[jackie c]

What is the minimum temperature a pig can endure with no ill effects. I don't want my sow to suffer a long cold winter, I would like to breed her to have piglets in spring, but will cull her before making her suffer. I have them in an old unheated, and poorly insulated chicken coop, that's all I have at the moment. I intend on building a better place ofr them next year. Should I wait for another sow next year or will she come through the winter OK?

 

[Wanda]

What is the minimum temperature a pig can endure with no ill effects. I don't want my sow to suffer a long cold winter, I would like to breed her to have piglets in spring, but will cull her before making her suffer. I have them in an old unheated, and poorly insulated chicken coop, that's all I have at the moment. I intend on building a better place ofr them next year. Should I wait for another sow next year or will she come through the winter OK?

Jackie
Hogs can do just fine in cold weather. They like any livestock need to be able to get out of the wind have good food and water and dry bedding. The colder the weather the more critical detail is!!! A small draft is no prob. at 40 but is very bad at 20 below Dry and draft free are the main things to look for in the housing it does not need to be fancy or airtight it will be more work to water in freezing weather and she will eat a bit more feed but will do just fine in the cold.
Mr Wanda
Mike

 

[uncle Will in In.]

How many hogs do you have together? Hogs pile up against each other to keep warm. It can sometimes be hard on the smaller ones when the big ones flop down on top of them. If the sow has a big pile of straw in her nest, she will work herself down into it to keep warm. We never had a hog freeze to death, but it is rare to have temps below -20 here. If it ever got down to -40 I think I'd load up my pig and head south. Either that or bring her in the house to help keep me warm.