Following a cold, farm energy and control service provider Farmex has advised pig farmers to check carefully the set temperatures in their controlled-environment piggeries after the company recieved several phone calls from pig producers caught out by environmental contols.
Farmex environmental specialist, Hugh Crabtree, said the main task for farmers is to review settings as it is likely that finishing houses, which are likely to have been set above 18 degrees due to the recent mild weather, meaning there will be less ventilation and more contaminats such as dust, gases and moisture.
“With the current backlog of overweight pigs, perhaps densely stocked, it is even more important to lower the set temperature to encourage ventilation,” said Mr Crabtree. “Even pigs on slats in reasonable groups, and being fed ad lib, will have a LCT (Lower Critical Temperature) of well under 18 degrees celcius.”
He advised farmers to avoid an abrupt change, and to set their controls to achieve a steady reduction in temperature to 18 deg C over a three-day period.
He added that routine remote monitoring, however it is done, is always worthwhile as it tells the producer what is actually happening and when.
