In the mornings and evenings, the temperature was close to freezing, making it seem like winter was finally here.

Pigs are very sensitive animals to changes in temperature. A temperature that may be comfortable for the sow may be too cold for the piglets, and vice versa. Creating a comfortable environment for both mother pigs and piglets in the same space is the most important thing in any season, and also the most difficult part.

Also, a situation unique to winter is that it is the season when the temperature difference between the inside and outside of the pigpen is the greatest, making it very difficult to move the pigs. Many pigs will resist with all their might when you try to take them out of a warm space and into a cold aisle. There are completely different ways to handle mother pigs and piglets, which are more than twice the size of a human, but the one thing they have in common is that if you try to use too much force, both pigs and humans could get injured.

Moving pigs on a breeding farm is an important task that often means moving to the next stage. We refine our skills every day to ensure that the pigs are not stressed as much as possible, and that humans can work safely as well.

Hanaizumi Farm Shida