Pigs are highly susceptible to heat stress, with no ability to sweat and limited panting capacity. Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of heat stress events in pig farming.
Heat stress in pigs causes measurable suffering - panting, prostration, reduced activity, and if severe, death. For indoor systems without adequate cooling, summer heat waves can cause sustained welfare crises affecting entire flocks. The welfare case for providing wallowing access to outdoor pigs, and effective ventilation and cooling for indoor pigs, is compelling and increasingly urgent as climate change intensifies heat events. Proactive farm adaptation - installing better ventilation, automated sprinklers, and emergency cooling protocols - is both a welfare investment and a production necessity as temperatures rise.