Local swine producers may be working to keep their hogs warm this winter in barns, but they need to be mindful of other health dangers in the generated heat.

Dr. Cody Branstad of Keota Veterinary Clinic says farmers need to have a minimum amount of ventilation for hogs when heating barns, “Heaters will be running more, the fans will have to be running a little bit more. So it makes farmers have to balance the rate of heating to the rate of ventilation correctly to make sure they’re ventilating enough to give them good air, but heating the barn enough to make sure that they stay warm. So as it gets really cold farmers will have to adjust their settings quite a bit to maintain that ratio.”

Ventilation minimizes the health risks caused by gases. Branstad also recommends extra food and water be supplied to swine and other livestock during the winter to help them keep warm.