Load-cooling strategy and associated heat stress in piglets transported by road in semiarid climates.

Abstract

Load-cooling methods are commonly used to mitigate heat stress in piglets during road transport. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of pre-transport Load-Cooling Through Showering (LCTS) and associated heat stress in piglets transported by road in semiarid climate. Environmental (e.g., temperature and relative humidity) and physiological (e.g., respiratory rate and salivary cortisol concentration) parameters were recorded during fourteen 68 km commercial piglet transports in Ceará, Brazil, involving 168 piglets (12 per journey). The study revealed increases of 13% in relative humidity and 8.74 kJ/kg in trailer enthalpy values for piglets subjected to the LCTS protocol. Additionally, these piglets exhibited significantly higher salivary cortisol levels and higher respiratory rates. In the experimental conditions of the research, the LCTS protocol. proved to be ineffective and adverse, worsening heat stress rather than alleviating it, and causing unnecessary waste in semiarid regions. Producers in these areas should adopt alternatives such as shaded holding areas, ventilation, or evaporative cooling systems, which promote piglet welfare and sustainable water use.