Results of this study indicate that reducing room temperature
by 1.4°C did not affect performance and behavior
of nursery pigs negatively. In CON when room
temperatures were maintained constant for 24-h without
diurnal variation, nursery pigs spent more time lying
and huddling during nighttime which may subject
them less sensitive to lower temperatures than daytime.
In RNT, pigs adopted the posture of lying sternal and
huddled together to reduce heat loss from their body
surface during nighttime. In addition, pigs reduced time
1514 WANG Li-hua et al.
© 2012, CAAS. All rights reserved. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
spent engaging in belly-nosing under the reduced nocturnal
temperature. Taken together, such mild reduction
in nocturnal temperature in the nursery barn can
be implemented without negative effects on performance
and behavior of nursery pigs.