BioSec Bob here on Saturday, June 13, 2026 — let’s get right into it.
Starting with summer heat and what it’s doing to your pig performance. Brownfield Ag News is reporting that heat-stressed pigs eat less feed and their growth slows noticeably during hot weather. When pigs can’t cool themselves effectively, their feed intake drops and that directly hits weight gain. It’s a straightforward problem — the hotter it gets, the more your finishing timeline stretches out.
Heat’s also affecting the feed going into your barns. National Hog Farmer is reporting that soybean meal damaged by heat during storage or transport is cutting pig growth by about 3 kilograms per animal. That’s not a small number when you’re running a finishing operation. The heat degrades the nutritional quality, and your pigs aren’t absorbing what they need, even when they do eat.
On the disease side, swine producers need to watch developments overseas. Hungary Today is reporting that Hungarian authorities have ordered a cull of wild boars after African Swine Fever was confirmed in domestic pig herds. The wild boar population is being targeted because the disease can spread between wild and domestic animals. This is a reminder of how quickly ASF can move once it’s in a region.
The situation’s worse in parts of Asia. India Today Northeast is reporting that an African Swine Fever outbreak in Assam’s Charaideo district has triggered movement restrictions on pigs and pork products. Authorities are tightening controls to contain the spread within that region. ASF remains one of the most economically damaging diseases swine producers face globally.
Switching to poultry — Feedstuffs is checking in on the health status of U.S. flocks midway through 2026. The report covers disease monitoring, flock performance, and emerging health concerns affecting broiler and layer operations across the country as we head into peak summer production.
North of the border, WATTPoultry.com is reporting that the World Organisation for Animal Health — WOAH — has released details on recent highly pathogenic avian influenza cases confirmed in Canada. The cases are adding to the ongoing pressure on North American poultry producers dealing with HPAI circulation.
Keep an eye on your feed quality and your cooling systems this summer.