EVALUATING SEASONAL SERUM VITAMIN D LEVELS AND GROWTH PERFORMANCE IN PIGS FROM ORGANIC FARMS
Vitamin D is an essential micronutrient in pig production as it plays an important role in many physiological functions. The aim of this study was to determine serum vitamin D concentration and growth performance in pigs reared on organic farms in different seasons. A total of 109 Krškopolje pigs w...
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University of Ljubljana Press (Založba Univerze v Ljubljani)
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Slovenian Veterinary Research |
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| Online Access: | https://www.slovetres.si/index.php/SVR/article/view/2202 |
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| author | Tim Šteferl Melita Hajdinjak Eva Nadlučnik Irena Golinar Oven Marina Štukelj |
| author_facet | Tim Šteferl Melita Hajdinjak Eva Nadlučnik Irena Golinar Oven Marina Štukelj |
| author_sort | Tim Šteferl |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Vitamin D is an essential micronutrient in pig production as it plays an important role in many physiological functions. The aim of this study was to determine serum vitamin D concentration and growth performance in pigs reared on organic farms in different seasons. A total of 109 Krškopolje pigs were selected for this study. Pigs were divided into three groups: low altitude outdoor group A (N = 39), high altitude outdoor group B (N = 36) and indoor group C (N = 34). Blood samples and body weights were collected seasonally in 2022 and 2023. Serum vitamin D levels peaked in summer for outdoor groups A (69.3 ±2.6 ng/ml) and B (65.3 ±4.4 ng/ml) and were the lowest in winter (group A 21.5 ±2.2, group B 35.2 ±2.5). Altitude had no significant effect on vitamin D levels except in winter (p<0.001). Housing type significantly influenced vitamin D levels in every season between groups B and C, and in spring, summer, and autumn between groups A and C. Pigs in the outdoor group A showed higher average final body weights (151.2 ±7.5 kg in 2022 and 146.8 ±3.8 kg in 2023) than those in group C (132.7 ±11.3 kg and 118.5 ±6.9 kg), though this should be interpreted cautiously given variability in initial weights.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-db7a90b5e92d4c048e5fecbe10311fe5 |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 1580-4003 2385-8761 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | University of Ljubljana Press (Založba Univerze v Ljubljani) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Slovenian Veterinary Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-db7a90b5e92d4c048e5fecbe10311fe52025-07-19T00:03:26ZengUniversity of Ljubljana Press (Založba Univerze v Ljubljani)Slovenian Veterinary Research1580-40032385-87612025-07-0110.26873/SVR-2202-2025EVALUATING SEASONAL SERUM VITAMIN D LEVELS AND GROWTH PERFORMANCE IN PIGS FROM ORGANIC FARMSTim Šteferl0Melita Hajdinjak1Eva Nadlučnik2Irena Golinar Oven3Marina Štukelj4University of Ljubljana, Veterinary Faculty, Clinic for Reproduction and Large Animals, Clinic for Ruminants and Pigs, tim.steferl@vf.uni-lj.siUniversity of Ljubljana, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Laboratory of Applied Mathematics and StatisticsUniversity of Ljubljana, Veterinary Faculty, Clinic for Reproduction and Large Animals, Clinic for Ruminants and PigsUniversity of Ljubljana, Veterinary Faculty, Clinic for Reproduction and Large Animals, Clinic for Ruminants and PigsUniversity of Ljubljana, Veterinary Faculty, Clinic for Reproduction and Large Animals, Clinic for Ruminants and Pigs Vitamin D is an essential micronutrient in pig production as it plays an important role in many physiological functions. The aim of this study was to determine serum vitamin D concentration and growth performance in pigs reared on organic farms in different seasons. A total of 109 Krškopolje pigs were selected for this study. Pigs were divided into three groups: low altitude outdoor group A (N = 39), high altitude outdoor group B (N = 36) and indoor group C (N = 34). Blood samples and body weights were collected seasonally in 2022 and 2023. Serum vitamin D levels peaked in summer for outdoor groups A (69.3 ±2.6 ng/ml) and B (65.3 ±4.4 ng/ml) and were the lowest in winter (group A 21.5 ±2.2, group B 35.2 ±2.5). Altitude had no significant effect on vitamin D levels except in winter (p<0.001). Housing type significantly influenced vitamin D levels in every season between groups B and C, and in spring, summer, and autumn between groups A and C. Pigs in the outdoor group A showed higher average final body weights (151.2 ±7.5 kg in 2022 and 146.8 ±3.8 kg in 2023) than those in group C (132.7 ±11.3 kg and 118.5 ±6.9 kg), though this should be interpreted cautiously given variability in initial weights. https://www.slovetres.si/index.php/SVR/article/view/2202vitamin Dserum concentrationspigsorganic farmgrowth performance |
| spellingShingle | Tim Šteferl Melita Hajdinjak Eva Nadlučnik Irena Golinar Oven Marina Štukelj EVALUATING SEASONAL SERUM VITAMIN D LEVELS AND GROWTH PERFORMANCE IN PIGS FROM ORGANIC FARMS Slovenian Veterinary Research vitamin D serum concentrations pigs organic farm growth performance |
| title | EVALUATING SEASONAL SERUM VITAMIN D LEVELS AND GROWTH PERFORMANCE IN PIGS FROM ORGANIC FARMS |
| title_full | EVALUATING SEASONAL SERUM VITAMIN D LEVELS AND GROWTH PERFORMANCE IN PIGS FROM ORGANIC FARMS |
| title_fullStr | EVALUATING SEASONAL SERUM VITAMIN D LEVELS AND GROWTH PERFORMANCE IN PIGS FROM ORGANIC FARMS |
| title_full_unstemmed | EVALUATING SEASONAL SERUM VITAMIN D LEVELS AND GROWTH PERFORMANCE IN PIGS FROM ORGANIC FARMS |
| title_short | EVALUATING SEASONAL SERUM VITAMIN D LEVELS AND GROWTH PERFORMANCE IN PIGS FROM ORGANIC FARMS |
| title_sort | evaluating seasonal serum vitamin d levels and growth performance in pigs from organic farms |
| topic | vitamin D serum concentrations pigs organic farm growth performance |
| url | https://www.slovetres.si/index.php/SVR/article/view/2202 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT timsteferl evaluatingseasonalserumvitamindlevelsandgrowthperformanceinpigsfromorganicfarms AT melitahajdinjak evaluatingseasonalserumvitamindlevelsandgrowthperformanceinpigsfromorganicfarms AT evanadlucnik evaluatingseasonalserumvitamindlevelsandgrowthperformanceinpigsfromorganicfarms AT irenagolinaroven evaluatingseasonalserumvitamindlevelsandgrowthperformanceinpigsfromorganicfarms AT marinastukelj evaluatingseasonalserumvitamindlevelsandgrowthperformanceinpigsfromorganicfarms |