Effect of supplemental heat for nursing piglets

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Agricultural Engineering
• Veterinary Medicine

Background:

• Neonatal piglet mortality is a significant concern in swine production.
• Environmental temperature is a critical factor for piglet survival and growth.
• Supplemental heat is often used to mitigate cold stress in farrowing environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of supplemental heat on nursing piglet survival and growth.
• To determine the optimal duration for providing supplemental heat to piglets.
• To assess the effect of heat lamps on piglet body weight gain and mortality rates.

Main Methods:

• Two experiments were conducted over three winter seasons, with ambient room temperatures maintained at 21°C.
• Experiment 1 compared no supplemental heat versus a heat lamp from birth to 21 days.
• Experiment 2 assessed heat lamp use from day 3 to day 6 or day 3 to day 21 postpartum, with control litters receiving no supplemental heat.

Main Results:

• Supplemental heat significantly reduced piglet mortality within the first 3 days (13.4% vs. 4.4%) and total 21-day losses (18.5% vs. 11.0%) in Experiment 1.
• Average body weight gains were slightly higher in heat-supplemented piglets in Experiment 1 (3.50 kg vs. 3.69 kg).
• In Experiment 2, piglet body weight gain was significantly greater (p < .01) with heat lamp use, although mortality and sow parameters were not significantly affected.

Conclusions:

• Supplemental heat, provided via heat lamps, is effective in reducing early-life mortality in nursing piglets.
• The use of heat lamps promotes improved piglet growth rates during the nursing period.
• Environmental management, including supplemental heating, is crucial for enhancing piglet survival and productivity in swine farming.