Many problems related to poor sow reproductive
performance are caused by poor lighting. Improvements can be noticed when
applying adequate lighting measures.
One of the commonest 'call-out' jobs I have been asked to tackle across the
world over the past 30 years has been poor reproductive performance in both sows
and gilts.
Poor conception rates, a fall-off in farrowing rate, returns
to service, 'silent heats', a reduction in litter numbers and
birthweights.
Varied
Of course the likely cause of all these
(mostly female) problems are many, varied and often interrelated. But one factor
which can impinge on many if not all of them is the effect of light intensity,
especially after weaning, over the few vital days of breeding and - possibly -
on into gestation and certainly in it's first four to six weeks.
As long
as 25 years ago I started to notice improvements in many of these problem areas
when suggesting to breeders that their lighting in their breeding barns was
inadequate.
Inadequate
Inadequate because there wasn't enough
light; inadequate because it was incorrectly placed; inadequate because the
timing of the light provided wasn't under control and was at the mercy of the
natural pattern of the seasons.
Since then I can show you many letters
from farmers all saying more or less the same thing. "Whatever else you
suggested on the farm, following your ideas about light seems to have had a
beneficial effect on our breeding results."
So let's take a quick look at
light, and later on in this series of blogs, go on to cover positioning and
controlling light input.
Have enough light
The animals would
need enough to read a newspaper in the darkest corner of the breeding barn - not
just where the sows or gilts are. How much light? I suggest 150 watts for each
1.5 metres of lateral space. This is about 300-400 lux (lumens).
How much
is that? Use a (now old fashioned and therefore relatively cheap) photographer's
hand-held light meter to use it as a light intensity checking guide. For
example, if the light meter is set at 200 ASA, 350 lux will be read off at
1/150th at f.11 and 80 lux 1/25th at f.2. if held just in front of the sows or
gilts eyes.
Gobbledegook
If this is complete gobbledegook to
you, don't worry - just ask a retail photographer to show you - it is really
very simple.
Anyway you can decide on your own check settings to suit
yourself as long as you adhere to them subsequently. Many of the breeding units
I visit are at or below 60 lux on a dull day and 80-90 lux on a bright one. In
my experience this is not nearly bright enough before, during and after
mating/AI insemination.
Gestation barn
Where the gestation barn
is concerned, the textbooks advise 40 to 60 lux but I don't think this is
enough, and I advise reverting to the 'newspaper test' I described above, adding
another 150 lux to this figure.
All the same this advice is from my own
empirical on-farm experience and I'd love to see some proper research done on
it.
But… also provide enough darkness. A correct light/ dark interface is
essential, and I will deal with this equally important aspect in my next
blog.
Meanwhile I would welcome any comments you may
have.