Ben Brouillard

Protect performance, control costs, and maintain animal comfort during the coldest months with these essential winter prep steps.

The three primary nutrients pigs need to thrive are water, feed and air. Proper ventilation is important because it reduces gaseous buildup, removes excessive moisture or humidity, and maintains ideal thermal neutral zones. Traditionally, swine facilities were equipped with a three-stage fan system and pit fans for ventilation. Today, if you consider the advancements in tunnel ventilation and positive or negative air pressure systems for filtration, the ventilation needs have changed dramatically. Additionally, using modern-day controllers, ventilation possibilities have become limitless.

Whether you’re managing a 2,400-head finishing barn or a 6,000-sow farrow-to-wean operation, the assumption is that if the bin has feed, the pigs are eating. But what if they’re not?
Feed outages—defined as either full-blown empty feeders or subtle inconsistencies in delivery—remain one of the most under-diagnosed performance problems in swine production.

As swine production becomes more precise, one truth continues to stand out: Ventilation isn’t a system. It’s a seasonal strategy.

The barns that perform best aren’t just well-built or recently upgraded. They’re managed differently in July than they are in January. Because while the goal remains the same—consistent pig performance—the path to get there changes dramatically with the season.

Swine producers know that a well-functioning feed delivery system is the backbone of their operation. When an auger fails and pigs go without feed, the consequences are immediate—and costly. Research has shown that even short-term feed interruptions can reduce growth rates, increase feed intake variability, and contribute to serious health risks such as gastric ulcers, ileitis, and hemorrhagic bowel syndrome (HBS)​​.

In today’s competitive agricultural landscape, every dollar counts. Whether upgrading housing systems or adopting more sustainable technologies, financing these improvements can be a challenge. Fortunately, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers grant programs that help pig farmers offset the cost of these investments.

Variable frequency drives (VFDs) have become an essential part of modern swine ventilation. They allow fans to run at variable speeds, which can save energy costs, improve animal comfort and reduce wear on equipment. But as VFD technology has spread through the industry, an important debate has emerged: should the drive be mounted directly on the fan, or remotely, away from the barn environment?