The experiment was carried out from January 4 to March 11, 2005 in a farm specialized in industrial production of pork, located in Elias Fausto, São Paulo State. This study evaluated different housing systems for pregnant sows looking at meteorological element influences and aspects of air chemical quality on the animal thermal comfort. The optimal conditions for animal performance improvement were determined by analyzing behavioral data taken in the breeding environment. In the gestation facility 24 gilts were allocated: 12 in individual stalls (T1) and 12 in group housings (T2). This study was divided into two steps: bioclimatic analysis and analysis of the chemical quality of air. An experimental design using randomized blocks with two treatments and 67 blocks was used. Means were compared by the Tukey test. The variables (T, °C e h, kJ kg-1) indicated which confinement system in group-houses was the one that permitted the better natural thermal environment for pregnant gilts with values of 25.03 °C and 62.02 kJ kg-1. In relation to concentration of gases, mean levels did not exceed the concentrations considered limiting for sows.
animal biometeorology; production system; swine production
