February 26, 2007

US Study: Low temperatures in pig nursery can abate rising feed, energy costs

Hog raisers reeling with the continuous rise of feed prices and high energy costs can save at least some production expenses by turning down the thermostat at night in their nurseries, said researchers from the University of Missouri (MU).

In a recent study, two groups of 120 early-weaned pigs 18 days old were tested for four weeks. In one group, temperatures were kept in normal ranges between 88 and 92 degrees around the clock. In the other group, nocturnal temperatures were dropped 10 degrees after the first week post-weaning.

Lowering nocturnal nursery temperatures 10 degrees in one group from 7 pm to 7 am saved about 25 percent in energy costs (electricity and propane) while resulting in an unexpected bonus of a 5 percent increase in daily weight gain during the four-week period, said Marcia Shannon, extension associate professor of animal science.

The increase in weight gain was due to increased feed intake rather than feed efficiency, she said.

Producers also could use lower nocturnal nursery temperatures to reduce propane or electricity costs.

This alteration in temperature would offset the sharp increase in corn prices due to demands for ethanol production, Shannon said.

Shannon noted the research is designed to determine the overall effect of reduced nocturnal temperatures on pig performance and energy utilisation in establishing a basis to determine the optimum daytime and nocturnal ambient temperature settings for pigs in conventional nurseries.

The MU research is part of a regional project in which MU, South Dakota State University, University of Nebraska and University of Minnesota are using the same nocturnal nursery protocol to optimize pig performance. In this research, pigs are weighed weekly and the feed closely monitored.

The research builds on 1980s studies at the University of Nebraska, which indicated nocturnal temperatures could be reduced without hurting pig performance. Such research, however, was based on weaning pigs at 28 days of age. Today, pigs are weaned at 21 days or less and the animals are physiologically different, Shannon said. The current research also tests a larger number of animals across states that might have multiple energy requirements.