After autumn begins, the day-night temperature difference gradually widens: days are warm, while nights are cool. Alternating hot and cold conditions are the biggest trigger for disease on pig farms. With the changing climate, the first thing put to the test is not vaccines or medication, but husbandry management. Careful management of four areas—environment, nutrition, stress, and disease prevention—is essential for a smooth passage through autumn, a season when multiple diseases are more prevalent.
I. Temperature Control and Ventilation: Managing the Conflict Between Ventilation and Heat Retention
The biggest risk in autumn is the day-night temperature difference. Many pig farms open windows wide for ventilation during the day but forget to close them at night. When the day-night temperature difference exceeds 8‑10°C, pigs are highly susceptible to colds and respiratory problems.
1. Follow the principle: “Prioritize ventilation during the day and maintain warmth at night.” When daytime temperatures are high, prioritize removing ammonia, moisture, and harmful gases from the pig house. Before temperatures drop at night, promptly reduce ventilation openings to prevent cold drafts from blowing directly onto the pigs. This is especially important for young pigs and nursery pigs; drafts must be strictly prevented.
2. Pay special attention to nursery barns: nursery pigs are most sensitive to temperature, so the nighttime minimum temperature should not fall below 22°C. Try to keep the nighttime temperature in finishing barns above 16°C.
3. Avoid two extremes: Do not simply keep the windows closed to retain heat, as this can cause ammonia levels inside the pig house to exceed limits and trigger coughing and wheezing. Nor should you ventilate heavily day and night and let cold drafts blow through; temperature-related stress directly suppresses immunity. During morning and evening inspections, be sure to check the actual temperature inside the pig house rather than relying only on outdoor weather.
II. Reduce various stressors and stabilize the body's immunity
Seasonal changes are a stressor in themselves. When combined with regrouping, deworming, immunization, and castration, these multiple stressors can easily trigger disease outbreaks.
1. For regrouping, pen changes, and vaccination, try to avoid early morning and evening, when the difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures is greatest. Preferably carry out these operations around midday, when it is relatively warmer. Anti-stress nutrients may be added as appropriate before and after the operations to reduce stress-related harm.
2. Minimize disturbances: avoid noise in the housing and frequent movement of people in and out. Do not overcrowd the pens, and reduce stocking density promptly. High density not only increases oxygen consumption but also makes respiratory diseases more likely to spread.
3. Water management: Day-to-night fluctuations in water temperature are greater. Check the water lines to prevent large amounts of cool water from being consumed at night, irritating the gastrointestinal tract and triggering diarrhea. Ensure an uninterrupted water supply and adequate water pressure in every pen.
III. Adjust nutrition to suit seasonal changes
As temperatures fall, pigs use more energy for maintenance, and their energy requirements gradually increase.
1. Moderately increase the energy level of the diet; do not continue using the summer formula unchanged. Energy expenditure increases in autumn due to the greater day-to-night fluctuations. If the energy supply is insufficient, sows may lose body condition, while the growth of nursery and finishing pigs may slow and their resistance may decline.
2. Mold prevention must not be neglected. New-season corn is gradually coming onto the market in autumn, and its high moisture content is a major hidden risk. High-moisture corn has a high resistant starch content, which can easily cause indigestion and diarrhea in pigs. Be sure to dry new-season corn thoroughly and control its moisture content before storage; ensure good ventilation and moisture protection in the feed storage area, and regularly inspect raw materials and feed troughs to prevent feed mold. Mycotoxins continuously damage immunity, increasing the likelihood of latent problems such as PRRS and circovirus breaking out.
3. Give sows special attention: maintain body condition in replacement and gestating sows; ensure lactating sows consume enough feed to prevent feed intake from falling after temperatures drop in autumn, which can reduce milk production and leave piglets weak.
Four. Disease prevention and control: closely monitor diseases that are common in autumn
Diseases common in autumn include swine influenza, Mycoplasma, contagious pleuropneumonia, Glässer's disease, and streptococcal disease. At the same time, herds with unstable PRRS are prone to periodic fluctuations; in farrowing rooms, also watch for viral diarrhea emerging earlier than usual.
