Effect of housing systems on the reproductive performance of sows and gilts

Abstract

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.