Climate change impacts
Summer temperatures in Mie Prefecture have exceeded 35℃, which has impacted the raising of livestock. In fattening pigs, feed intake, and therefore weight gain, has declined; the decrease in sow feed intake results in lower newborn pig weight and slower growth during the weaning period. In the broiler industry, heat stroke frequently occurs during hot weather, particularly at the end of rainy season. A decline in productivity is causing economic losses such as rising mortality rate, less profitable weight gain/feed conversion rates, a decline in egg production (decrease in number and weight), and an increase in egg breakage due to a decline in shell quality. Other issues are heat stress in beef cattle, such as deaths from reduced food intake and vitamin A deficiency, and in dairy cattle, reduced yield and quality.
Adaptation activity
The reduction of heat stress has been investigated by the Mie Prefecture Livestock Research Institute focusing on feed supply and the factory farm environment . In terms of environmental management, cooling pads that help regulate the temperature in barns by channeling air from the exterior through ventilation holes in the water-soaked pads, and also ‘drop cooling’ that allows water to fall on the necks of livestock to keep body temperatures at a comfortable level (Fig. 1). For pig farming, the addition of essential amino acid lysine to commercial feed is an example of measures being taken in adjusting nutrition. Diets supplemented with 0.4% lysine, were less effective in terms of the number of days it took for livestock to reach 110kg, and weight gain per day, when compared to conventional feed without lysine. However, data indicated that the total feed intake and total cost was significantly lower, thus suggesting improved feed efficiency (Fig. 2). In addition, feeding lysine-enriched diets to sows during weaning in the hotter months (July-August) resulted in faster piglet growth, induced a faster estrus cycle (Fig. 3 and Fig. 4). It has also been noted that combining adaptation measures may increase their effectiveness.
Outputs / Expected benefits
By improving living conditions and feed supply it is expected that productivity will increase, benefitting the economy.
Fig. 3 Days of estrus regression in sows
(Source: Mie Prefecture, Research Results Information, Mie Prefecture Livestock Research Institute, FY2013)
Fig. 4 Total increase in offspring weight per sow
(Source: Mie Prefecture, Research Results Information, Mie Prefecture Livestock Research Institute, FY2013)
