• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.10
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• pp.1364-1368
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• 2010

Gnotobiotic piglets (n = 10) were hand-reared in conventional germ-free facilities. Piglet body temperatures were measured with rectal and non-contact infrared thermometry (NIFT) on the lower eyelid, auricular center and margin, parietal regions, axilla, central abdomen and dorsum, and the perianal region. Body temperature measurements at central abdomen, cranial dorsum, and perianal regions had NIFT values which had a significant linear relationship (p<0.0001) with rectal thermometry. The predicted equations of between-subject formulas were calculated as follows: rectal temperature, 28.07489+0.30372${\times}$central abdominal surface temperature; rectal temperature, 34.02799+0.15197${\times}$central dorsum surface temperature; and rectal temperature, 33.87937+0.15676${\times}$perianal temperature. These results suggested that NIFT could serve as a valid alternative to rectal thermometry in a portable germ-free facility without disturbing experimental animals. The development of a NIFT body temperature evaluation that does not require animal restraint is clinically advantageous, particularly in gnotobiotic piglets, and would be significantly less stressful for experimental procedures in germ-free facilities.

• Journal of Practical Agriculture & Fisheries Research
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.91-99
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• 2008

Gnotobiotic piglets were routinely produced by hysterectomy. In this study, 22 pregnant miniature pigs (111th to 113th day of gestation) were used for hysterectomy. Before surgery, 14 pigs were insensibilizated by Ketamine 50^® plus CO₂ gas and 8 pigs by a slaughter pistol. The high level of Ketamine 50^® (0.09㎖/kg) was faster (146 vs 283 seconds) in surgery but the time taken for complete revival of one piglet was more prolonged (427 vs 64 seconds) than 0.03㎖/kg level. In hysterectomies with a slaughter pistol, surgery time was faster (470 vs 155 seconds) and the rate of alive piglets was higher (97.0 vs 83.8%) than in those with Ketamine 50^®. There were no problems in the rate of alive newborn piglets even when sows were hysterectomized at 3 days prepartum.