High temperatures have taken a toll on livestock this summer and the heat is not going away just yet. It is why Purdue researchers are looking into reducing heat stress in pigs.
They have invented a cooling pad to help keep the animals comfortable. It is a two-by-four-foot aluminum device that circulates water within copper pipes.
They found when using the pads, the pigs began to breathe slower and their internal temperatures dropped. Milk production and feed intake went up, which they say not only helps their well-being, but the piglets, too.
Other companies have negotiated a license for the pads and hope to have them for sale across North America by next Spring.
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