Feeding and Management Methods for Finishing Pigs to Safely Get Through Summer
How Can Finishing Pigs Safely Get Through Summer
Because finishing pigs have thick subcutaneous fat, which prevents a large amount of body heat from being dissipated, and because their sweat glands are degenerated, they cannot dissipate body heat by sweating heavily, so finishing pigs are very afraid of heat and are relatively sensitive to heat stress. The most suitable temperature for finishing pig growth is 15°C-23°C. When the air temperature is above 25°C, symptoms such as decreased appetite, reduced feed intake, increased body temperature, increased respiratory rate, and slowed growth will appear. If high temperature and heat persist, they may even suffer heatstroke and die. Therefore, doing a good job of helping finishing pigs safely get through summer is very important.
Strengthen ventilation. Open the doors and windows of the pig house to ensure air circulation in the pig house. Install ceiling fans in the pig house to produce horizontal air flow and promote a drop in body temperature. When necessary, exhaust fans can be installed on the roof to discharge the rising hot air outward, and ventilation fans can be installed on the walls so that air crosses the pig house and increases the ventilation volume of the pig house.
Lower the house temperature. Use cool water to wash the floor and walls inside the pen to lower the temperature. Where tap water is available, connect a hose and wash several times each day at noon and in the afternoon. Where there is no tap water, use basins to hold water and pour it on the ground to lower the house temperature. Water can also be used to rinse the pigs' bodies to lower their temperature. Spraying or showering the pigs' bodies 2-4 times a day can help the pigs dissipate heat. Freshly drawn well water has a relatively low temperature, so it should be left in the sun for a while before being used to rinse the pigs' bodies. This can both dissipate heat and lower temperature and keep the pigs clean and hygienic. However, rinsing the pigs' bodies with water should be arranged before feeding. They must not be washed within 30 minutes after feeding, and water must not be used to suddenly rinse the pigs' heads, in order to prevent severe contraction of the blood vessels in the head and shock.
Provide sufficient drinking water. In summer, the temperature is high, and the pigs' body temperature will also be affected. If drinking water is sufficient, body temperature will rise under the regulation of water, and pigs can expel water vapor from the respiratory tract in the lungs out of the body through rapid breathing, using the water vapor to carry away part of the residual heat in the body. In summer, the daily drinking water intake of pigs is 23%-25% of their own body weight. They can drink 0.5% saline to regulate body temperature. The water trough must always be kept filled with sufficient clean water, and water must not be cut off.
Adjust nutrition. In summer, when the ambient temperature exceeds 25°C, in order to reduce their own heat production, pigs reduce their intake of energy feed, which also correspondingly lowers their intake of other nutrients. This requires a diet with a higher nutritional level to compensate. Therefore, when formulating finishing pig diets in summer, the energy feed can be appropriately reduced, and the levels of protein, minerals, and multivitamins can be increased. During midsummer, energy feed accounts for 50%-70% of the pig diet, and green feed is increased from 0.5 kg to 1.5 kg. All feed fed should be fresh, and the feed should not be moldy.
Supplement green feed appropriately. Green, juicy feed has good palatability and is rich in various vitamins. It can increase the feed intake of finishing pigs and is beneficial to health and heat relief. In hot summer weather, finishing pigs can be appropriately supplemented with some green grass, melon rind, carrots, or fresh vegetables.
Heat-relief feed. (1) Mung bean soup: take an appropriate amount of mung beans, add 20 times the water, and boil until the skins split. After cooling, drink the soup and eat the beans. (2) Decoction or soup made by boiling the whole plants of plantain and Lophatherum gracile in water, mixed with feed and fed to pigs. (3) Mash 2000 g of fresh watermelon rind, then mix with 100 g of white sugar, once every other day. (4) To prevent the occurrence of heat stress, Liangxue Fuzheng Yin can be added to drinking water.
Do a good job of sanitation. Open all ventilation holes in the pig house to make the pigs' bodies cool and comfortable. Spread 3-5 cm thick sanitary sand grains inside the house, so that heat is dissipated through contact between the pigs' bodies and the sand grains. Every day, use 20% lime powder to whitewash the walls and disinfect the floor, use 3% carbolic acid solution to disinfect the tools used, and use Wanchukang to disinfect the pig house.
Eliminate mosquitoes and flies. For mosquito control, shade-dried, chopped castor can be selected and used at 25 g per cubic meter of space for smoke fumigation. For fly control, 1 part trichlorfon can be added to 1000 parts water and sprayed, or a drug with little irritation and no harm to pigs' bodies, Yipenjing, can be selected and sprayed inside the pig house.
