If you raise hogs on your farm, you might be worried about their well-being this winter. It's true that winter storms can have an impact on your hog houses and the livestock that live in them. However, taking a few preparation steps before the harsh weather hits can help you keep them safe.
1. Inspect and Repair Your Curtains
The curtains on the sides of your hog houses are designed to help keep them warm when the temperatures plunge. Therefore, you will want to check the curtains to ensure that there are no rips or tears, and you'll want to ensure that they seal tightly when they are closed.
2. Insulate Your Pipes
Your automatic watering system could be at risk of freezing up when it gets cold. This can cause two major problems -- first of all, it can prevent your hogs from having the water that they need to stay healthy. Secondly, it could cause your pipes and other components of your system to become damaged, which can be expensive and a pain to fix when it's freezing cold outside. The best course of action is to be proactive and to prevent this from happening in the first place. Wrap up your pipes with insulation and tape, or invest in pipe covers that can be purchased at any home improvement store or store that sells agricultural products. This will help keep them warm enough that the water will still flow through when the temperatures get below freezing.
3. Invest in a Generator
If you do not already have a generator hooked up to your hog houses, you are taking a big risk. When the winter comes, there is always the risk of a power outage. This can be a big problem because it can prevent your automatic feeding and watering systems from working as they are supposed to. If you purchase a generator through a company like Southern Rewind Ltd generators in Lethbridge that you can hook up to your feeding and watering systems, you can help ensure that your hogs have what they need in the event of a winter weather-related power outage.
As someone in the agricultural business, you know how much of an impact the winter weather can have on your hog houses. Luckily, if you take a few steps now to prepare your hog houses for the winter, you shouldn't have anything to worry about. Then, you can focus on keeping yourself and your family warm while knowing that your hogs will be just fine.
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