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How Pig Body Temperature Reflects Disease

2024-07-11

Pig body temperature typically refers to rectal temperature. The normal body temperature of pigs ranges from 38°C to 39.5°C. Factors such as individual differences, age, activity level, physiological characteristics, external environmental temperature, diurnal temperature variation, season, time of measurement, type of thermometer, and method of use can influence pig body temperature.

Body temperature to some extent reflects the health status of pigs and is important for the prevention, treatment, and diagnosis of clinical diseases.

Early stages of some diseases can cause elevated body temperature. If a herd of pigs is affected by illness, pig farmers should first measure their body temperature.

Method of Measuring Pig Body Temperature:

1.Disinfect the thermometer with alcohol.

2.Shake the mercury column of the thermometer below 35°C.

3.After applying a small amount of lubricant to the thermometer, gently insert it into the pig's rectum, secure it with a clip at the base of the tail hair, leave it for 3 to 5 minutes, then remove it and clean it with an alcohol swab.

4.Read and record the mercury column reading of the thermometer.

5.Shake the mercury column of the thermometer below 35°C for storage.

6.Compare the thermometer reading with the normal body temperature of pigs, which is 38°C to 39.5°C. However, the body temperature varies for pigs at different stages. For example, morning temperatures are typically 0.5 degrees higher than evening temperatures. Temperature also slightly differs between genders, with boars at 38.4°C and sows at 38.7°C.

Type of Pig	Reference Normal Temperature
Piglet	Typically higher than adult pigs
Newborn piglet	36.8°C
1-day-old piglet	38.6°C
Suckling piglet	39.5°C to 40.8°C
Nursery pig	39.2°C
Growing pig	38.8°C to 39.1°C
Pregnant sow	38.7°C
Sow before and after delivery	38.7°C to 40°C

Pig fever can be categorized as: slight fever, moderate fever, high fever, and very high fever.

Slight fever: Temperature rises by 0.5°C to 1.0°C, seen in local infections like stomatitis and digestive disorders.

Moderate fever: Temperature rises by 1°C to 2°C, commonly associated with diseases such as bronchopneumonia and gastroenteritis.

High fever: Temperature rises by 2°C to 3°C, often seen in highly pathogenic diseases like porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), swine erysipelas, and classical swine fever.

Very high fever: Temperature rises by over 3°C, frequently associated with severe infectious diseases such as African swine fever and streptococcal (septicemia).

Considerations for Antipyretic Use:

1.Use antipyretics cautiously when the cause of fever is unclear. There are numerous diseases that can cause pig body temperature to rise. When the cause of elevated temperature is unclear, avoid using high doses of antibiotics and refrain from hastily administering antipyretic drugs to prevent masking symptoms and causing damage to the liver and kidneys.

2.Some diseases do not cause elevated body temperature. Infections such as atrophic rhinitis and mycoplasmal pneumonia in pigs may not significantly elevate body temperature, and it may even remain normal.

3.Use antipyretic drugs according to the severity of fever. Select antipyretic drugs based on the degree of fever.

4.Use antipyretics according to dosage; avoid blindly increasing the dosage. Dosage of antipyretic drugs should be determined based on the pig's weight and the drug's instructions. Avoid blindly increasing the dosage to prevent hypothermia.