There’s nothing worse than having damp hair and freshly cleaned skin, then walking into a hog barn on a cold winter morning. Those cold drafts cut straight to the bone—like a samurai sword slicing through your coveralls. But while they’re uncomfortable for humans, they’re even more punishing for pigs.
And the costs go far beyond comfort.
The Real Impact of Drafts
Drafts are invisible thieves in the barn. They rob young pigs of warmth and energy, shift dunging patterns, drive up feed conversion ratios (FCR), and weaken immune systems, especially in pre-weaned piglets or newly weaned pigs. I’ve seen firsthand how a single poor curtain seal or poorly adjusted inlet can unravel weeks of good management.
As I’ve moved from managing barns in Minnesota and Illinois to the unpredictable winters of Arkansas, one thing has become clear: drafts don’t just appear—they creep in slowly if maintenance isn’t prioritized.
Common Culprits: The Draftmakers
In my experience, drafts often come from simple, fixable sources:
- Loose or torn curtains
- Poor door frame seals
- Uncalibrated or dirty inlets
- Cracks in walls, ceilings, or curtain pockets
- Old or underserviced actuator arms on ventilation systems
As barns age or retrofit, things loosen up. Scott Preston, sales rep and former producer, puts it well:
“We’re seeing barns that are 10, 15, even 20 years old. And sometimes, you’ve got a 5-degree draft blasting across the creep area and no one notices until piglets start piling up in corners. It’s not about big changes—it’s about catching small ones early.”
How to Hunt a Draft
You can’t fix what you can’t find. That’s why I still carry a thermal imaging camera in my barn bag and keep a few old-school smoke sticks in my pocket. These tools help you visualize air movement and temperature variation, especially during windy or cold snaps.
I’ve even had the wild idea to fly my husband’s high-end police drone—equipped with infrared—around barns to pinpoint leaks. And guess what? Some producers are doing just that.
Chris Elvridge, Pig Tek’s Lead Engineer, agrees on the importance of inspection:
“People underestimate how much energy loss happens from minor air leaks. Once a year isn’t enough. You need seasonal inspections—before winter and again in early spring.”
What to Check
Start your winter prep in early fall. Here’s your checklist:
✅ Inspect curtain tightness and patch any holes
✅ Check door seals for wear or gaps
✅ Test inlets for movement, alignment, and cleanliness
✅ Grease curtain rollers, gears, and pulleys
✅ Verify actuator calibration on automatic vent systems
✅ Perform a smoke test or thermal scan during a windy day
✅ Don’t forget attic insulation and gable vents
Randy Curless, Director of Sales and Marketing for Pig Tek, adds:
“You can’t just rely on automation. Even with a good controller, if your building envelope isn’t sealed, you’re losing heat—and money—faster than the system can respond.”
Drafts vs. Minimum Ventilation: A Delicate Balance
One of the trickiest aspects of winter ventilation is balancing minimum air exchange with minimizing drafts. Too little airflow and humidity build up, leading to condensation and poor air quality. Too much airflow and pigs’ chill.
This is where modern inlet design and controller programming come into play. Systems like Pig Tek’s PigCentral™ Controller allow you to fine-tune inlet timing, fan speed, and curtain position with temperature, humidity, and time-based logic.
“The tech is only as good as the settings,” says Scott. “Pig Tek gives dealers and producers the tools—but we also make sure they know how to use them.”
Drafts Don’t Just Waste Heat—They Waste Performance
Every unsealed joint or rattling curtain line is more than an energy leak—it’s a performance leak. And the smallest pigs pay the highest price.
Research shows that pigs exposed to cold stress:
- Require more feed to maintain body temperature
- Are more susceptible to respiratory infections
- Show reduced average daily gain (ADG)
- Develop inconsistent dunging patterns, leading to barn hygiene issues
And let’s not forget the human factor—cold, drafty barns make chores miserable. It’s hard to stay efficient, accurate, or positive when your fingers are frozen and your nose is dripping.
Final Thoughts
Winter can be cruel—but it doesn’t have to be costly. As someone who’s managed pigs in every kind of winter imaginable, I can promise you: finding and fixing drafts before they become problems is the cheapest investment you’ll make all year.
Work with your equipment provider. Leverage the tools Pig Tek offers. And don’t be afraid to crawl around with a flashlight and thermal gun—it’s not glamorous, but it keeps pigs comfortable, productive, and healthy.
