Animal Science Abstract
Effects of season and parity on performance of lactating sows in a tropical climate
J. L. Gourdine1, D. Renaudeau1,A, J. Noblet22 and J. P. Bidanel3
ACorresponding author. E-mail: renaudea@antilles.inra.fr
1Unité de Recherches Zootechniques, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, 97170 Petit Bourg, Guadeloupe, French West Indies2Unité Mixte de Recherches sur le Veau et le Porc, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, 35590 St-Gilles, France
3Station de Génétique Quantitative et Appliquée, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, 78352 Jouy-en-Josas Cedex, France
Abstract
The effects of season in a tropical climate and parity on lactation performance of 106 Large White sows over several reproductive cycles (301 lactations in total) were studied in Guadeloupe (French West Indies, 16ºN latitude, 61ºW longitude) between January 1999 and March 2003. Two seasons were determined a posteriori from climatic parameters recorded continuously in a station close to the experimental unit. During the warm season, ambient temperature and relative humidity averaged 23.5ºC and 0.831, respectively. In the hot season, the corresponding values were 26.0ºC and 0.834, respectively. Over the 28-day lactation period, average daily food intake (ADFI) was lower (P < 0.001) and live-weight (LW) loss was higher (P < 0.05) during the hot season than during the warm season (3.9 v. 4.7 kg/day and 17 v. 12 kg, respectively). Growth rate and mean LW of piglets at weaning were lower (P < 0.05) during the hot season (203 v. 220 g/day and 7.0 v. 7.5 kg, respectively). However, the weaning-to-oestrus interval was not affected by season (5.4 days on average). The effect of season on ad libitum ADFI was less accentuated for primiparous than for multiparous sows (warm-hot 360 v. 1001 g/day). Irrespective of the season, ADFI was lower (P < 0.01) and piglet growth rate tended to be lower (P < 0.1) in primiparous than in multiparous sows (4.0 v. 4.4 kg/day and 205 v. 215 g/day, respectively). Moreover, the percentage of sows that returned to oestrus later than 5 days after weaning was higher in primiparous than in multiparous sows (25 v. 2%, P < 0.001). This study confirmed the negative effects of the hot season on performance of lactating sows raised in a humid tropical climate; the effects of season are dependent on parity number.
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