Thermal environmental effects and group size on growing swine performance

摘要

Swine in the growing and finishing stages of production can be subjected to a wide range of environmental factors. These factors depend on weather, the type and condition of the swine facility, and how well the environmental control system is designed and managed. Facility types may vary from a mechanically ventilated and well insulated structure where temperatures can be maintained to within a few degrees of a desired set-point to a non-insulated building and dirt lot with minimal environmental modification. Placing swine, especially high lean pigs, in adverse environments may be counter productive economically and result in poor pig performance.