Inverkan av stora mängder halm som underlag i grisningsboxen på den nyfödda smågrisens temperaturreglering

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of large amounts of straw \nin the farrowing pen on thermal regulation of the newborn piglet in different \nweight classes. 20 sows were given 15 kg of straw in the farrowing pen \n2 days prior to until 7 days after parturition. A control group of 18 sows \nhad no straw in the pen. 6 litters from each treatment were observed. \nMeasurements of piglet body temperature were made at 0h, 2h, 4h, 8h and 24h \nafter parturition. At "8h" the body temperature of the piglets in the Straw group \nwere significantly higher (P=0,0149) than the piglets in the Control group. The \ntendency was much the same at "24h" (P=0,0618). It also appeared to be the \nsmallest piglets that benefit the most from a generous amount of straw in the pen. \n \nAnother aim of the present study was to evaluate infrared (IR) thermal imaging as \na method of measuring body core temperature. Whole body thermal imaging of \npiglets was made parallel to rectal measurement of body temperature. About 500 \nIR pictures were analyzed, the results showing strong correlation between mean \nskin temperature and rectal temperature as well as maximum skin temperature and \nrectal temperature.