Stress is not only bad for the animal and the producer’s profits, but it also short-changes the consumer. Stress right before slaughter can result in pale, soft pork with greater drip loss, while long-term stress can cause dark, firm and dry pork.
Stress also has major implications on the animal’s overall health, and with the summer heat approaching comes a perfect storm for stress. Pork producers not only have to worry about the normal sorting, loading and hauling stress on their herd, but they also have to address the additional challenges from heat stress.
“Respiratory rates begin to increase around 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and with high humidity, it becomes difficult for pigs to find relief from the heat on their own,” said Russell Gilliam, United States swine business manager for Alltech.
When pigs become agitated from stress, one of the first things affected is their eating habits. When pigs eat less, they convert less feed into muscle, thus reducing average daily gain and potentially increasing their days to market. This also opens the door to an increased risk of health challenges and ultimately additional costs for producers.