Management

Heat waves have a lasting negative impact on the health, well-being, and performance of pigs, with effects that can last for several weeks or even months, particularly on reproduction. Anticipating these events, adjusting management practices during the heat wave, and supporting the return to normal conditions can help limit these impacts.

How does heat stress affect our pigs? This four-part question-and-answer series will give us an in-depth understanding of this key aspect of pig production.

Drying and warming the piglets favors their survival only in farrowing units with moderate or suboptimal temperatures (<25ºC).

A new, not yet tested material could help mitigate tail biting in growing and finishing pigs.

Occasionally, breeders end up using semen with a suboptimal fertilizing ability due to inadequate storage conditions.

The constant search for solutions to challenges in management, health, reproduction, nutrition, and feeding—and their interactions—should be a technical principle if we aim to maximize the genetic potential of our farms.

The installation of physical barriers at strategic personnel entry points help to define distinct biosecurity areas. This method is commonly used in farms that lack a clear separation between areas with different biosecurity levels.

The study confirms the negative impact of both chronic and acute heat stress on feed intake in lactating sows and validates nutritional and management strategies to mitigate it.