Abstract
Simple SummaryHeat stress triggers behavioural and physiological response and thus negatively affects productivity in livestock. Among farm species, pigs are especially susceptible to exposure to high air temperatures. The evaporative pad cooling system, high pressure fogging, sprinkling as well as elevating of air velocity and floor cooling are the methods most often used in pig facilities to alleviate the effects of heat stress. This article mainly discusses issues linked with the effectiveness of the various cooling methods on improving the indices of animal welfare.An increase in the frequency of hot periods, which has been observed over the past decades, determines the novel approach to livestock facilities improvement. The effects of heat stress are revealed in disorders in physiological processes, impaired immunity, changes in behaviour and decreases in animal production, thus implementation of cooling technologies is a key factor for alleviating these negative consequences. In pig facilities, various cooling methods have been implemented. Air temperature may be decreased by using adiabatic cooling technology such as a high-pressure fogging system or evaporative pads. In modern-type buildings large-surface evaporative pads may support a tunnel ventilation system. Currently a lot of attention has also been paid to developing energy- and water-saving cooling methods, using for example an earth-air or earth-to-water heat exchanger. The pigs’ skin surface may be cooled by using sprinkling nozzles, high-velocity air stream or conductive cooling pads. The effectiveness of these technologies is discussed in this article, taking into consideration the indicators of animal welfare such as respiratory rate, skin surface and body core temperature, performance parameters and behavioural changes.
Highlights
Bearing in mind the important issues of animal welfare it must be stated that the optimal microclimatic conditions for livestock is a main factor which provides for the animal’s comfort and health
This review has shown that even the older types of building may be equipped with a cooling technology such as sprinkling, fogging system, zone cooling or conductive-cooling pads
The decrease of air temperature before its entry into the building, via the use of smaller surface evaporative pads, is a universal solution. It seems that the evaporative-cooling pads system combined with high forced-air movement is one of the most effective methods positively affecting the indicators of pig welfare, regardless of the technological group
Summary
Bearing in mind the important issues of animal welfare it must be stated that the optimal microclimatic conditions for livestock is a main factor which provides for the animal’s comfort and health. The main elements creating the microclimate in a facility for farm animals are: air temperature, relative humidity and air speed, as well as the concentration of harmful gases and other pollutants. The lighting and solar exposure of the building are significant [1,2,3]. Taking into consideration the intensive pig farming system, the mechanical ventilation system seems to be of Animals 2020, 10, 1459; doi:10.3390/ani10091459 www.mdpi.com/journal/animals. Animals 2020, 10, 1459 key importance to providing a thermal neutral zone for these animals especially during summer [4]. In countries of hotter climate, lightweight buildings with sidewall curtains are preferred for pigs’
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