Comparison of diurnal rectal and body surface temperatures in large white piglets during the hot-dry season in a tropical Guinea savannah.

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine the differences in rectal and body surface temperatures and their extent of conformity using digital and infrared thermometers, respectively, in piglets during the hot-dry season in a tropical guinea savannah of Nigeria. Thirty Large White piglets of both sexes, aged 10-14 days, served as the experimental subjects. The rectal and surface body temperatures were recorded concurrently with those of the ambient dry- and wet-bulbs, during the day at 06:00, 09:00, 12:00, 15:00 and 18:00h (GMT +1). There were significant (P<0.05) diurnal variations in all body and ambient temperature readings, with the highest values obtained in the afternoon (at 15:00h GMT+1). The mean diurnal rectal and body surface temperatures in the piglets at 09:00-18:00h were significantly higher (P<0.001) than the corresponding values at 06:00h. The overall mean rectal temperature (39.00±0.04°C) was higher (P<0.01) than body surface temperature recorded for the eye (38.05±0.04°C), ear (38.10±0.07°C), head (37.97±0.05°C), nose (35.68±0.13°C), scapula (38.16±0.06°C), thigh (38.00±0.06°C), back (38.02±0.06°C) and hoof (36.83±0.07°C). The largest and smallest mean difference between rectal and body surface temperatures was -3.32±0.12°C and -0.84±0.06°C for the temperature of the nose and scapula, respectively. The positive correlation (P<0.05) between body temperatures (rectal and surface) of the piglets with ambient temperature implied that the later had a tremendous effect on the former. Body surface temperatures at the region of eye, ear, head, nose, scapula, thigh, back and hoof had significantly (P<0.0001) linear and positive relationships with rectal temperature. In conclusion, the similar diurnal trends, highly significant correlation coefficients and linear relationships between the rectal and body surface temperatures suggest that the later may serve as valid and reliable estimates of the former in piglets.