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Beating the Rising Temps: How Probiotics Support Sows under Warm Conditions
David Saornil, Global Swine Applications Manager at Lallemand Animal Nutrition, with a focus on practical, research-driven solutions for modern pig production systems.
As rising temperatures become the norm in many parts of the world, heat stress has gone from a seasonal concern to a regular management hurdle in swine production. Among the most affected are lactating sows, whose performance and welfare can decline sharply during prolonged periods of heat. Understanding how to manage these impacts is becoming a crucial part of reproductive performance,
Staying Cool Under Pressure
When sows experience heat stress, sows start making physiological adjustments to reduce internal heat production. They limit physical activity and reduce feed intake – natural survival mechanisms. But that comes at a cost. Lower feed intake means reduced milk production, loss of body condition, and compromised litter growth. As the sow struggles to maintain thermal homeostasis, both her health and her piglets’ growth are adversely affected.
Maintaining sow body condition during these high-stress periods isn’t just a matter of comfort - it’s a cornerstone of productive, profitable farming. Managing body condition during heat stress is essential. When energy intake is insufficient during lactation, the sow begins to draw heavily on her own body reserves. Excessive tissue mobilization affects milk production and can increase the risk of issues like poor post-weaning fertility or Second Litter Syndrome, where sows underperform in their second cycle due to the toll taken during their first.
Did you know?
The economic break-even point for sows is not reached until they have reached the third farrowing cycle.
Sows maintaining good body condition at mating demonstrate superior reproductive metrics, including higher conception rates and increased numbers of piglets born alive. Well-conditioned animals tend to have better reproductive outcomes, including higher conception rates and more piglets born alive.
Feeding Smarter During the Hottest Months
While cooling systems and shade structures are important tools in the fight against heat stress, nutrition plays a quieter but equally powerful role. A recent field study on 199 sows in the Netherlands examined how a specific probiotic yeast (LEVUCELL SB) included in a specific nutritional solution might affect maternal performance during heat stress conditions and potential benefits for piglet development. The study group received a specific live yeast supplement Saccharomyces. cerevisiae var. boulardii CNCM I-1079 (LEVUCELL SB TITAN) at a 200g/ton of feed from five days pre-farrowing through weaning.
Environmental conditions included significant periods where temperatures exceeded 25°C, as documented by temperature-humidity index (THI) monitoring equipment. The results were striking across multiple parameters. For colostrum quality, Brix measurements showed 85% of supplemented sows produced good or very good samples, compared to just 44% in the control group – a substantial improvement in this critical immune transfer medium.
Regarding body condition, supplemented sows experienced 33% less weight loss, 17% less fat depletion, and 23% less loin tissue reduction (Figure 1). Despite similar restricted feeding between groups, the treated animals maintained markedly better condition, suggesting more efficient utilization of nutritional resources.
Perhaps most impressively, these benefits carried forward into subsequent reproductive cycles. The better-conditioned treated sows produced an average of 1.16 more piglets born alive per litter in their following parity (Figure 2). We also documented fewer culled animals in the supplemented group, indicating improved longevity (Figure 3).
The physiological mechanisms behind these benefits likely involve improved fiber utilization and reduced inflammation. Supplemented sows appear to channel more energy toward milk production while mobilizing fewer body reserves, achieving a more favorable energy balance during challenging heat stress periods.
For producers, the economic implications are substantial. For a typical 500-sow operation experiencing heat stress, our economic modeling indicates substantial returns. Benefits include an average of 1.16 more piglets born alive in the next litter, a reduction of 10 kg in gestation feed per sow to help restore body reserves, and a 4% decrease in sow culling rate. Combined, these improvements represent approximately €15,500 in added value – a significant return on investment.
Heat stress may be unavoidable in many regions, but its impact doesn’t have to be devastating. As climate challenges intensify globally, implementing effective nutritional strategies becomes increasingly important for sustainable production. For producers facing rising temperatures, probiotic supplementation offers a practical approach to maintaining sow performance and welfare during the hottest times of year.
The evidence suggests that with the right nutritional support, sows can indeed stay cool under pressure - benefiting their health, their litters, and ultimately, producer profitability.
Published Jul 17, 2025 | Updated Aug 18, 2025
