Yamilia B. Tolon

Ambiências térmica, aérea e acústica para reprodutores suínos

O ambiente de alojamento de instalacoes para reprodutores suinos tem influencia direta no desempenho dos animais. Este trabalho teve como objetivo estimar um padrao de avaliacao dos ambientes termicos, aereo e acustico em instalacoes para reprodutores de suinos (cachacos), de maneira que pudesse prover os animais de bem-estar. O experimento foi realizado em granja comercial localizada no municipio de Salto -SP. Foram levantados os dados de ambiencias termica, aerea e acustica do ambiente de criacao, sendo analisados estatisticamente, tendo como base a condicao de ambiencia ideal para proporcionar bem-estar animal. Os resultados mostraram que a temperatura ambiente ficou cerca de 70% fora da normalidade, enquanto a umidade relativa do ar, a velocidade do ar e a concentracao de gases estavam dentro da normalidade. Os dados de nivel de ruidos, alem de estarem dentro da faixa ideal, nao apresentam variacoes muito altas. Com relacao a analise feita utilizando logica fuzzy, foi possivel elaborar um cenario que indicou que os melhores indices de bem-estar para reprodutores suinos ocorrem quando o indice de conforto termico se aproxima de 80%, e quando o nivel de ruido e menor do que 40 dB. Em contrapartida, os piores indices de bem-estar ocorrem no setor em que os valores de conforto termico sao menores que 40%, ao mesmo tempo em que o nivel de ruido seja maior que 80 dB, promovendo condicoes inadequadas ao animal e podendo interferir diretamente no desempenho do sistema reprodutivo.

Uso de redes neurais artificiais na identificação de vocalização de suínos

O bem-estar dos animais tem sido importante topico de pesquisa na producao animal, principalmente no tocante as formas de sua avaliacao. Na avaliacao do bem-estar animal, a vocalizacao mostra-se como ferramenta interessante, por fornecer dados de forma nao-invasiva, podendo tambem ser facilmente automatizada. O presente trabalho teve o objetivo de implementar algoritmo baseado em redes neurais artificiais, capaz de reconhecer vocalizacoes relacionadas com padroes indicativos de bem-estar. A pesquisa teve duas partes, sendo a primeira o desenvolvimento do algoritmo, e a segunda, sua validacao com dados de campo. Registros previos permitiram o desenvolvimento do algoritmo, a partir de comportamentos observados em porcas alojadas em gaiolas de maternidade. O software Matlab® foi utilizado na implementacao da rede. Foi selecionado um algoritmo de gradiente de retropropagacao para treinar a rede com os seguintes criterios de parada: maximo de 5.000 iteracoes ou soma quadratica do erro menor que 0,1. A validacao deu-se com porcas e leitoes alojados em granja comercial. Dentre os comportamentos usuais, os que mereceram destaque foram: a disputa por alimento no momento das mamadas e o eventual risco de agressao involuntaria entre os leitoes ou entre esses e a porca. O algoritmo foi capaz de reconhecer, por meio da intensidade do ruido, a situacao inerente ao risco de reducao do bem-estar dos leitoes.

Medidas do ambiente acústico em creche de suínos

Nowadays, it is known that not only thermodynamics elements influence swine productivity, but also the interaction with the aerial environment along with the noise level must be taken into account. This research studied the acoustic environment inside a pig nursery housing using average noise level distribution maps as a function of ambient temperature and relative humidity. The structural environment was divided in 2 m2 cells. Noise level, air dry bulb temperature and relative humidity were recorded at piglet height in the centre of each cell. The results were mapped and the resulting nursery noise level was found to be 12.49 dB. However, a positive correlation between thermal environment and noise level was not found. From the results, it was possible to estimate the room noise level due to presence of piglets at around 12.49 dB. The resulting noise level found was below the international limit for swine housing and in accordance to national standards for farm workers. The results indicate that the piglets that were recently transferred to that environment vocalized more than the ones already acquainted with the room (10.98 dB), presenting a higher level of noise (12.58 dB).

Avaliação de tipos de ventilação em maternidade de suínos

Livestock facilities, where animals carry their productive cycle, must have as main characteristic, the control of influence over climatic factors on animals. The environment variations can be controlled through the use of different ventilation systems. The objective of this research was to evaluate the influence of different environment conditioning systems on swine nursery. Three treatments have been tested: natural ventilation, cooled ventilation and forced ventilation. The climatic parameters evaluated were: air temperature, relative humidity and black globe temperature. The physiological parameters analyzed were: respiratory frequency and back fat thickness. Number of born alive piglets, average weight at weaning and number of weaned piglets were also evaluated parameters. The use of cooled ventilation systems were able to decreased animals air temperature and respiratory frequency, and the black globe temperature and humidity index (WBGT) and the radiating thermal load (RTL).

Physiological and productive responses of environmental control on housed sows

Swine housing must promote an adjusted environment for thermal comfort and high animal productivity without negatively affecting the sow performance and reproductive response. This study evaluated the use of distinct environmental cooling equipments on sow performance, both on the gestation and on nursing in open sided housing. Two treatments were tested in the gestation building: natural ventilation and mechanical ventilation associated to fogging; while in the nursing rooms three treatments were tested: natural ventilation; mechanical ventilation; and evaporative cooling with forced ventilation. Sows were randomly chosen from the same genetic lot form six combined treatments. The evaporative cooling system in the farrowing room differed for piglet performances, at birth (4% higher) and on daily weight gain (15% higher), and also for sow physiological response improving the respiratory rate (8%) and back fat thickness (3%), without influencing skin temperature. The use of evaporative cooling directed to the sow head during nursing improved the physiological and productive results.

Environmental suitability of housing for gestation sows.

As swine production has been developed in Brazil, most research has been carried out in traditional areas of knowledge such as genetics, nutrition and reproduction. To obtain high quality meat is the main goal of producers, and welfare issues are not much understood. Behavior studies are helpful in showing the animal response to certain exposures, such as air quality and adequate overall rearing environment. Welfare issues are gaining importance in Brazilian meat production as their destination is increasingly for supplying external market. The objective of this research was to evaluate the gestating sow rearing conditions, such as thermal and aerial environmental conditions, and noise level in two distinct types of rearing management conditions: in group room and in cages. The experiment took place in a commercial swine farm in the state of Sao Paulo. The following variables were recorded in the geometric center of the housing at 1.5 m above the floor: dry-bulb, wet-bulb and black globe temperatures; wind speed; noise level, and gas concentration. Data were statistically analyzed using ANOVA. Results showed that the air quality was good when compared to the standard thresholds in both rearing conditions. The chemical quality of the air inside the gestating rearing conditions can be considered good, since the average measures of the studied gases inside both housings didn’t exceed the critical values for gestating sows. Noise level data is within the norm. As to the temperature, for example, it could be observed that the obtained data is higher than what it required by the standard, therefore it may result in reproductive problems for the animals.