
Inefficient heat lamps waste energy as only a fraction of the heat reaches the target zone and transfers to the piglets. Some farrowing crates require two heat lamps to evenly dissipate heat to the target zone below.
The heat dissipating from the lamps raises ambient room temperatures, increasing stress on the sows. Combining energy-efficient heating elements and high-density insulation ensures good results. All infrared heat produced by the Hog Hearth heat mats for piglets is projected upward and transferred to the target heat zone above.
When paired with a heat mat controller, the Hog Hearth system uses a fraction of the energy required to heat a farrowing crate compared to a single or double heat lamp setup.
According to research published in The Journal of Swine Health and Production, using controlled heat mats will save energy. In fact, heat mats can result in a savings of $18.30 per farrowing stall or a total of $5,856 return on investment (ROI) in year 1. In subsequent years, you will save $89.87 per stall, for a total ROI of $28,758.40(total savings with mat = energy cost of mat – energy cost of lamp).
Given the heat mat’s energy savings, an 11.7-month payback period, as only a fraction of the heat reaches the target zone and is transferred, to dissipate heat to the target zone below evenly, reducing the carbon footprint of swine production.