The influence of the mineral level in drinking water and the thermal environment on the performance and intestinal fluid flux of newly-weaned pigs.

The effects of drinking water containing high levels of dissolved minerals including sulphate (HMW) and a chilled environment on the performance of newly-weaned pigs were evaluated in three replicate 10-d trials. In each trial, 12, 28-d-old pigs were taken from the sow and allocated by weight and litter to treatment groups following a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of HMW vs low-mineral drinking water (LMW) and normal (heat lamp) vs chilled (21 degrees C) pen temperature. No interactive effects of water mineral level and pen temperature on any of the measurements of health and productivity were found. Pigs given the HMW consumed more water on d 7 to 10 and 1 to 10 (P < .05) and more feed from d 4 to 6, 7 to 10, and 1 to 10 (P < .05), had greater weight gains from d 7 to 10 and 1 to 10 (P < .05), and had higher scour scores on d 4 and 7 (P < .05). Pigs maintained in a chilled environment had lower body weights on d 3, 6, and 10 (P < .05), lower feed conversion efficiency from d 7 to 10 (P < .05) and 1 to 10 (P < .05) and 7 to 10 (P < .01). Pen temperature had no effect on feed intake and scour scores. There was a correlation (P < .05) between feed intake and growth rates throughout the trial, between feed intake and water intake on d 4 to 6, 7 to 10, and 1 to 10, and between water intake and growth rate on d 7 to 10.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)