Heat Stress and Sow Feed Intake

The negative impact of heat stress on sows and their litters has been discussed extensively over the past few decades. Undoubtedly, one of the most critical consequences of exposure to high environmental temperatures is a drastic reduction in sow feed intake. Moreover, the reduced voluntary feed intake as a natural response to decreased body heat production can also result in reduced milk production, negatively affecting offspring performance.

In contrast, there are several tools to remedy this issue. Feed flavors, for example, can be used to optimize the sensory properties of feed and improve lactating sow feeding behavior, as well as increasing their milk production - especially under heat stress conditions.