Dehydration, Pig Stress – Not Just a Summer Problem

Pigs are made up of almost 70% water. Too much of a decrease in that water balance means that your pigs won’t be able to digest food properly, leaving them malnourished, underweight, and susceptible to disease. 

Dehydration is often a symptom of any kind of stress, usually stemming from critical points in production. While heat stress is a common factor, dehydration can happen any time.

Common Stressors:

Only 51% of newly weaned piglets consume water within the first 25 hours post-wean. That means almost half of every weaned group is dehydrated.

Signs of Dehydration:

Treating dehydration can be as simple as providing enough water that the pigs feel they can drink at any time without fighting for space. In more severe cases, veterinary intervention may be necessary, but by being aware of the piglets’ behavior, this can be avoided.

Treating Dehydration:

  1. Provide adequate water space and flow
  1. Provide support at wean
  1. Provide support during illnesses

And always make sure your drinkers are in good working order!

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