@article{MAKHILLRJANS202014327742,
    title = {The Effects of Group Sizes on Behaviors, Meat Characteristics and Growth Performance of
Growing and Finishing Pigs in the Tropics},
    journal = {Research Journal of Animal Sciences},
    volume = {14},
    number = {3},
    pages = {33-37},
    year = {2020},
    issn = {1993-5269},
    doi = {rjnasci.2020.33.37},
    url = {https://makhillpublications.co/view-article.php?issn=1993-5269&doi=rjnasci.2020.33.37},
    author = {Thunwa},
    keywords = {Group size,growing and finishing pigs,temperature-humidity,index,feeding behaviors,feeding frequency},
    abstract = {The group sizes were 4, 8 and 12 pigs/pen,
providing a floor allowance of 1.50, 0.75 and 0.51 m<sup>2</sup>/pig,
respectively. The pigs that were reared in a group size of
12 pigs/pen ate, drank, walked, mouth piped, rooted the
floor, rooted the pipe and pawed more significantly often
(p<0.05) than did the pigs that were reared in group sizes
of 4 and 8 pigs/pen. These feeding behaviors and the high
temperature of Thailand caused high rectal and skin
temperatures which were the highest in the group size of
12 pigs/pen. Moreover, the high temperature and the
increased group size may cause heat stress which would
decrease the Average Daily Gain (ADG). The largest
group size of 12 pigs/pen presented the lowest ADG in
both growing and finishing phases which significantly
differed (p<0.05) compared to the group sizes of 4 and
8 pigs/pen. In addition, the high temperature and the
feeding frequency in the group sizes of 8 and
12 pigs/pen provided a better back fat thickness that was
significantly less than that of the group size of 4 pigs/pen
(p<0.05).}
    }