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Observed energy intake of weaned piglets and its effect on temperature requirements

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

A. M. Robertson ,
J. J. Clark  and
J. M. Bruce
A. M. Robertson
Affiliation:
Scottish Farm Buildings Investigation Unit, Craibstone, Bucksburn, Aberdeen
J. J. Clark
Affiliation:
Scottish Farm Buildings Investigation Unit, Craibstone, Bucksburn, Aberdeen
J. M. Bruce
Affiliation:
Scottish Farm Buildings Investigation Unit, Craibstone, Bucksburn, Aberdeen
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Abstract

Energy intake was recorded for two batches of 12 individually-penned piglets weaned at 5 kg live weight and fed milk-based diets of 18·7 MJ metabolizable energy (ME) per kg up to 8 kg live weight and 15.4 MJ ME per kg thereafter. The piglets were kept within their thermoneutral zone throughout the experiments. Regression equations describing the relationship between energy intake and days after weaning were developed for each piglet and the means of the regression coefficients and constants were incorporated in an equation for estimating energy intakes for piglets of 5 to 15 kg live weight. The lower and upper critical temperatures were calculated for each piglet on every day of the trial. These values were extrapolated to give temperature recommendations for piglets of 5 to 15 kg live weight kept in groups of 20. The temperatures ranged from 30°C at weaning to 19°C, 23 days after weaning. This represented a reduction in temperature equivalent to 0·5°C per day.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 40 , Issue 3 , June 1985 , pp. 475 - 479
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1985

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References

REFERENCES

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