How to Transport Swine

Anyone who has ever raised a single hog knows that at some point they need to figure out a way to move the pig from one place to another. The simplest, most efficient way to do that is in a trailer. The problem with transporting swine is that the process can cause your pig to become stressed and pigs don't handle stress well. Stress causes pigs to become sick and sick pigs loose weight and don't look good in the show arena. If the stress is severe, the pig will die. The good news is that there are several things that you can do to make transporting swine stress free for both you and the hogs.

Instructions

1. Only haul swine that are in good health. Not only will transportation make the pig even sicker, the tight quarters make the rest of your herd susceptible to illness.

2. Take a few minutes to make sure that your towing vehicle is in good condition, as the last thing you want is to had several hours to your trip by breaking down along the highway.

3. Make sure all of your trailer lights are working.

4. Make sure that all of the pigs you are going to be transporting know one another and get along, Pigs that are unfamiliar with one another are prone to fighting.

5. Place your trailer somewhere that will make loading the pigs as simple as possible. Pigs are extremely smart and generally have the good sense to avoid small dark areas, like the inside of trailers. The easiest way to load hogs is to have a long chute that you can herd the pigs into, once they are in the chute all you have to do is chase them in to the trailer. Make sure you park the trailer in such a way that you can close the door before the pigs have a chance to escape.

6. Make sure that the floor of the trailer you are using to transport your swine isn't slippery. The best way to provide your pigs with traction is to have rubber mats in your trailer, if you don't have any rubber mats, spread a generous layer of straw or sawdust on the trailer floor. The bedding will be messy by the time you arrive at your final destination, but your pigs won't be slipping and sliding all over the place.

7. Do not cram a bunch of pigs into a tiny trailer. Pigs that are tightly packed into a trailer are going to get hot. Because they aren't able to sweat (the only sweat glands pigs have are in the tips of their noses) they are particularly susceptible to overheating. When pigs overheat, they become sick to their stomachs and if conditions don't improve, they will die.

8. If you the trip is going to be long, make sure you provide the pigs with plenty of food and water.

9. When you stop somewhere for a rest or to get gas, make sure you park so that the trailer is shaded. Not only will the shade help protect the pigs from overheating, it will also help prevent them from getting sunburned.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are hauling pigs to a pig show, you should bear in mind that the females generally come into heat three days after a trailer ride. Some pigs act differently when they are in heat.