Page 15 - Australian Pork Newspaper

Keep cool for the summer: how to treat heat stress in pigs
WITH the numerous health and environ- mental challenges dis- rupting the pig industry at present, the summer heat is one seasonal con- dition that pig farmers cannot afford to let stifle their profitability.
Temperature fluctua- tions that continue from the summer into the fall season produce additional challenges.
few degrees in the barn
• Ensure that each pig has enough space and ventila-
chill and heat index.
For example, 15C is a fa-
properly adjusted to ac- count for the increasing heat production.
Effects of humidity
lated in the shed.
It is recommended to op-
imal hydrated, especially in times of heat stress.
Heat stress can take a serious toll on pig per- formance, especially in breeding herds and fin- isher pigs.
• Provide pigs with un- limited access to fresh and cool drinking water
During warmer months, when the outside tempera- ture exceeds the set point, increasing ventilation rates will not decrease humidity in the shed because warm air has a higher water- holding capacity than cooler air.
Data has shown that of- fering pigs a combination of organic acids, electro- lytes, enzymes and pro- biotics, such as those in- cluded in Acid-Pak 4-Way, can support young animals during times of stress.
It can also help reduce the cost of added days on feed and additional health costs.
Heat and wide fluctua- tions in temperature are often immensely stressful for the animals, resulting in diminished perfor- mance, health problems and eventually economic losses for the farmer. Why are pigs so sensitive to heat stress?
What are the symptoms of heat stress in pigs?
•Move and transport work pigs early, keep them in groups and let them set the pace, and spend time with them prior to the move to ease their stress
The temperature within the shed needs to be ade- quately adjusted to account for the additional heat pro- duction from the growing pig.
In times of stress, pigs can be more susceptible to disease and health chal- lenges.
Pigs are extremely sen- sitive to changes in tem- perature because they do not have functional sweat glands and therefore do not have a way of effi- ciently cooling themselves.
In turn, this can also lead to a heightened risk of health challenges and ulti- mately additional costs for producers.
When pigs are kept at temperatures above their comfort zone, feed intake is sure to decrease, as are daily gains.
Wide variations in tem- perature between night and day can compound the stress that the animals already experienced as a result of increased temper- atures.
with the cooler parts of the day (e.g., earlier or later in the day)
However, 15C combined with a high air speed of say 30m per minute would be cold and consequently the pig would be forced to divert energy away from growth to maintaining its body temperature.
Humidity is also an im- portant indicator of proper ventilation.
One of the negative ef- fects of heat stress is re- duced feed intake.
Pigs can develop heat stress at much lower tem- peratures when the hu- midity is high, so humidity, along with temperature, needs to be carefully regu-
Organic acids promote probiotic growth in the gut and enzymes can help en- hance intake and digest- ibility.
It is essential that your pigs’ nutrition is bolstered by technologies that build their natural immunity.
When pigs eat less, they convert less feed into muscle, thus reducing av- erage daily gain and poten- tially increasing their days to market.
• Tailor their diets to in- clude technologies that will support them during stress. Balancing temperature, ventilation and humidity
For every 26-37kg of gain, the pig will produce an ad- ditional 200Btu of heat every hour, so the cubic meter per minute must be
Electrolytes keep the an-
For more information, visit alltech.com
tion
• Coincide feeding times
vourable temperature for a 125-pound pig.
erate at a relative humidity of 65 percent or less, as this level of humidity will decrease condensation and wet floors in the barn. Tailoring diets to support stress
Addressing heat stress and being prepared for its effects can have a major impact on the performance and overall value of your pigs when you take them to market.
In addition, pigs have relatively small lungs for their body size, making it difficult for them to re- move excess internal heat.
• Increased respiratory rate – panting
Alltech US swine busi- ness leader Russell Gilliam said, “Even during the hot- test time of the day, pigs are still producing additional body heat from eating and moving around the barn.”
• Lying stretched on the floor, often separated from others.
Six management strate- gies to reduce heat stress in pigs
In addition, make sure that your barn is properly ventilated to provide pigs with an optimal environ- ment.
“Since pigs have few sweat glands, cooling off by perspiration is not much of an option.
Though stress cannot be completely avoided, the goal should be to minimise it as much as possible.
Even if the thermo- stat reading falls within the pigs’ comfort zone, what they are actually experiencing may still be stressful.
“Respiratory rates begin to increase at around 21C and with high humidity, it becomes difficult for pigs to find relief from the heat on their own.”
Below are some quick tips for reducing heat stress and its negative effects:
Other symptoms include:
In modern swine barns, pigs are at a greater risk of experiencing heat stress than cold stress.
• Excessive water intake and increasing loss of elec- trolytes
Ensure that all fans, sprinklers, cool cells and other cooling equipment are adequately maintained, so that they will function properly during the hot summer months.
• Reduced activity
• Control the tempera- ture, and make sure the temperature only shifts a
Effective temperature is a concept similar to wind
Heat and wide fluctuations in temperature can often cause immense stress for the pigs, resulting in lower performance, health problems and economic losses for the farmer.
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Australian Pork Newspaper, October 2021 – Page 15