The study was carried out in order to verify the effects of piglets’ weight at birth on their surface temperature change (ST) after birth, and its relationship with ingestion time of colostrum. Piglets from four different sows were weighed at birth and divided into a totally randomized design with three treatments according to birth weight (PBW): T1 - less than 1.00 kg, T2 - 1.00 to 1.39 kg, and T3 - higher than or equal to 1.40 kg. The time spent for the first colostrum ingestion was recorded (TFS). Images of piglets’ surface by thermal imaging camera were recorded at birth (STB) and 15, 30, 45, 60, and 120 min after birth. The air temperature and relative humidity were recorded every 30 min and the indexes of temperature and humidity (THI) were calculated. A ST drop after 15 min from birth was observed, increasing again after sixty minutes. Positive correlations were found between the PBW and the ST at 30 and 45 min after birth. The PBW was negatively correlated with the TFS. The THI showed high negative correlations (−0.824 and −0.815) with STB and after 15 min from birth. The piglet’s surface temperature at birth was positively correlated with temperature thereof to 15 min, influencing therefore the temperatures in the interval of 45 to 120 min. The birth weight contributes significantly to postnatal hypothermia and consequently to the time it takes for piglets ingest colostrum, requiring special attention to those of low birth weight.

-The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of chelated iron supplementation on gestating and lactating sows and on their suckling and weaned piglets. Reproductive traits, piglet performance, hematological parameters, and the iron concentrations in colostrum, milk, and stillborn livers were measured. Ninety-six sows were subjected to one of three treatment groups. Group T1 comprised pregnant and lactating sows treated with diets supplemented with inorganic iron (551 mg Fe/kg) and suckling piglets administered 200 mg of injectable iron dextran. Group T2 was the same as T1, except that sows after 84 days of gestation, lactating sows, and suckling piglets were fed a diet supplemented with 150 mg Fe/kg of chelated iron, and suckling piglets were administered injectable iron dextran. Group T3 was the same as T2 but without injectable iron dextran for suckling piglets. During the nursery phase, all of the weaned piglets were penned with their original groups or treatments and received isonutritive and isocaloric feeds. Piglets from the T2 and T3 groups also received an additional 150 mg Fe/kg of chelated iron via their feed. There were no differences among the treatments for reproductive traits or the iron concentrations in the colostrum, milk, or liver. The piglets that did not receive the injectable iron dextran showed the poorest performance during the pre-and post-weaning phases and showed the poorest hematological parameters of the suckling piglets. The chelated iron supplementation is insufficient to meet piglet demand. The iron dextran supply is necessary for suckling and weaned piglets.

Studies were carried out worldwide for evaluating different types of floor systems for growing-finishing pigs, specifically for assessing their effectiveness on pig performance, health and behaviour, leaving the opportunity for using multi-criteria analysis in decisionmaking towards the selection of flooring type. This study aimed to select the most suitable floor system for growing-finishing pigs under tropical conditions, considering performance traits and farmers management aspects. The analytic hierarchy process was applied for seeking the best solution considering both the farmers' goals and the pigs' welfare. Aspects considered in the analysis were: economic feasibility, rearing thermal and aerial condition, animal behaviour, performance, and health status. The input used in the calculation was based on the results of a field trial using three treatments: whole concrete floor, coffee and rice husk bedding, and wood shavings deepbedding. Rearing conditions and pigs' physiological parameters, performance, behaviour, and health status were analysed. When the floor system was considered, the most significant criteria were economic feasibility (0.31) and overall pig performance (0.31) leading to a final deep-bedding selection ranking of coffee and rice husks (1 st ), concrete floor (2 nd ), and wood shavings (3 rd ). Conversely, when the animal welfare was considered, the most decisive criterion was health status (0.32), followed by physiological parameters (0.25), and behaviour (0.23) leading to a final bedding selection ranking of coffee and rice husks (1 st ), wood shavings (2 nd ), and concrete floor (3 rd ). Results indicate that the deep-bedding of coffee and rice husks provided the best choice for both the farmer and the growing-finishing pigs.

The determination of loin eye area (LEA) is one of the most common methods to assess carcass quality and it is possible to adjust calculations to predict meat amount in the carcass which is one of the important features in the classification process. The aim of this study was to compare different methodologies used to determine LEA in swine. Fifteen crossbred pigs, Landrace x Large White, males and females, were slaughtered at 140 days of age. After 24 hours of cooling at 4°C, the Longissimus dorsi muscle was removed from the left half part of carcasses for evaluation of LEA between the 12th and 13th rib.

