Detailed Explanation of Key Technical Points for Sow Feeding and Management in Summer

Hot and humid summer weather easily causes heat stress in sows, reduced feed intake, poor lactation performance, lower conception rates, increased incidence of postpartum "triad syndrome" in sows, and sow constipation, among other problems, thereby increasing the difficulty of sow feeding and management and reducing the economic benefits of pig farms.
Based on practical experience, here is a discussion of the key technical points for sow feeding and management in summer:
1. Do a good job of pig house hygiene and improve disinfection procedures.
Traditional pig farming emphasizes "dry pens and full feed," which means pig pens should be cleaned frequently to maintain cleanliness and hygiene. Manure from lactating sows should be cleaned promptly. Strict disinfection should be carried out for personnel and vehicles entering and exiting, rules and regulations should be established, and management personnel should take the lead in complying with them.
2. Do a good job of heatstroke prevention and cooling for sows. Summer temperatures are high, and sows, especially lactating sows, are sensitive to heat stress, resulting in decreased fertility, fewer ovulations, more stillbirths, and increased mortality. In summer, measures such as heatstroke prevention and cooling, enhanced ventilation, and spraying should be well implemented; shade sheds should be built on exercise grounds, shade nets should be installed, and sow bodies should be rinsed with cold water or spray equipment should be added, spraying 4 to 6 times per day; pig farms with the means to do so can install wet curtain cooling systems. For lactating sows in farrowing houses, drip cooling is best, with water dripped onto the neck near the shoulder area.
3. Do a good job of farm greening.
Whenever possible, choose a site with many trees for building the farm. Planting trees in front of pig houses can regulate and improve the microclimate environment of the farm area, reduce summer heat radiation, and release oxygen. Doing a good job of farm greening can reduce the environmental temperature of pig houses by 3°C to 4°C in summer and reduce heat radiation by 80%.
4. Adjust feed formulas to ensure appropriate nutritional levels.
Heat stress often affects the gastrointestinal function of sows, causing decreased appetite and increased body weight loss. Therefore, feed formulas should be adjusted promptly to improve feed palatability and nutrient concentration, so that sows can still meet their nutritional needs even when feed intake is reduced.
In sow diets, 0.2% hawthorn can be added to promote digestion, or 0.1% to 0.2% baking soda can be added to resist stress and improve appetite. Farms with the means to do so can also appropriately feed some green, juicy feed, which can enhance the sows' ability to resist heat stress. For sows with harder stools, lactating feed can be given 2 to 3 days before farrowing, and 2 doses of mild laxatives, such as sodium sulfate or artificial salt, can be administered to prevent sow constipation.
5. Provide sufficient cool, clean drinking water
6. Adjust feeding times, and it is advisable to feed wet feed. In summer, sows eat less during the day, so sow feeding times should be adjusted: the morning feeding should be moved to 6 a.m., and the afternoon feeding to 6 p.m., to increase sow feed intake. Mix the feed with water to improve palatability.
7. Reduce various stress factors.
Sows show a relatively strong repelling reaction to unfamiliar individuals or bright colors. Normally, keepers should be required to wear uniform work clothes, keepers should not be changed frequently, stress stimuli should be minimized, the number of times sows are moved between pens and pregnant sows are grouped together should be reduced, and the environment inside and outside the pig house should be kept as quiet as possible.
8. Do a good job of immunization and health care.
Summer temperatures are relatively high, and there are many mosquitoes and insects. In late spring and early summer, Japanese encephalitis vaccination should be well carried out. As temperatures rise, transmission through mosquitoes and other means can easily cause blood protozoan diseases, such as eperythrozoonosis and toxoplasmosis. In order to prevent postpartum "triad syndrome" and piglet diseases, health care work must be done well 1 week before and 1 week after farrowing (that is, the perinatal period). Intramuscular injection of Hengweikang 20 mL per dose can be given, and per ton of feed, 500 g of Qingkailing Banqing granules or 1000 g of Antiviral No. 1 + 350 g of 70% amoxicillin + 1000 g of Lino (non-bitter enrofloxacin) can be added to purify sow diseases and cut off disease transmission from sows to piglets. Attention should be paid to postpartum anti-inflammatory treatment for sows; potent amoxicillin + Qingkailing + Houttuynia cordata can be used, with continuous intramuscular injection for 3 days. During manual assistance at farrowing, disinfection and sterilization of the sow and the operator must be meticulous and thorough. For sows suffering from heatstroke, immediately move them to a cool, ventilated place for emergency treatment, spray the body with cold water, and at the same time intravenously inject 200 mL to 500 mL of 5% glucose saline, and intramuscularly inject 10 mL to 20 mL of Fengqiangzhixing. For restless and agitated pigs, intramuscularly inject 20 mL of 2.5% chlorpromazine.
9. Regular deworming
Every year in March to April, June to July, and September to October, during seasonal transitions, regular deworming is best carried out.