Which is better? Heat Mat Vs. Heat Lamps

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.

Hog Hearth heat mats for piglets reduce the watts required to heat a crate and run more efficiently. They also eliminate the risk of fire and lower maintenance.

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 of investment (ROI) in year 1. In subsequent years, you will get savings of $89.87 per stall or $28,758.40 total ROI (total savings with mat = energy cost of mat – energy cost of lamp).

Given the heat mat’s energy savings, a payback period of 11.7 months can be achieved, reducing the carbon footprint of swine production.

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