Eighty barrows were used in two experiments
to determine the relationship between feed intake or dietary energy concentration
and mean body surface temperature (MBST)
and mean body surface radiant heat loss
(MBSL) as measured using infrared thermographic images. In Exp. 1, feed intake level was varied. As expected, pigs with higher feed intake grew faster. The faster growing pigs had higher MBST and MBSL. In Exp. 2, pigs (initially 130 lb) were allotted to one of four dietary energy levels
(1,250 ME/lb, 1,360 ME/lb, 1,475 ME/lb,
1,590 ME/lb). Increasing dietary ME levels
increased ADG, G/F, ME intake, MBST, and
MBSL. These experiments indicate that
infrared thermography can detect MBST and
MBSL changes in growing pigs caused by
changes in dietary intake or energy level.
