Modeling heat mat operation for piglet creep heating

A model was developed and validated to predict the operational characterist ics of heat mat for swine farrowing creep heating. Heat exchange between pi glets and heat mat was simulated by a one-dimensional, steady-state heat tr ansfer model. Validation data were collected from three birth-to-wean (14 d ays) trials under controlled environment of 21 degreesC room temperature an d minimal draft (air velocity < 0.15 m/s). The measured maximum contact tem perature between piglets and heat mat during the 14-day lactation period ra nged from 44.5 to 46.2<degrees>C, and was independent of piglet age. The pr edicted maximum contact temperature was 44.1 and 45.9 degreesC for 1- and 1 4-day-old piglets, respectively. For typical wintertime production conditio ns (20 degreesC and minimal draft), the model predicted that a power input of 188 W/m(2) to the mat would be required to maintain thermal neutrality o f 1.5 kg piglets. The model further predicted that the power-input requirem ent would be reduced to 100 W/m(2) for the typical early weaning body weigh t of 4.0 kg. Environmental conditions (air temperature and velocity) and pi glet behavior strongly affect the operational characteristics of the heat m at.