Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the evaporative cooling of the air at farrowing on the performance of lactating sows under high environmental temperature conditions in the Central West region of Brazil. One hundred and forty-four lactating sows - 46 of first and second farrowing (experiment I) and 98 from the third to eighth farrowing (experiment II) - were used. Sows were distributed in experimental design of randomized blocks consisting of two rooms (with air cooling and control), with the sow as the experimental unit. The average duration of lactation was 21 days. Sows were fed ad libitum with the same lactation diet. In experiment I, the air cooling increased the daily feed intake, reduced the total and percent weight loss, increased the weight of the piglets and litters at weaning and improved the daily milk production of sows. However, the air cooling did not affect the weight of the sows or the number of piglets at weaning. In experiment II the air cooling increased the daily feed intake of the sows, reduced the total and percent weight loss, increased the weight and the weight gain of the piglets and litters and improved the daily milk production of the sows. Air cooling enables the increase of the daily feed intake and, therefore, of nutrients by the sows, with consequent reduction of mobilization of body reserves and the increase in the milk production and in the weight of piglets and litters at weaning, regardless the farrowing order of the sow.

O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar o desempenho e as características quantitativas de carcaça de suínos machos castrados e imunocastrados, sob alimentação à vontade ou restrição quantitativa. Foram utilizados 240 animais, com peso inicial de 91,49±3,26kg, distribuídos em delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso, em esquema fatorial 2x2 (dois manejos alimentares e duas categorias), com quatro repetições e 15 suínos cada. Suínos sob restrição alimentar apresentaram consumo inferior (P<0,05) em relação aos alimentados à vontade. O consumo de ração não diferiu (P>0,05) entre castrados e imunocastrados. Suínos alimentados à vontade apresentaram maior (P<0,05) ganho de peso em relação àqueles sob restrição. Os imunocastrados apresentaram ganho de peso superior (P<0,05) aos castrados. Houve interação (P<0,05) entre manejo e categorias para conversão alimentar, em que a restrição melhorou a conversão alimentar dos castrados em relação aos imunocastrados. Além disso, os imunocastrados apresentaram melhor (P<0,05) conversão alimentar em relação aos castrados, independente do manejo alimentar. Não houve interação (P>0,05) entre os fatores sobre as características de carcaça. A restrição não afetou (P>0,05) as características de carcaça. Machos imunocastrados apresentaram menor (P<0,05) espessura de toucinho e maior percentual de carne magra na carcaça. A restrição alimentar melhora a conversão alimentar de machos castrados. A restrição alimentar piora o ganho de peso e não altera as características de carcaça dos machos castrados e imunocastrados. Suínos imunocastrados apresentam desempenho superior, menor espessura de toucinho e maior percentual de carne magra em relação aos castrados.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance and carcass quantitative characteristics of barrows and immunocastrated swine fed ad libitum or under quantitative feeding restriction. Two hundred and forty animals were used, with initial weight of 91.49±3.26kg, distributed in a randomized blocks design, in a factorial scheme 2x2 (two management and two food categories), with four replicates of 15 pigs each. Pigs submitted to dietary restriction had lower consumption (P<0.05) than those fed ad libitum. Feed intake did not differ (P>0.05) between castrated and immunocastrated. Pigs fed ad libitum had higher (P<0.05) weight gain over those submitted to restriction. The immunocastrated showed higher weight gain (P<0.05) than castrated. There was an interaction (P<0.05) between management and categories for feed, in which the restriction improved castrated pigs. Immunocastrated had better (P <0.05) feed conversion compared to castrated, regardless of feed management. There was no interaction (P>0.05) among the factors on carcass traits. The restriction did not affect (P>0.05) carcass traits. Immunocastrated pigs had lower (P<0.05) back fat thickness and higher percentage of lean meat. Dietary restriction improves feed conversion of castrated pigs. The dietary restriction affects weight gain and does not affect carcass characteristics of barrows and immunocastrated. Immunocastrated pigs have higher performance, lower back fat thickness and a higher percentage of lean meat compared to the castrated.

O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar níveis de energia líquida (EL) e ractopamina na dieta de leitoas em terminação sob altas temperaturas ambientais (29,5±2,3°C). Foram utilizadas 40 leitoas (peso inicial de 69,3±2,8kg) distribuídas no delineamento de bloco ao acaso em esquema fatorial 2x4 (0 e 20ppm de ractopamina e 2.300; 2.424; 2.548 e 2.668kcal de EL kg-1 de ração), com cinco repetições de um animal cada. Houve interação (P<0,05) entre EL e ractopamina, sendo que a inclusão de 20ppm em dietas com 2.548 e 2.668kcal reduziu (P<0,05) a espessura de toucinho e aumentou (P<0,05) a percentagem de carne magra das carcaças. A ractopamina melhorou (P<0,05) a conversão alimentar e a quantidade de carne magra nas carcaças (P<0,05), independente dos níveis de EL. Concluiu-se que a ractopamina na dose de 20ppm propicia benefícios no desempenho e características de carcaça de leitoas sob estresse térmico e que esse efeito é mais positivo em dietas contendo níveis energéticos mais elevados (2.548 e 2.668kcal de EL).

The objective of this paper was to assess net energy (NE) levels and ractopamine in the diet of finishing gilts maintained under high temperature environment (29.5±2.3°C). Forty gilts were used, with initial weight of 69.3±2.8kg, distributed in a randomized block design, in a factorial scheme 2x4 (0 and 20ppm of ractopamine; and 2,300; 2,424; 2,548 and 2,668kcal/kg NE kg-1 of feed), and five replications and one animal each. There was interaction (P<0.05) between NE levels and ractopamine, and the inclusion of 20ppm of ractopamine in the diets containing 2,548 and 2,668kcal reduced (P<0.05) backfat thickness and increased (P<0.05) the percentage of lean meat of carcasses. The use of ractopamine improved (P<0.05) feed gain ratio and increased (P<0.05) the amount of lean meat in carcasses. It was concluded that ractopamine at a dose of 20ppm provides benefits in performance and carcass traits of gilts under heat stress and this effect is more positive in diets containing higher energy levels (2,548 and 2,668kcal of NE kg-1).