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Comparison of Three Ventilation Schemes for Swine Farrowing Operations During Summertime in Southeastern Brazil

Published by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, St. Joseph, Michigan www.asabe.org

Citation:  Paper number  034065,  2003 ASAE Annual Meeting . (doi: 10.13031/2013.13873) @2003
Authors:   V.H. Teixeira, T. Yanagi, Jr, I.F.F. Tinôco, H. Xin, S.P. Lopez
Keywords:   Evaporative cooling, ventilation, thermal stress, localized cooling, swine farrowing

This field study evaluates three ventilation schemes for swine farrowing operations during summertime in Southeastern Brazil. The three ventilation schemes included a) head zone ventilation (HZV), b) HZV coupled with evaporative cooling of the supply air (HZVEC), and c) control no HZV or HZVEC. Perforated, positive-pressure air ducts connected to supply fans provided the HZV. Ten farrowing crates in separate rooms were involved per ventilation scheme. Dry-bulb and wet-bulb air temperatures (tdb, twb), black-globe temperature (tbg) and air velocity (v) near the animal level were measured to derive the black-globe humidity index (BGHI) during the experiment. Feed intake (FI), water intake (WI), post-parturition body mass recovery (BMR) of the sows, body mass of piglets at 2-3 days of age and weaning, average daily weight gain (ADG) and pre-weaning mortality (M) of piglets were also measured. The results show that HZVEC was the most effective scheme in relieving heat stress of the sows and enhancing their performance under the Southeastern Brazilian summer climatic conditions.

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