MVSc

An experiment was conducted to findout the affect of
housing systems on the reproductive performance of sows and
gilts. Three types of housing systems namely, conventional
house with wallowing tank (control T1), conventional house
with sprinklers (T2) and range system (T3) were put to test.
Eighteen sows and eighteen gilts were reared under each
system. A significantly lower (P<0.01) temperature was
observed in sprinkler system (33.00C) when compared to
conventional (35.00C) and range (34.35°C). There was no
significant difference in relative humidity between the
groups. Significant difference (P<0.01) between treatment
groups Tl with T2 and T3 in age at puberty and mating in gilts
which were 305.47 ± 9.51, 270.36 ± 8.75 and 276.22 ± 5.65
respectively. The gilts under the treatment group T2 and T3
had reached puberty and were mated earlier than Tl group. The
weight of gilts at the time of breeding was significantly
(P<0.05) lower in treatment group T3 (75.39 ± 3.19) when
compared to T2(97.63 ± 3.09) and Tl (93.11 ± 3.73). But T3
group gilts had compensatory weight gain during pregnancy and
difference between treatment groups in weight of gilts at one
week after farrowing and at weaning were non significant. The
weight of sows at the time of breeding, one week after
farrowing and at weaning were significantly lower (P<0.05) in
treatment group T2 when compared to T3 and Tl Significantly


higher (P<0.0l) percentage of oestrus occurrence, breeding
success and intensity of oestrus were observed in T2 and T3
group than Tl group. The gestation length and post weaning
oestrus period were found to be non-significantly different
between the groups. The litter size at birth and weaning were
9.06 ± 0.26 and 6.87 ± 0.22 respectively in gilts and 9.38 ±
0.33 and 6.92 ± 0.05 respectively in sows reared under range
system (Tl) which were highly significant (P<0.0l) than the
litter size at birth and weaning obtained for gilts (5.8S ±
0.40 and 4.00 ± 0.69 respectively) and sows (7.09 ± 0.68 and
4.63 ± 0.70 respectively) reared under conventional system
(T1). Between T2 .and T3 there was no significant difference.
The litter weight at birth and weaning in T3 groups of 13.89
± 0.43 kg and 62.72 ± 1.99 kg respectively in gilts and 14.35
± 0.52 kg and 63.84 ± 4.04 kg respectively in sows were found
to be highly significant than Tl group and non significantly
higher than T2 group. The cost of installing sprinkler in
conventional pen and providing range in place of conventional
pen were estimated to be Rs.29/m2 and Rs.125/m2 respectively.
In the present study the reproductive performance of pigs
maintained under sprinkler and range system was found to be
better than the pigs maintained under conventional system.
But the range system may not be practical and economically
feasible always when compared to sprinkler system.