Effects of Environmental Factors on Death Rate of Pigs in South Korea

Abstract

Reducing the mortality rate among pigs for a swine industry is very important. In this study, environmental factors such as average air temperature, average daily temperature rage and average relative humidity were determined on its effects of on mortality rate of pigs and its optimum ranges to influence pigs health that were correlated with the pigs periodic growth. Data were collected from 10 pig farms in South Korea during the Summer, Fall and Winter seasons. Correlation and regression equation between each environmental factor and pigs' death rate and correlation between pigs' mortality rates of different rearing stages were analyzed. Mortality rate of young pigs (suckling piglets and weaning piglets) was susceptibly affected by the average air temperature and daily air temperature range, but not by average relative humidity. It was observed in this study that the recommended daily air temperature for young pigs is below 1.5 degrees C. The positive correlation between pigs' mortality rates of different rearing stage indicated that pigs need to be reared in a good and appropriate environment from starter to finisher.