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Article
Pilot-Scale Assessment of a Novel Farrowing Creep Area Supplementary Heat Source
Animals
  • Benjamin C. Smith, Iowa State University
  • Brett C. Ramirez, Iowa State University
  • Steven J. Hoff, Iowa State University
  • Laura L. Greiner, Iowa State University
Document Type
Article
Publication Version
Published Version
Publication Date
11-19-2019
DOI
10.3390/ani9110996
Abstract

Pre-weaning morality (PWM) is attributed to a poor creep area microclimate and causes major economic and productivity losses for the US swine industry. Piglets need supplementary heat to overcome a high surface area to body weight ratio and minimal thermoregulation. A pilot-scale study was conducted to evaluate a semi-enclosed heated microclimate (SEHM) as a supplementary heat source for farrowing creep areas over six farrowing cycles (from January to July 2019) in two rooms with 24 farrowing stalls in each room. Six SEHMs (each SEHM covers two stalls) were randomly distributed to each room and compared to heat lamps (HLs) for productivity and electricity usage. Data from 113 (SEHM) and 101 litters (HL) showed no significant difference between treatments in average daily gain (p = 0.26), 252.4 ± 8.0 g hd−1 d−1 (SEHM) and 260.3 ± 8.1 g hd−1 d−1 (HL) and PWM (p = 0.08), 9.67% ± 0.82% (SEHM) and 12.04% ± 0.87% (HL). However, a significant difference (p = 0.02) was noted in the PWM attributed to over-lay mortalities, 4.05% ± 0.76% (SEHM) compared to 6.04% ± 0.78% (HL). The SEHM electricity averaged 3.25 kWh d−1 (2.91, 3.59 kWh d−1; 95% CI), which was significantly different (p < 0.01) from the HL equivalent (125 W bulb; 6 kWh d−1).

Comments

This article is published as Smith, Benjamin C., Brett C. Ramirez, Steven J. Hoff, and Laura L. Greiner. "Pilot-Scale Assessment of a Novel Farrowing Creep Area Supplementary Heat Source," Animals 9, no. 11 (2019): 996. DOI: 10.3390/ani9110996. Posted with permission.

Access
Open
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
Copyright Owner
The Authors
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Citation Information
Benjamin C. Smith, Brett C. Ramirez, Steven J. Hoff and Laura L. Greiner. "Pilot-Scale Assessment of a Novel Farrowing Creep Area Supplementary Heat Source" Animals Vol. 9 Iss. 11 (2019) p. 996
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/steven_hoff/175/