Can we face heat waves with adapted feeding strategies?


In the context of global warming, heat waves have been observed repeatedly. Adaptations of the feeding strategy have been investigated to mitigate the impact of acute heat stress events on the short and long-term performance of lactating sows and finishing pigs.


BY NATHALIE QUINIOU, IFIP AND DAVID RENAUDEAU, INRAE H 20


eat waves have been observed each year with an increased frequency and severity over the last decade. Under the extremely hot events observed in late spring and summer, called heat


waves, most European pig farms are not equipped with systems that could efficiently prevent the indoor temperature from increasing above the thermoneutral zone (Figure 1). With a rapid increase in temperature the consequences on the animal physiology are not well


▶ HEAT STRESS | MAY 2021


described, compared to the impact of a progressive increase in the intensity of chronic heat stress. When the temperature increases above the upper critical temperature, different adaptations are progressively observed, including those that contribute to higher heat losses (panting, posture, peripheral blood circulation…) or lower heat production (reduced physical activity, feed intake, growth and milk production). At a given temperature, the risk to being exposed to hot conditions is higher for lactating sows, due to their high level of feed intake and milk production, and finishing pigs, due to their elevated feeding level and body fatness.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60