Water use patterns within each day: Variation between batches of growing pigs in commercial production systems

Objective: To measure, describe, and compare the water use patterns within each day for multiple cohorts of weaner, grower, finisher pigs in farm buildings. Materials methods: Prospective, observational cohort studies were conducted 5 pig buildings using either a turbine or ultrasonic flow meter attached to main pipe entering building. Water data collected from batches (second-stage weaners over eleven 48-day periods grower-finishers 4 21-43 days). Semi-parametric models estimated brms software package R. estimate interacting effects time body weight on by pigs, we used tensor product smooths weight. Results: The pattern varied between cohorts, many changed as gained Some unimodal others bimodal, with peak occurring early afternoon late afternoon. Implications: cohorts. one cannot be reliably predict that other even if they are reared same may valuable optimizing in-water antimicrobial dosing regimens.