How to make the most of pig ventilation systems
© Tim Scrivener Effective, well-managed ventilation is vital for pig production – particularly in preventing heat stress.
However, while newbuilds include the latest technologies to optimise the pig’s environment, there is scope to make better use of existing systems, starting with basic checks.
See also: How ear tag tech is improving Yorkshire pig farm’s efficiency
Zanita Markham, from AHDB’s pork engagement team, joined a farmer study trip to Skov, Denmark. She says: “Many [existing] ventilation systems aren’t serviced or are just used in the same way, rather than [farmers] looking at more ways they can pull out data.
“An annual service is a cost, but you need to look at the long-term picture. If you’re not getting equipment that you invested in serviced, imagine in five years how worn it could be.” (See “Ventilation checks part of daily routine”.)
Zanita also advises keeping in regular contact with building and equipment suppliers to ensure farmers are up to date with advancements in technology and are making the most of their ventilation systems.
“The key thing is to work with your supplier to get more information,” she says. “[Suppliers] are learning and developing their resources all the time, and can help you explore areas of the software that you haven’t looked at before.”
Farmer tips for operating an effective ventilation system
- When planning a new build, discuss all aspects of the ventilation system in detail with potential suppliers to produce a bespoke solution
- For existing pig buildings, take advantage of the supplier’s maintenance package. Annual servicing will include checking that inlets and outlets are opening and closing properly, and are running at the rates being recorded by the ventilation system
- Make use of software system updates and training sessions offered by suppliers, so that data generated can be used to make improvements
- Work with suppliers to resolve issues identified in older buildings to make improvements in new builds
- Make sure pig-fill numbers are correctly accounted for on the management software system, and any changes are updated, so the ventilation system is always working optimally.
Source: Zanita Markham, AHDB
Misting systems
As well as improving pig performance and making life easier (and more comfortable) for staff, Zanita says well-maintained ventilation systems are an essential tool in mitigating the effects of climate change on pig housing.
If the pigs’ environment is too hot, their appetite is suppressed and air quality deteriorates, making them more susceptible to disease.
“We’re seeing more and more [heat stress] in our summer periods in the UK because of climate change,” she reports.
While retrofitting or replacing complete ventilation systems in older pig housing is not common, she says misting systems (using evaporative cooling to reduce room temperature) are becoming more popular.
She stresses that it is important to ensure a new misting system installed in an existing building will be compatible and works effectively.
The key is not to increase humidity: “It should [create] a very light mist that evaporates to keep the general temperature in the room cool, rather than it being a shower,” Zanita says.
Increasing numbers of misting systems are being installed, and Zanita predicts they could become standard.
“I think in a few years it might become a mandatory requirement for welfare reasons. In Spain, nearly all the [pig] houses have evaporative cooling as it’s one of the easiest and most effective ways to keep the temperature down over hot days.”
Ventilation checks part of daily routine
Since returning from a study trip to Denmark, Suffolk pig farmer David Bird has implemented a more structured approach to monitoring his ventilation systems.
He now checks each day that curtains are operating correctly and temperature readings from infrared sensors and probes are true.
David contract-finishes a total of 7,000 pigs a year for Rattlerow in two straw-based sheds, as well as growing arable crops on 405ha (1,000 acres).
Pigs are delivered at 35kg into naturally ventilated sheds, with side curtains that rise and fall depending on the indoor and outdoor temperatures.
David joined the visit to Skov in Demmark to learn about the “ultimate environment” for pigs and make sure he is keeping up to date.
“While we don’t have [ventilation] fans, if you’re talking about optimal ventilation systems, it’s applicable to curtains too. It’s about making sure they are set up and serviced properly – and checked regularly,” he says.
“At Skov, we heard about the potential for lost production and performance from not having the correct temperature, and that made us really think and focus on making sure everything’s just right.”
David checks that pigs are comfortable at the temperatures he has chosen for them and reviews each day whether that temperature is achievable.
He also aims to provide a consistent environment; if nights are cold, he will adjust the ventilation to maintain a more consistent temperature, rather than letting it fluctuate between day and night.
Training with Rattlerow field staff and AHDB has helped him understand the pigs’ needs, and, together with quarterly vet reviews, ensures “a lot of different eyes and thought” feed into the setup.
He monitors the sheds for signs of a suboptimal environment – pigs lying hunched or huddled together indicates they are too cold, while spreading out or lying in wetter areas means they are too hot.
Cooling options
As well as making improvements in day-to-day management of the pigs’ environment, David is also looking at technologies to provide more cooling.
“I’ve only had pigs six or seven years, but we’re seeing more extended hot periods and more extreme weather patterns,” he says, adding that he is considering installing a misting system to counter these more frequent extremes.
“Also, as feed costs increase, so performance becomes a more critical factor to profitability. We need to make sure we’re as efficient as possible, so the pigs use less energy [keeping cool], but eat more and grow more efficiently.”
AHDB resources on pig ventilation systems
- Ventilating pig buildings
- Ventilation Pig Buildings pdf guide
- Controlled environment for livestock book hard copies available to order on the AHDB webpage.