This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of environmental temperature on performance, carcass composition and physiological parameters of pigs from 30 to 60 kg of weight. Thirty six barrow (Landrace x Large White) with initial weight of 29.94 ± 0.49 kg, were assigned to a completely randomized experimental design with three treatments six replicates and two animals per experimental unity. The experimental period lasted 35 days. The treatments consisted of T1 Animals on heat stress (32ºC) fed ad libitum; T2 Animals on thermal comfort (23ºC) fed ad libitum; T3 Animals on thermal comfort (23ºC) pair feeding with treatment 1. Environmental temperature reduced the feed intake however improved the feed:gain ratio and lysine efficiency utilization for gain of the animals on treatment 1 compared of those on the others treatments. Fat deposition was lesser for swine maintained in treatments 1 and 3 than for those on treatment 2. However only animals on thermal comfort with pair feeding showed a decreasing protein deposition. The animals on heat stress showed lower fasting and carcass weights than those animals on thermal comfort with ad libitum feeding. The animals on heat stress showed fasting and carcass weights higher than those with pair feeding. The treatments did not affect carcass yield and relative weights of the evaluated organs, exception for stomach, that was smaller in T3. The physiological parameters (surface temperature and respiratory rate) were negatively affected by high temperature (T1). Rectal temperature was not influenced by the treatments. It was concluded that in the growing phase high temperature decreased pig performance and maintained a protein deposition in carcass, and this effect is not limitant to decrease feed intake.
growing phase; performance; swine; thermal environment
