Pigs In Summer

We all love Summer, providing we, as humans take the necessary precautions; sun hat, sun screen, shade and keeping hydrated. The requirements are not that dissimilar for our beloved pigs. The Summer months bring the hot weather which can affect the growth on our fattening pigs as it suppresses their appetite. Hot weather can also reduce farrowing numbers by as much as 25%. Not forgetting it can be detrimental to the production of sperm and working ability of our boars. There are many things that we can do to help our pigs enjoy the summer months here are some pointers to help both you and your pigs have a stress free and enjoyable summer.

1. Water

Ensure that all drinkers are free from debris, is clean and fresh and there is a regular supply at all times. For those of us that bring in our sows for farrowing ensure again there is sufficient drinkers in place and ensure that they are flushed to clean out the pipes before offering it as drinking water. You wouldn’t drink out of an old mug that you had found in the greenhouse which had been left for several weeks.

2. Ventilation

Again, for those of us who bring our sows inside for farrowing. Fans are a nice way of cooling the sow and ensuring air flow is distributed evenly, but do ensure that they are cleaned and check that wires have not become threadbare and are securely fixed in place.

Painting your pig arks white will be a welcome, as this will reflect the sunlight and reduce the heat by 4 degrees, which if accommodating a sow with weaners will be greatly appreciated. Insulation in the pig arks is an added bonus and those of us who use farrowing arks that have a back door/vent do open this as this will create a through breeze.

3. Wallows

All paddocks should have good sized wallows that will allow enough room for all to enjoy. Being able to provide pigs with a nice layer of mud to keep cool and repel biting insects. If your wallow is to entertain a sow with litter ensure that the wallow is not deep but shallow and wide.

Again if indoors, because we are farrowing, a wet concrete floor or, if you are able, water sprays/misters, that would be luxurious. Wet towels placed on pigs is a method often used to cool our pigs down, say, if at a show or in an emergency. DO NOT THROW COLD WATER DIRECTLY ON YOUR PIG IN AN EMERGENCY.

4. Shade

We all get sunburn and this can be very uncomfortable for the piglets/weaners especially on their ears so a little sun cream will be appreciated..

Pregnancy failure is another common problem in Summer as is stress from not finding any shade from the sun. Useful items often used is old bed sheets, parasols, shelters made out of fence posts with metal profile sheeting on top or even white plastic mesh and old sails. In all cases, ensure that they are secure.

5. Feeding

Consider changing feeding times Cool mornings are a given in the UK and so there will be no problem feeding our pigs as normal, however as the day gets hotter even feeding at 16:00 hrs may be too early so try feeding at 17:00 hrs or when cooler. Appetites tend to be very suppressed so it is advisable to feed later in the evening when the sun has has gone down and it is a litter cooler and any lactating sows will appreciate this routine as they need to eat to keep their production of milk up to feed their piglets.

BOARS

Hot weather can be harmful to our boars in terms of the production and quality of semen, resulting of many weeks of poor quality sperm lasting about three-to-five weeks after a hot spell. It can then take up to eight weeks for the production of semen to gain quality again.

Ensure you are being vigilant on checking your sows/gilts if running with the boar to ensure that there are no returns. You may wish to check the quality of the semen but this should be checked AFTER eight weeks of any noticeable heat stress. As you may also know, boars will not work in hot conditions.

AI

If you are AI’ing it is best suited to do this in the morning and in the evening.

SOWS

Sows post-service

Sows are most susceptible to heat stress seven to 14 days post service. Keep sows cool with shades, wallows and sprinklers (a lawn sprinkler will work wonders)

Dry sows

Heat stress can also be responsible for a hormone deficiency that assists pregnancy. Therefore do ensure that at all times sows have a cool, shaded patch. It is also worth noting that warm bedding is not liked very much.

Heat stress can also impact on the performance of litters as such weaners/fatteners. The reason for this is because pigs that have been born from a heat-stressed sow are reported to have a higher body temperature. Therefore the compounding elements will be; more energy required for maintenance which will result in lower protein downfall and higher fat downfall, all of which will cause the feed conversion rate to spiral.

Lactating sows

To help keep sows cool, it may be helpful to wet the sows’ necks with cool water around the ears, under the chin and if you can wipe the underline occasionally but be cautious not to get piglets wet. And it goes without saying clean, cool fresh water in abundance at all times will be deeply appreciated.

GROWERS AND FINISHERS

Those of us that finish our pigs indoors and to avoid heat stress is to allow the pigs to spread out therefore allowing them to have sufficient space, which will be cooler or enable them to become cooler by having access to more space and being able to lie on their own to cool down if they so wish.

Harriet Gallagher