32 Pork News & Views Better Pork April 2021 Pork News & Views Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Better Pork | February 2024 bedding based on external tem- perature and pig size. Use boards/panels to protect pigs from crosswinds and drafts. Adjust boards as needed if trailer will be stationary to en- sure condensation does not build up inside the trailer. Follow recommended stocking densities on Ontario Pork’s web- site. Hot weather transport In hot summer months, transporting pigs can lead to severe heat stress if proper measures are not taken. Hot air temperature combined with high humidity can quickly become deadly for pigs as they lack functional sweat glands to be able to cool themselves. For information regarding heat stress in pigs, check out ‘Avoiding Production Losses in Swine Due to Heat Stress’ (Factsheet 23-041). Figure 2 shows how temperature and humidity combine to create heat stress situations for grow-finish pigs. The following measures can be taken to help reduce the risk of heat stress during summer transport: Load animals in groups of less than five. Adjust transport to early mor- ning or at night during the sum- mer. Ensure side boards are fully open on the trailer. Load fewer pigs per load on hot, humid days, following Ontario Pork’s Loading Density Guide- lines. Provide wet shavings when the temperature is over 15°C; do not use straw. Use evaporative cooling techni- ques when the temperature is over 27°C. Wet pigs for 5-10 minutes during or after loading using a large droplet spray (not a fine mist), then allow the wa- ter to evaporate. Don’t wet pigs again until they are dry. Do not pour large amounts of cold water onto an overheated pig. Load and unload promptly to avoid heat build-up. Don’t park next to another trailer as better air flow will be achieved with space between trucks. If the trailer must park and wait before unloading, use sprinklers or a fan bank if avai- lable at the plant. If unloading can’t happen quickly, keep the trailer mo- ving to ensure airflow. Laura Eastwood OMAFRA Swine Specialist, Stratford laura.eastwood@ontario.ca References Canadian Food Inspection Agency Heath of Animals Regulations Part X11: Transport of Animals. https://gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/ p2/2019/2019-02-20/html/ sor-dors38-eng.html Environment Canada Windchill Index. https://www.canada. ca/content/dam/eccc/migra tion/main/meteo-weather/80b 0f2af-9697-4bee-ab17-d401eb ba5b4b/windchill_poster_en.pd National Pork Board Transport Quality Assurance (TQA) Pro- gram Handbook. https://lms. pork.org/Tools/View/tqa National Pork Board Transport Quality Assurance (TQA) Pro- gram Hot and Cold Weather Posters. https://www.porkcdn. com/sites/porkcheckoff/assets/ files/TQAv8WeatherPosterEN GLISH_1678742378501.pdf OMAFRA Factsheet 23-041, Avoi- ding Production Losses in Swine Due to Heat Stress. https://www. ontario.ca/page/avoid-producti- on-losses-swine-due-heat- stress Ontario Pork Transportation Re- sources. https://www.ontari- opork.on.ca/transportation Xin, H., and J. Harmon. 1998. Livestock Industry Facilities and Environment: Heat Stress Indices for Livestock. Iowa State Univer- sity. Upcoming Events 60th Southwestern Ontario Pork Congress Wednesday, February 21st, 2024 U. of Guelph Ridgetown Campus https://bdc.ridgetownc.com London Swine Conference March 5-6th, 2024 DoubleTree by Hilton, London londonswineconference.ca Ontario Swine Conference June 19-20th, 2024 porkcongress.on.ca Figure 2: Heat stress index for grow-finish pigs. Adapted from H. Xin and J. Harmon. 1998.
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