November 29, 2006

 

Cold weather challenges US hog producers

 

 

A sharp drop in the temperature forecast for the western US corn belt near midweek from the unusually mild conditions seen throughout most of November will challenge hog producers' skills at preventing influenza outbreaks in hogs or minimising their effects.

 

Other sources said the arrival of colder temperatures will reduce feed efficiency and slow the daily weight gains that have been very good so far this fall.

 

Many producers have been seeing outstanding performance in the finishing barns over the past month or so--due largely to excellent weather conditions, the sources said.

 

Rising feed costs and higher energy costs to maintain temperatures in farrowing and nursery facilities and some growing/finishing barns when hog populations are reduced could cause producers to sell the animals at lighter weights this winter.

 

Wide fluctuations in temperatures in hog production facilities are also stressful for the animals and can trigger outbreaks of diseases such as influenza, which is a common occurrence in the fall, according to industry sources and swine specialists.

 

Pam Zaabel, director of swine health information and research with the National Pork Board in Des Moines, Iowa, said swine influenza typically occurs more in the fall when there are fluctuating temperatures.

 

Higher incidence of other swine diseases such as porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS),

porcine circovirus associated diseases (PCVAD) and mycoplasma can be triggered by stress caused by fluctuations in temperatures within the buildings.

 

Producers can reduce the incidence of influenza and other diseases by controlling the environment inside the buildings, Zaabel said. In addition, producers can utilise vaccines, and they can determine which animals are most susceptible and be prepared to treat those animals with antibiotics if necessary to control the disease.

 

David Stender, swine extension specialist with Iowa State University, said a proper understanding of ventilation principles by producers has a direct impact on pig health, feed conversion and performance.

 

He said several workshops on ventilation have been held with producers in Iowa to discuss methods to reduce rapid temperature variation in hog barns. "Pigs' comfort zone, called the thermo neutral zone, is quite wide - the trick is to minimise temperature swings," he said in an e-mail.

 

To combat temperature swings, some producers are adding extra fans to their barns for more mechanical air flow, Stender said.

 

Another problem frequently encountered in hog barns is heater overrun, Stender said, which can result in the room becoming warmer than is desired. Many producers are now using data loggers to monitor the change in temperature in their barns.