VIABILITY OF UTILIZATION OF THE AIR STERILIZATION IN THE ROOM MATERNITY IN SWINE FARMS

Abstract

This experiment evaluated the utilization of the air sterilizer about the zootecnic performance and its cost benefit relation for the maternity stage of a swine farm. Two groups of 16 sows each were used: a treated one with air sterilizer and a control group without treatment. It was observed: the occurrence of mortality in piglets, weight of piglets at weaning, diarrhea, food consumption, sows and piglets’ behavior and odor of the maternity room. Growing of Gram negative and positive bacteria and fungi were measured using seed agar plates exposed to maternity environment. Control group mortality rate was 12.71% and for treated group it was 6.96%. Diarrhea occurred in 22 piglets from control group against six for piglets of treated group with statistical significance. Control group mean weight at weaning was 5.97 Kg against 6.70 Kg for treated group with statistical significance. Total food consumed by treated group sows was 2,038.2 Kg with daily mean of 4.54 Kg per sow and control group was 1,912.5 Kg with daily mean of 4.26 Kg. Control group points for the parameter odor of the room were 154 against 102 for treated group with statistical significance. The mean daily score of behavior of sows control group was 1.32 versus 1.01 in the treated group with statistical significance, and the piglets was 1.12 in the control group versus 1.04 in the treated group. For the parameter odor of rooms, in the control group the total value was 154 points versus 102, in the treated group with statistical significance. No significant difference was observed in relation to bacteria growth in plates when compared treated and control groups. The use of the physical method for air sterilization at the maternity contributed to increase zootecnic performance of the animals.