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Environmental Effects On Growing Swine Performance, S.H. Pohl, R.C. Thaler, B.D. Rops, J.A. Nienaber

South Dakota Swine Research Report, 2001

The effects of environmental conditions on performance of growing pigs (30-50 kg) were studied over a four-week period. Pigs were exposed to natural occurring diurnal temperatures and a constant 32°C ambient temperature during normally hot weather conditions and constant 21 and 10°C ambient temperature conditions during cold weather. For each temperature treatment pigs were divided into single, 9 and 18 head per pen groups. The constant 32°C ambient temperature had a significant (P<0.05) effect on average daily gain and feed intake. Average daily gains were reduced from 0.72 to 0.64 kg/d and average daily feed intake was reduced from 1.53kg/d to 1.36 kg/d when comparing pig performance from the naturally occurring diurnal to constant 32°C temperature treatments. The 10°C cold weather treatment had no significant {P>0.05) effects on overall pig performance. Pigs from the 10°C treatment gained at a rate of 0. 72 vs 0.74 kg/d for pigs in the 21°C treatment. …