Adaptability of swine breeders in Cariri cearense by obtaining environmental parameters

Abstract

The present work aimed to evaluate the adaptability of swine females of four breeds: Duroc Jersey, Landrace, Large White, Berkshire and Mestizo (Landrace, Large White, Duroc Jersey), raised in a semiarid climate, by obtaining the physiological parameters. The study was conducted at the Federal Institute of Science and Technology Education of Ceará, (IFCE), Campus Crato-CE. Eight matrices of four different breeds were used, namely: two of the Duroc breed, two of the Landrace breed, two of the Large White breed and two of mixed breeds between Landrace, Large White and Duroc, both with the same age range. Rectal and vaginal temperatures were measured in degrees Celsius (ºC) using a digital thermometer maintained in contact with the internal wall of the animal's anus and vagina. To measure the body surface temperature data, a laser thermometer was used. When assessing the quarters in isolation, it appears that the third quarter showed lower rectal temperatures for all breeds, throughout the study period. The swine matrices of the four breeds studied were shown to be adapted to the unfavorable climatic conditions to which they are submitted. Crossbred animals stood out with the best thermoregulatory system demonstrated by the averages of their physiological parameters.