Relationship between controlled atmosphere and post-weaning and finishing performance.Results of a field survey

The Lot Chamber of Agriculture has conducted two series of surveys on pig breeders. Technical performance data were correlated with various measures involved in controlled atmospheres. In addition to elements concerning living area, insulation quality, heating capacity and ventilator diameter were polled for each farm surveyed. For both the finishing and post-weaning stages, the best performances were first and foremost associated with a constant appropriate ambient air temperature. In post-weaning, the closer the minimum ambient temperature value was to average, the higher the ADG. In the finishing stage, losses were not only associated with the presence of rhinitis and pneumonia but also with poor insulation and (or) maximum installed air flow rate per pig. Post-weaning losses were low, andwere increased by low temperatures.