At the second farm, we likewise did not observe signs of severe heat stress. Many pigs were lying down, inactive, and panting, behaviours commonly associated with efforts to cope with high temperatures. On this farm, the water-misting system was operating, providing additional cooling within the barn.
Based on what we were able to observe, the farmers appeared to be making efforts to reduce temperatures in the buildings and minimise the risk of heat stress within the limitations of the housing system.
It is important to note that on both farms we were only granted access to a single pig barn. We were not able to inspect the other barns on the premises, nor the areas where breeding sows were housed. Our observations therefore relate only to the sections that were visible during the visits.
