Combined local heating for piglets

High piglet productivity depends mainly on breed, adequate feeds and keeping conditions. The lower is the surrounding temperature, the greater amount of energy consumed for the generation of heat. The shortage of energy hampers the growth of piglets. A heated panel floor, heated rubber mats on a concrete flor and infrared heaters for joung pig local heating had been evaluated. The work was peformed correspondingly to winter meteorological conditions of Latvia at the outside temperature -10... -15 degrees C. Rubber mats heated by electric cable in the mat's body had been used in newborn pigs lairs to avoid the shortcomings of a no-litter floor. They are not to be widely recommended as it is difficult to feed suplay, to cleen and fasten them. Besides that they do not have accumulation of heat. Good results are obtained by use of electro-heated concrete panels floor in young pig resting place to heat them from below, and infrared heaters - from above.