Microwave radiation as a heat source for young livestock

Several types of equipment utilizing microwave (MW) radiation were developed to provide supplemental heat to young animals including broiler embryos and chicks, newly-weaned piglets and hypothermic piglets and lambs. Exposure of broilers to MW during incubation or brooding resulted in no change in growth, reproduction, or egg production, however, immunocompetence may have been altered. Newly-weaned piglets in a cool environment with supplemental MW performed similarly to piglets with infrared radiation (IR). Hypothermic piglets and lambs were rewarmed significantly faster with MW than IR and MW-rewarmed piglets exhibited no change in growth to weaning. This work indicates that MW may be a more efficient heat source for young animals..