22/06/2026
🔸PIGOLOGY MONDAY: HEALTH & WELFARE 🔸
🔸HOT WEATHER CARE FOR PIGS
With the current hot spell we are experiencing and which is lasting until the end of the week, it is important to remember that pigs are particularly vulnerable to heat stress. Unlike many other animals, pigs do not sweat effectively, which means they rely heavily on their environment and behaviour to regulate body temperature. Which we can help them with.
🔸Why it matters
When pigs overheat, their health can quickly be compromised. Heat stress can lead to reduced appetite, lower growth rates, reduced fertility and in severe cases, it can become life-threatening.
Breeding animals, growing stock and heavier pigs are all particularly at risk during prolonged hot weather.
🔸Signs that your Pigs are Overheating
- Keep a close eye out for:
- Rapid or heavy breathing (over 35 breaths per minute)
- Lethargy or reluctance to move
- Pigs lying stretched out on cool surfaces
- Reduced feed intake
- Increased water consumption
- Seeking shade or cooler areas of housing or paddocks
- Lying in their toilet area
- Early recognition is key.
🔸How to help pigs stay cool
Simple management adjustments can make a big difference:
- Ensure constant access to clean, fresh drinking water
If they have two buckets of water add an extra bucket
Provide adequate shade at all times - you can use anything the pigs wont mind :-)
- Improve airflow and ventilation in housing - spray water on concrete this will reduce temperature and give a cooling affect. Ensure not near piglets.
- Wet down concrete areas or create wallow opportunities where appropriate
- Feed during cooler parts of the day (early morning or late evening)
- Avoid unnecessary handling or movement during peak heat
Increase daily checks during hot weather spells
- Those of you showing your pigs. Plan ahead, if the weather is likely to be hot then ask yourself is it worth going. Especially in-pig sows/gilts. If you are already at the shows then towels soaked in cool water and placed on their bodies is a good aid. Around the neck, behind the ears, under the legs and also on their bellies are good points for cooling.
🔸 Insight
Prevention is always better than intervention. Small environmental changes — particularly water access, airflow and shade — can significantly reduce the risk of heat stress and greatly improve pig comfort during hot weather. If you notice your pig suffering
DO NOT THROW COLD WATER DIRECTLY ONTO YOUR PIG. Pouring very cold water onto an overheated pig can do more harm than good. Pigs are sensitive to sudden temperature changes - like humans, and an extreme drop in temperature can cause shock and put the body under severe stress.
When cold water is applied too quickly, the blood vessels can tighten suddenly (vasoconstriction), which can strain the heart and disrupt the pig’s ability to regulate its body temperature safely.
A gradual cooling approach, using cool (not ice-cold) water and good ventilation, is much safer and more effective for helping pigs recover from heat stress. Instead soak a towel or bed sheet in cool water and place on your pig repeat this several times.
🔸At what temperature and humidity do pigs get heat stressed?
Ambient temperature (as well as humidity) contributes to heat stress and pigs generally develop heat stress at much lower temperatures when the humidity is high. Iowa State University recently released a heat stress index chart (see below) which can be used as a decision tool for implementation of management strategies to reduce heat stress. The chart shows that an average humidity of 30% coupled with temperatures higher than 28°C will significantly affect intestinal health and performance of grower-finisher pigs (conditions regularly experienced during a Western Australian summer). The temperature tolerance is lower for breeding herds.
🔸Did You Know?
Key areas of the body that help a pig cool down when gently sponged or wiped with a cool cloth include the belly, under the chin, legs, feet, armpits and ears. These areas help release heat more effectively and can support gradual, safe cooling during hot weather.
Photo: Iowa University
ASAO - Association of Shows AHDB Animal and Plant Health Agency Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
