Article written by:
Joan Escobet Riu
Confort Porcino, Optimization strategies for comfort and energy efficiency of the facilities, Spain
Article written by:
Joan Escobet Riu
Confort Porcino, Optimization strategies for comfort and energy efficiency of the facilities, Spain
Colibacillosis is a multifactorial origin disease and therefore, for its prevention and control we need to take into account all the Environmental Risk Factors (ERF).
Prophylaxis will be based on keeping the animals in the thermal control zone free of stress, before, during and after farrowing.
Environmental management until the pregnant sow is brought into the farrowing unit includes washing, hygiene, drying and pre-heating, all of which should take between 32 and 38 hours.
A new-born piglet has a reduced thermoregulatory capacity, is born wet, and when it dries off by evaporation its temperature is reduced even further.
There is a high risk of a negative energy balance, especially in piglets with a birth weight lower than 1 kg.
The effect of combining bedding (shredded paper) and heat (lamp), improves comfort because it reduces sensible heat losses.
The hyperprolific sow has greatly increased the production of heat, so that we need to ventilate in winter and avoid high temperatures (in winter and summer).
In piglets, we have to create a “microclimate” to cope with stressful environmental factors (moisture, temperature, fluctuations in temperature, draughts etc.).
Here we summarize the most critical points identified in the sow and the piglet:
Environmental requirements in the area occupied by the sow and the piglet are here summarized, differentiating the needs of the sow (macroclimate) and the piglets (microclimate).
The most critical points are the design, sizing and regulation.
The recommendation is to carry out a technical study and to keep the system in good working order (maintenance, monitoring, regulation and observation).
A regular problem is the displacement of air, which causes an undesirable drop in body temperature in the piglet (convection).
The effective temperature of the piglet is greatly reduced when it receives more than 0,15 m/s.
The factors responsible are:
The aim is to improve the circulation of air and/or to protect the piglets (nests).
Maintaining the system in perfect order with a comfortable environment also allows sows and piglets to be kept in a perfect healthy and productive state of wellbeing.