September 2011 - Iowa Pork Producers Association

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‘It’s too damned hot for man or beast!’ By Kelley J. Donham MS, DVM, professor of Occupational and Environmental Health, director of Iowa’s Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (I-CASH), University of Iowa My pork producing dad used to say frequently, “It’s too damned hot for man or beast.” This summer has been no exception. My dad’s words rang in my ears the first time many years ago, as I staggered out of the haymow after stacking bales up under the roof on a 100° F.-plus day. I was weak, dizzy, confused and thirsty. My head hurt and I remember I was so tired; I could hardly walk up the hill to the house. After sitting down in the shade, drinking about a gallon of sweet iced tea and consuming three ham salad sandwiches, I started feeling better. This was one of two times doing farm work that I experienced these symptoms that I now know was heat exhaustion (the first signs of the serious condition heat stroke). Later in life, as a practicing swine veterinarian, I was called to a farm during another hot spell. I walked into a 500-head-capacity building holding 40 lb. feeders – and found 500 pigs – all dead! The ventilation had failed during the night and they died of heat stroke. Pigs and people are alike in many more ways than just having the proclivity to eat until we are fat. We are alike in that overheating can be deadly. However, we have the advantage in that we sweat, an extremely effective way to help keep us cool. As sweat evaporates from our skin, it can remove nearly 2/3 of the heat we generate when working. Pigs (like dogs and cats) only sweat on their noses and foot pads, not much help in cooling off. They have to rely on panting, air movement and radiating their body heat to a cool body (like a cement floor or water). If you believe in global climate change (or not), regardless, we are having and probably will have more “too damned hot days.” We need to be prepared to prevent the detrimental effects of heat for our own health, the health of our family members, employees and of course, the pigs. The basic take-home messages follow and include: 1) the stages of heat illness and symptoms in people; 2) prevention of heat illness in people; 3) the concept of heat index; and 4) prevention of heat illness in pigs. Table 1: Stages of heat illness, symptoms and prevention in people (from mild to severe) • Heat cramps • Dehydration with loss of salts from the body • Weakness, muscle spasms, dizziness and vomiting (often seen in football players in hot weather) • Cool off, drink water supplemented with salt, or better yet, a balanced sports drink (e.g., Gatorade) • Heat exhaustion • Long work periods in hot environments, dehydration and loss of body salts • Extreme fatigue, thirst, headache, dizziness, confusion and body temperature above normal (greater than 38° C. or 100° F.) • May lead to syncope (fainting) and heat stroke if not attended to • Prevention is taking more frequent breaks, shade, maintaining hydration by drinking at least 1.5 liters per hour (even if not thirsty), and avoiding alcohol and tobacco. Wear loose fitting “wicking” clothing that will allow evaporation, such as polyester sport shirts 30 SEPTEMBER 2011
• Heat stroke • Long work periods in hot environments, especially people not used to heat • Loss of sweating capacity, disturbed mental state, possible convulsions or coma • Body temperature may exceed 105° F. (41° C.), rapid heart rate • Emergency situation, must cool rapidly; spraying or immersion in cool water, get the person to the emergency room • Prevention (see heat exhaustion above) Table 2: The serious combined effects of health and humidity. Heat Index The air temperature combined with the relative humidity (heat index) is a critical factor to watch. High temperature plus high humidity combine to create hazardous conditions. With high humidity, the sweat does not evaporate as readily compared to drier air, eliminating our most effective cooling mechanism. Table 2 provides a picture and advice when the combined temperature and humidity create situations when it is “too damned hot for man or beast.” Remember, if you think it is hot, it is even hotter for pigs. If the ventilation fails in a building on a hot day, a lethal situation can develop in a matter of hours. Transportation of market hogs on hot days also is a risky proposition. The article “Keeping Pigs and People Cool” in the National Pork Board’s Pork Checkoff newsletter provides great information on keeping pigs cool when it’s hot. It has been too damned hot this summer and we can expect more to come in future years. Understanding the basic principles of heat stress and prevention – and applying them - can help us live, learn and work even through “too damned hot” spells. SEPTEMBER MAY JULY 2010 2011 31
Page 1 and 2: IOWA Pork Producer www.iowapork.org
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September 2011 - Iowa Pork Producers Association

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