Abstract
ABSTRACT Although dry bulb temperature (T) is the environmental variable most commonly used to classify thermal comfort in pigs, environmental assessment ratios provide more accurate information. The objective of this study was to correlate the sound pressure levels (SPL) produced by piglet vocalization with the thermal environment observed during the nursery phase, and subsequently establish thermoneutrality ranges. The experiment was conducted on a pig farm where T, relative humidity (RH), and SPL data were recorded between 9 am-5 pm for 42 days. The association between SPL and T in nursery phase piglets was verified; for thermal comfort to be possible, SPLs were 56.3 to 60.3 dB. The SPLs were subsequently used in predictor equations of ratios, and thermal comfort ranges were 74.4-78.3 for temperature and humidity ratio (THI), and 71.6-75.8 for globe temperature and humidity ratio (BGHI). Although the SPL proved to be a convenient indicator of thermal comfort for the evaluation of pigs, further studies developed in different phases of the production system are required.
Highlights
In the context of intensive exploitation, the confinement of pigs provides an increase in productivity, notably through sanitary control and cost reductions; animal welfare conditions (AWC) becomes a limiting factor in production systems
The animals were fed twice daily without restrictions using manual feeders, and one nipple drinker was added to each cage to supply the piglets with water
The results of the present study show that by establishing the sound pressure level (SPL) for the thermoneutral zone, it is possible to evaluate the comfort ranges for the indices
Summary
In the context of intensive exploitation, the confinement of pigs provides an increase in productivity, notably through sanitary control and cost reductions; animal welfare conditions (AWC) becomes a limiting factor in production systems. The effects caused by the absence of AWC are clear and diverse, especially when the stressor is continuous and irrespective of the animal’s adaptive measures, whether behavioral or physiological. One such example is extreme temperatures causing heat stress in a confined environment. The complexity of the subject is emphasized by the animals’ sensitive heat exchange mechanisms including radiation, conduction, and convection, or preferably in the latent form under high temperature conditions, through panting (Watanabe et al, 2018) Their preferred heat exchange mechanisms are mainly dependent on dry bulb
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