Efectos de las fases lunares en la castración quirúrgica de cerdos mestizos landrace en la parroquia Alshi / 9 de Octubre del cantón Morona.

Abstract

The aim of this work was to demonstrate the effect of the lunar phases in the surgical castration of Landrace crossbred pigs. It was carried out in the parish of Alshi located in 9 de octubre, in the agricultural farm Nereo & Rosita. The field work began with the selection of 32 piglets from 28 to 50 days of age. These were placed in 16 blocks of 2 square meters, where 2 piglets were placed in each one. From there, 8 pigs were castrated in each lunar phase. Starting with the Full Moon phase and culminating in the Crescent phase. The experimental results were processed by ADEVA and Tukey, under a completely randomized design. Four treatments (Moon phases) were used, with four replications and two pigs per experimental unit, giving a total of 32 pigs. The variables considered were initial weight, weight at 30 and 60 days, weight gain, feed consumption, feed conversion, wound healing, and the degree of inflammation at 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 days. The phase that presented the best results in terms of the variables measured was the waning quarter with a higher final weight (22.15 kg), total weight gain (13.77 kg), and a lower feed conversion (3.51). Wound healing culminated at 12 days, less than the other phases, the same with the inflammation that ceased on the sixth day. Therefore, we can conclude that it is the most adequate phase to perform surgical castration in Landrace crossbred pigs, followed by the Fourth Crescent phase. It is recommended to perform a study of the same nature with a larger sample of animals, to confirm the effectiveness of the results of this study.