Pig farming in tropical and subtropical climates presents persistent heat stress welfare challenges requiring specific housing design and management approaches adapted to high-temperature conditions.
Pigs in tropical production systems without appropriate cooling live with chronic heat stress that reduces feed intake, growth, reproductive performance, and immune function year-round rather than seasonally. The welfare burden is greater than in temperate systems because there is no seasonal respite. Appropriate housing design including shade, sprinklers, and cross-ventilation is economically justified by production gains alongside welfare benefits. Developing and disseminating hot climate pig welfare standards that address the specific challenges of tropical production is an important gap in global pig welfare policy.