Swine







BEST TEMPERATURE FOR PIGS

Vern Pearson, PhD and Harold Tilstra, DVM


With hot weather approaching what are some ways to keep your swine cool and optimize their feed intake. You first need to measure the air temperature at the pig’s level with a thermometer. Then you can make appropriate additions or subtractions for the following conditions.

Floor Type Air Speed Evaporating Cooling
Lying mat +3 30 ft/min -7 Pad System -6
Uncoated wire -9 90 ft/min -13 Fogger/mister -6
Plastic wire -7 300 ft/min -18 Dripper -10
Extruded Plastic -7 Sprinkler -10
Dry concrete -9
Wet concrete -18

Then use the table below to determine if the pigs are heat stressed.

HEAT STRESSED TEMPERATURE FOR SWINE

TEMP ºF BODY WEIGHT LBS
90-93 25-50
86-90 50-150
84-88 150-275
>80 Sows/Boars

Ways To Help Feed Intake in Hot Conditions:-

1. Add fat to the diet making sure the nutrient density is correct
2. Make sure adequate good quality water is available
3. Spray cool
4. Increase ventilation
5. Cooling system
6. Feed True Appetizer™ feed to sows, gilts and boars (avail in June ’08, # 1256510, L22G)
7. Drip Cooler
8. Keep handling to a minimum
9. Provide shade
10. Supply air circulation