EFFECT OF DIFFERENT FLOORING SYSTEMS ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE, FEED UTILIZATION AND BIOMETRIC TRAITS OF LARGE WHITE YORKSHIRE PIGLETS DURING THE POST WEANING PERIOD

Abstract

24 Large White Yorkshire piglets weaned at 56-day age were allotted randomly to 4 experimental groups with 6 piglets in each group i.e., T1 (control group) was reared on the concrete floor, T2 rubber mat, T3 elevated slatted floor, and T4 reared on soil floor. Experimental duration was of 126 days after weaning. The initial body weights (kg) of piglets were 8.12 ± 0.35, 8.13 ± 0.57, 8.13 ± 0.54, and 8.12 ± 0.42 and which was increased to 50.45 ± 2.41, 49.00 ± 4.39, 56.45 ± 1.74, and 47.92 ± 5.26, respectively in T1, T2, T3, and T4 by ninth fortnight. The average daily gain (g) was 132.14 ± 10.23, 148.21 ± 29.53, 174.41 ± 9.69, and 128.57 ± 22.59 in the first fortnight on concrete, rubber mat, elevated slatted and soil floors, respectively and was increased to 518.98 ± 50.71, 506.84 ± 57.19, 537.55 ± 39.66, and 510.83 ± 81.86 in the ninth fortnight on concrete, rubber mat, elevated slatted and soil floor, respectively. The average feed intake (kg/head/day) was 0.470 ± 0.02, 0.490 ± 0.03, 0.539 ± 0.02, and 0.477 ± 0.02 in first fortnight on concrete, rubber mat, elevated slatted and soil floors, respectively and was increased to 2.598 ± 0.07, 2.482 ± 0.05, 2.737 ± 0.08, and 2.702 ± 0.07 in ninth fortnight on concrete, rubber mat, elevated slatted and soil floors, respectively. The average feed conversion ratio was 3.55 ± 0.14, 3.31 ± 0.17, 3.09 ± 0.14, and 3.71 ±0.14 in the first fortnight on concrete, rubber mat, elevated slatted and soil floors, respectively and was changed to 5.01 ± 0.13, 4.90 ± 0.10, 5.09 ± 0.14, and 5.29 ± 0.14 in the ninth fortnight on concrete, rubber mat, elevated slatted and soil floors, respectively. Statistical analysis revealed a non-significant (P>0.05) difference among mean initial body length, height at withers, heart girth, and hip width and between all the fortnights throughout the experiment.