The Effect of Climate Change-Induced Temperature Increase on Performance and Environmental Impact of Intensive Pig Production Systems

This study examined climate change impacts (CCI) on productivity of pig production systems, their resource use, environmental impacts and the relevance of potential adaptation options. The impact of increasing temperature and temperature-humidity index (THI) on performance of pigs in confined housin...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Sustainability 2020-11, Vol.12 (22), p.9442
Main Authors: Hörtenhuber, Stefan J., Schauberger, Günther, Mikovits, Christian, Schönhart, Martin, Baumgartner, Johannes, Niebuhr, Knut, Piringer, Martin, Anders, Ivonne, Andre, Konrad, Hennig-Pauka, Isabel, Zollitsch, Werner
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acidification
Adaptation
Climate change
Climate effects
Climatic data
Emissions
Energy
Energy demand
Environmental changes
Environmental impact
Eutrophication
Feeds
Food supply
Global warming
Heat
Heat stress
Heat tolerance
Hogs
Housing
Humidity
Hypotheses
Livestock
Metabolism
Mortality
Physiology
Sustainability
Swine
Swine production
Systems analysis
Temperature
Ventilation
Water supply
Weather
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Summary:This study examined climate change impacts (CCI) on productivity of pig production systems, their resource use, environmental impacts and the relevance of potential adaptation options. The impact of increasing temperature and temperature-humidity index (THI) on performance of pigs in confined housing systems was analysed by a meta-analysis. Using climate data for an Austrian site for the period 1981 to 2010, different scenarios (cold year, warm year, hot year, worst case scenario) were modelled and compared. Although significant differences between thermoneutral and heat stress conditions were detected for the analysed traits of growing and finishing pigs, overall performance, resource use (cumulative energy demand) and environmental impacts (global warming, acidification and eutrophication potential) per kg of live mass for finished pigs and reared piglets did not significantly differ between most scenarios. Elements of pig production systems resilient to CCI, which were not considered under performance and environmental impacts (LCA), were addressed in a system analysis that was based on literature and expert knowledge. The most important detected system elements are plants and animals with an appropriate genetic potential, securing the access to inexpensive feed, including land for feed production, securing water supply and the implementation of health plans and measures against diseases associated with CCI.
ISSN:2071-1050
2071-1050
DOI:10.3390/su12229442