Analysis of Pig Tendencies to Stay Specific Sections Within the Pig Barn According to Environmental Parameters and Facilities Features

Dae Yeong Kang, Byeong Eun Moon, Myeong Yong Kang, Jung Hoo Kook, Nibas Chandra Deb, Niraj Tamrakar, Elanchezhian Arulmozhi and Hyeon Tae Kim ()
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Dae Yeong Kang: Department of Smart Farm, Gyeongsang National University (Institute of Smart Space Agriculture (ISSA)), Jinju 52828, Republic of Korea
Byeong Eun Moon: Department of Convergence Biosystems Engineering, Suncheon National University, Suncheon 57922, Republic of Korea
Myeong Yong Kang: Department of Smart Farm, Gyeongsang National University (Institute of Smart Space Agriculture (ISSA)), Jinju 52828, Republic of Korea
Jung Hoo Kook: Department of Smart Farm, Gyeongsang National University (Institute of Smart Space Agriculture (ISSA)), Jinju 52828, Republic of Korea
Nibas Chandra Deb: Department of Bio-Systems Engineering, Gyeongsang National University (Institute of Smart Space Agriculture (ISSA)), Jinju 52828, Republic of Korea
Niraj Tamrakar: Department of Bio-Systems Engineering, Gyeongsang National University (Institute of Smart Space Agriculture (ISSA)), Jinju 52828, Republic of Korea
Elanchezhian Arulmozhi: Department of Bio-Systems Engineering, Gyeongsang National University (Institute of Smart Space Agriculture (ISSA)), Jinju 52828, Republic of Korea
Hyeon Tae Kim: Department of Bio-Industrial Machinery Engineering, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Republic of Korea

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 12, 1-19

Abstract: Pork accounts for 34% of global meat consumption, following poultry and beef. Intensive pig farming has expanded to meet increasing demand, but space constraints and poor environmental conditions can negatively affect pig welfare. This study aimed to investigate pigs’ spatial preferences in response to environmental factors in an experimental pig barn. Six 60-day-old Yorkshire pigs were observed for 60 days. Indoor temperature (IT), relative humidity (IRH), and CO 2 concentration (ICO 2 ) were measured hourly, and pig positions were recorded using an RGB 2D-IP camera. Pearson correlation analysis was performed using SPSS. IT ranged from 14.3 °C to 25.1 °C, IRH from 78.9% to 96.5%, and ICO 2 from 1038 to 1850 ppm. A strong negative correlation was found between IT and IRH (r = −0.89), while IT and ICO 2 were uncorrelated (r = −0.01). Pigs showed a clear preference for sections with lower IT, supporting previous findings on thermal preference. Structural features, such as two-wall enclosures, also influenced stay frequency. These results suggest that optimizing barn structure and improving ventilation and manure management can support thermal comfort and improve welfare in intensive pig farming systems.

Keywords: pig; experimental pig barn; pig preference; pig tendency (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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