Keeping Pigs Cool
Practical Advice » Producer Kt » heatstress »
By Angela Cliff, BPEX Knowledge Transfer Manager
It’s official… we have just had a heat wave and hopefully more hot weather is on the way. Great for us, but what about the pigs? Remember, pigs don’t sweat and heat lost through panting is minimal, so just how do pigs keep cool?
In many ways they are just like us, when they feel too warm they reduce feed intake, look for room to spread out and rest, enjoy a cooling dip or shower and sitting in a gentle breeze.
Now is a good time to review how well your pigs performed during the last couple of warm weeks. Are sale weights lower through the reduced feed intakes and growth rates? Are you seeing dirtier pens and/or more evidence of vices?
If so, what can you do? Ideally, try to reduce the stocking density, especially among the heavier pigs, and ensure that water flow rates are at the recommended rates. Where you have large straw yards consider reducing the amount of bedding and use a simple drum fan to introduce some air movement and assist with cooling. This is especially effective if you can also provide them with the opportunity to wet their skin through a good sprinkler system or lying on wet concrete. Cooling the air with water vapour is also an option (see a video clip of this in action below). Whatever you do, keep a check on the daily temperature variation to ensure that pigs are not too cold during the night!
The producer using the set-up illustrated in the video and photo is using a combination of water vapour to cool the air without causing dampness and a drum fan to provide air movement. As he so aptly said to me when I visited him the other day, “These fans saved our bacon last week!”
More information on heat stress can be found in Action for Productivity 3 and 4.