The objective of this research was to estimate the environment of housing systems for pregnant sows, as well as variables that have effect on production system. The trial was conducted out from January 4th to March 11th 2005 in a specialized farm in industrial production of pork, located in Elias Fausto City, São Paulo State. In gestation facility 24 gilts were allocated: 12 in individual stalls (T1) and 12 in group housing (T2). Basically, this study was divided in two steps in function of the way chosen for data analysis: bioclimatic and air quality analysis; and prediction for environmental thermal comfort patterns. The environmental variables (T, ºC; UR, %; Tgn, ºC) and physiological (respiratory rate, mov min-1; rectal temperature, ºC) indicated that the group housing led to be the better natural thermal environment for pregnant gilts. The fuzzy set theory permitted to compare experimental data with those reported in the literature through rules that establish environment thermal comfort for sows during gestation.
thermal comfort; fuzzy logic; swine production
