The impact of evaporative cooling on the thermoregulation and sensible heat loss of sows during farrowing

Engenharia Agrícola

Eliene Justino²  Irenilza De A. Nääs¹  Thayla M. R. Carvalho¹  Diego P. Neves¹  Douglas D'alessandro Salgado¹ 

[1] ,UNICAMP Faculdade de Engenharia Agrícola Campinas SP

关键词: ventilation;    thermal stress;    panting;    surface temperature;    swine;    lactation;    ventilação;    estresse térmico;    respiração ofegante;    temperatura de superfície;    suínos;    lactação;   

DOI  :  10.1590/S0100-69162014000600003

来源: SciELO

【 摘 要 】

Pigs are more sensitive to high environmental temperatures explained by the inability of sweating and panting properly when compared to other species of farmed livestock. The evaporative cooling system might favor the thermal comfort of animals during exposure to extreme environmental heat and reduce the harmful effects of heat stress. The purpose of this study was to assess the sensible heat loss and thermoregulation parameters from lactating sows during summer submitted to two different acclimatization systems: natural and evaporative cooling. The experiment was carried out in a commercial farm with 72 lactating sows. The ambient variables (temperature, relative humidity and air velocity) and sows physiological parameters (rectal temperature, surface temperature and respiratory rate) were monitored and then the sensible heat loss at 21days lactation was calculated. The results of rectal temperature did not differ between treatments. However, the evaporative cooling led to a significant reduction in surface temperature and respiratory rate and a significant increase in the sow's sensible heat loss. It was concluded that the use of evaporative cooling system was essential to increase sensible heat loss; thus, it should reduce the negative effects of heat on the sows' thermoregulation during summer.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
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