ISSUE FOCUS 72 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE July 2025 Managing heat stress in swine and ruminants remains a growing concern as rising temperatures negatively affect growth, fertility and milk production. Recent trials highlight long-term impacts of prenatal stress and late-gestation heat exposure. While nutritional strategies show encouraging results, particularly in improving feed efficiency and resilience, further details remain to be explored in the full article. MANAGING HEAT STRESS IN SWINE AND RUMINANTS: New Insights and Nutritional Strategies May 2025 marked the second hottest May on record, underscoring the increasing technical and economic impact of global warming on our farms. Heat stress is not only a welfare concern in livestock farming; it is a significant problem affecting productivity and farm economics in both swine and ruminant operations. As temperatures rise, farmers face challenges ranging from reduced growth rates and fertility to compromised milk production and feed efficiency. HEAT STRESS IN SWINE Performance and reproductive impacts According to a recent study by INRAE, exposing gestating sows to chronic thermal discomfort does not affect the number or weight of piglets at birth. However, it does alter the feeding behaviour of growing pigs, with negative effects on their performance and slaughter weight. This prenatal stress could reduce the number of muscle fibres at birth, thereby limiting the animals' ability to put on muscle during fattening. Pigs from these sows show slower growth (-52 g/day), reduced feed intake (-93 g/day) and a slaughter weight that is 5 kg lower. Maintaining a suitable ambient temperature throughout gestation therefore appears essential to preserve the growth potential of the offspring. Heat tolerance does not eliminate heat stress Humans perceive heat less intensely than most animals, and in pigs, sensitivity to heat stress increases with body weight. A trial conducted by CCPA in Mexico on crossbreed combining prolificacy, rapid By CCPA Photo: Freepik
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