Risks in Swine Thermal Comfort: A Proposed Risk Map

Pig production is subject to various factors that limit production efficiency, with climate being a key factor among them. The search for alternatives to minimize the thermal challenge for animals is essential, making the management of pig producers highly complex. In this sense, risk management can offer significant support in decision-making for pig producers. Research on risk management is abundant, but it is directed towards specific topics. However, research focused on risk management in pig farming with an integrative approach is a field that has yet to be explored. This research aimed to create a tool that guides producers in identifying risks related to the thermal comfort of pigs, adopting a constructivist approach to create a new model based on an extensive literature review and empirical data. After developing a pig farming risk map based on an in-depth literature review, brainstorming meetings were held to identify risks that negatively affect pig thermal comfort. The risks were analyzed and grouped by similarity, and the risk map was tested and validated with a group of professionals from the pig production system in Brazil. The enhanced tool was subsequently tested on a farm with over 50,000 animals. The critical result is the Risk Map in Swine Thermal Comfort. This vital tool will guide producers in identifying factors that may represent risks to the thermal comfort of animals. This research has unveiled an innovative proposal for risk identification by presenting the Risk Map in Swine Thermal Comfort.