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Lighten up to avoid autumn infertility

Thompson’s tip:

Lighten up to avoid autumn infertility

Rapidly-falling day lengths are one of the triggers leading to increased returns in sows over the autumn period, so pig producers should start thinking about autumn infertility, advises Paul Thompson, consultant vet to pig breeding company ACMC.

One of the measures to reduce this problem in sows and gilts is for them to be put onto a 16-hour-light/8-hour-dark cycle, with the light source in the dry sows being at least 200 lux intensity.

Now is the time to re-whitewash walls to increase light reflection and to check that all fluorescent tubes are clean and working properly and consider replacing with higher-intensity tubes.

Light levels can be checked accurately by using light-meters.

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