How to quickly resolve pig heat stress?

When the temperature in the pig house reaches above 30℃, it will have an adverse effect on the normal metabolism of pigs. If the pen is damp, the temperature is high and the ventilation is poor, it will cause heat stress (heat stroke) in pigs, and in severe cases it can even cause death. So how can we quickly solve the problem of heat stress in pigs? Let’s take a look below.

1. Causes and hazards of heat stress in pigs

Pigs are warm-blooded mammals that rely on biochemical reactions and neural regulation to maintain a constant body temperature. However, pigs have underdeveloped sweat glands, thick subcutaneous fat, and their body heat dissipates slowly through the skin, so they are not heat-resistant. If the ambient temperature is too high, the pig's metabolism will increase, leading to heat imbalance, decreased immunity, and decreased appetite.

2. Symptoms of heat stress in pigs

When the ambient temperature is high, the pigs will show loss of appetite, irritability, increased drinking, and obvious thirst, and then suddenly become ill. The sick pigs will become irritable or depressed, with a rapid heartbeat, rapid breathing, conjunctival flushing, and body temperature up to 43°C. Some will vomit, foam at the mouth, lie on the ground, have an unstable gait, tremble all over, and be in a coma in severe cases. Acute cases may lead to death.

3. Preventive measures for heat stress in pigs

1. Plant suitable green plants around the pig house and between the buildings, plant trees around the field, and plant short mosquito and fly repellent plants such as mint , perilla, datura, pinellia, patchouli , lavender , etc. between the buildings. When the temperature rises in summer, cooling equipment needs to be turned on.

2. To ensure that the pens are well ventilated, you can set up water curtains and cooling fans, or use cooling methods such as dripping, spraying, or spraying cool water on the ground in the pens.

3. In the summer, while ensuring sufficient drinking water, you should choose high-quality, fresh raw materials to prepare the daily diet, increase the energy ratio, reduce the crude fiber ratio, and appropriately increase the amount of vitamins and trace elements added.

4. Treatment of heat stress in pigs

1. Ventilate and cool down, move the sick pigs to a cool and ventilated place. For mild cases, spray cold water on the head and chest, or administer cold salt water or enema.

2. For severe cases, it is also necessary to reduce pulmonary edema and intracranial pressure, puncture the blood vessels at the tip of the ear to bleed 100-200 ml, inject 20% intravenously, 100-300 ml of camphorate, and 100-200 ml of 5% sodium bicarbonate intravenously.

3. To calm the heart and stimulate the respiratory center, inject 50-100 ml of chlorpromazine, 5-6 ml of sodium camphorsulfonate, or 2-3 ml of caffeine intramuscularly.

That’s it