WOOD SHAVINGS BEDDINGS FOR PIGLETS IN WINTER

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of wood shavings beddings in open-type pig house on the growth performance of piglets and physical or chemical changes of beddings in winter. Seventy-two purebred piglets (L, Y, and D) at an average age of 28 days were allotted randomly into 2 treatments with six replicates. The treatments were : lot 1, concrete floor group and lot 2, shavings bedding group. The results of the experiment showed the benefit of starter pigs raised on pure shavings beddings in winter as follows : 1. 72.04% of piglets under 6 kg ceased to lose weight. 2. The temperature was 21.4-32.0-degrees-C at 10 cm under the shavings beds ; piglets dug only twice with their snout to reach the warmth. Heating efficacy of shavings bedding was better than for a heating lamp in winter. 3. The average daily intake increased by 19.84% (P<0.1) , the average daily gain increased by 26.88% (P<0.01), and morbidity decreased by 44.29% during testing period. 4. The average daily gain of weak piglets increased by 80.29% (P<0.01) because of digging behavior. 5. Simple open pig house was used with no need for bacteria inoculation or washing of shavings bedding during feeding period : as a result, the procedure was cost effetive. 6. NH3 in shavings bedding was less than 2.5 ppm. The deodorization efficacy of shavings bedding was better than that of concrete floor.