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

Jun 19, 2023

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.

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Video: New Solution Powers Efficient Pork Growth

Alltech has introduced Olerix, an innovative phytogenic blend created to promote growth and feed efficiency in pigs. Through a proprietary coating process, the bioactive blend of phytogenic compounds used in Olerix is designed to outlast the manufacturing process, ensuring consistent outcomes from feed to finish. The result is a high-impact efficiency solution that provides consistent support for gut health, feed efficiency, immune function and growth performance. Olerix is backed by validated trials conducted under modern pork production conditions.

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“Olerix represents the next generation of phytogenic technology — combining feed efficiency, livability and immune support into a practical commercial solution producers can implement today,” said Andy Rash, U.S. monogastric director at Alltech.