What are the precautions for transporting live pigs in high-temperature weather
Long-distance transport of live pigs is very common in the production process: the purchase of piglets and breeding pigs, the delivery of fattening pigs to slaughterhouses, and so on, ranging from dozens of kilometers for short distances to hundreds of kilometers for long distances, and cross-provincial transport of fattening pigs in particular is very common. During transport, high temperatures, jolting and squeezing, fighting among the pigs, overfeeding or hunger and thirst all cause stress to live pigs, which easily leads to reduced disease resistance, illness, and even death, while also adversely affecting the quality of the slaughtered meat and easily lowering the grade of the pork.
When transporting live pigs long-distance in summer, leave a small amount of space in each pig crate to ensure ventilation and air exchange and avoid overcrowding that leads to fighting among the pigs; in high-temperature weather, sunshade equipment should be added on the roof of the vehicle, and it is best to load and transport the pigs at night or in the low-temperature period before dawn. During daytime transport, check the pigs' mental state at rest areas at intervals and make full use of water spraying for cooling.
Before loading the pigs, check the health condition of each pig. When loading and unloading pigs, do not hit them or throw them off the truck, and minimize stimulation to the herd as much as possible. When driving pigs onto the truck, if conditions permit, let the pigs face outward; before transporting the pigs, the herd should be fasted or fed a small amount of feed, but clean drinking water must be provided.
Avoid sudden braking during transport; driving at a constant speed is best. Sudden braking and the like easily cause the pigs to be squeezed and also trigger fighting. If squeezing occurs, deal with it as quickly as possible and drive apart the squeezed pigs. At the same time, because transport vehicles load pigs in layers, the center of gravity becomes too high, so the driver must be reminded to pay attention to driving safety and avoid sharp turns at high speed. Every year there are many accidents in which pig transport vehicles roll over, causing considerable losses.
Whether fattening pigs, breeding pigs, or piglets, these issues need to be taken seriously during transport, and vehicle disinfection must also be done well. If they are breeding pigs or piglets, in addition to the usual cleaning and disinfection, the vehicle should also be left empty for a period and then disinfected again with a different disinfectant.