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Effects of Cooling on the Reproductive Performance of Gilts
OYEDEJI, J.O. & IMAGBENIKARO, G.O.
Abstract
The study examined the effect of cooling on the reproductive performance of
gilts using 27 Large White Experimental Gilts on a Completely Randomized Design (CRD)
with 3 systems of cooling, namely Wallow Cooling (WC), Sprinkler Cooling (SC) and Zero
Cooling (ZC). Gilts were weighed at the commencement of the experiment and thereafter fed
ad libitum from service to farrowing. Feed intake till farrow, feed cost, gilt weight at farrow,
date of farrow, litter size and weight were recorded. The feed/piglet weight, feed intake/litter,
feed cost/litter and birth weight/piglet were derived. The results showed that feed intake per
litter and feed per piglet weight were highest for gilts placed on WC(P< 0.05), followed by
SC and least for sow placed on ZC; gilt weight before farrow was highest for sow placed on
SC (69.78±0.92), followed by ZC (69.33±0.94) and least for gilts placed on WC
(67.33±0.87); litter sizes of gilts placed under the WC and SC systems were similar
(5.6±0.41) while that under the ZC system was comparatively smaller (5.4±0.40);while the
date of farrow was lowest in the ZC system (113.8±0.32) followed by SC (114.0±0.33) and
highest under the WC (114.1±0.33). However, the feed intake per litter, feed per piglet
weight, litter sizes of gilts, birth weight per piglet of gilts and the average date of farrow
among gilts placed on WC, SC and ZC were not statistically different at 5% level of
significance. Though, there is no significant difference in the performance among gilts placed
on WC, SC and ZC, temperature regulation through provision of efficient cooling system in
piggery would help to increase litter size, improve feed intake per litter and reduce the
average cost of feeding gilt per day in maximizing reproductive performances in pigs.
Keywords
Cooling; gilts; service; farrow; piggery; litter size; piglet; birth weight
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