It is best to take each small group of pigs immediately from the finishing pen to the truck. This is wide enough to allow 2 pigs to walk down it side by side. Do not overload the trucks. Overloaded trucks, especially during hot weather, are a major cause of high death losses. Do not allow pigs to stand in a fully loaded truck, get moving immediately.
Heat builds up rapidly in a stationary vehicle.
In winter, use straw for bedding. In extremely cold weather, straw provides the best insulation and helps prevent frostbite. Observations in packing plants indicate that trucks with inadequate bedding are more likely to contain frost bitten pigs. When there is high heat and humidity, it is best to transport pigs very early in the morning and at night. Stocking density should be reduced.