1. Respiratory issues are the top priority: at the first sign of occasional coughing, review the environment immediately (temperature differences, ammonia). Do not start by administering large amounts of medication. Improve ventilation and maintain warmth first, then provide supportive care; the environment comes first.
2. Monitor for latent viruses: in PRRS-positive herds, autumn stress increases, making intermittent antigen shedding more likely. Watch pigs in the nursery stage: promptly identify and isolate individuals with fever, rough coats, or poor growth. If possible, conduct sampling and monitoring to determine whether they are stable carriers or beginning to show fluctuations.
3. Review the vaccination program: before the seasonal change, review the immunization plan for influenza, Mycoplasma, circovirus, and pseudorabies to ensure vaccination is up to date. Do not administer multiple vaccines all at once, to avoid compounding immunization stress.
4. Deworming plan: carry out internal and external parasite control in autumn. Parasites consume nutrients and worsen coughing, wheezing, and weight loss.
Five. Environmental hygiene and disinfection
1. Clean the feed troughs daily to prevent leftover feed from becoming moldy or spoiled; remove manure promptly from aisles and manure channels to reduce humidity and ammonia inside the barn. Keep the humidity inside the barn within 60‑70% as much as possible. Damp, low-temperature autumn nights can seriously harm the respiratory tract.
2. Disinfect the entrance, passageways, and pens regularly, alternating between them. When temperature fluctuations are large, do not spray cold water on pigs for disinfection, as this can worsen cold stress. Instead, use dry powder or a gentle mist disinfectant. Control incoming vehicles and supplies to cut off the risk of external introduction.
Six. Inspection and observation: detect and address problems early
Inspect the pens twice daily, in the morning and evening, especially after temperatures drop in the early hours of the morning:
Check demeanor: Are the pigs lying in piles or huddling together because they are cold?
Check breathing: abdominal breathing, coughing;
Check feces: diarrhea, constipation;
Check feed intake: Is there any reduction in feed?
If any individual abnormalities appear, immediately look for the cause. Prioritize checking for temperature-difference stress, isolate early, and prevent disease from spreading within the group.
Summary: The core principle of autumn pig farming in one sentence: managing temperature differences is the top priority, preventing stress is the main focus, nutrition provides the foundation, the environment comes first, and medication and health care are only supplementary.
I. Temperature Control and Ventilation: Managing the Conflict Between Ventilation and Heat Retention
The biggest risk in autumn is the day-night temperature difference. Many pig farms open windows wide for ventilation during the day but forget to close them at night. When the day-night temperature difference exceeds 8‑10°C, pigs are highly susceptible to colds and respiratory problems.
1. Follow the principle: “Prioritize ventilation during the day and maintain warmth at night.” When daytime temperatures are high, prioritize removing ammonia, moisture, and harmful gases from the pig house. Before temperatures drop at night, promptly reduce ventilation openings to prevent cold drafts from blowing directly onto the pigs. This is especially important for young pigs and nursery pigs; drafts must be strictly prevented.
2. Pay special attention to nursery barns: nursery pigs are most sensitive to temperature, so the nighttime minimum temperature should not fall below 22°C. Try to keep the nighttime temperature in finishing barns above 16°C.
3. Avoid two extremes: Do not simply keep the windows closed to retain heat, as this can cause ammonia levels inside the pig house to exceed limits and trigger coughing and wheezing. Nor should you ventilate heavily day and night and let cold drafts blow through; temperature-related stress directly suppresses immunity. During morning and evening inspections, be sure to check the actual temperature inside the pig house rather than relying only on outdoor weather.
II. Reduce various stressors and stabilize the body's immunity
Seasonal changes are a stressor in themselves. When combined with regrouping, deworming, immunization, and castration, these multiple stressors can easily trigger disease outbreaks.
1. For regrouping, pen changes, and vaccination, try to avoid early morning and evening, when the difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures is greatest. Preferably carry out these operations around midday, when it is relatively warmer. Anti-stress nutrients may be added as appropriate before and after the operations to reduce stress-related harm.
2. Minimize disturbances: avoid noise in the housing and frequent movement of people in and out. Do not overcrowd the pens, and reduce stocking density promptly. High density not only increases oxygen consumption but also makes respiratory diseases more likely to spread.
