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Heat wave shines spotlight on pig stress
Each year, heat stress costs US pig farmers about $900 million in revenues - about twice the amount lost to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus. For this Special Report, Pig Health Today editors talked with swine specialists about ways to beat the heat and other stressors than can compromise a pig's immune system and performance.

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How stress hammers a pig’s intestinal system

Experts say some forms of sustained stress can weaken a pig’s immune system and make it more vulnerable to disease and performance losses.

Heat stress: It’s not just for market hogs

Losses due to heat stress are commonly associated with market hogs, particularly during transportation in the hot, humid summer months, but recent research shows that weaners and feeder pigs are adversely affected as well.

Adjusting swine feed rations helps ensure weight gains during hot weather

As temperature and humidity levels rise in the summer months, so does the threat of heat stress in the swine herd.

Heat stress: How much does it drain your pigs and profits?

Each year, heat stress costs US pig farmers about $900 million in revenues — about twice the amount lost as a result of the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus

Healthy, stress-free GI tract is key to pigs’ long-term health

A healthy gastrointestinal (GI) tract is inextricably linked to the nervous system and is generally a strong predictor of a pig’s overall health, said a research veterinarian who specializes in animal neuroscience.

Fine-tune ventilation, evaporation to combat heat stress in pigs

Without the ability to sweat, pigs must rely on conduction, convection, radiation, and respiration/evaporation to remove body heat. Forcing air across a wet pig — the process of convection and evaporation — helps them keep their cool.

Three simple, effective ways to help hogs beat the heat this summer

For many reasons, including historically warmer weather and the fact that sows now produce bigger litters, pigs are more susceptible to heat stress, which could potentially affect their performance and in some cases prematurely lead to mortality.

Early weaning permanently compromises gut immune response

Researchers at Michigan State University investigated how early weaning ages affect development of a piglet’s gut and its ability to launch an immune response against pathogens.

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