Effects of thermal control systems on body reserve mobilization and metabolic responses in sows during late gestation and lactation

Effects of thermal control systems on body reserve mobilization and metabolic responses in sows during late gestation and lactation | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Effects of thermal control systems on body reserve mobilization and metabolic responses in sows during late gestation and lactation Gerardo Ordaz, Ericka Ramírez Rodrígez, Tércia Cesária Reis de Souza, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9430238/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 4 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This study evaluated the effect of thermal control systems on body reserve mobilization and metabolic responses in sows during late gestation and lactation. A total of 140 sows (Yorkshire × Landrace) were evaluated under commercial conditions with either manual (MTC) or automated thermal control (ATC) systems. Temperature–humidity index (THI), daily feed intake (DFI), and productive performance were recorded. Blood metabolites including glucose, urea, β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) were determined. Associations among environmental variables, DFI, and metabolic indicators were analyzed using correlation and linear regression models. During lactation, DFI was higher under ATC (5.78 vs. 4.52 kg/day; p = 0.0011), accompanied by reduced body weight loss (8.34 vs. 14.70 kg; p < 0.0001) and fat mass loss (9.22 vs. 13.17 kg; p < 0.0001). Concentrations of glucose (73.05 vs. 66.8 mg/dL), NEFA (0.36 vs. 0.30 mmol/L), BHB (0.59 vs. 0.48 mmol/L), and urea (33.9 vs. 23.8 mg/dL) were higher under MTC (p < 0.05). Under MTC conditions, THI was positively correlated with glucose (r = 0.66), NEFA (r = 0.64), and BHB (r = 0.73; p < 0.0001), whereas DFI showed negative correlations (r = − 0.78 to − 0.63; p < 0.0001). THI was a significant predictor of NEFA (β = 0.18) and BHB (β = 0.23). Furthermore, ATC increased the number of weaned piglets and weaning weight, and reduced the weaning-to-estrus interval (p < 0.05). These results demonstrate that ATC reduced lipolytic activation and improved productive efficiency, confirming the regulatory role of thermal load on maternal metabolism. Heat stress Temperature–humidity index Energy balance Non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) Metabolic adaptation Full Text Additional Declarations Tables are available in the Supplementary Files section. Supplementary Files Table1.docx Table2.docx Table3.docx Table4.docx Table5.docx Table6.docx Table7.docx Table8.docx Table9.docx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviewers agreed at journal 27 Apr, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 27 Apr, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 17 Apr, 2026 First submitted to journal 15 Apr, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9430238","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":630020684,"identity":"334fb76b-3db1-4b12-abba-3629fc44d9df","order_by":0,"name":"Gerardo 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lactation","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"tropical-animal-health-and-production","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"trop","sideBox":"Learn more about [Tropical Animal Health and Production](https://www.springer.com/journal/11250)","snPcode":"11250","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/11250/3","title":"Tropical Animal Health and Production","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"Heat stress, Temperature–humidity index, Energy balance, Non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), Metabolic adaptation","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9430238/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9430238/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThis study evaluated the effect of thermal control systems on body reserve mobilization and metabolic responses in sows during late gestation and lactation. A total of 140 sows (Yorkshire \u0026times; Landrace) were evaluated under commercial conditions with either manual (MTC) or automated thermal control (ATC) systems. Temperature\u0026ndash;humidity index (THI), daily feed intake (DFI), and productive performance were recorded. Blood metabolites including glucose, urea, β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) were determined. Associations among environmental variables, DFI, and metabolic indicators were analyzed using correlation and linear regression models. During lactation, DFI was higher under ATC (5.78 vs. 4.52 kg/day; p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.0011), accompanied by reduced body weight loss (8.34 vs. 14.70 kg; p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.0001) and fat mass loss (9.22 vs. 13.17 kg; p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.0001). Concentrations of glucose (73.05 vs. 66.8 mg/dL), NEFA (0.36 vs. 0.30 mmol/L), BHB (0.59 vs. 0.48 mmol/L), and urea (33.9 vs. 23.8 mg/dL) were higher under MTC (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). Under MTC conditions, THI was positively correlated with glucose (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.66), NEFA (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.64), and BHB (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.73; p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.0001), whereas DFI showed negative correlations (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;0.78 to \u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;0.63; p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.0001). THI was a significant predictor of NEFA (β\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.18) and BHB (β\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.23). Furthermore, ATC increased the number of weaned piglets and weaning weight, and reduced the weaning-to-estrus interval (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). These results demonstrate that ATC reduced lipolytic activation and improved productive efficiency, confirming the regulatory role of thermal load on maternal metabolism.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Effects of thermal control systems on body reserve mobilization and metabolic responses in sows during late gestation and lactation","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-05-05 22:48:04","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9430238/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"","date":"2026-04-27T06:47:45+00:00","index":0,"fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-04-27T05:46:26+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2026-04-17T05:25:24+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Tropical Animal Health and Production","date":"2026-04-15T14:16:51+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"tropical-animal-health-and-production","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"trop","sideBox":"Learn more about [Tropical Animal Health and Production](https://www.springer.com/journal/11250)","snPcode":"11250","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/11250/3","title":"Tropical Animal Health and Production","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"7f6723c7-46e9-4100-9304-b32c42a47e6f","owner":[],"postedDate":"May 5th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-05-05T22:48:04+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-05-05 22:48:04","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-9430238","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-9430238","identity":"rs-9430238","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}