3. Water management: Day-to-night fluctuations in water temperature are greater. Check the water lines to prevent large amounts of cool water from being consumed at night, irritating the gastrointestinal tract and triggering diarrhea. Ensure an uninterrupted water supply and adequate water pressure in every pen.
III. Adjust nutrition to suit seasonal changes
As temperatures fall, pigs use more energy for maintenance, and their energy requirements gradually increase.
1. Moderately increase the energy level of the diet; do not continue using the summer formula unchanged. Energy expenditure increases in autumn due to the greater day-to-night fluctuations. If the energy supply is insufficient, sows may lose body condition, while the growth of nursery and finishing pigs may slow and their resistance may decline.
2. Mold prevention must not be neglected. New-season corn is gradually coming onto the market in autumn, and its high moisture content is a major hidden risk. High-moisture corn has a high resistant starch content, which can easily cause indigestion and diarrhea in pigs. Be sure to dry new-season corn thoroughly and control its moisture content before storage; ensure good ventilation and moisture protection in the feed storage area, and regularly inspect raw materials and feed troughs to prevent feed mold. Mycotoxins continuously damage immunity, increasing the likelihood of latent problems such as PRRS and circovirus breaking out.
3. Give sows special attention: maintain body condition in replacement and gestating sows; ensure lactating sows consume enough feed to prevent feed intake from falling after temperatures drop in autumn, which can reduce milk production and leave piglets weak.
Four. Disease prevention and control: closely monitor diseases that are common in autumn
Diseases common in autumn include swine influenza, Mycoplasma, contagious pleuropneumonia, Glässer's disease, and streptococcal disease. At the same time, herds with unstable PRRS are prone to periodic fluctuations; in farrowing rooms, also watch for viral diarrhea emerging earlier than usual.
1. Respiratory issues are the top priority: at the first sign of occasional coughing, review the environment immediately (temperature differences, ammonia). Do not start by administering large amounts of medication. Improve ventilation and maintain warmth first, then provide supportive care; the environment comes first.
2. Monitor for latent viruses: in PRRS-positive herds, autumn stress increases, making intermittent antigen shedding more likely. Watch pigs in the nursery stage: promptly identify and isolate individuals with fever, rough coats, or poor growth. If possible, conduct sampling and monitoring to determine whether they are stable carriers or beginning to show fluctuations.
3. Review the vaccination program: before the seasonal change, review the immunization plan for influenza, Mycoplasma, circovirus, and pseudorabies to ensure vaccination is up to date. Do not administer multiple vaccines all at once, to avoid compounding immunization stress.
4. Deworming plan: carry out internal and external parasite control in autumn. Parasites consume nutrients and worsen coughing, wheezing, and weight loss.
Five. Environmental hygiene and disinfection
1. Clean the feed troughs daily to prevent leftover feed from becoming moldy or spoiled; remove manure promptly from aisles and manure channels to reduce humidity and ammonia inside the barn. Keep the humidity inside the barn within 60‑70% as much as possible. Damp, low-temperature autumn nights can seriously harm the respiratory tract.
2. Disinfect the entrance, passageways, and pens regularly, alternating between them. When temperature fluctuations are large, do not spray cold water on pigs for disinfection, as this can worsen cold stress. Instead, use dry powder or a gentle mist disinfectant. Control incoming vehicles and supplies to cut off the risk of external introduction.
Six. Inspection and observation: detect and address problems early
Inspect the pens twice daily, in the morning and evening, especially after temperatures drop in the early hours of the morning:
Check demeanor: Are the pigs lying in piles or huddling together because they are cold?
Check breathing: abdominal breathing, coughing;
Check feces: diarrhea, constipation;
Check feed intake: Is there any reduction in feed?
If any individual abnormalities appear, immediately look for the cause. Prioritize checking for temperature-difference stress, isolate early, and prevent disease from spreading within the group.
Summary: The core principle of autumn pig farming in one sentence: managing temperature differences is the top priority, preventing stress is the main focus, nutrition provides the foundation, the environment comes first, and medication and health care are only supplementary.