Preference among cooling systems by gilts under heat stress

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Environmental Physiology
• Swine Husbandry

Background:

• Heat stress negatively impacts swine welfare and productivity.
• Effective cooling systems are crucial for managing thermal discomfort in pigs.
• Evaluating pig preferences for cooling systems provides insights into their efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the preference of mature gilts for three cooling systems: snout coolers, drip coolers, and conductive cool pads.
• To evaluate the physiological effects of these cooling systems on respiration rate and rectal temperature.
• To determine the most effective cooling system for mitigating heat stress in gilts.

Main Methods:

• A preference experiment was conducted with mature gilts housed individually.
• Three cooling systems (snout, drip, conductive cool pads) were available in separate free stalls.
• Gilts were exposed to daily heat stress (34.2°C) and warm night (26.6°C) conditions for six days.
• Cooling system preference and physiological variables (respiration rate, rectal temperature) were monitored.

Main Results:

• Cooling system use was higher during hot periods (80.2%) than warm periods (66.2%).
• Conductive cool pads were significantly preferred over drip coolers (P < .02) and snout coolers (P < .0002).
• Conductive cool pad use resulted in lower rectal temperatures and respiration rates (P < .005), while other systems had no significant effect.

Conclusions:

• Mature gilts demonstrate a clear preference for conductive cool pads during heat stress.
• Conductive cool pads are more effective in reducing physiological indicators of heat stress in gilts compared to snout or drip coolers.
• Implementing conductive cool pads can improve swine welfare and potentially mitigate negative impacts of heat stress.