Temperature Requirements
General Ambient Air Temperature
Requirements
Type of pig |
Weight range (kg) |
Celsius |
Farenheit |
Safe temp |
+/- |
Safe temp |
+/- |
In |
Out |
Max |
In |
Out |
Max |
Suckling piglet |
1-7 |
30 |
30 |
0 |
86 |
86 |
0 |
1st stage flat deck |
7-15 |
30 |
24 |
1 |
86 |
75 |
2 |
2nd stage nursery |
15-25 |
24 |
21 |
1.5 |
75 |
70 |
3 |
Growing |
25-50 |
18 |
20 |
2 |
64 |
68 |
4 |
Finishing |
50-110 |
14 |
18 |
2.5 |
57 |
64 |
5 |
Lactating sows |
|
16 |
20 |
1 |
64 |
68 |
2 |
Individual adults |
|
14 |
18 |
2.5 |
57 |
64 |
5 |
Group housed |
|
12 |
18 |
2.5 |
54 |
64 |
5 |
Piglet heat mat: Radiant temperature 38-42 degrees C. (With
piped hot water only a 1.5 degree C difference along pipe.)
Lower critical temperatures increase with:
- Decreased group size
- Restricting feed
- Increasing air speed - draughts
- Decreasing bedding (slats 3 degrees C colder than bedding)
- Wetting the pig
Upper critical temperatures increase with:
- Increase air speed
- Using pig showers or wallows
- Daily live-weight gain reduces by 10g/day/degrees C above upper
critical temperature
- This equates to about 4p/pig/day/ degrees C
Despite all the equipment and recommendations, watch the pig's
lying patterns - do they look comfortable?
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Temperature Guide for Farrowing
Rooms:
General room temperature (sows) for solid insulated concrete floors:
|
|
Min degrees C |
Max degrees C |
Prefarrowing and farrowing (Days)
|
20 |
24 |
Days 1 and 2 |
20 |
24 |
Days 3 and 4 |
18 |
24 |
Days 5 to
weaning (21-25 days) |
15 |
24 |
Creep temperatures
(Piglets) for fully enclosed creep boxes: |
Piglet age
in days |
Min degrees C |
Max degrees C |
1 |
30 |
Assess by observation. |
2 |
28 |
5 |
27 |
10 |
26 |
17 |
24 |
21 |
23 |
- The decline in temperature should be gradual and depend on
piglet weight and numerous other factors including airspeed, feed
levels, bedding provided etc. These figure act as a guide. The
ultimate guide is piglet behavior.
- Farrowing room temperature can only be reduced if batch
farrowing is practiced and creeps are fully enclosed with
temperature control.
- Piglets should be lying comfortably (spread out) near the heat
source and not huddled near the sow (except at suckling) or over
the whole pen floor.
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Recommended Temperatures for
Weaners:
In
Flat decks (totally slatted flooring): |
Weight (kg) |
Minimum |
Maximum |
|
Celsius |
Farenheit |
Celsius |
Farenheit |
5 |
28 |
82 |
32 |
90 |
7 |
25 |
77 |
29 |
84 |
10 |
24 |
75 |
28 |
82 |
15 |
22 |
72 |
27 |
80 |
20 |
19 |
66 |
26 |
78 |
Temperatures in verandas (insulated concrete): |
Weight (kg) |
Minimum |
Maximum |
|
Celsius |
Farenheit |
Celsius |
Farenheit |
15 |
19 |
66 |
24 |
75 |
20 |
46 |
61 |
24 |
75 |
30 |
14 |
57 |
24 |
75 |
The above figures are a guide to the requirements of pigs at
different weights. Several factors influence the appropriate
temperature levels including:
- Feeding level - high levels lead to more heat production by
the pigs.
- Group feeding - larger groups have lower minimum requirements.
- Structure of the building - e.g. flooring type, insulation.
Adverse effects on performance may occur within these temperature
ranges and ultimately adjusting the environment to maximize
performance for each set of particular circumstance is necessary.
Suggested temperature management in flat decks:
- Initial temperature on entry should be 90?F (max) (average
weaning weight = 5kg)
- Aim to allow temperature to drop gradually over next 4 weeks
and pigs to grow to 15 ? 20 kg by 7 weeks of age.
- If this target is being met then a drop of about 5?F per week
down to about 70?F can be used as a rough guide, but the response
of the pigs must be the ultimate factor.
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