Farm Animals

Pig Neonatal Hypothermia Prevention

Neonatal piglet hypothermia is a leading cause of pre-weaning mortality, driven by the thermoregulatory immaturity of newborn pigs and cold farrowing environments.

Key Facts

Newborn piglets have virtually no brown fat reserves and lose heat rapidly
Critical environmental temperature for newborn piglets is 32-35 degrees Celsius
Piglets born to large litters have less access to the sow's body warmth
Heat lamps or heated creep areas provide essential supplementary warmth
Colostrum intake improves thermoregulatory capacity by providing energy for heat production

Welfare Considerations

Hypothermia causes suffering and death in very young piglets. Simple, affordable heat provision prevents large numbers of preventable deaths in the first 24-48 hours of life.

What You Can Do

Ensure all farrowing areas have heat lamps or heated mats available for newborn piglets
Check farrowing temperatures against breed-appropriate recommendations
Ensure piglets are dry and warm within the first hour of birth
Provide additional heat support for piglets from large litters with limited sow access