Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-tf8b9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-30T21:17:28.111Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Heat loss from groups of growing pigs under various conditions of environmental temperature and air movement

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

C. W. Holmes  and
L. E. Mount
C. W. Holmes
Affiliation:
A.R.C. Institute of Animal Physiology, Babraham, Cambridge
L. E. Mount
Affiliation:
A.R.C. Institute of Animal Physiology, Babraham, Cambridge
Get access

Extract

Continuous measurements of heat loss throughout the 24 hours have been made on groups of pigs living in a large direct calorimeter equipped as a pig pen. Five experiments, each lasting 24 days, were carried out on groups of six pigs each weighing about 20 kg, and these were repeated when body weight was 60 kg on groups of three pigs, chosen from the original six in each case. Each group was exposed initially to an environmental temperature of 20°C for 10 days, followed by either 9°C (two groups at each weight), 30°C (two groups at each weight), or a continuation of 20°C (one group at each weight). In another experiment lasting 66 days a group of four pigs was exposed to 12 and 20°C at two levels of air movement.

Heat loss from the groups showed a marked 24-hr cycle, with a maximum n i the afternoon and a minimum in the early morning. The mean amplitude of the cycle at 20°C was 20% of the mean value; this proportion increased at 9 and 12°C.

Heat loss was approximately proportional to (body weight)1·0 over the weight range 17·34 kg, and to (body weight)0·8 over the weight range 35·54 kg, when food intake increased in proportion to (body weight)1·0. Over the weight range 55·67 kg, when food intake was constant at 1·83 kg/day per pig, heat loss was proportional to (body weight)0·4. In both 20 and 60-kg pigs, heat losses showed little difference between 20 and 30°C, but were increased at 9°C.

Evaporative loss from the pen, as a proportion of total heat loss, was approximately 21% at 9°C, 29% at 20°C, and 61% at 30°C. Voluntary water intake exhibited a marked 24-hr cycle similar in timing to the heat loss cycle.

There was no lasting effect on heat loss associated with raising the mean air movement rate in the pen from 10 to 26 cm/sec.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 9 , Issue 4 , November 1967 , pp. 435 - 452
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1967

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bond, T. E., Kelly, C. F. & Heitman, H. Jr 1952. Heat and moisture losses from swine. Agric. Engng, 33: 148–154.Google Scholar
Bond, T. E., Kelly, C. F. & Heitman, H. Jr, 1959. Hog house air conditioning and ventilation data. Trans. Am. Soc. agric. Engrs, 2: 1–4.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bond, T. E., Kelly, C. F. & Heitman, H. Jr 1963. Effect of diurnal temperature on heat loss and well-being of swine. Trans. Am. Soc. agric. Engrs, 6: 132–135.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brody, S. & Kibler, H. H., 1944. Resting energy metabolism and pulmonary ventilation in growing swine. Res. Bull. Mo. agric. Exp. Sta. no. 380.Google Scholar
Cairnie, A. B., 1958. A study of the heat output of the young pig under various conditions. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Aberdeen.Google Scholar
Cairnie, A. B. & Puller, J. D., 1959. An investigation into the efficient use of time in the calorimetric measurement of heat output. Br. J. Nutr., 13: 431–439.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Capstick, J. W. & Wood, T. B., 1922. The effect of change of temperature on the basal metabolism of swine. J. agric. Sci., Camb., 12: 257–268.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Graham, N. Mcc 1965. Metabolism of the pregnant ewe and some effects of thermal stress. In Energy Metabolism (Proceedings of the Third Symposium on Energy Metabolism, European Association for Animal Production) Ed. Blaxter, K. L., p. 389. Academic Press, London.Google Scholar
Heitman, H. Jr, Kelly, C. F. & Bond, T. E., 1958. Ambient air temperature and weight gain in swine. J. Anim. Sci., 17: 62–67.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Holmes, C. W., 1966. Studies on the effects of environment on heat losses from pigs. Ph.D. Thesis. The Queen's University of Belfast.Google Scholar
Holmes, C. W. & Mount, L. E., 1966. Heat loss from young pigs, individually and in groups, at ambient temperatures of 9, 20 and 30°C. J. Physiol., Lond., 186: 75–77P.Google Scholar
Johnson, H. D. & Yeck, R. G., 1964. Age and temperature effects on T.D.N., water consumption and balance of dairy calves and heifers exposed to environmental temperatures of 35° to 95°F. Res. Bull. Mo. agric. Exp. Sta. no. 865.Google Scholar
Kasubiewicz, C., 1962. Reaction and adaptation of pigs to the action of cold. Med. Wet., 19: 421–425.Google Scholar
Kleiber, M., 1961. The Fire of Life. Wiley, New York.Google Scholar
Ludvigsen, J. & Thorbek, G., 1955. Heat production of pigs of various ages. Beretn. f. forsøgslab. København. 283.Google Scholar
Mather, K., 1943. Statistical Analysis in Biology. Methuen, London.Google Scholar
Mount, L. E., 1960. The influence of huddling and body size on the metabolic rate of the young pig. J. agric. Sci., Camb., 55: 101–105.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mount, L. E., 1966. The effect of wind-speed on heat production in the new-born pig. Q. J. exp. Physiol, 51: 18–26.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mount, L. E., Holmes, C. W., Start, I. B. & Legge, A. J., 1967. A direct calorimeter for the continuous recording of heat loss from groups of growing pigs over long periods. J. agric. Sci., Camb., 68: 47–55.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pullar, J. D., 1963. Energy metabolism. In Progress in Nutrition and Allied Sciences. Ed. Cuthbertson, D. P., pp. 187–197. Oliver & Boyd, Edinburgh.Google Scholar
Robinson, D. W., Prescott, J. H. D. & Lewis, D., 1965. Digestible energy values of cereals in pig diets. J. agric. Sci., Camb., 64: 59–65.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
SoRensen, P. H., 1962. Influence of climatic environment on pig performance. In Nutrition of Pigs and Poultry. Eds. Morgan, J. T. & Lewis, D.. Butterworth, London.Google Scholar
Spealman, C. R., Yamamoto, W., Bixby, E. W. & Newton, M., 1948. Observations on metabolism and water balance of men subjected to warm and cold environments. Am. J. Physiol., 152: 233–241.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Winchester, C. P. & Morris, M. J., 1956. Water intake rates of cattle. J. Anim. Sci., 15: 722–740.CrossRefGoogle Scholar