Farms.com Home   News

The HotHog Days of Summer: New App Predicts Heat Stress in Pigs

The hot summer months are upon us, and a team at USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and university scientists recently announced a new smartphone application, HotHog, to help predict heat stress in pigs.

Utilizing local weather data, the app predicts relative comfort or heat stress levels of pigs on an hourly, daily or weekly basis, says the release. Swine producers may then use this information to determine the pigs’ needs, including the adjustment of ventilation rates, utilizing sprinklers and ensuring free access to abundant, cool water. 

Heat stress in pigs costs the U.S. swine industry an estimated $481 million in revenue losses each year, notes the release, while Jay S. Johnson, animal scientist who leads the ARS’s Livestock Behavior Research Unit in West Lafayette, Ind., says ensuring positive welfare and productivity in pigs will be even more critical in the face of global climate change.

Click here to see more...

Trending Video

Dr. Anna Forseth: African Swine Fever Updates - Part 1

Video: Dr. Anna Forseth: African Swine Fever Updates - Part 1

Preparing for a Foreign Animal Disease outbreak continues to be one of the most discussed topics in the pork industry. In this special episode of The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, highlighting the critical importance of disease preparedness, Dr. Anna Forseth, Director of Animal Health at the National Pork Producers Council, delivers an essential update on African swine fever (ASF) and its implications for the global and U.S. pork sectors. From the current ASF status to prevention strategies and preparedness efforts, Dr. Forseth explores topics like surveillance, regulatory hurdles, and the role of immunization tools in managing the disease. Listen now on all major platforms!