Concept: Hog barn propane load profile
Confidence: Verified (temperature targets from NFACC); Estimated (consumption ranges — published Canadian primary data is thin).
Operational reference for propane consumption on Ontario hog operations. The structural fact is the dual-zone temperature stack: piglet creep at up to 34°C while sows want the room at 18–20°C.
Temperature stack (NFACC 2014 Pig Code)
| Stage | Temperature target | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Farrowing room ambient (sow comfort) | 18–20°C (64–68°F) | NFACC 2014 Pig Code, Section 1.4 Recommended Practice |
| Piglet creep area | Up to 34°C (93°F) | NFACC 2014 Pig Code, Recommended Practice |
| Newly weaned nursery (first 4–5 days) | 27–32°C at pig level | NFACC 2014 Pig Code Table 1.1 |
| Grow-finish barn | 16–22°C | Typically self-heating from pig metabolism in Ontario climates |
| Ammonia trigger | Action required if >25 ppm at pig level | NFACC 2014 Pig Code Requirement |
NFACC quote: "A warm, dry, clean and draft-free environment is critical for newly weaned pigs. Most nurseries in Canada need to be equipped with supplemental heating."
Detail on temperature requirements in reg-nfacc-2014-pig-code-creep-nursery-temperature.
Estimated annual consumption and tank sizing
| Operation | Annual propane (L) | Tank sizing typical |
|---|---|---|
| 200-sow farrow-to-finish | 8,000–20,000 | 1,000–2,000 USWG |
| 500-sow farrow-to-finish | 20,000–50,000 | 2,000–4,000 USWG |
| 1,000-head weaner-to-finish (turnover) | 5,000–15,000 | 1,000–2,000 USWG |
| 5,000-head finishing only | 3,000–10,000 (mostly office/water heat + freeze protection) | 500–1,000 USWG |
Confidence: Estimated. Field experience consistent with these ranges; published Canadian primary data is thin.
Run-out consequences specific to hogs
A piglet creep heat failure in February in Listowel turns into pre-weaning mortality within hours — piglets cannot thermoregulate in their first 48 hours, and lethargic piglets will not nurse.
Gary Stordy of the Canadian Pork Council, quoted in Farmtario on the original carbon-tax dispute: "Heating hog barns is not optional in Canada and, as with greenhouses, the only viable fuel options are natural gas and propane."
Run-out window detail in op-livestock-runout-tolerance-by-sector.
CO detection in farrowing
Hard-wired CO detection in farrowing rooms is operationally non-negotiable: propane combustion + warmth + enclosed animals + minimum ventilation is the textbook CO scenario. See reg-tssa-fs-225-17-co-detection-fuel-burning.
Sources
NFACC 2014 Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Pigs (currently under update). Farmtario (Gary Stordy / Canadian Pork Council). Swine Health Ontario PED/PDCoV tracking.