Pig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    • July 2025
    • June 2025
    • 2025 Innovation supplement
    • May 2025
    • April 2025
    • March 2025
    • 2025 Buildings supplement
    • February 2025
    • 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    • January 2025
    • December 2024
    • November 2024
    • 2025 National Pig Awards supplement
    • October 2024
    • September 2024
    • August 2024
    • 2024 Pig Health supplement
    • July 2024
    • June 2024
    • 2024 Innovation supplement
    • 2024 Pig & Poultry Fair Guide
    • May 2024
    • April 2024
    • 2024 Buildings Supplement
    • March 2024
    • 2024 Pig Nutrition supplement
    • February 2024
    • January 2024
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • 2023 National Pig Awards supplement
    • October 2023
    • September 2023
    • Health Supplement
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
Podcast
Pig WorldPig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    1. July 2025
    2. June 2025
    3. 2025 Innovation supplement
    4. May 2025
    5. April 2025
    6. March 2025
    7. 2025 Buildings supplement
    8. February 2025
    9. 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    10. January 2025
    11. December 2024
    12. November 2024
    13. 2025 National Pig Awards supplement
    14. October 2024
    15. September 2024
    16. August 2024
    17. 2024 Pig Health supplement
    18. July 2024
    19. June 2024
    20. 2024 Innovation supplement
    21. 2024 Pig & Poultry Fair Guide
    22. May 2024
    23. April 2024
    24. 2024 Buildings Supplement
    25. March 2024
    26. 2024 Pig Nutrition supplement
    27. February 2024
    28. January 2024
    29. December 2023
    30. November 2023
    31. 2023 National Pig Awards supplement
    32. October 2023
    33. September 2023
    34. Health Supplement
    Featured

    July 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    July 6, 2025
    Recent

    July 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    July 6, 2025

    June 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    June 4, 2025

    2025 Innovation supplement now available

    June 4, 2025
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
LinkedIn X (Twitter)
Pig World
Comment

How to help your pigs handle the heat

PW ReportersBy PW ReportersAugust 2, 20183 Mins Read
LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email

Fiona Bennett has been a veterinary surgeon at Garth Pig Practice, based in East Yorkshire, since October 2016 having qualified from Liverpool University

Writing this in late July means that most of you will hopefully be mid-harvest. As we cannot control the weather, we need to be able to manage for all eventualities.

Hot weather is just as important to manage as cold weather and the impact heat stress can have on fertility and growth rates should not be underestimated.

There is also an increased risk of vice, such as tail-biting, in these hot conditions – which can be mitigated by reducing stocking density. Pigs cannot sweat, so it is important to provide them with other ways to cool down – ventilation, wallows, wet areas and plentiful water are all key.

Providing muddy wallows outdoors is important to help cool down and add a layer of ‘sunscreen’.

Encouraging sows to go into the arks to allow suckling can be difficult and you don’t need me to tell you that no milk for piglets causes a multitude of problems.

Ventilation flaps on the back of arks should be opened, but draughts at piglet level will only serve to increase the likelihood of scour. Painting the ark roof white can help deflect the sun’s heat, especially if the galvanise has worn off.

Fertility of boars can be affected for six to eight weeks after hot weather, so careful monitoring is needed for sperm defects and count. While, in the UK, we are normally more concerned about cold shock in semen, it is important to remember that semen needs to be kept at 16-18C and out of direct sunlight in order to remain fertile.

Sows are less likely to hold in pig if they are stressed at service. Avoid this by serving early in the morning or late in the day. Where possible, extra space should be provided and wet areas are key for allowing pigs to cool down.

I have seen sprinkler systems over concrete areas working very well in hot weather, particularly in reducing the number of abortions and returns ofteb seen in this sort of climate. Serving more sows and gilts in July and August can minimise the impact of a reduced farrowing rate, both from summer heat stress and the impending autumn infertility hiccups.

Checking water flow rates in all buildings is crucial – pigs will undoubtedly eat less and drink more. If water medicating, be aware that pigs will drink the solution faster so extra dilution may be needed to make sure all pigs receive medication. If using header tanks, this will require more frequent additions of medication, the same amount divided over more additions – little and often.

Enjoy topping up the farmer tan!

Share. LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Email
Previous Article‘I just remember the sheer numbers’
Next Article Farming weather summit calls for urgent action
PW Reporters

Read Similar Stories

Comment: British pork reimagined: Data-led marketing for a changing consumer

July 9, 2025

Comment: Market recovery, export growth and on-farm innovation

July 7, 2025

Comment: Encouraging signs as big pig issues discussed in parliament

July 4, 2025
Latest News

Who has gone the extra mile? Nominate 2025 Chris Brant Award winner now

July 14, 2025

ABN kicks off pioneering long-term mill project

July 11, 2025

Red Tractor to press ahead with new tiers for outdoor pig producers

July 10, 2025
Sponsored Content

THE GATEKEEPER OF RESPIRATORY HEALTH – MYCOPLASMA HYOPNEUMONIAE (M.HYO)

April 30, 2024

Tackle the root cause of PWD with free diagnostic tests

March 1, 2024
Current Pig Industry jobs
  • Assistant Pig Farm Manager – Ref 1761 Leicestershire

    • Leicestershire
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Senior-Level Pig Stockperson – Ref 1760 Hampshire

    • Hampshire
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Pig Stockperson – Ref 1759 North Yorkshire

    • North Yorkshire
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
GETTING IN TOUCH
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Meet The Editors
  • About Us
  • Email Newsletters
  • Subscribe
  • Reuse permissions
OUR SOCIAL CHANNELS
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
PARTNER EVENTS
RELATED SITES
  • Farmers Weekly
  • Agronomist & Arable Farmer
  • Farm Contractor
  • National Pig Awards
  • Pigs Tomorrow
  • Poultry News
  • Weekly Tribune
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
© 2024 MA Agriculture Ltd, a Mark Allen Group company

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.