Sistemas de agrupamiento pre y post destete en lechones ibéricos. Bienestar y productividad

Résumé

The aim of this study was to describe the growth-check after weaning in Iberian pig and its relation with the occurrence of post-weaning diarrhoea and the physiological maturity of piglets. In order to assess these factors in response to different weaning ages and different rearing systems, a total of 360 pure-breed Iberian piglets were studied and were assigned at random to be weaned at 28d or 42d postpartum. Piglets were reared on three different systems: Intensive (I) (n= 12 litters), Traditional (T) (n= 12 litters) and Out-door system (O) (n= 12 litters). After weaning piglets were placed into six different groups according their weaning age and rearing system (two groups for each rearing system and a weaning age for each) and from each group, four pens were assembled with 15 piglets (three litters by group and five animals from each litter). All animals were weighed weekly from 21 to 63 days old, and food intake and presence or absence of diarrhoea were controlled with the same frequency. Salivary glucocorticoids (cortisol) were controlled during post-weaning period from 5 piglets in each pen and samples were collected between 9:00 and 11:00. In the same piglets blood samples were taken at weaning moment and at the end of the study. General Linear Models and Chi-Square procedure was used with SPSS® statistical package to perform the analysis with a confidence interval of 95% (P < 0.005). Pearson and Spaerman analysis was conducted to examine relationships between variables.