How to Feed Pigs in Summer So They Grow Fast? A Guide to Heatstroke Prevention and Common Pig Diseases

Summer ambient temperatures are suitable for the massive reproduction of bacteria and other pathogens as well as the spread of insect-borne viruses, and pigs' appetite is also greatly reduced, which results in no weight gain or even weight loss.So how should pigs be fed in summer so they grow faster? How do you prevent and treat heatstroke? What are the common pig diseases?

How should pigs be fed in summer so they grow faster?

1. Build pig housing with ventilation and shade, and good sun protection is very important. The summer sun is scorching, and we always talk about the blazing sun; in a hot environment, it is very easy to cause loss of appetite in pigs. So, with a ventilated, shaded shed that lets the pigs stay in a relatively cool environment, the pigs will eat more smoothly. Pig housing must be well ventilated and air-changed; pig farms with the means can install fans and cooling equipment to provide the herd with a suitable growing environment as much as possible.

2. Choosing feed is very important, and feeding more fresh green fodder matters. Green fodder such as alfalfa and sweet potato vines not only has good palatability but also has the effect of clearing heat and relieving summer heat, effectively promoting pigs' appetite; in addition, green fodder is rich in nutrients, especially vitamins, and can provide the herd with ample nutrition.

Good feed determines how eagerly pigs eat. If they are not even interested in eating, what else can you expect pigs to do? If pigs do not like to eat, then their own growth is hindered, and weight loss may even occur.

When choosing feed, pay attention to quality. Since pigs' appetite declines in summer, the protein content in the feed can be appropriately increased to provide the nutrients pigs need for growth. When necessary, certain additives and some flavor enhancers can be added to promote pigs' appetite for eating, thereby achieving better feeding results.

3. Feeding times need to be adjusted. Feeding can be placed in the relatively cool periods of morning and evening, avoiding the hot high-temperature period at noon. Especially in the scorching summer season, nighttime feeding can be chosen. From 19:00 to 23:00 at night, and around four or five in the morning, the temperature is lower during these periods; feeding pigs at these times will increase their appetite.

4. Maintain adequate drinking water to prevent pigs from heat stress and heatstroke. In hot weather, pigs mainly rely on drinking large amounts of water to cool down. Therefore, in summer you must provide the herd with adequate, clean, cool drinking water; it is best to install automatic drinkers in the pig housing.

5. Do a good job of epidemic prevention, reduce the occurrence of disease, and do a good job of preventing summer diseases. When summer arrives, mosquitoes and flies gradually increase, and at this time it is even more necessary to keep the pig pens and housing clean and hygienic and to do good deworming work.

How do you prevent and treat pig heatstroke in summer?

1. Build a shed for shade

Most pig farming in rural areas uses open-style pig housing, which has poor temperature control inside. Before high temperatures arrive, a thick layer of insulating material such as rice straw or wheat straw can be added on top of the pig housing; a sunshade can be set up above the open space of the pen; vine plants (loofah, gourd, grape, etc.) can be planted in advance beside the pen, which can shade the sun, purify the air in the pen, and also provide vegetables, achieving three benefits at once; broadleaf trees can be planted around the pig housing to improve the microclimate around the pen; a layer of fresh lime milk can be brushed on the inner and outer walls of the pig housing, using the reflective effect of white to reduce the amount of sunlight entering the pig housing, and it also has a good disinfecting effect.

2. Adjust the daily ration

The proportion of energy feed in the daily ration should be reduced, and the protein level increased accordingly; feed more green fodder rich in vitamins and minerals and cooling feeds such as fruit peels like watermelon rind; appropriately add salty, savory, or fragrant flavoring agents to the mixed feed to improve palatability and increase the pigs' feed intake; the feed must be fresh, and moldy, spoiled feed must be avoided. Reference formula: for pigs under 35 kg, corn 39%, wheat 22%, wheat bran 15%, rice bran 7%, soybean 7%, fish meal 6%, bone meal 2%, salt 1%, growth promoter 1%. For pigs from 35 kg to 60 kg, corn 37%, wheat 24%, wheat bran 19%, rice bran 11%, fish meal 5.5%, bone meal 1.5%, salt 1%, growth promoter 1%.

3. Adjust feeding times

Feeding pigs should avoid the hottest period at midday. Feed four times a day, once each at 4 a.m., 10 a.m., 4 p.m., and 9 p.m. This can reduce the pigs' activity during the hottest period. Give the pigs 0.5% light salt water once a day, provide sufficient green, juicy fodder, and keep plenty of cool drinking water in the trough.

4. Cooling inside the pen

Open all ventilation holes in the pig housing, promptly remove manure and urine, and spray and wash the pen with cool water to minimize foul gases in the pen, reduce the biological heat effect of manure, and create a cool and comfortable growing environment for the pigs. Note: do not pour cool water directly on the pigs' bodies, to prevent illness. Pig farms with the means can install exhaust fans or electric fans on the walls of the pen to speed up air circulation and achieve a cooling effect.

5. Preventive heat-relief medication

Appropriate amounts of drugs that clear heat, relieve summer heat, promote body fluids, and quench thirst can be added to feed or drinking water. 100 g of plantain herb, decocted in water, take the liquid and mix into feed for feeding; mung beans boiled in water until soft into a thin porridge, fed after cooling; 20 g to 25 g of white hyacinth bean, decocted in water, take the liquid for feeding; 2000 g of fresh watermelon rind, mashed and mixed with 100 g of white sugar, stirred evenly and fed; 250 ml to 500 ml of vinegar or pickled vegetable juice, mixed into feed for feeding; all have good preventive effects.

What are the common pig diseases in summer?

There are many types of pig diseases, including infectious diseases, parasitic diseases, internal medicine diseases, surgical diseases, and obstetric diseases, among others. The most serious harm is caused by infectious diseases, followed by parasitic diseases, toxic diseases, and nutritional deficiency diseases (including metabolic disorder diseases). If these diseases are not well prevented, they can cause incalculable losses to pig farms.