Pigs share some common traits with people. They like their surroundings to be comfortable, especially when it gets hot outside. While people can sweat, pigs can\u2019t. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pigs\u2019 inability to cool themselves easily can cause heat stress, which leads to lower feed intake and reduced growth rates. During the third quarter (July \u2013 September), the average market weight in the US is more than four pounds lower, compared to swine market weights rest of the year. This represents a weight loss of 1.6%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To protect pigs\u2019 health and comfort, it\u2019s essential to maintain the proper thermoneutral zone. The thermoneutral zone is the temperature range where pigs are most comfortable and don\u2019t have to convert energy\/calories to stay warm. This allows them to efficiently convert nutrition into lean tissue. When pigs are in this zone, they can maximize performance, including lean tissue growth. Proper ventilation is key.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Air movement (convection) is one of four ways pigs stay cool. Proper ventilation management is essential to improve convection. Let\u2019s review the basics of ventilation in a modern hog barn. Fans create a static pressure difference from inside and outside the barn. First, fresh air is pulled through the soffit or tunnel curtain into the attic space or directly into the barn. From there, air is distributed throughout the room from the curtain or inlets. This allows fresh air to mix with the existing air and exhaust dust, gases and humidity. As the air mixes and moves across the pigs\u2019 backs, this creates a wind-chill effect that helps cool pigs. This is dependent on the temperature difference between the air and the pigs\u2019 skin. In other words, this is convection at work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To keep the ventilation system working properly:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A second way that pigs can stay cool involves evaporation, specifically water drying on the skin. To increase evaporation, it\u2019s important to optimize settings for sprinklers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Respiration (breathing) and conduction (direct contact with cool surfaces) are two additional ways pigs stay cool. It\u2019s important to increase water availability and manage stocking density to help pigs beat the heat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pigs share some common traits with people. They like their surroundings to be comfortable, especially when it gets hot outside….<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":5093,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"resource-category":[129,112],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n