon. The RT was not influenced by treatments. The extended light program altered the behavior of the animals, which animals were most active, especially at night. Anyway, there was no improvement or reduction of the performance with the use of different lighting programs for finishing pigs.

Keywords

animal behavior, environment, light, piglet

Submitted date:
02/04/2014

Reviewed date:
03/26/2014

Accepted date:
04/01/2014

5f9165870e8825bc591ddb38 jabbnet Articles
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J. Anim. Behav. Biometeorol.

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