Desempenho de suínos em crescimento e terminação mantidos ou não em galpões com cortinas automatizadas.

Abstract

The evolution of genetics in pig farming has improved performance; however, the facilities require better environmental control to provide thermal comfort. Automated curtain barns have been used for this purpose, which need to be evaluated regarding their impact on animal performance. Thus, the objective was to investigate the effect of automated curtains on the performance of pigs during the growth-finishing phase compared to those kept in barns without automated curtains. The database was obtained from a commercial farm with two modules, each containing two barns. The weight at housing (WA), total average daily gain (TADG), average weight at exit (AWE), feed conversion ratio (FCR), total consumption (TC), average daily consumption (ADC), daily weight gain (DWG), and mortality rate (MR) were determined in barns with manual curtains and after the installation of automated curtains. All variables were analyzed by ANOVA, and means were compared using Tukey's Test at 5%, except for mortality, which was analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Pigs kept in barns with automated curtains exhibited higher TADG, AWE, and DWG, along with lower FCR. Therefore, barns with automated curtains contribute to better performance in pigs compared to those raised in barns with manual curtains.