Methods for Transporting Live Pigs Over Long Distances in Hot Weather

1. Keep the purchased live pigs in holding and feed them for about 7 days, so that the pigs recover their normal physical condition before shipping.

2. Fattening pigs transported over long distances in hot weather must be quarantined one by one, and sick, disabled or inferior pigs must absolutely not be loaded onto the truck.

3. Before shipping, the truck carrying the fattening pigs must be carefully overhauled to prevent the truck from breaking down on the way and delaying the rush transport time; in particular, trucks that previously carried pesticides or other toxic substances must be strictly cleaned and disinfected to avoid toxic bacteria infecting the pigs.

4. Do not use truck bodies that absorb a large amount of heat to transport fattening pigs, to prevent the fattening pigs from suffering heatstroke.

5. A tarpaulin must be properly spread over the top of the truck body to prevent exposure to the scorching sun.

6. When the driver and the escort have meals or refuel and add water to the truck on the way, they should drive the truck to a shady place to escape the heat.

7. Bring enough green feed needed by the pigs on the way, and follow the practice of "small meals more often" to prevent the pigs from diarrhea or bloating.

8. Prepare enough heatstroke-prevention medicines and administer them in good time, so as to clear heat and relieve summerheat for the pigs.

9. Every day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., the truck body and the pigs must be rinsed once with cool water every 1 hour to lower the truck temperature.

10. A strict reward and penalty system must be established for the driver and the escort to strengthen their sense of responsibility, and they should be given vocational guidance so that they fully master escorting techniques.

11. Drive as much as possible at night, have drivers take turns driving, and reduce daytime transport time.

12. For trucks with an overly long body, partition boards should be installed in the middle to prevent the pigs from squeezing against one another when going uphill or downhill.

13. Quarantine, tax and disinfection certificates must be properly issued to reduce unnecessary delays on the way.

14. When loading and transporting live pigs, separate them as much as possible according to size and strength, to prevent large pigs from squeezing small pigs.

15. Before setting out, the driver and the escort should have a good rest, so that they have abundant energy to drive and escort, ensuring safe and smooth transport.