INFLUENCE OF THE METHOD OF BREEDING ON SOME HAEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETERS IN SWINES DURING PREGNANCY PERIOD

T. Nikolova, M. Petrova, Y. Marchev

Abstract: A study was conducted with 24 pregnant sows from the hybrid Camborow with three different types of housing –individual pens (IP), group pens (GP), and groups with individual feeding stalls (GPIS). The aim was to study the influence of the type of housing during pregnancy on some haematological parameters of the sows. Hematocrit (Hct, %), leukocytes (WBC/ mm3), erythrocytes (RBC/ mm3), hemoglobin (Hb, g / l) and glucose (Glc, mmol / l) were controlled.
Significant influence of housing system was established on haematological parameters. The total WBC count in the sows housed individually was by 5 522 per mm3 (P <0.001) higher than those in groups and by 5 462 per mm3 (P<0.001) than those in groups with individual feeding stalls. The RBC count was higher in the group-housed pigs with higher physical activity, leading to consumption of more nutrients and oxygen. The differences of 0.241 RBC/mm3 between GP and IP and 0.532 RBC/mm3 between GP and GPIS are significant (P<0.01). The greatest amount of Hb was observed in the sows housed in group pens where the deviation from the overall LS-mean is +5.79%.

Keywords: haematological parameter; housing system; pregnancy; sows

Date published: 2017-03-16