Geothermal Plus Sunlight-Based Incubator for Sustainable Pig Production

Shad Mahfuz, Hong-Seok Mun, Muhammad Ammar Dilawar, Keiven Mark B. Ampode, Veasna Chem, Young-Hwa Kim, Jong-Pil Moon and Chul-Ju Yang ()
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Shad Mahfuz: Animal Nutrition and Feed Science Laboratory, Department of Animal Science and Technology, Sunchon National University, Suncheon 57922, Republic of Korea
Hong-Seok Mun: Animal Nutrition and Feed Science Laboratory, Department of Animal Science and Technology, Sunchon National University, Suncheon 57922, Republic of Korea
Muhammad Ammar Dilawar: Animal Nutrition and Feed Science Laboratory, Department of Animal Science and Technology, Sunchon National University, Suncheon 57922, Republic of Korea
Keiven Mark B. Ampode: Animal Nutrition and Feed Science Laboratory, Department of Animal Science and Technology, Sunchon National University, Suncheon 57922, Republic of Korea
Veasna Chem: Animal Nutrition and Feed Science Laboratory, Department of Animal Science and Technology, Sunchon National University, Suncheon 57922, Republic of Korea
Young-Hwa Kim: Interdisciplinary Program in IT-Bio Convergence System (BK21 Plus), Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea
Jong-Pil Moon: Rural Development Administration, Jeonju 54875, Republic of Korea
Chul-Ju Yang: Animal Nutrition and Feed Science Laboratory, Department of Animal Science and Technology, Sunchon National University, Suncheon 57922, Republic of Korea

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 22, 1-7

Abstract: This experiment was conducted to assess the effects of a geothermal plus sunlight-based incubator on the growth performance, electricity uses and housing environment of piglets. A total of 20 piglets, average 7.7 ± 0.015 kg (mean ± std.) initial body weight, were randomly divided into two separated incubators: control (conventional incubator) and the geothermal plus sunlight-based heat pump (GS) incubator with 10 replicated piglets. The experimental duration was 8 weeks. Average daily weight gain, feed intake, electricity consumption, and house temperature, humidity, ammonia, and carbon dioxide concentration were measured on a weekly basis. There were no significant differences in the final body weight, average daily body weight gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) between the incubators. The electricity consumption of the GS incubator was reduced by 120.95 kWh/head and the saving efficacy was about 64.76% that of the conventional incubator. The electricity cost was reduced by 3.26 USD and the ratio of feed cost to weigh gain was lower in the GS-based incubator. No significant differences were noted for the internal temperature and humidity between the incubators. The ammonia concentration and carbon dioxide concentration were significantly lower ( p < 0.05) in the GS-based incubator than the control incubator. The geothermal plus sunlight-based incubator might be healthy and economic for the sustainable pig production.

Keywords: geothermal plus sunlight-based incubator; body weight; electricity uses; ammonia; carbon dioxide; piglets (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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