Artificial illumination on performance of piglets at the nursery phase/Iluminacao artificial no desempenho de leitoes na fase de creche

To evaluate the influence of artificial illumination on daily weight gain (DWG) in piglets in nursery phase, the present trial was carried out at Embrapa--National Swine and Poultry Research Center. The treatments were related to the illumination of the room, where a different treatment was applied to each room: Program NI--Natural Illumination (control); Program 16L: 8E--Artificial illumination program consisting of 16 hours per day with illumination and eight hours in the dark as well as solar lighting from the windows; Program 23L:1E--Artificial Illumination program consisting of 23 hours per day of illumination and one hour in the dark and well as solar light from the window. The variables daily feed intake and daily weight gain (DWG) in piglets were collected daily on the first week and every seven days after this period in the nursery phase. In every studied week, the illumination programs presented different (p < 0,05) lux values. Only in first week, the piglets that received artificial illumination they presented larger (p < 0,05) performance. The illumination programs evaluated didn't present improvement in the performance of the piglets that that justifies its use. Keywords: weaning, weight gain, piglets, light. Objetivou-se com este trabalho avaliar o desempenho produtivo dos animais influenciados por programas de luz na fase de creche. O experimento foi realizado na Embrapa Suinos e Aves. Os tratamentos foram associados a iluminacao da sala, sendo em cada sala aplicado um tratamento diferente: Programa LN--Iluminacao natural (controle); Programa 16L:8E--Programa de iluminacao artificial de 16 horas diarias de luz e 8 horas de escuro, mais iluminacao solar vinda das janelas; Programa 23L:1E--Programa de iluminacao artificial de 23 horas diarias de luz e 1 hora de escuro, mais iluminacao solar vinda das janelas. As variaveis consumo de racao e ganho de peso diario foram coletadas diariamente na primeira semana e a cada sete dias apos este periodo. Em todas as semanas estudadas, os programas de iluminacao apresentaram diferentes (p < 0,05) valores de lux. Somente na primeira semana, os leitoes que receberam iluminacao artificial apresentaram maior (p < 0,05) desempenho. Os programas de iluminacao avaliados nao apresentaram, em fase de creche, melhorias no desempenho dos leitoes que justificassem a sua utilizacao. Palavras-chave: desmame, consumo, leitoes, luz.