It was aimed with the present study to evaluate the use of slate in the construction of farrowing stalls. Twelve sows and one hundred thirty nine piglets were monitored in cell built with masonry and slate (treatments). Digital images were evaluated through two ethogram. The environmental variants were evaluated at 9 am and 3 pm. The piglets' performance was determinated by birth and weaning weights, and daily and final weight gains. At the masonry cell the piglets spent less time nursing (25.62%) and more in the creep (38.91%) than those kept in the slate cell (29.22% nursing and 24.90% in the creep). And the environmental variants and comfort index showed that the microclimate into the slate cell was more comfortable to piglets, while that around the masonry was more comfortable to sows. The piglets kept in the masonry cell presented daily weight gain similar to the ones housed in the slate cell (P <0.05). The sows' behaviors were similar in both types of cell, showing higher frequency of the "laying" behavior. Slate can be an advantageous alternative to masonry construction of cell in the field of farrowing housing for swine, due to its higher impermeability, easy for cleaning and disinfection.
slate; animal behavior; swine housing; building material; piggery
