Prospects of Swine Production in the Context of Climate Change

Abstract Pig production systems provide multiple benefits to humans. However, the global increase in meat consumption has profound consequences for our earth, including the use of finite natural resources (land, water, and energy), pollution of watercourses, loss of biodiversity, and contribution to climate change. Pig production practices contribute to climate change through greenhouse gas production associated with manure management and feed production. Novel feed resources that provide a wide range of ecosystem services in mixed cropping, crop rotation, circular agriculture, or circular economy can improve sustainability of pig production practices. Vice versa, global warming has profound consequences for pig production through the negative consequences of heat stress on production efficiency, growth rates, and increased health care costs. Research suggests that pigs that are better adapted to heat stress are better able to maintain growth when intake becomes restricted. These appear to be animals with lower growth rates during thermoneutral conditions. During heat stress, pigs become more feed efficient; however, reduced growth rates result in decreased slaughter weights or increased days on farm, thus reducing production efficiency. Furthermore, heat stress is found to alter the growth trajectory (maturation rate and mature body weight), tissue accretion rates, and carcass composition, and negatively impacts animal health and welfare. The impact of heat stress can be mediated through control strategies of the thermal environment using precision livestock techniques. In addition, because response to heat stress shows variation, these results emphasize the necessity to review breed choice and genetic selection objectives for improved heat tolerance to climate change. Pigs of interest as selection candidates may be those that are able to maintain high growth rates under heat stress, and these may not be the genetics with highest growth potential under environmentally neutral or favorable conditions.