Effect of water spray treatment controlled for environmental temperature on productivity and animal welfare in grow-finish pigs

Abstract

In order to determine the effect of the use of water spray controlled by environmental temperature, on productivity and animal welfare in pigs in the grow finish phase, an investigation was carried out in a commercial pig farm located in the Province of Los Ríos, Ecuador. Thirty animals were use per treatment, which consisted of the use of spraying regulated by ambient temperature and the control group, equally divided by sex, evaluating productive (PV) and animal welfare (AW) variables. Among the PV are final weight, weight gain, daily weight gain, weight and performance to the carcass, and AW, position, aggressiveness and interaction between individuals and back superficial temperature. The data were analyzed through of variance-covariance analysis. The treatment showed a significant effect (P<0.05) in the carcass weight and sex interaction, in the position, feeding, social interaction and dorsal body temperature. The variables daily weight gain performance to the final weight carcass, drinking water, lifting, aggressiveness did not show an effect of the spray treatment (P<0.05). The use of spraying water controlled by environmental temperature is a favorable strategy to improve productive aspects and animal welfare in grow finish-fattening pigs.