-The objective of this study was to evaluate the behavior of immunocastrated male pigs compared with females and castrated males during the period before and after full immunization. A total of 30 animals were divided into three treatments, with ten animals in each (females, barrows, and immunocastrated males). The experiment was divided into three periods: 70 to 80 days of age (period 1), 81 to 110 days of age (period 2), and 111 to 140 days of age (period 3). The behavior of animals during these stages was evaluated. Immunocastrated males showed a higher rate of aggressive and sexual behavior during period 2, which decreased after the second vaccine dose. Both barrows and immunocastrated males presented high locomotion in period 1, reducing the frequency of this activity in period 3. All analyzed animals had a higher level of activities such as drinking, playing, and sexual behavior in period 1 than in the other periods, decreasing during the experiment. The remaining behavioral responses did not differ between the studied categories. Immunocastrated males had higher proportions of undesirable behaviors (aggressive and sexual) related to the surgically castrated males and females, and these were reduced after the second vaccine dose. Immunocastration is effective in the reduction of behaviors such as agonistic and sexual at the same levels observed in females and surgically castrated males. However, immunocastrated pigs are more subject to these undesirable behaviors before full immunization.

The study was conducted to evaluate the microbiological development in PSE pork compared with normal meat and the effect of season of the year on the rate of proliferation of the same. Longissimus dorsi muscle samples from carcasses classified as PSE slaughter (pH45 <5.8) and normal (pH45 > 5.8) were collected after 24 hours of refrigeration, at the time of deboning, in a commercial slaughterhouse, with service federal inspection, located in the Grande Dourados region (MS). The samples (12 normal and 12 PSE) were collected at two different times of the year (fall and winter) for analysis of total and 45ºC coliforms, mesophylls, psychotropic, pseudomonas, yeasts and molds at 0, 5, 10 and 15 days of storage under refrigeration. Microbial growth behaved similarly between the two types of meat throughout the storage period, except for the count of mesophilic aerobic microorganisms, whose development was superior in PSE meat until the 5th day storage, matching between both types of meat later. Was no effect of season on the count of total coliforms and 45ºC, and their proliferation rate higher in meat from the slaughtered animals the warmer season (autumn).

-The objective of this study was to identify and quantify, through mathematical models, the main factors of production in growing and finishing pig units linked to three Brazilian cooperatives located in Western Region of Paraná State that influence the parameters of daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio. The records of 216 growing and finishing farms from 2010 to 2013, representing 1,533 batches, and totaling approximately 1,025,000 pigs, were evaluated. Thirty production factors related to the management, health, installations and equipment, nutrition, genetics, and environment were considered. The number of pigs per pen, the feeder model, the origin and sex of the animals, and the initial and final body weights were the factors included in the final models for both dependent variables (daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio) and had a significant impact on these ratios. Approximately, 41 and 55% of the total variance found for daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio, respectively, were explained by the variables included in the final models. Mathematical models could serve as important tools to aid the decision-making in pig production systems.

Resumo -O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar e quantificar, por meio de modelos de regressão linear múltipla, os fatores de produção que afetam o consumo diário de ração e a conversão alimentar de suínos nas fases de crescimento e terminação, em granjas integradas a uma cooperativa. Foram avaliados os históricos produtivos de 690 lotes, que representavam aproximadamente 363 mil animais alojados entre 2010 e 2013 em 118 granjas vinculadas a uma cooperativa do Estado do Paraná. Foram considerados 44 fatores de produção relacionados a instalações, manejo, sanidade, genética e alimentação. O consumo diário de ração (CDR) foi menor nos lotes oriundos de granjas com árvores nas laterais dos galpões e naqueles formados apenas por fêmeas. Já a conversão alimentar (CA) foi melhor para os lotes provenientes de granjas com árvores nas laterais dos galpões, alojados no verão/outono, oriundos de granjas edificadas em alvenaria e que apresentavam composteira e unidades especializadas produtoras de leitões. Os pesos de entrada e de saída dos lotes influenciaram o CDR, e o peso de entrada e a duração do período de engorda, a CA. Os modelos de regressão linear múltipla possibilitam identificar variáveis de importância e estimar seus efeitos sobre a conversão alimentar e o consumo diário de ração de suínos nas fases de crescimento e terminação.Termos para indexação: consumo diário de ração, conversão alimentar, equações, regressão múltipla. Factors affecting the performance of pigs in the growing and finishing phasesAbstract -The objective of this work was to identify and quantify, through multiple linear regression models, the factors of production that affect the daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio of pigs in the growing and finishing phases, in farms linked to a company. The production records of 690 batches were evaluated, representing approximately 363 thousand animals housed between 2010 and 2013 in 118 commercial farms linked to a company in the state of Paraná, Brazil. Forty-four factors of production related to facilities, management, health status, genetics, and feeding were considered. Daily feed intake (DFI) was lower in batches from farms that had trees planted on the sides of the barns and in those formed only by females. The feed conversion ratio (FCR) was better in batches from farms with trees on the sides of the barns, housed during summer/fall, originated from farms with barns built of masonry and that had compost bins and specialized units for producing piglets. The initial and final weights of the batches affected DFI, and the initial weight and duration of the growing and finishing phases, the FCR. The multiple linear regression models allow identifying important variables and estimating their effects on FCR and DFI of pigs in the growing and finishing phases.Index terms: daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio, equations, multiple regression. IntroduçãoNa suinocultura, as fases de crescimento e terminação são consideradas complexas e sujeitas a muitas variáveis, com grandes transformações nos ...