Prevent epidemic diseases. In summer, the temperature is high, and the growth and reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms become increasingly active. Therefore, prevention and control of diseases in finishing pigs should be strengthened. The feed trough should be washed at least once a day, pig manure should be removed frequently, the pig house and surrounding environment should be regularly disinfected with Wanchukang, moldy and spoiled feed should not be fed, and according to epidemic prevention procedures, prevention of infectious diseases such as swine fever, swine erysipelas, and swine pasteurellosis should be done well to ensure that finishing pigs safely get through summer.
Strengthen ventilation. Open the doors and windows of the pig house to ensure air circulation in the pig house. Install ceiling fans in the pig house to produce horizontal air flow and promote a drop in body temperature. When necessary, exhaust fans can be installed on the roof to discharge the rising hot air outward, and ventilation fans can be installed on the walls so that air crosses the pig house and increases the ventilation volume of the pig house.
Lower the house temperature. Use cool water to wash the floor and walls inside the pen to lower the temperature. Where tap water is available, connect a hose and wash several times each day at noon and in the afternoon. Where there is no tap water, use basins to hold water and pour it on the ground to lower the house temperature. Water can also be used to rinse the pigs' bodies to lower their temperature. Spraying or showering the pigs' bodies 2-4 times a day can help the pigs dissipate heat. Freshly drawn well water has a relatively low temperature, so it should be left in the sun for a while before being used to rinse the pigs' bodies. This can both dissipate heat and lower temperature and keep the pigs clean and hygienic. However, rinsing the pigs' bodies with water should be arranged before feeding. They must not be washed within 30 minutes after feeding, and water must not be used to suddenly rinse the pigs' heads, in order to prevent severe contraction of the blood vessels in the head and shock.
Provide sufficient drinking water. In summer, the temperature is high, and the pigs' body temperature will also be affected. If drinking water is sufficient, body temperature will rise under the regulation of water, and pigs can expel water vapor from the respiratory tract in the lungs out of the body through rapid breathing, using the water vapor to carry away part of the residual heat in the body. In summer, the daily drinking water intake of pigs is 23%-25% of their own body weight. They can drink 0.5% saline to regulate body temperature. The water trough must always be kept filled with sufficient clean water, and water must not be cut off.
Adjust nutrition. In summer, when the ambient temperature exceeds 25°C, in order to reduce their own heat production, pigs reduce their intake of energy feed, which also correspondingly lowers their intake of other nutrients. This requires a diet with a higher nutritional level to compensate. Therefore, when formulating finishing pig diets in summer, the energy feed can be appropriately reduced, and the levels of protein, minerals, and multivitamins can be increased. During midsummer, energy feed accounts for 50%-70% of the pig diet, and green feed is increased from 0.5 kg to 1.5 kg. All feed fed should be fresh, and the feed should not be moldy.
Supplement green feed appropriately. Green, juicy feed has good palatability and is rich in various vitamins. It can increase the feed intake of finishing pigs and is beneficial to health and heat relief. In hot summer weather, finishing pigs can be appropriately supplemented with some green grass, melon rind, carrots, or fresh vegetables.
Heat-relief feed. (1) Mung bean soup: take an appropriate amount of mung beans, add 20 times the water, and boil until the skins split. After cooling, drink the soup and eat the beans. (2) Decoction or soup made by boiling the whole plants of plantain and Lophatherum gracile in water, mixed with feed and fed to pigs. (3) Mash 2000 g of fresh watermelon rind, then mix with 100 g of white sugar, once every other day. (4) To prevent the occurrence of heat stress, Liangxue Fuzheng Yin can be added to drinking water.
Do a good job of sanitation. Open all ventilation holes in the pig house to make the pigs' bodies cool and comfortable. Spread 3-5 cm thick sanitary sand grains inside the house, so that heat is dissipated through contact between the pigs' bodies and the sand grains. Every day, use 20% lime powder to whitewash the walls and disinfect the floor, use 3% carbolic acid solution to disinfect the tools used, and use Wanchukang to disinfect the pig house.
Eliminate mosquitoes and flies. For mosquito control, shade-dried, chopped castor can be selected and used at 25 g per cubic meter of space for smoke fumigation. For fly control, 1 part trichlorfon can be added to 1000 parts water and sprayed, or a drug with little irritation and no harm to pigs' bodies, Yipenjing, can be selected and sprayed inside the pig house.
Prevent epidemic diseases. In summer, the temperature is high, and the growth and reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms become increasingly active. Therefore, prevention and control of diseases in finishing pigs should be strengthened. The feed trough should be washed at least once a day, pig manure should be removed frequently, the pig house and surrounding environment should be regularly disinfected with Wanchukang, moldy and spoiled feed should not be fed, and according to epidemic prevention procedures, prevention of infectious diseases such as swine fever, swine erysipelas, and swine pasteurellosis should be done well to ensure that finishing pigs safely get through summer.