News

Ventilation and water key to protecting hogs from heat stress

Heat stress is a concern for pork producers.

Dr. Jeff Hansen with Elanco Animal Health says even in controlled environments, weather plays a part in pig development.

“Every year we face the same thing, and that is a lot of heat and some really unsavory weather sometimes with rain. And pigs don’t deal well with heat, and in particular humidity and things like that.”

Speaking to Brownfield at the World Pork Expo in Des Moines this week, he said panting is the biggest sign of heat stress.

“Just trying to respire or expire, all that heat has to come out of their lungs or through their urine or something like that because they can’t sweat. So you’re looking at an animal that its key way to expire heat is through respiration.”

Hansen says proper ventilation and access to water are top priorities when mitigating heat stress.