In the design of a pig farm’s water supply system, attention is usually focused on whether there is enough water—the pump head, water tower capacity, and number of drinkers, all of which determine whether pigs have water to drink. But the question of “what temperature the water is” is often overlooked during construction. Pigs are far more sensitive to drinking water temperature than most people realize. In summer heat, water in pipes exposed to sunlight or buried too shallowly can exceed 50℃, causing pigs to drink less because the water is too warm. Once water intake falls, lactating sows’ milk production, and fattening pigs’ feed intake and daily weight gain all decline. But what people see on site is only that “pigs grow more slowly in summer”; few think to check the temperature of the water coming out of the drinkers.
The ideal drinking water temperature range varies slightly between sows and fattening pigs, but the commonly accepted range is between 13℃ and 20℃. The optimal drinking water temperature for sows in summer is around 15℃. This temperature cannot be kept stable simply by “providing shade for the water tower.” After water sits in a pipe for a while, its temperature gradually approaches that of the surrounding environment. If the main water supply pipe is not buried deep enough, or the section from the water tower to the pig house is exposed outdoors, the pipe walls heat up in the summer sun, and the water sitting inside can reach a temperature pigs are unwilling to drink within a few hours. In winter, there is a risk of freezing. Pig farms in northern China are aware of this, but farms in the south often bury pipes very shallowly because “it doesn’t freeze in winter.” As a result, water temperature becomes a weak point in summer.
The solution is determined at the construction stage. The main water supply pipe should be buried at least one meter underground and wrapped in insulating material. The aim is to keep the soil around the pipe within a relatively stable temperature range year-round, reducing the impact of fluctuations in the outdoor air temperature on water temperature. If site conditions make deep burial impossible, the next-best option is to route the pipes through the pig house, using its relatively stable indoor temperature as a buffer, and to wrap exposed sections in insulating material. The water tower itself also needs shade to prevent direct sunlight. A shade net or insulating layer can be installed above it, or plants can be grown around it to provide shade.
There are also several details in the pipe layout that are indirectly related to water temperature. The more drinkers there are, the larger the required pipe diameter and the higher the flow rate. During the fattening stage, a flow rate of 1 minutes/liter is considered ideal. The longer water remains in a pipe, the more readily its temperature is “brought into line” with the surrounding environment. Therefore, the water line should be designed to minimize dead ends and long, single branch pipes. Installing 3 valves on each pipe and arranging the water lines in a Y shape makes it easier to control and flush separate sections, and can also reduce prolonged stagnation in local sections of pipe. In multi-story pig buildings, each floor also needs a pressure-reducing valve, with two vertical water supply pipes installed at diagonally opposite positions as backups. These measures help ensure water pressure and continuity of supply in a multi-level layout. On the plans, drinking water temperature is just one line that says “pipe burial depth,” but every summer after the farm goes into operation, it shows up again in the form of feed intake and milk production.
The ideal drinking water temperature range varies slightly between sows and fattening pigs, but the commonly accepted range is between 13℃ and 20℃. The optimal drinking water temperature for sows in summer is around 15℃. This temperature cannot be kept stable simply by “providing shade for the water tower.” After water sits in a pipe for a while, its temperature gradually approaches that of the surrounding environment. If the main water supply pipe is not buried deep enough, or the section from the water tower to the pig house is exposed outdoors, the pipe walls heat up in the summer sun, and the water sitting inside can reach a temperature pigs are unwilling to drink within a few hours. In winter, there is a risk of freezing. Pig farms in northern China are aware of this, but farms in the south often bury pipes very shallowly because “it doesn’t freeze in winter.” As a result, water temperature becomes a weak point in summer.
The solution is determined at the construction stage. The main water supply pipe should be buried at least one meter underground and wrapped in insulating material. The aim is to keep the soil around the pipe within a relatively stable temperature range year-round, reducing the impact of fluctuations in the outdoor air temperature on water temperature. If site conditions make deep burial impossible, the next-best option is to route the pipes through the pig house, using its relatively stable indoor temperature as a buffer, and to wrap exposed sections in insulating material. The water tower itself also needs shade to prevent direct sunlight. A shade net or insulating layer can be installed above it, or plants can be grown around it to provide shade.
There are also several details in the pipe layout that are indirectly related to water temperature. The more drinkers there are, the larger the required pipe diameter and the higher the flow rate. During the fattening stage, a flow rate of 1 minutes/liter is considered ideal. The longer water remains in a pipe, the more readily its temperature is “brought into line” with the surrounding environment. Therefore, the water line should be designed to minimize dead ends and long, single branch pipes. Installing 3 valves on each pipe and arranging the water lines in a Y shape makes it easier to control and flush separate sections, and can also reduce prolonged stagnation in local sections of pipe. In multi-story pig buildings, each floor also needs a pressure-reducing valve, with two vertical water supply pipes installed at diagonally opposite positions as backups. These measures help ensure water pressure and continuity of supply in a multi-level layout. On the plans, drinking water temperature is just one line that says “pipe burial depth,” but every summer after the farm goes into operation, it shows up again in the form of feed intake and milk production.