<%@LANGUAGE="JavaScript1.3"%> Swine Health Management - Air
   
 
Environmental effects Thermal control
Building requirements - insulation
Temperature requirements Cooling requirements

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:

  1. Feeding level - high levels lead to more heat production by the pigs.
  2. Group feeding - larger groups have lower minimum requirements.
  3. 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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