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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.

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Preparing for Lambing Season | Handling Pregnant Ewes Safely

Video: Preparing for Lambing Season | Handling Pregnant Ewes Safely

Handling pregnant ewes safely is the highlight of today's sheep farming vlog at Ewetopia Farms as we do final preparations for lambing season. With lambing season only days away, today’s focus is transforming our breeding barn into a lambing barn. This means cleaning out the last of the barns, removing old bedding, and laying fresh straw for our pregnant ewes. A big part of the process is safely moving our Suffolk and Dorset sheep to transform their breeding pens into their pens for lambing.